Greetings from Des Moines, Iowa. I just flew in after saying goodbye to our 68 elite camp participants this morning. It was a great camp with a superb staff. Hopefully there were more than a few future Knights in that group.

I'm all checked in at the Grandview University dorms, waiting for all the Junior National A2 players to arrive tomorrow. We will have our initial meeting, then get a first practice and follow it up with more meetings.

It should be a fun group to work with. Each of them have hopes of making the Junior National Teamthat will represent the USA in the World Junior Championships next year. My job is to help prepare them to take advantage of that opportunity. Many players have made the jump for the A2 program to the National Team.  thoroughly enjoy my part of the pipeline process.

Des Moines was unbearably hot today. It was 103 degrees when I landed. My tournament host then informed me I would be staying in the dorms that don't have air conditioning. I have heard of USA Volleyball National Team trips to foreign places that do not enjoy the same 

amenities that we take for granted in the USA. I didn't think Iowa was one of them. 

Regardless, it's the motto of USA Volleyball to deal with whatever conditions we find ourselves in. That's exactly what I will do. My bed is a typical dorm single, very tiny.  However, being the dad of a 2-year-old and a 4-year-old who often make their way into my bed at night, I'm guessing I will have more sleeping room on this single bed than I do at home.