Orange Coast College women’s volleyball team understands the saying “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” a bit too well from doing “boards” at their practices.“It’s where you push this wooden block with carpet around it, push it with your hands and run across the floor,” said sophomore libero Nikki Osuna on Nov. 26 after beating Moorpark College in five sets. “We do those every day and I feel like we hate them so much, but they’ve made us so much better. Our stamina is insane that we can go for games like this and play the way we do.”
Head coach Chuck Cutenese said that ever since he became a coach, he’s incorporated using boards into his programs.
“It’s a lower body workout and you feel it in the back of your legs,” he said. “When I played at Chapman University, I hated them. They were the worst. But our coach kept saying it’s going to make you better.”
Though many of the Coast players agree that doing boards is painful, all of them recognize the benefits of pushing a two-by-four wooden block with carpet on it.
“Yeah they are tiring and yeah they made you want to throw up, but in the long run, we were probably in better shape than all the other teams,” sophomore middle blocker Briana Fields (pictured) said, “because of our hard work and boards we did everyday.”
But boards were also a used as a form of punishment.
“I set the record last year for 29 boards in a row because I was late for practice,” sophomore outside hitter Rachel Freeno said. “I’m like the queen of boards, but everyone hates them.”
Besides the increased strength and stamina, Freeno said that boards have contributed a big part to why the lady Pirates are such a cohesive group.
“Personally, I think it’s bringing us closer,” she said, “because everybody dreads doing boards so it’s pushing us as a team.”
Click here to read "Lady Pirates on top again" article on the team winning its third state title in the last five years.
[Photo courtesy of Hank Schellingerhout]
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