The Art of Coaching Volleyball

    Trust is the most important factor in the player–coach relationship. But earning that trust takes real effort. Showing that you genuinely want to help and are willing to work just as hard as your players is a good start. Want more ideas? Listen to University of Minnesota assistant coach Laura Kasey as she […]

    In this drill Kevin Hambly has passers making different passes worth different amounts of points, trying to get the highest score they can to beat the other team. This works by having different point values attached to areas of the court where the passer should aim, and getting ten tries to get the […]

Aug. 14 - USA vs. Italy, 2 p.m. EST   By Jim Stone The fourth scouting report from Jim Stone takes a close look at Italy, which entered the Olympics as the world’s 8th-ranked team. You can make your own scouting reports like these using FastDraw. Click here to download the complete scouting report Italy's […]

Along with a good pair of eyes, coaches need a fair amount of equipment to run an efficient, effective tryout. Here’s a checklist of stuff you’ll want to have at the ready when evaluating players for a high school, college or club roster:   1.     A tryout plan. You should have both an athlete check-in plan and […]

Aug. 10 - USA vs. Serbia, 2 p.m. EST   By Jim Stone The third of Jim Stone’s scouting reports on pool opponents the U.S. women will face at the Olympics looks at Serbia, the world’s 6th-ranked team. You can make your own scouting reports like these using FastDraw. Click here to download the complete scouting report […]

This is a great drill to work on your setters reaction time and agility when they are in the front row. Christy Johnson breaks down each step and tells us what she is looking out for.  

    When training young hitters, start with back-row attacking to teach fundamentals. This approach builds confidence because players learn how to hit aggressively without the net to distract them. Watch as MADFROG Volleyball Club coach Stefanie Samuels demonstrates the “back-row attacking” drill she uses with her players.

    Calling attention to errors isn’t productive. Instead, get players thinking about what they're doing well. A “big believer in positive feedback,” University of Michigan coach Mark Rosen points out successes during practices rather than failures to keep players focused on what he wants them to do.

Aug. 8 - USA vs. Netherlands, 2 p.m. EST   By Jim Stone In the second of his scouting reports on the pool opponents the U.S. women will face at the Olympics, Jim Stone looks at Netherlands, the world’s 11th-ranked team. USA, the world’s top-ranked team, is one of the favorites in Rio to win […]

    In this video Cilene Drewnick, #1 libero in the UEAFA Champions League from '99-'00, discusses why peripheral vision is so important in the game and why she believes players' vision has been getting worse throughout the years.

    Tod Mattox talks about good and bad movements when it comes to passing. Passing is crucial and can take away setting options if not done properly. This will lead to the opponent easily identifying where the offense is headed and defend against it.

Aug. 6 - USA vs. Puerto Rico, 4:05 p.m. EST Result: USA 3, Puerto Rico 0   By Jim Stone To give you a coach’s perspective on what the U.S. women’s national team will be facing in Rio, Art of Coaching’s Jim Stone has compiled a comprehensive scouting report for each of the USA’s Olympic pool opponents. […]

    Get players moving with “3-touch pepper.” This easy warmup drill, presented here by USA girls' youth national team coach Jim Stone, helps players practice 3 critical skills: Making good contact so they can improve ball control. Staying low so they can pop the ball up in the air. Shuffling their feet so they […]

    Oregon State women’s volleyball coach Terry Liskevych gives an introduction to serving in this video, focusing on the movement of the ball in the air. He discusses various types of serves, such as a floater or a topspin, and the correct hand-positioning and motion to make the ball travel in the desired direction. […]

    Does your team suffer from poor serving and weak back-row attacking? Encourage aggressive play in these areas with the “basketball” drill. Watch as Southlake Carroll High School coach Ryan Mitchell explains how to run this fast-paced drill featuring basketball-style scoring.