Coaching
Nebraska’s Offense is a Game-Changer
Nebraska is currently ranked #2 nationally. They have a young group of athletes that incorporates the backrow attack in their offensive system at a tempo that will be challenging to defend.
Read MoreHow Aryna Sabalenka Dealt with Her Serving Issues and What Might Coaches Learn?
In the space of 18 months, Aryna Sabalenka has gone from not being able to serve the ball over the net to the #1 player in the world. There is much to learn about her process
Read MoreStatistics-One Size Does Not Fit All
I am an information fanatic on many fronts. I especially relish diving into a statistical match analysis, picking up on player or team tendencies, determining strengths and weaknesses, developing game plans, etc. Many software programs provide detailed analysis of a team’s performance. As much as I enjoy detailed information, the most valuable statistic(s) is the…
Read MoreKeys to Developing a “Slide” Attack
In a previous post, we looked at the fundamentals of attacking a 1 or 31 set (terminology can vary) with the middle attacker. These sets are designed to provide a quick middle attack in front of the setter. In this article, I’ll examine keys to facilitate your middle attacker attacking the zones behind the setter.…
Read MoreIf Coaches Don’t Know Goodhart’s Law, They Should
Coaches that use statistics to evaluate teams and players should be very familiar with Goodhart’s Law! Using statistics for feedback to your team may have unintended consequences!
Read MorePassing Techniques and Systems- One Size Does Not Fit All
Coaches must guard against automatically mirroring other teams’ or coaches’ techniques and tactics. Many factors should influence how the skills are taught and the systems implemented. The game is different at the collegiate or national team levels compared to a 14-under club team. The men’s game at the international level is a beast unto itself—the…
Read MoreConsiderations for an Effective Offense
Any successful venture will possess core values. Decisions are made, daily activities are designed, and time is allocated based on the pillars deemed the backbone of a company, team, or collective group. All coaches should have core values that impact daily activities and decisions. These values must be visible to all team members with an…
Read MoreMy Evolution to Constraint-Led Teaching
Without much effort, I can reflect on my coaching career and create a lengthy list of on-court and off-court mistakes. One of these blunders would manifest daily in how I taught volleyball skills. I was the guy on a box hitting balls at players so they could work on digging skills. Or I was tossing…
Read MoreA Painstaking, But Worthwhile Evaluation Tool
Hall of Fame coach Mike Hebert told me that one of his most valuable tools to develop as a coach was recording video and audio of himself during multiple practices. My first reaction was my fear of what I would see or hear if I tried this self-improvement tactic. I did summon the courage, and…
Read MoreThere is Value in Both Internal and External Cues When Teaching
Of the many things that, in retrospect, I wish I had done better in my career is giving more thought to how I provided feedback to players. I knew what behavior I wanted from a player or team, but I was uncertain about transmitting the information in the most impactful fashion. I’m better now because…
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