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Also, be sure to follow The VolleyPod on Instagram at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/aoc.thevolleypod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Twitter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/TheVolleyPod ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for exclusive content and immediately useful tips and drills!

This week's skill is building up decision making through 6 on 6 play. All too often 6 on 6 time appears to be a time where the coach is not actively coaching to a particular theme or concept. With just a little bit of tweaking, though, that same 6 on 6 play could be a powerful time for developing important decision making processes and habits. Tod explores this idea and offers several ways that coaches can make the most out of their time in 6 on 6.

In our scenario segment, Davis and Tod cover some of the important ways that parents can support their athlete through the tryout process, explain some common behaviors that could limit their success in tryouts, and suggest a philosophy for dealing with tryouts as a challenge unto itself, a process that is not entirely up to the athlete, and often a process that has factors that are completely unknown to the families. Parents need to check this scenario and discussion out!

We always share one great resource each week, and this week it is TJ Sanders, former Canadian National Team setter, and volleyball content creator. His content is bite-sized chunks of high level setting training. He is a great demonstrator and has a knack for communicating complex ideas in a clear and concise manner. Sanders is a member of the NoEzyBuckets content creation team, which was started by American Libero Dustin Watten. They provide clinics and online content aimed at liberos and setters, as well as college level mens volleyball fans and players.

Skill of the Week: Decision making through 6 on 6 play

Scenario of the week: How parents can support their athlete through tryouts

The Art of Coaching Volleyball Videos discussed on The VolleyPod This Week focused on decision making in 6 on 6 play:

Diane Flick Williams' demonstration of a great game that coaches can use to focus on first ball kill offense, and build up their team's decision making in 6 on 6 play: https://www.theartofcoachingvolleyball.com/6-vs-6-competitive-drill-going-for-first-ball-kills/

Ben Josephson's video about defending the spread offense and how decision making comes into play: ⁠https://www.theartofcoachingvolleyball.com/defending-the-spread-offense/

The Resource of the Week, TheTJSanders, can be found here: https://www.instagram.com/sanders_tj/?hl=en

Wait!

Use code "VOLLEYPOD" for 20% off of almost anything on The Art of Coaching Volleyball's platform INCLUDING memberships, nearly all of the books, printouts, and more! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theartofcoachingvolleyball.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Also, be sure to follow The VolleyPod on Instagram at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/aoc.thevolleypod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Twitter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/TheVolleyPod ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for exclusive content and immediately useful tips and drills!

This week's skill is defense cues and tips. Davis takes listeners through 15 of his favorite sayings and skill cues that help his teams play awesome defense. He also provides a framework for teaching defense that works without taking a million reps of every skill.

In our scenario segment, Tod discusses how to run a highly effective high school tryout. He goes into everything from administration, evaluation, cuts, and communicating your program's values throughout tryouts, as well as shares the games and drills he does at tryouts. You are sure to pick something up from Tod's 40 years in the game!

We always share one great resource each week, and this week it is Catch Them Being Good, by Tony Dicicco, Colleen Hacker, and Charles Salzberg. This book focuses on how to connect with girl-athletes specifically and how to use this knowledge to build more effective teams. With questions and activities for parents and coaches, this book points out some key differences between training boys and girls, and how treating each team uniquely, coaches can get the most out of their teams, and help create a more positive overall experience for their athletes.

Skill of the Week: Defense cues and tips

Scenario of the week: High school tryout ideas

The Art of Coaching Volleyball Videos discussed on The VolleyPod This Week focused on floor defense and reading:

Mike Sealy (UCLA) talks about connecting defense to vision: https://www.theartofcoachingvolleyball.com/defense-drill-for-training-vision/

Jim Stone and Morgan Hentz demonstrate how vision affects defense: https://www.theartofcoachingvolleyball.com/vision-impacting-defense/

Kimi Olsen from Michigan State has a cool look at how to "capture space" to play better defense: https://www.theartofcoachingvolleyball.com/individual-defense-capture-space-and-have-more-range/

The Resource of the Week, Catch Them Being Good, can be found here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/290724/catch-them-being-good-by-tony-dicicco-colleen-hacker-phd-and-charles-salzberg/

Wait!

Use code "VOLLEYPOD" for 20% off of almost anything on The Art of Coaching Volleyball's platform INCLUDING memberships, nearly all of the books, printouts, and more! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theartofcoachingvolleyball.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Also, be sure to follow The VolleyPod on Instagram at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/aoc.thevolleypod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Twitter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/TheVolleyPod ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for exclusive content and immediately useful tips and drills!

This week's skill is raising player volleyball IQ. An all too common statement from coaches after losses is "if only we had more volleyball IQ". This episode answers the question that we all want to know, how do we as coaches develop this critical set of skills in our players. Tod and Davis define volleyball IQ, point out it's many uses, and share ideas for how to train it in your athletes.

In our scenario segment, Davis and Tod discuss the art and science of evaluating players at tryouts. When it is obvious, evaluating players is easy. When it is much closer, however, it can become very challenging to discern who has traits that would make a great choice for your team. On this week's scenario we go over some things to look for as well as some traits that might not tell the whole truth about a player's talents.

We always share one great resource each week, and this week it is Beach Volleyball World on Youtube. This channel is dedicated to the world of International level beach volleyball. With a main focus on men's and women's play on the FIVB tour, the channel serves up full matches as well as cool collections of interesting plays (like skyballs or option plays, etc.). Check it out and learn more about how the pros play.

Skill of the Week: Raising players' volleyball IQ

Scenario of the week: Evaluating players during club tryouts

The Art of Coaching Volleyball Videos discussed on The VolleyPod This Week focused on raising players' volleyball IQ:

Joe Trinsey from SmarterVolley shares 3 visual learning concepts that will help your team learn faster and read more effectively: ⁠https://www.theartofcoachingvolleyball.com/3-visual-learning-techniques-to-help-your-players/⁠

Jason Hames from K2 Volleyball Club presents a 30-minute video about improving defense through enhanced volleyball IQ: https://www.theartofcoachingvolleyball.com/jason-hames-raise-your-teams-volleyball-iq-and-improve-defense/

The Resource of the Week, Beach Volleyball World, can be found here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@BeachVolleyballWorld

This week's episode of The Volley Pod takes listeners through a season review that they can use or change to their liking. The review focuses on your coaching and how you handled training in various areas. To serve as an example of how coaches could use these questions, Tod asks Davis about his club season, which culminated in a Bronze Medal at AAU Nationals in 16 Premier.

If you would like a PDF of the list of Season Evaluation questions just message us on Instagram @aoc.thevolleypod

Wait!

Use code "VOLLEYPOD" for 20% off of almost anything on The Art of Coaching Volleyball's platform INCLUDING memberships, nearly all of the books, printouts, and more! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theartofcoachingvolleyball.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Also, be sure to follow The VolleyPod on Instagram at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/aoc.thevolleypod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Twitter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/TheVolleyPod ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for exclusive content and immediately useful tips and drills!

This week's skill is Passing 2.0. Davis covers his fundamentals of serve receive and how he thinks about teaching serve receive to young players. This talk is a more in-depth look at passing, complete with reading, movement, emergency moves, talent evaluation, and much more.

In our scenario segment, we go over an awesome plan that coaches can steal or change to make their own, for a middle-school grade summer volleyball camp. Tod and Davis both love running camps and Tod lays out his best plan for what to do with middle schoolers who want to learn to play volleyball.

We always share one great resource each week, and this week it is from the great Squash coach Paul Assaiante from Trinity College in Connecticut. His book Run To The Roar is about dealing with fear and consequences with resilience, courage, and humility. The motivational and educational nonfiction memoir points out the human nature of striving for excellence and how failure is just as important as success in the realm of sports.

Skill of the Week: Passing 2.0 - more advanced serve receive concepts and skills

Scenario of the week: Summer Camp plan for Middle School age athletes

The Art of Coaching Volleyball Videos discussed on The VolleyPod This Week focused on Serve Receive:

Joe Sagula from North Carolina University and Jen Flynn Oldenburg from Ohio State University cover emergency moves that can help passers out of difficult situations: https://www.theartofcoachingvolleyball.com/emergency-moves-for-passing-and-defense/

Jim Stone's video about creating angles is super informative and helpful: https://www.theartofcoachingvolleyball.com/practicing-passing-angles/

John Speraw's foundations of serve receive skill is a must watch for coaches: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6Vpr1oGXwI&t=19s

The Resource of the Week, Run To The Roar by Paul Assaiainte, can be found here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.runtoroar.com/

Wait!

Use code "VOLLEYPOD" for 20% off of almost anything on The Art of Coaching Volleyball's platform INCLUDING memberships, nearly all of the books, printouts, and more! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theartofcoachingvolleyball.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Also, be sure to follow The VolleyPod on Instagram at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/aoc.thevolleypod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Twitter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/TheVolleyPod ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for exclusive content and immediately useful tips and drills!

This week's skill is Tod's Deserted Island Drill, Kamikaze. This game is awesome for so many reasons. The game is a 4 v. 4 out of system game with basically one rule: the back row players set. You play with two front row players and two back row players and it really makes the back row and front communicate, be aggressive, and work together in order to protect the whole court. Tod goes into it in detail and explains how coaches can use it with their teams.

In our scenario segment, we go over the gear that coaches need for a multi-day tournament. There's nothing new here except for some great tips for which gear to use in the current club tournament setup. We include the links below!

We always share one great resource each week, and this week it is from the really great resource for parents, I Love To Watch You Play. This team is helping parents to raise happy, healthy, and successful athletes by offering free information for families about a range of insightful topics such as: From Youth to College Soccer: 5 Takeaways for Sports Parents, or Is Your Athlete Playing To Win or Not To Lose?. This resource is fantastic for coaches who hope to help their athletes lead balanced but successful lives during and after their sporting careers.

Our new segment this week "Deserted Island Drills": Kamikaze, a 4 v. 4 out of system game

Scenario of the week: All the gear you need for a multi-day tournament

The Art of Coaching Volleyball Videos discussed on The VolleyPod This Week focused on Tod's Deserted Island Drill, Kamikaze, a 4 v. 4 out of system game: https://www.theartofcoachingvolleyball.com/kamikaze-scrimmage-drill/

Beth Launiere from University of Utah demonstrates the game with college-age players : https://www.theartofcoachingvolleyball.com/4-on-4-kamikaze-volleyball-drill-with-beth-launiere/

The Resource of the Week, I Love To Watch You Play, can be found here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ilovetowatchyouplay.com/

Links for the Gear from the Scenario segment

Pen:

https://www.jetpens.com/Pilot-Acroball-Ballpoint-Pen-1.0-mm-Blue/pd/11097

Carhartt Backpack:

https://www.carhartt.com/c/accessories-bags?kpid=Ecomm_Search_Brand-Plus_go_cmp-18079202292_adg-143233814787_ad-617131973024_kwd-4194591157_dev-c_ext-_prd-_sig-Cj0KCQjw7aqkBhDPARIsAKGa0oK-TP-gdaZCN-LAfxRKuiQjOu93VPWrCHlWFXsEBDt-0nBUgjTCBfcaAnvMEALw_wcB&gclid=Cj0KCQjw7aqkBhDPARIsAKGa0oK-TP-gdaZCN-LAfxRKuiQjOu93VPWrCHlWFXsEBDt-0nBUgjTCBfcaAnvMEALw_wcB

First Aid Kit:

https://www.amazon.com/First-Aid-Only-Piece-All-Purpose/dp/B000069EYA/ref=zg_bs_3762881_sccl_1/131-5679508-1594137?psc=1

Tripod:

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Lightweight-Camera-Mount-Tripod/dp/B00XI87KV8/ref=sr_1_1_ffob_sspa?keywords=tripod&qid=1686874600&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

Vuori:

https://vuoriclothing.com/collections/best-sellers?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=vuori&utm_campaign=WP_G_SRCH_BRAND_AMT_X_CORE_US_ECPCBID&utm_content=648488011333&gad=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw7aqkBhDPARIsAKGa0oIQg2DXSRc_b7Nby5KW_5J0KlYAksmAlWhBnVVeN6YbP-OZctU3yWQaAl-REALw_wcB

Luis Cuatok is a top youth coach in Southern California. His teams have consistently performed well at junior nationals and they have won several medals. At that level, not only do the athletes need to be composed, they also don’t have that many experiences in that situation, so they are learning as they go. On this episode of The VolleyPod Coach Cuatok joins the guys to discuss a newer interpretation of mental toughness, mental adaptability, and it’s role in helping young athletes to be their best.

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Use code "VOLLEYPOD" for 20% off of almost anything on The Art of Coaching Volleyball's platform INCLUDING memberships, nearly all of the books, printouts, and more! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theartofcoachingvolleyball.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Also, be sure to follow The VolleyPod on Instagram at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/aoc.thevolleypod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Twitter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/TheVolleyPod ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for exclusive content and immediately useful tips and drills!

Wait!

Use code "VOLLEYPOD" for 20% off of almost anything on The Art of Coaching Volleyball's platform INCLUDING memberships, nearly all of the books, printouts, and more! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theartofcoachingvolleyball.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Also, be sure to follow The VolleyPod on Instagram at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/aoc.thevolleypod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Twitter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/TheVolleyPod ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for exclusive content and immediately useful tips and drills!

This week's skill is a relatively advanced skill: working against the block. On this episode we provide a bunch of ideas that you can train with your team that can help your hitters to deal more effectively with a big or disciplined block and score more points. There are ideas are points that coaches can implement right now with their hitters as opposed to saying "we will wait until she gets stronger and jumps higher". Mastering the ideas in today's episode will definitely help your team win more games.

In our scenario segment, we discuss how to handle the question: "is my offensive system a good use of my team's personnel?". The coaches with The VolleyPod discuss how to look at this question through a lens of the uniqueness of your team, and which strengths that you can maximize to get the most out of your team from an offensive standpoint. This is one of our most fun things to do in coaching; find the unique factors that make your team great!

We always share one great resource each week, and this week it is from the super-optimistic mindset teacher Jon Gordon. His podcast, Positive University, focuses on people who have become masters of their mindset. It includes people like Kerri Walsh-Jennings, Damian Lillard, and Drew Brees. There is a broad plan of helping people who listen to make a greater impact and overcome challenges, but there are many different topics discussed within those broader goals. This podcast is a great listen for anyone trying to make the most out their situation in life.

Skill of the week: Attacking against a big or disciplined block

Scenario of the week: Is our offensive system a good use of our personnel?

The Art of Coaching Volleyball Videos discussed on The VolleyPod This Week focused on working against the block:

Mark Barnard's drill for tooling the block: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theartofcoachingvolleyball.com/hitting-scoring-off-the-block-drill/

Jim Stone teaches three of the most useful options for dealing with the block, score, recycle, or tool: ⁠https://www.theartofcoachingvolleyball.com/5-hitting-options-kill-recycle-tip-use-block-in-play/

Jim Stone has athletes demonstrate another highly useful game for working against the block: https://www.theartofcoachingvolleyball.com/competitive-5-point-blocking-and-hitting-drill/

The Resource of the Week, Jon Gordon's Positive University, can be found here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://positiveuniversity.com/