gaining confidence, we're believing in each other
and believing that about anything is possible.''
It's consistent with his "Let's shoot for the moon
and see what happens'' approach. "I've never understood coaches when they've tried to undersell
(their teams),'' he said. "I don't believe in that.''
When asked to identify one or two players that
must have good seasons in order for Wisconsin to
have a good season, Sheffield was unwilling to get
too specific.
"It's time for everybody to take their game to the
next level,'' he stressed. "We finished tied for ninth
(in the Big Ten), so every returning player has to
raise their game if you want something else.
"We've got some talented freshmen that have the
ability to start for us right away,'' he reiterated. "If
they're not raising their game, they're not going to
play.''
Nobody carries a higher profile than freshman
Lauren Carlini, the national Gatorade Player of
the Year. Carlini was invited to last month's ESPYs,
where she sat in the fifth row and mingled with superstars.
"She came into the office the other day,'' Sheffield
recounted, "and she says, 'I thought was pretty good
but being in that room with all those people I realize how far I have to go.'
"I like that perspective. She's going to get a lot of
pub and why not? But there's a lot of talent here.
There are some players that people are going to be
really, really impressed with.
"It's not going to be the Lauren Carlini show,''
Sheffield insisted. "We've got a few kids on this
team who are capable of being All-American-type
players.''
See for yourself. That would be Sheffield's message to Badgers fans.
"Get excited, come out, we need your support,'' he
said. "We have had an unbelievable fan base over
the years, but we've lost some of it. Give us a chance,
come back.
"Our team really wants people to be energized
again. We all want that Field House to be the toughest place in college volleyball to play in. Come back
and help us.''
Help them earn the right to win.
"Our team really wants people to be energized
again," Sheffield said. "We all want that Field
House to be the toughest place in college volleyball to play in. Come back and help us.''
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