USA Volleyball Education

As my last child winds her way through that last year of high school, somehow juggling five AP classes, two varsity sports with captains practices and road trips, peer counseling, friendships that have endured 3/4th her life on this remarkable planet….I keep thinking on how much I am going to miss watching her play. That has always been my line to the kids after their competitions. I love to watch you play, for it is true, and because it stops the coach in me from coaching, and gives them the chance to talk about what they might want to discuss about that contest, and even practice, if anything.

I just finished one of those books that I feel all readers of this Growing the Game Together blog should also take the time to read. Then re-read. Long ago, then US Olympic team coach Terry Liskevych, told me of a study on talent, done with the National Football League general managers at that time. As I recall it now, they were asked what was the one thing an NFL team needed to win the Super Bowl. Since I work to teach socratically, I then ask coaches what they think the NFL GMs said. Answers such as “Communication…” and “Teamwork…” and many others pour in, but what over 25 of the 32 NFL GMs said was “Talent.”

After the dialogue from my blog called “Stop Teaching Passing” - I felt as this junior season starts up that it is important to give all you teachers of the game a few more titles to chew on.

I have observed thousands of coaches presenting skill and drill ideas to others – both players and coaches – in the last 40 years of my coaching career, and have come to some observations to consider.

Serving is a skill that young players need to spend more time practicing

From Karch Kiraly's Volleyblog, addressing important learning principles.

This week begins one of the more special annual events held at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, the Wounded Warrior Games.

So with Regionals done for every USAV player, congrats are in order to those advancing on to Nationals, or on to USAV High Performance programming.

So dear team, our club season has come to an end, including my time to be in practice and competition guiding your development and training.

No matter where I go in the world to teach, the traditional coaches mantra of “Can’t pass, can’t hit” is one of the first statements I hear in any language.

From Karch Kiraly's blog, five simple exercises for functional strength

You may have already read that one of the more fascinating documentaries I own and sometimes share with players and coaches is about Cal Tech Basketball, titled Quantum Hoops.

I oft speak of the impact a Discover magazine article long ago had on me, on how we are fooled by randomness, in helping me be a better parent and coach.

The dawn drive to the Santo Domingo airport to begin my all day journey home to Colorado, goes mostly along the coast of ragged lava rocks - no beaches on this stretch, but lots of palm trees.

I have been reflecting on the lack of specificity in most coaches’ teaching, as well as the choice of words we often make by habit.

The concept of 7-speeds is based on the work of soccer researcher and author Jurgen Weineck.

What a great IMPACT webinar last week, with Andy Pai answering the 200 coaches’ written questions that poured in, while Phil Shoemaker, head coach at University of Alaska Fairbanks, and I shared about 100 total years of collective insights for these new coaches to learn from.

I spent the last four nights in Hartford, Connecticut. Snowfall of a greater amount in the storm than any other time in recorded history.

A personal list of movies, in no particular order, that might be great for team bonding and inspiration.

OK coach, hopefully this title has made you click through to this blog to see what the heck I could be thinking here.

Over 20 years ago I was working with the University of Colorado program, working with several club teams to merge them into a single varsity program.