Why I do what I do.

Sometimes I think I'm wasting my time writing this blog.

Volleyball coaches must know this stuff.

Then I see something ... and I know there is a big need for my blog.

I went to see my niece play in her season’s first match. Unfortunately, we arrived a bit early and were forced to watch two other teams finish their match. Did I mention these were eighth grade matches?

I was pleasantly surprised with the play in the earlier match. Each team had kids who had some experience and a little training. Although one team had two tall – five tenish – lefties. They were athletic and coordinated for their age, neither was setting. Just my opinion, but the coach – the father of one of the lefties – is doing a disservice to the two lefties and to the little kid he had setting.

A 5’10" setter is more valuable to a college team than a 5’10” opposite. Her chances to play at a high level in college improves several fold as a setter. As a hitter, she is just one of many similar players. As a setter her height makes her unique. Wake up, dad!

The girl who was setting had pretty good hands and could cover the floor well. But she would be better served playing libero so she could learn to play defense. By the time she gets to high school, she will be more valuable in the back row.

I could discuss the play of my niece’s match ... but the warm up of the team that followed is what I want to talk about. I know the coach thought she was doing good stuff for her girls. But ...

The team had some tall kids, athletic kids, and kids who could jump. Unfortunately, her team will struggle when they play against less athletic kids who are better trained because she isn’t training her kids to play the game correctly.

For a warm-up they formed a line at what they thought was the outside hitting position. One at a time each girl would do an approach and swing. She would then go to the middle position and repeat an approach and swing while her teammate followed her at the outside position. Each girl would take an approach and swing at each of the three hitting positions until the entire team completed the three approaches.

As you know, I am not a fan of approaching and swinging at nothing. It creates bad habits. This team was a perfect example of my theory.

Just a small list of what I saw:

1. No player approached with power or intensity

2. Some of the players were goofy-footed

3. Every player turned her body as she jumped

4. Not one player swung her arm correctly

5. Every approach was square to the net

6. Not one player got both arms up

This is a great drill for creating horrible habits. It’s a shame. This coach – well-meaning I’m sure – is killing these players. As they get older these bad habits will be almost impossible to break, reducing the players' opportunities to play at a higher level.

This coach, and coaches like her, is who I write my blog for. There are so many kids who do not have the opportunity to compete at a high level because they were not given the foundation needed to build that opportunity.

So I will continue to write.

And that was the end of this blog post.

Then an A.D. from a Lutheran school called and asked if I would work with his team. His daughter attended a few training sessions I held earlier in the year.

I arrived at the beginning of practice. The girls were in fourth through eighth grade.

When I walked in, a few players were “passing” a ball over the net. A few players were bouncing balls. And a few were doing something with boxes. There was no structure.

To build a program the most important thing a coach can do is institute a structure.

I started by teaching them to throw. They had no idea how to throw correctly.

I took them through the hitting process. At first they struggled. But after a few reps a couple of the kids were cracking the ball, hitting it correctly. It was like a light switched on for them.

I introduced the concept of “blocking“ when they passed. The older girls took to it without much problem. One of them was so good I told her she had potential to play at a high level if she kept training. There were others who showed athleticism. But this girl stood out.

I shared this to demonstrate how important it is to know how to teach the skills to beginning players.

If you don't know, find out. If you don’t find out, some of your athletic, talented players will be at a serious disadvantage when they compete at higher levels.

Read some books. Watch YouTube videos (although there are some awful videos out there). Continue to read my blog. Hell, call me! Just make an effort to learn so you give all of your players an opportunity.