Three Ideas Newsletter – 11.20.25
Hey everyone!
Most coaches use statistics to track the results of a skill or a team’s performance. Was the pass good or bad? Did the serve take the opponent out of system? Was the attack a kill or an error? Without a doubt, this type of information has value, as it allows players or coaches to provide feedback on skill development or current team performance. As important as result information is, it’s important not to ignore “process” information. Process can be defined as “the way” you perform a skill, not the result. For example, did the player work hard and implement good footwork as they transitioned from defense to attack, or did your setter get to the ball and square up to the left front target area? For younger players, I value process evaluation over result evaluation. You won’t find any iPad software to record process. You’ll need to rely on paper and pencil. We can evaluate process with skill development as a focus. But process can also be used as a measure for the culture you desire inside your squad.
Shaka Smart, who coaches men’s basketball at Marquette, is big on the concept of focusing on process. I’ll admit—I’m a Shaka fan. One of the coolest things he does is tracking “Energy Generating Behaviors” (EGBs). You won’t see this in any volleyball stat software—it’s a clipboard job. EGBs are any actions that spark positive energy during practice or games. In hoops, that could be diving for a loose ball, chest bumping a teammate after a sweet play, or hyping up players from the bench. In volleyball, it might mean chasing a ball off court, celebrating a teammate’s ace, or hustling to cover a blocked hit. A manager spots and writes down anything that fires up the team. The idea is, if you measure something, you’re saying it matters—so if you want your players to show more energy, you should start recording and highlighting those moments.
It has become popular for coaches to step back at practice and let players figure things out on their own, instead of jumping in with lots of feedback. That can work fine for older, experienced athletes, but younger players really do need some guidance. If you want your team to show energy-generating behaviors, you’ve got to lead by example. You don’t have to be a sideline cheerleader, but bringing some loud, clear, and positive feedback definitely helps. If you want good vibes on the court, make it a point to model those behaviors—and then actually track and reward them. Recording energy-boosting plays using stats or video can really help build the kind of culture you’re after. If you’re curious to see how Shaka does it, check out this video. Shaka Smart
Thanks for reading!
~Jim
Quote for the Week: “You don’t succeed because you have no weaknesses; you succeed because you find your unique strengths and focus on developing habits around them.” ~Tim Ferris, author
Idea #1 – Work with Your Outside Blockers on Movement in Both Directions – As I watch some of the better collegiate teams play, it is not unusual to have a point scorer hitting out of the backrow from the “pipe” position. I’m always amazed at how ill-prepared the opponent’s block is to defend this attack. One possible reason for this blocking weakness is that coaches might need to spend more time on making sure your outside blockers are comfortable going both directions, one to the outside attacker, two to block any attack in the middle 1/3 of the court. When working with outside blockers, we tend to focus on only the footwork going to the outside. Devote some of your time to placing a focus on outside blockers using shuffle-step movements to move to the middle and assist in blocking the pipe attack. I’ve also observed that the teams that block the pipe effectively are those teams that run the pipe as part of their offense. So, the outside blockers work on the blocking movements going both directions every day in practice.
Idea #2 – Use a Golf Tip to Develop Serving Accuracy – When standing on the tee box, planning their shot, good golfers don’t envision going from the tee to the green; they focus on going from the green back to the tee. They may hit their drive to the left side of the fairway to avoid the water on the right side of the green on their second shot. I do something similar when working on serving. I place Velcro strips of different colors on the net. Rather than the server focusing on the passer that is 50′ away, I bring the target closer and have them serve over the colored target on the net, which is only 30′ away. If they can serve over the target on the net with a flat trajectory, the result will be a good serve to the intended target area of the opponent’s court.
Idea #3 – Can Setters Be More Creative When They Handle the First Ball? – When setters play the first ball, the general game plan is to direct the ball to a libero who directs the ball to an outside attacker. Can we be more creative? Can the setter direct the ball to an attacker who hits the second contact? The attacker could be an outside hitter or the middle back player. Then, can the attacker be creative and perhaps fake an attack, then set the ball to another attacker? Coaches should tap their creative juices to create the potential for a diversified attack when the setter plays the first contact. VIDEO
Video of the Week – Attacking the Quick Set – In this slo-mo video, can you pick out the essential components of hitting an effective quick set? Focus on approach footwork, armswing, position relative to the setter, etc. VIDEO
Archive Blog Post– There Isn’t a Perfect Lineup – As you put together your lineup for the club season, embrace the concept that you won’t have a perfect lineup. Every team will have strong and weak aspects of the lineup. It’s a give and take. READ MORE
MasterCoaches Podcast – In this episode, former Florida coach Mary Wise will give her insights on the current collegiate season. WATCH.
Thanks for reading. Have a great week!
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~Jim
