Posts by Jim Stone
Fixed vs. Floating Attack Zones for the Middle Hitter
Whenever I’m in the development phase of an offense, I have two primary goals. First, I want to develop the offense from the middle one-third of the court, then work to the outside. The attack from the middle of the court is not restricted to the middle hitter. The backrow attack from the center-back player…
Read MoreThe Pursuit of Higher Television Numbers
The 2022 Division 1 Volleyball Championship drew 786,000 viewers, significantly trailing the Collegiate Football Playoff championship game (17 million), the NCAA Division 1 Men’s Basketball Championship game (14 million), and the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship game (10 million) in viewership. These figures represent the average views. Viewers that leave early or watch only parts of…
Read MoreIt’s Easier to Move If You’re Already Moving
Volleyball is a game of movement. The entirety of the game involves moving from Point A to Point B, then executing a skill. The faster you can move to the ball, the chances of a successful contact are increased. At all levels, volleyball is being played at a faster tempo. Players are serving at an…
Read MoreA Former Player Spurs My “Why”
It is distressing when I read how academia is redefining excellence. Admission standards are dropping, failing a class is almost impossible, homework is being deemphasized, and teachers and coaches need more support to do what they were trained to do. As coaches, we often question if the values we encourage and preach will last beyond…
Read MoreAdditional Thoughts on Serve-Receive
As a follow-up to my recent article on serve-receive, I’ll present some additional items I value. Why the continued focus on this component of the game? In conversations with coaches, serve-receive is the one component of the game that is a never-ending challenge for players. Part of the challenge is the improved ability of the…
Read MoreDirect Teaching Is A Roadmap for Player Development
“Not only is unguided instruction less effective, but there is also evidence that it may have negative results when students acquire misconceptions or incomplete or disorganized knowledge. Teachers should provide their students with clear, explicit instruction rather than merely assisting students in attempting to discover knowledge themselves.” -Paul Kirschner I’ve had many inspiring mentors during…
Read MoreA Good Approach is Essential to an Effective Attack
Coaches will agree that attackers are most effective when the attacker implements a quality attack approach. One of the positives of running an offense with high sets at every position is that it is easier to implement a dynamic 4-step approach to attack. However, when running a quicker tempo offense with middle and outside attackers,…
Read MoreThe Misuse of a Bell Curve for Determining Your Target Area in Serve-Receive
It is common for many coaches to have their passers target an area 6′-8′ off the net when receiving a serve. The thought is to build in a buffer area to avoid a pass that either goes too close or over the net. Some will use a bell curve to validate this approach (excuse the…
Read MoreThoughts on Serve-Receive
My recent post on serve-receive initiated significant responses, directly or on various venues. The article aimed to encourage coaches to be creative in organizing serve-receive patterns. The straight 3-person pattern isn’t necessarily the best way to deal with the challenges of receiving a short or deep serve, which is statistically the most difficult for the…
Read MoreWill Professional Volleyball Impact Club and Collegiate Programs?
An increasing number of students are “canning” the over-rated and overpriced collegiate experience and are focused on getting a head start on a career without being saddled with a college loan. A study by the National Student Clearinghouse indicates a decline in college enrollment of 5.1 percent or 938,000 students since the fall of 2019.…
Read More