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Coaches

COACHES' CORNER

 

The Arizona Region of USA Volleyball provides a variety of coaching resources to help you grow into your role and to have fun inspiring your players.

Please let us know if there's anything we can do you help you or answer your questions.

FREE COACHING CLINIC FOR NEW COACHES

The Arizona Region of USA Volleyball's Eric Hodgson hosts a FREE clinic at the AZ Region office November 10th. Email Eric to secure your spot!

Six Essential Tips for New Coaches in Arizona Volleyball

Hey there, new coaches! Stepping into a coaching role is both thrilling and a bit intimidating. Many of you come from high school or college volleyball backgrounds, and it’s natural to want to replicate the coaching style you experienced. This is known as “path dependent” coaching. While it’s great to share what you learned, remember that not everything your coach did is necessarily backed by evidence or suited for the age group you’re now working with. Here are some key insights to help you get started on the right foot!

1. Rethink Warm-Ups

Let’s be honest: spending time running and stretching before practice is often a waste of precious time. Your athletes might expect this traditional routine, but it’s not the best use of your court time. If practice starts at 7 PM, encourage your players to take care of any personal warm-up needs before that time. Research shows that static stretching before activities can actually decrease muscle strength and may not prevent injuries. Instead, focus on engaging drills right from the start, maximizing your time on the court.

2. Utilize the Net

Picture this: a basketball coach having players shoot at a tree instead of a hoop. Sounds silly, right? The same logic applies to volleyball—always use the net during practice. The game is played over the net, and it’s essential for players to learn how to read the actions of others on the court. Instead of tossing balls from the side, incorporate the net in every practice. This helps players develop critical game-time skills and keeps training realistic.

3. Keep It Engaging

Engagement is key! If your athletes seem bored, they’re not learning, and you’re not effectively coaching. Avoid long, repetitive drills that could lead to disinterest. If you notice attention waning, switch things up—play a game, alter the drill, or create smaller teams for more touches. Remember the words of USA Olympic Sports Psychologist Peter Haberl: "Attention is the currency of performance." Keep your practices lively to enhance learning.

4. Ditch the Punishment Mindset

Tradition tells us that punishing mistakes will lead to better performance. But let’s challenge that notion. When you made errors in school or learning to drive, punishment wasn’t the answer. The same goes for your athletes—most of them don’t want to make mistakes. Instead of punishment, foster a growth mindset. Encourage your players to stretch their limits and learn from errors without fear. This approach will create a more positive learning environment and encourage improvement.

5. Build Relationships with Parents

Your athletes’ parents are your allies, not your enemies! Take the time to greet them, shake hands, and get to know them. They’re crucial to their child’s development and can provide valuable insights. Building a good rapport with parents will help create a supportive community around your team.

6. Never Stop Learning

Coaching is a journey of continuous growth. In today’s digital age, there are countless resources available—from YouTube to podcasts. However, be discerning about the information you consume. In the Arizona Region, we have dedicated resources to help you grow as a coach. Don’t hesitate to reach out to our Coach Developer for guidance, mentorship, and credible resources. You can contact them at erichbke@msn.com for opportunities to enhance your coaching skills.

Welcome to the Arizona Region volleyball family, and here’s to an incredible coaching journey ahead! Let’s make every practice count!

THE ARIZONA REGION OF USA VOLLEYBALL IS HERE TO SUPPORT YOU!

 

Please email us at office@azregionvolleyball.org if you would like coaching education.
 
Club or Team Coaching Clinic(s) (In-person or online)
Practice Evaluation (Video)
One-on-one mentoring (In-person or online)
Parent Education Clinics (In-person or online)

CREATING SOCIAL MEDIA POLICIES FOR YOUR VOLLEYBALL CLUB

Social media policy part 1
Social media policy part 2

Sample social media policy for volleyball clubs
SAFESPORT GRAPHIC

Click here to go to the SafeSport reporting website.

Remember, abuse can come in all forms. And one of them is through communications.
 
USA Volleyball has ZERO TOLERANCE for abuse and misconduct. This includes not only on-court safety, but also off-court safety in any part of USA Volleyball’s programs.


USA Volleyball Coaching Resources at USAV Learn

USA Volleyball has put together an amazing array of coaches and subject matter into several webinars available free to those coaches who are interested. These webinars touch on different topics including information for Club Directors as well. Please click on the link below for these pre recorded webinars.

USAV Learn

This link will take you to the USA Volleyball website. The AZ Region is not responsible for their content.


Arizona Sidelines

Arizona Sidelines is a newsletter designed specifically for volleyball coaches. There are articles of interest to coaches, questions posed to national and international level coaches, resource lists that are of interest to volleyball coaches and other informative articles. To sign up for this newsletter to be sent to your email address, send an email to the Region office with Subscribe Arizona Sidelines as the subject and we will add your email to our list.


Get the TEAM USA Mobile Coach App

  1. Click on the TEAM USA Mobile App icon above left 
  2. Click Register in the top right corner
  3. Select USA Volleyball from dropdown
  4. Enter information
  5. Click Register at the bottom of the list (a popup in top right corner will confirm registration is complete)
  6. Click sign in on top right and then login with credentials the user just made.

This mobile app is a member benefit for USAV Coaches only.


Arizona Region of USA Volleyball Office Contact


USA CAP

USA CAP is another way to grow in your knowledge and experience of the game. The CAP Program has undergone a transformation. There are now modules that you can take to build a CAP certification. There is even a Home Equivalency Course for CAP. Check out the USAV website for more information.

For planning purposes the Arizona Region normally offers CAP I & II every other year (odd-numbered years) in the Phoenix Metro area.  Check at the top of this page for articles and/or calendar entries containing additional details and information on registration.

USA Volleyball CAP clinic information