In my previous iPad coaching apps review post, I mentioned some great apps to help coaches use an iPad to streamline their tasks. In this post, I would like to share another app with all of you that I found recently. First of all, I want to mention that I had a first generation iPad for my first iPad coaching app post. My wife got me a new iPad for my birthday recently, so now I have access to a camera on the device. What I’m inferring here is that if you coach with a 1st Generation iPad, this app isn’t compatible (unless you have a camera input device). Continue Reading
Category : Coaching Organization, Newly Released, Training Aid Reviews
Category : Coaching Organization, General, Newly Released, Training Aid Reviews
I originally purchased an iPad just to aide my volleyball coaching. Granted, there are so many other things I use it for too, but that’s another article. There are a ton of iPad applications in the iTunes App Store. There are many of those applications that can be used for coaching a sport. The problem is, you have to know the name of many of them in order to find them. In some cases, the problem is that developers just don’t add correct tags to the apps when they submit them. But some apps of use to volleyball coaches don’t have the term volleyball anywhere in the descriptions or title. In this article, I’ll point you in the right direction to those apps I use all the time and some I’m looking at getting in the near future.
Huge news from the NCAA this weekend… For those that don’t know, the NCAA has approved a new Division III Men’s Volleyball Championship. What does this mean? It means that many universities will now be adding men’s volleyball and those that already have programs may have more post-season opportunities instead of being beaten by tough Division I teams immediately or not even qualifying at all. It may also mean that top NIRSA schools (schools that run club programs) may begin to get officially sanctioned into Div III conferences. Not only is this huge for men’s college volleyball, it’s huge for boys high school and club programs due to more possible opportunities to boys wanting to play meaningful volleyball at the next level after high school. Read the press release after the jump.
Category : Coaching Organization, Newly Released
Cue the 1950s documentary-style male narrative voice, “I bet you want to know what the future holds for volleyball coaches who love to game plan don’t you? Well, your answer is here. Learn what Rotate123 can do for you in… Rotate123 and You!”
Seriously though, as a suggestion from my only Finnish Twitter follower, Jim Crossett (@crossett), I’m writing this article to help coaches learn how to utilize the software rotate123 (rotate123.com). I have used rotate123 before and love it. So this is a great opportunity to talk about it.
I won a Mikasa A Trainer from the guys at TheNetLive radio show right before the fall boys volleyball season in Wisconsin started. I answered a few trivia questions and a few days later, it arrived. I was really excited to get this product, not only to have yet another volleyball coaching product to review on this site, but to see how my players liked using it.
The purpose of this training aid is to build strength in a hitter’s shoulder and core muscles. After using it for a short time, I can see that it does deliver. The ball weighs 1 kg (2.2 pounds) and filled with, what seems to be, sand or small beads. It is a perfect size for any player above 12 years old to palm in their hand. Continue Reading
Category : Drills
Many coaches believe that practices should be as game like as possible. I’m in that camp as well, however I do think that there are times that you must drill specific skills in order to teach them. As far as teaching volleyball for life, I fully believe that players should play as much as possible. Being that I coach at a high school where we are in a rebuilding process and have been for a few years, I love drills that allow players to learn, touch the ball as much as possible, and allow them to have fun doing it. My favorite drill (read “Game”) for this purpose is 4 Corner Kings. Continue Reading
Category : General
In the spirit of a classic John Kessel article titled “Kessel’s Handy Guide to Ruining a Player“, I’ve decided to write about some things I’ve noticed that high school coaches can do to help run a volleyball, or any sport for that matter, program into the ground. With these tried and true methods, you will succeed in devaluing your program and the benefits of playing the sport to potential student athletes. Continue Reading
Over the last few days, I’ve been doing some reading on leadership and management. I wanted to find something different to write about than the same old-same old leadership in sports post. Today, I found a great TED talk by Simon Sinek entitled “How great leaders inspire action.” Don’t worry, if you don’t have time to watch it now, I’ll break it down for you in this article, but I think if you have 15 minutes, it’ll be something you’ll be glad you watched. I’ll even use some examples that Mr. Sinek used in his talk as I think his examples are great. First, we’ll go over a corporate example, then we’ll see how the principles relate to volleyball. Continue Reading
Publisher: Championship Productions
Year: 2002
Coach: John Dunning – Head Coach, Stanford University Womens Volleyball
Length: 63 Minutes
Cost: $29.99
TheVolleyballTeacher rating: 
This DVD is very valuable, especially when it’s double the length of many similar DVDs and about $10 less. John Dunning is a great educator and developer of talent. He uses this video to show both players how to train to be better setters, and coaches how to train theirs. It features one player and an assistant coach and they do a good job of demonstrating while Coach Dunning is talking over the microphone. Continue Reading
