GIRLS VOLLEYBALL: Le'au making noise in Monrovia
Freshman Le'au leading charge for Wildcats
By Keith Lair, Staff Writer
MONROVIA - There is a lot of roaring in the Monrovia High School gymnasium this season.
That's because the Wildcats' girls volleyball team is making a big racket in the Rio Hondo League.
And Monrovia can thank a freshman for all the noise.
"You should see this freshman from Monrovia," La Ca ada coach Brock Turner said. "She's unbelievable."
"She hits spikes from the back row," South Pasadena coach Jessica Baretto said.
That freshman is Tirah Le'au.
Because of her, and the experience of the seniors, the Wildcats are off to a 3-1 start in league, 8-4 overall. Their lone loss was to La Ca ada, undefeated in league, in three games. The teams meet again Thursday.
"She has the heart of a lion," Monrovia coach David Jones said. "She has such extraordinary talent."
It's a surprising talent.
Le'au has played volleyball for less than two years, and already, at the age of 13 - she turns 14 next month - is arguably the top player on her team. The only time she leaves the floor is during a timeout or, like in that La Ca ada match, when she twists an ankle and has to have it taped to continue.
"I love playing volleyball," Le'au said. "I just love everything about it. I like how it is physical."
So, for a player nearly 4 years younger than one of her fellow starters, how has she managed to fit in so well and so quickly?
"I don't play with girls my age," Le'au said. "I've only played with girls that are older. I feel I gain more experience playing with older players. They're better players. They can teach me."
Le'au said she became tired of playing softball and began picking up volleyball. Not basketball, which her mother played.
"I wanted to try something different," she said, although she admits that the Wildcats basketball program is recruiting her to play, even though she has never played the sport.
She began playing volleyball for Club West in La Verne. This year she will play on the club's 15-year-old team.
Because of the Club West connection, the 5-foot-11 standout almost wound up playing for Bonita.
"Her older brother (Christian) played football for us last year," Jones, a second-year coach, said. "He told me I had to meet with his younger sister."
Little did Jones know he was in the midst of a mini-recruiting war.
Would Le'au play with her Club West teammates at Bonita, or would she play in her hometown of Monrovia?
She also met with the coaching staff at Arcadia, but she and her parents decided that she wanted to go to school close to home.
It's a good thing she stayed at Monrovia.
"I was really concerned about how I would fit in with my teammates," she said. "I had friends over there, but I've been accepted here."
Le'au's play has caused consternation for opposing coaches.
"I've never seen the La Ca ada coach (Turner) get up from the bench during a match," Jones said. "But against us, he got up. We're still a young team, but I think we can start making a difference in the Rio Hondo League."
Jones said Le'au's presence forces the other players to work harder.
"Everyone steps up," he said. "She's so good, but she's only going to get better. But when she's on the floor, everyone wants to play better because of her."
The typical problem for larger players, and especially for those who have played for a minimal amount of time, is passing the ball. Le'au says it's definitely an area in which she needs work.
"I do like hitting spikes from the net," she said. "From the back row, it's much harder. You have to aim for your spots more."
She said the biggest difference between club and high-school volleyball isn't on the court, it's the rotation.
"The rotation is so much easier," she said. "It's not so sophisticated."
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Melendez worked as a correspondent for the San Gabriel Valley Tribune for three years and later landed a job as a freelance writer at the Los Angeles Times before accepting an offer at The Orange County Register covering high schools. Melendez covered Major League Soccer at The Register for three years before being promoted to report on the Lakers, Angels and Dodgers for the Web. Melendez also worked for the Daytona Beach News-Journal, Fresno Bee, Oakland Tribune and The Boston Globe. E-mail opinions, suggestions and tips to miguel.melendez@sgvn.com. |
Wow!, this was a real quality post. In theory I'd like to write like this too - taking time and real effort to make a good article... but what can I say... I keep putting it off and never seem to get something done
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High quality info here! Keep up the great work. I love the feelings being expressed.
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What is Tirah doing on the computer wasnt she just on the newspaper? i dont mean to sound mean im just saying!!!!!!
go tyra!!!
let's go
represent mhs well!!
its kab just in case yew didnt no hahah
let's go ladys!!
GO>>>TIRAH THATS MY CUZZIN AND SHE ROCKS AT VOLLEYBALLL ANY CLUB WOULD BE HONORED TO HAVE HER ON THEIR TEAM
GO>>>TIRAH THATS MY CUZZIN AND SHE ROCKS AT VOLLEYBALLL ANY CLUB WOULD BE HONORED TO HAVE HER ON THEIR TEAM
Bonita coach coaches for club west?
Before this gets out of hand I didn't read anywhere in the article that stated that Club West coaches were recruiting her to play at Bonita. It was more than likely her club teamates telling her she should. All club coaches are very careful not to cross that line.
Club coaches can coach a player up until the 14's (8th grade)division of club and not break any CIF rules. These girls may even eventually go to the high school where the club coach coaches. Once the girls are in high school they may not play for the same coach in high school as club.
so all those kids at Bonite high are illegally recruited? since this Monrovia kid did not take the bate.
I'll re-phrase: I've been around coaches that have coached on the high school ranks, as well as clubs. Nothing illegal was ever pointed out in those situations.
If the school recruited her, it's illegal.
Back to smv's first post- it actually works both ways. High School coaches can strongly influence which club or clubs they want their kids to play for and club coaches can influence which schools get which club players as freshman. It is hard to define this as illegal. To really see all that goes on-you have to be involved in it. It would be very hard for a reporter such as Scott to have knowledge of the situation.
I don't think the CIF can really control all that goes on between club coaching and high school play.The private schools and the top public programs cannot even be competitive without the connection to clubs. The new CIF transfer rules seem to be beneficial to public schools because a player can transfer at any time from one public school to another public school as long as a definite change of residence occurs. The new rules make it more difficult to go between private and public schools.
Pasadena's coach is a club coach as are many area coaches.
coaching the same kids at high school and then coaching the same kids at club level, isn't that illegal relating to cif rules? according to the article about this student athlete stated that she was pursuit by her travelling club coach as well as kids that play for that club to go to another school, doesnt this article sounded odd about a high school kids telling the reporter that another coach recruiting her to go another school?
working at and coaching at different high schools had nothing to do with this topic and south pas coach doesnt coach club and ex st lucy coach can only coach girls since isnt the school is an all girl school and he coached the boys team at la salle...how can he recruit girls to play on a boys team...that really didnt make sense.
There are many coaches in Southern California that coach high school and high ranking clubs.
If there's illegal recruiting, I sure haven't heard about it.
St. Lucy's coach from last season also coached at La Salle and South Pasadena's boys coach works at Gabrielino.
Things like this do happen.
Since you brought it up, where's the dirt, or are you just stirring the pot?
Scott,
doesn't bonita high school coaches also coach at club west? is that against CIF rules for illegal recruiting? Is this club really doing illegal activities to influence kids where to go to school?