JS Consulting Newsletter April ’22
Quote of the Week: “The game is ninety percent mental; the other half is physical.” ~Yogi Berra, former NY Yankee catcher
New Blog Post– This week, I talk about visual keys and the concept of If/Then as an essential component of skill development. So many players will only focus on the ball during play and miss out on essential visual information. I’ll present some examples of incorporating if/then into your training. READ MORE
The Expansion of the Acquisition of Athlete Data– “the collection of athlete data is “expansive, invasive and unchecked,” and highlights an “urgent need” to improve standards for the collection, storage and use of personal information in professional sport.” A fascinating and thought-provoking article on the massive amounts of data collection at all levels. What happens to all this data? Is the data being taken necessary? What privacy rights does the athlete have? Although the focus of this article is professional athletes in Australia, the same thing is happening in America at both the professional and collegiate levels. READ MORE
Chess as a Required Subject?– One recent psychology study found that chess was associated with increased “cognitive abilities, coping and problem-solving capacity, and even socio-affective development of children.” In Armenia, chess is required for all students over age six. The reason? “Chess trains logical thinking. It teaches how to make decisions, trains memory, strengthens willpower, motivates children to win, and teaches them how to deal with defeat. It’s the only school subject that can do all this.” READ MORE
Allyson Felix was a medal winner in the Tokyo Olympic Games. Felix is also a mother. In this Ted Talk, she tells the story of starting a family while fighting to change her former sponsor’s maternity policy — and paving the way for others to receive greater protection and more support. TED TALK
Vanderbilt University Adds Women’s Volleyball – men’s and women’s volleyball continues to grow at both the high school and collegiate levels. The latest to add women’s volleyball is Vanderbilt University. It was always a “head-scratcher” as to why volleyball was not part of the Vanderbilt athletic department. The potential for Vanderbilt to build a competitive program goes without saying. READ MORE
Throwing Mechanics Take on Increased Importance – As of 2013, one-third of all major league pitchers have had Tommy John surgery. The act of throwing is very hard on the arm. Proper throwing mechanics are essential. Since the throwing motion is an integral part of volleyball, this underscores the importance of good spiking and serving mechanics. READ MORE
Note to Collegiate Coaches– If you’re running a team camp and would like to present attending coaches with a copy of my book, please let me know. There are group discounts available! Feel free to drop me a note if you’d like more information. Click on the picture for additional information.
**If you have questions about any aspect of your coaching volleyball life, send them on with a reply to this email.
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Have a great week!
~Jim
