Texas Tech University Athletics
Cave Looks to Flourish Under Flora's New System
August 17, 2011 | Women's Volleyball
Aug. 17, 2011
There is a certain level of excitement Don Flora gets when he watches Miara Cave, and that's without having coached an actual match yet.
After spring drills last May, he said Cave was hands-down the most-improved player on the team. Through one week of spring drills, the first-year Texas Tech head coach remains firm on the assessment.
The key ingredient - confidence.
"When we got here in January, we could tell she had barely scratched the surface technically in her movements," Flora said. "We simply made her more efficient in her attacking and her blocking and what that's correlated to is better numbers."
With better numbers has come a certain level of confidence for Cave, a junior who averaged just under two kills per set a year ago en route to 176 on the year.
That confidence has translated into impressive performances so far in fall camp. The San Antonio native has used her powerful left-handed swing to spike numerous kills thus far with possibly her best outing coming in an intersquad scrimmage a week ago.
 Miara Cave is one of several Red Raiders to impress Coach Flora so far in fall camp.  | |
"I feel like I have a lot more confidence," Cave said. "Not only does my coach believe in me and I'm seeing improvements in practice, but I feel like the whole team is behind me as well."
Little did either know prior to the squad's first practice, but Cave's skill set fits perfectly with Flora's offensive style of play, which focuses more on speed and quick decisions.
One of Flora's main sayings to the team throughout training camp has been to "trust the system."
If Tech is able to consistently do that, Flora said that should result in numerous opportunities for Cave.
"When we're in system, she's deadly," Flora said. "When we're out of system, she now understands the why and when, so the offense just augments her strengths."
A beneficiary of Cave's development may be senior setter Karlyn Meyers, who said she will not shy from setting her way as often as possible.
It's not just Cave's hitting ability that has impressed Meyers, though. Every element of her game has improved, Meyers said, including her defensive approach and blocking.
"I can't even put it into words how much more we will depend on Miara this season," Meyers said. "She has improved every facet of her game and has really become an all-around player. Her blocking has steadily improved, and she's been able to do a lot more things that we need her to do on a consistent basis."
Cave describes last spring as "going back to the basics," noting that she spent most practices improving her foot work and blocking technique.
| "If she wanted to pursue this thing, she could take it as far as she wants. Does she want to play for the stars and stripes? Internationally? Professionally? She could be the most dominant right-side in this conference." Don Flora |
By the end of the spring, Cave and fellow junior Tory Vaughan were two returners that Flora said had earned their spots in Tech's 2011 rotation, adding two more upperclassmen to Dowdy and Meyers that could help provide leadership to a roster consisting mainly of freshmen and sophomores.
"It's not just about me," Cave said. "It's about the team, and you are supposed to be teaching the younger players what it's like to play the game since you've been here for a couple of years. I feel like that kept me grounded to learn the basics and teach someone else."
Now, Flora says he wants to see Cave transfer the lessons learned from last spring to when the Red Raiders open the season at the TCU Invitational.
If the progress continues, Flora said Cave's ability could make her not just one of the top players on the Tech roster, but in the Big 12 and possibly nationally.
With that, Flora said possibilities could arise once Cave is done wearing a Tech uniform.
"If she wanted to pursue this thing, she could take it as far as she wants," he said. "Does she want to play for the stars and stripes? Internationally? Professionally? She could be the most dominant right-side in this conference."
