Warriors pumped for playoffs

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

Weight training has helped UH senior hitter Tony Ching put on 15 pounds of muscle since he was a freshman. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser Semifinals Thursday At Pepperdine (Malibu, Calif.) UC-Irvine vs. Pepperdine Hawai'i vs. BYU Championship Saturday at Pepperdine

After a breakfast catered for Bugs Bunny — he prefers scrambled egg whites, unbuttered wheat toast and juice — he lifts weights for 50 minutes.

One of the must-have clauses during last year's contract negotiations was a key to UH's Waterhouse Training Facility.

"I believe in weight training," said Wilton, whose master's thesis was entitled, "The Effect of Weight Training and Plyometrics on Jumping Ability."

It is a belief that has turned into a requirement for his players, who spent time in the weight room yesterday in preparation for Thursday's semifinal match against Brigham Young in the Mountain Pacific Sport Federation Tournament in Malibu, Calif.

UH conditioning coach Mel deLaura, with input from Wilton, has designed a program intended to increase the Warriors' vertical jump and upper-body power.

UH outside hitter Tony Ching, who weighed 185 as a freshman in 2000, increased his vertical jump by four inches, to 40 inches. Now 200 pounds, Ching, at 6 feet 2, has the strength to blast away shots from behind the 3-meter line.

Opposite hitter Costas Theocharidis, also a senior, no longer tires as he did late in his freshman season.

"Costas is much stronger now," Wilton said. "His dedication in the weight room has paid off."

Baseball and basketball players usually lift weights during training camp, then taper off during the season. But UH volleyball players work on leg presses and light upper-body workouts throughout the season. At every practice, there are large wooden boxes placed on the side. Between passing and hitting drills, players often jump onto the boxes.

"It's a strength-maintenance thing," Wilton said. "We don't need to do a lot of running, because we get our volleyball conditioning on the volleyball court. But weight training is important. Do javelin throwers still lift weight before meets? Absolutely. An athlete needs to maintain strength."

DeLaura, who also works with the UH football and men's basketball teams, said most of the weight-training drills are universal.

"The leg workouts are exactly the same," he said.

Volleyball players Delano Thomas and Jose Delgado have joined football players during running drills. "I don't want to get anybody in trouble," deLaura said, "but I see a couple of volleyball guys who can play football. Volleyball players are great athletes, and great athletes can play football, if they don't mind getting hit."

Wilton said he has noticed the best volleyball players spend the most time in the weight room.

"There's a message there," he said. "If you don't play much and you don't lift weights much, see above. Some guys fight it at first. But they start to figure out that it takes hard work to become a starter."

Speed clinics this weekend: Mel deLaura and UH football assistant coach Rich Miano are the featured instructors at the Hawai'i Speed and Quickness clinics Saturday and Sunday at the University of Hawai'i. There is a session each day for ages 8 to 12 (10 a.m. to noon) and 13-older (2:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m.). Registration fee is $10 per session. For details, call 671-3812.