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In this episode of Triple Block Heads, Frank, Marc and Makani look at how skills from other sports carry over to volleyball. They go through which sports help at each position, from gymnastics and tennis to rock climbing and basketball. They finish with a hypothetical about which sports to put a young child in so she could one day become an elite volleyball player.

What we cover:
- Why gymnastics, tennis, wrestling, softball and track and field show up in elite volleyball players' backgrounds
- Sports that build liberos and defenders: tennis, pickleball, catcher and goalie play, ping pong and billiards (reading angles and anticipating the ball)
- What helps setters: point guard and quarterback decision-making, golf course management, rock climbing problem-solving, and yoga for staying calm and breathing through chaos
- What helps attackers and blockers: basketball, jumping events in track, archery for focus, rugby-style aggression, and landing on two feet to protect knees
- Which sports to introduce at each age, from gymnastics, soccer and rock climbing for young kids to golf, skating and hockey, then team sports and volleyball
- Why balance, body control, core strength and coordination matter in every sport
- Why high schoolers should play an individual sport and a team sport alongside volleyball, and what they learn from not being the best player on the team

Have other transferable skills or topic ideas? Send them our way, and thank you to Preston for suggesting this episode!

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In this episode of Triple Block Heads, Makani, Frank, and Marc go back to the podcast's roots. They look at the volleyball skills that are undervalued or under-trained at each stage of player development, from first development through early club to the prospect level. They cover both tangible skills, like blocking and attacking imperfect balls, and intangibles, like game flow, vision, communication, and preparing for college.

What we cover:
- First development (12s/13s): Teaching the "flow" of the game instead of fixed spots, eye work, watching film to understand the game, learning how to score points, and training blocking footwork even when kids can't yet block.
- Early club (15s): Blocking fundamentals and avoiding bad habits that stick, learning to "speak volleyball" on the bench, using bench points to keep players engaged, treating serving as a first offensive attempt, and the value of covering hitters.
- Prospect/high-level club: Preparing for college through body care and weight-room familiarity, attacking non-perfect balls with arm control, building up the underloved middle and libero positions, efficiency and speed, and explaining the "why" behind decisions.
- Coaching development: Introducing scouting reports and film sessions, and giving in-match scenario feedback so players make their own decisions.

Have thoughts on an underutilized skill or training idea, or a topic you'd like us to cover? Send us a message. We'd love to hear from you.

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In this episode of the Triple Block Heads volleyball podcast, Makani, Frank, and Marc discuss their personal preferences for building an effective gym/court culture across different settings (club, college, camps). They debate when music helps (warmups, skill reps) versus hurts (six-on-six communication, feedback, video review), emphasizing volume control and team-made playlists. They cover whistle use for serve initiation to simulate match routines, preferring electronic whistles or mics in multi-court gyms, and also using scoreboard horns for timed station rotations. They discuss open versus closed practices, generally favoring openness with clear parent behavior expectations, noting college programs vary and timing matters near competition, plus Iowa high school coaching restrictions. They address volleyball selection and consistency with game balls, preferred ball-cart counts (about 25), ball-management rules, and crisp net setup. Finally, they explore effort/accountability systems, avoiding extreme “punishments,” using brief sit-outs, winner-chosen consequences, and emphasizing celebrating winning, with a broader call for intentional, consistent coaching environments.

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Hosts Makani, Marc, and Frank explain NCAA volleyball’s Rating Percentage Index (RPI) and how it drives scheduling, tournament selection, and recruiting. They define RPI as 25% team winning percentage, 50% opponents’ winning percentage, and 25% opponents’ opponents’ winning percentage, noting that 75% is largely outside a team’s control once the season starts, making scheduling crucial. They discuss non-conference preseason tournaments, return obligations, guarantees/pay games, conference initiatives that tier scheduling expectations, and how the transfer portal adds uncertainty after contracts are signed. They compare RPI to the AVCA coaches poll and note key RPI movement typically occurs in the 30–70 range. They also touch on bracket geography, expanded seeding, NAIA pool play, and potential club-volleyball ranking improvements using weighted tournament strength and AI tools.

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In this Triple Block Heads episode, Makani, Frank, and Marc discuss the complexities club volleyball players face transitioning into high school season, emphasizing mindset and perspective as much as physical readiness. They break down scenarios for elite, “twos,” and lower-tier club athletes across strong and weak high school programs, including challenges like adjusting to different systems, leadership expectations, inconsistent training, and the temptation to equate self-worth with high school outcomes or stats-based awards. They argue players can still develop on weaker teams through transferable skills (e.g., setting on the run, hitting bad balls, more defensive reps) and should focus on making teammates better. The group highlights the importance of open communication among players, parents, club directors, and high school coaches, cautions against rash transferring or skipping high school for training, and notes recruiting exposure is driven more by club than high school.

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In this episode of “Triple Block Heads,” Makani, Marc, and Frank discuss structuring volleyball training intensity using a red/yellow/green practice model to manage load, reduce injury risk, and peak late in the season. Marc explains that after an off day, practices should start at “yellow” rather than going hard, then cycle intensity through the week (including game-week adjustments), with “green” days targeting about 110% of match output. They describe measuring intensity using wearable tech (e.g., Catapult) and emphasize practice duration as a reliable lever to control output, alongside considerations like jump totals and drill selection. For clubs with limited practices and athletes with other sports, they stress communicating about fatigue, being intentional with jump allocation, adapting plans on the fly, and reflecting on practice structure and flow.

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In this Triple Block Heads episode, Makani, Marc, and Frank discuss Frank’s first season coaching a 12U team while also coaching 17s, including the challenge of balancing eight straight weekends of tournaments. Frank describes how beginners grew socially and structurally, from not knowing gym routines to creating their own games and playing queens, and how his team progressed from basic blocking principles to running slides and a 5-1 with kid-friendly rotation names like “banana split.” They focus on managing 12-year-olds’ emotions, using private check-ins, validating feelings, and offering options to restore autonomy, while reinforcing aggressive mindsets and distinguishing aggressive vs passive mistakes. Frank highlights staffing choices—organized assistants with parenting/youth experience—and emphasizes tournaments as teaching opportunities, keeping drills familiar with small modifications, and preserving the pure joy that younger players bring.

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In this Triple Block Heads volleyball podcast episode, the hosts discuss how club volleyball tryouts shifted over the last decade from fall to summer, driven by competition, national trends, and “peer pressure” as early-offering clubs forced others to adapt. They explain Iowa’s USA Volleyball regional rules, including offer-holding deadlines and a two-wave summer system (mid-July and early August) that helps athletes compare options and clubs build rosters, contrasted with looser JVA or other regions’ practices (e.g., same-day decisions or Texas pre-nationals team-setting). From a club perspective, summer tryouts aid planning for tournament registration, scheduling, and jerseys, while raising concerns about athlete burnout. From an athlete/parent lens, common issues include conflicting tryouts, college camps, uncertainty about open spots, position-based timing (middles earlier, liberos later), and the need to know and protect the process from rule manipulation.

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In this Triple Block Heads episode, Makani, Frank, and Marc discuss how youth sports—and especially club volleyball—have shifted from many small “mom-and-pop” organizations to consolidation by large ownership groups and private equity. They define private equity broadly as investors adding liquidity to rapidly expand clubs and facilities, often seeking returns by building real-estate assets and monetizing the entire “volleyball experience” through tournaments, software, merchandise, and other micro-transactions. They cite youth sports as a $40B market and note key buyers like LOVB and 3Step Sports, including distinctions between nonprofit vs LLC club structures and implications for selling. The group weighs potential benefits (resources, facilities, coach education, recruiting support) against concerns (loss of autonomy, schedule control, monopolization, impacts on USAV/JVA/AAU, tournament consolidation, “stay and play” costs), and predicts more change over the next decade with possible legislative scrutiny.

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The Triple Block Heads hosts joke about Frank shaving his head, then discuss how club volleyball athletes should navigate June’s overlapping options: club college showcases, on-campus prospect camps, and preparing for nationals. Prompted by a message from Dennis Rios, they argue that on-campus camps provide the most information for athletes facing June 15 recruiting decisions, while club showcases function like “trailers” best used earlier in the process to sample coaches’ styles. They advise choosing showcases based on location and which schools attend, being intentional, reflecting afterward, tracking preferences, and following up with emails. From a club perspective, they emphasize educating athletes, maintaining backup plans, adapting practice schedules, and supporting camp attendance rather than prioritizing practice over recruiting. They also note the physical toll of multiple camps and the need for rest, and say social media camp posts mainly provide neutral information.

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