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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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In this episode of the Triple Block Heads volleyball podcast, Makani, Marc, and Frank discuss the USA Volleyball High Performance Tournament (later the All-Star Tournament) and how it evolved, emphasizing its unique features: regional pride, USA development camp ties, international teams, a combined boys/girls event, and international rules with limited subs and best-of-five formats. They describe how the event challenges coaches to rapidly evaluate players, build cohesive teams, and install systems in just a few practices, while offering major networking and learning through open information-sharing among coaches. From a player perspective, they highlight independence from dorm living, exposure to college coaches, distinct atmosphere, and lasting relationships. They compare the old USA-team format to the current regional-only model, note recruiting and timing conflicts, share memorable stories (Tucson, Tulsa, Fort Lauderdale water outage, Des Moines hosting), and close by crediting Iowa director Kurt Trout’s leadership.

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In this Triple Block Heads volleyball podcast episode, the hosts discuss how to enter coaching, emphasizing that many start in club volleyball and should research local clubs, meet and “interview” club directors, and seek organizations with year-round opportunities (teams, camps, clinics, lessons, tournaments) to build coaching and administrative experience. They stress humility, learning through mentorship, observing different coaching styles, and the importance of relationships in shaping a coach’s trajectory, including for those without playing backgrounds who must earn trust through hard work. The conversation covers volunteering, working camps, officiating, clinics, and advocating for yourself to reach college coaching, noting Division I involves extensive non-volleyball responsibilities. They also highlight alternative volleyball careers (analytics, operations) and advise treating club coaching like a job interview by communicating goals, providing references, and asking questions—ultimately encouraging listeners to “shoot your shot.”

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