Three Ideas Newsletter – 11/27/25
Happy Thanksgiving!
Hey everyone!
Most people probably don’t recognize the name Kirk Hammett. If you do, you’re either into heavy metal music or you’ve got pretty wide-ranging music tastes. Kirk Hammett is the lead guitarist for Metallica, but he wasn’t always in the band. He joined in 1983, after they’d already blown up internationally. So what did he do once he landed a spot in a supergroup? He kept taking guitar lessons at Joe Satriani’s shop in the San Francisco Bay Area—and he was getting his butt kicked in the process! Video
Hammett is a great example of a true lifelong learner. Even with all his success, he stays curious and keeps looking for ways to get better. Switching over to volleyball, a lot of coaches at every level hit a little bit of success and decide they’ve “figured it out,” then basically go on cruise control when it comes to learning. That’s one way to do it, but it’s never really appealed to me. I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of building a better mousetrap—how can I give players the best possible chance to improve? When a player comes to you wanting to get better, you create a path for them: extra reps, video work, whatever. Then it just becomes a yes-or-no question. They either follow through or they don’t. The same thing applies to coaches. Create a growth path for yourself, then either commit to it or don’t. You’re responsible for your own growth. If you jump in, here are some things to try.
- Learn with others. The times I’ve learned the most were when there was a real back-and-forth exchange of ideas between coaches, not when I was sitting in a lecture at a clinic. Grab a few coaching friends you trust and schedule monthly Zoom calls to talk through specific topics you agree on ahead of time—practice design, picking captains, how you teach certain skills, and so on. I would make a concerted effort to bring in a coach who is an “out of the box” thinker.
- Practice metacognition about how you run your program. Simply put, metacognition is “thinking about your thinking.” Set aside time to honestly evaluate how and why you do what you do. Is it “I’ve always done it this way, or do you have better reasons for how you operate? Examine your coaching philosophy, your forms of feedback, or how you develop relationships with your players. There aren’t any rules; just going through a thought process of your methods might lead you to a different path.
- Run small experiments in your program and pay attention to the results. Stay open to new ideas and new paths. It’s all about trying things and learning from what happens.
- Involve your players in the improvement process. They certainly have a vested interest and may offer some ideas that you haven’t considered.
There’s no expiration date on learning. Take a page from Kirk Hammett—keep finding ways to grow.
Thanks for reading!
~Jim
Quote for the Week: “No matter how hard you train, Somebody will train harder. No matter how hard you run, Somebody will run harder. No matter how hard you want it, Somebody will want it more. I am Somebody.” – Steve Prefontaine, Long Distance Runner
Idea #1 – Using “Flip-Flop” to Run Efficient Drills and Maximize Learning – I hate long lines where players wait forever between touches. “Flip-flop” is how I organize different practice activities, and it’s built around a few key learning concepts. First, feedback should be immediate and specific. Second, players need to use that feedback quickly—there can’t be a huge time gap between contacts. And third, learning sticks better when there’s a little space between reps. For example, serving three sets of five is way better for learning and retention than grinding through fifteen serves in a row.
Here’s how flip-flop works in a serve/pass drill with twelve players. I split them into three groups of four. Group One is servers—two serving down the line from zone 1, two from zone 5. One person serves while their partner feeds balls. Servers hit five balls, then switch with their partner. They do three sets of five. Group Two is passers—two in zone 1, two in zone 5. Pass five balls, then switch with your partner. Group Three is chasers. They target for the passers and make sure the servers never run out of balls. After fifteen serves, the groups rotate. You can switch up receiving line or cross-court serves, however you want. Organizing drills this way gives players immediate feedback and keeps the reps coming.
Idea #2 – Have You Considered a Bench Captain? – The foundation of a class program and team discipline begins with the small items. I’ve always had a non-starter who takes on the role of bench captain. This player keeps the bench area looking sharp—warmups folded, water bottles organized, all that stuff. They also manage bench behavior, making sure everyone’s paying attention, supporting teammates, and ready to sub in at any moment. Every team has that player whose skills don’t earn them a ton of court time, but they love the program and want to make sure it’s always represented with class.
Idea #3 – Count Individual Reps in Practice – Now and then, have an assistant or manager count every single contact each player gets in practice. For example, when scrimmaging, most serves go to the middle of the court, so that the passer racks up tons of reps while the players next to them get way fewer chances. Similarly, in scrimmages, your setter’s probably feeding your best hitter to win the rally, while everyone else is starving for opportunities. This happens with every skill.
So here’s what to do. First, actually count the contacts and be aware when players are not receiving the contacts needed to improve. Second, script your activities so everyone gets the reps they need to improve. Maybe the first set in a 6v6 drill has to go to a middle hitter, or all serves have to go to a front-row outside. I run a drill called “Blitz the Bro” where every serve has to go to the libero. It doesn’t matter how you set it up—just be aware of how many touches each player is actually getting.
Video of the Week – Organizing Your Passing Target for Your Offense – Some coaches prefer that the target for their passers be in the right 1/3 of the court. Others prefer passing to the middle of the court. In this video, we examine the pros and cons of both. VIDEO
Archive Blog Post– Teaching Your Athletes to Embrace Stress – Athletes get better at what they practice. You can plan your practices to help your athletes manage stressful situations during competition. Here are a few ideas. READ MORE
900 Square Feet- Lee Feinswog writes a great daily newsletter that focuses on all aspects of volleyball (college, club, beach, international). If you want to stay up with the daily events in our sport, this is the best resource available. To get on the mail list, hit this link. 900 Square Feet
Thanks for reading. Have a great week!
To join the newsletter mailing list, visit the Jim Stone Consulting Homepage (link below).
~Jim
