Long story short, it should be. Head volleyball coach Lindsay Peterson explains the structure she uses to get to know her players.

Here we go again. The high school volleyball season is upon us. Like every good coach, you’ve meticulously planned out your season…right? Actually, if this is you, then I’m impressed—and also jealous!

As I began laying things out, getting my thoughts and ideas together for the next year, I’m reminded of one of the most important things I have to plan for: getting to know my players and building these relationships.

Let me stress to you that, even though I know this is very important for our players, there’s always a part of me that’s wondering if our time would be better spent in the gym, getting ready for our first match. But I also know building a team begins with building bonds between players and coaches.

So I thought I’d share with you something I’ve found helpful over the years, something I make sure to do every year with every player on my team.

Set up role meetings

I like to do these individually with my players. I sit each one of them down and ask them what role they see for themselves for the year.

Do these several times a year

My cadence is usually three meetings a year, but I meet with some players even more. I like to hold them at the beginning, somewhere in the middle, and at the end of our season. That way it’s easy for them to see how they’ve changed and grown over the year. We look at what we wrote down last time and whether it looks the same or has changed dramatically.

Here’s an example

This is a role meeting my assistant and I had with a former player. (Her name has been changed.)

——————————————–

Name: Leanne
Position: Rightside

Name three positive things about yourself as a player:

• See the court well
• Defensive right side
• Organized

Three downfalls you have as a player:

• Impatient
• Offense
• Poor facial expression

Three things you want to improve before you graduate:

• Stronger
• Faster
• Communication

Three things you’ll bring to the team:

• Leadership
• Energy
• Calmness

Where do you see yourself in your position?

As a right side, second in line behind Emily

What do you need from us as coaches?

• Feedback
• Encouragement

——————————————–

My takeaways

Player’s mentality

It’s so interesting to sit with each kid and go over these questions with them. Like many of us, it’s hard for them to articulate their own positive impact. But when it comes to their downfalls, they seem to have a list a mile long!

Creating relationships

These questions enable us to have an open dialogue about where they see themselves, and more authentic conversations about where we, as coaches, see them.

Documentation

Writing down the details of these conversations has also been helpful when speaking with parents and players about playing time. An added bonus!

The Oregon based club invests in industry-leading performance analysis platform to help players maximize their potential and reach the next level.

Club volleyball is as competitive as ever, with top clubs looking for ways to separate themselves on the court while providing players with a path to the next level. Oregon Junior Volleyball Academy (OJVA) invested in Hudl to help athletes develop these skills on the court and in recruiting.

Some coaches, like 15s coach Juno Cruz, bring iPads into training to show clips or film on Hudl. He believes integrating technology accelerates the learning curve while helping players buy into their development and take ownership of their future. 

“As I’m showing them [videos and stats] you can see that they’re getting more confident,” Cruz said. “With confidence you get better play, and with better play you build more confidence. And as a coach, I want to build more confidence.”

This past season, Cruz challenged one of his middle blockers to play a new position: outside hitter. Although she agonized over the change at first, Hudl enabled Cruz to pinpoint her growth via film and analyze her statistical performance.

“When you move a player, they’re uncomfortable. They don’t want to believe they’re going to be good at something they haven’t done yet,” he said.

After only a few matches, Cruz said the athlete saw a future for herself playing outside.

OJVA athletes have bought in on using these tools to improve their performance. Not only to quicken their growth, but also as a means to play collegiately.

Sophie Scott is a middle blocker who is committed to play for the University of California-Berkeley. Scott started playing club volleyball in sixth grade and joined OJVA for the higher level of competition and training. She uses Hudl at her high school as well and believes that having video and data has helped her to study and improve her play as well as get recruited.

Speed. Efficiency. Impact.

These skills translate into everything volleyball players must do, whether that’s reacting on defense, transitioning to the attack, or punishing an opponent that’s out of system.

The same can be said for the recruiting process. With an abundance of student-athletes competing for limited spots, finding ways to stand out and earn a roster spot at the next level requires fast, adaptable tools that meet college coaches and recruiters where they are.

During the pandemic, recruiters relied almost exclusively on video to evaluate up-and-coming talent. As the world evolves into a more hybrid recruiting environment, combining in-person and online evaluation, today’s student-athletes must take the initiative to market themselves and capture a recruiter’s attention.

With Hudl’s comprehensive recruiting profiles, athletes on Hudl can feature their academic and athletic achievements, along with highlights and match film in a single resource that recruiters want. Players can even message verified recruiters to express their interest in a school while providing a glimpse into their potential.

Emily Warmenhoven, a senior outside hitter, joined OJVA as a freshman in high school. Now she’s committed to Belmont University. She said Hudl makes it quick and easy to create highlights and share them with recruiters.

“It’s been super helpful, not only to improve our own game, but also getting committed,” Warmenhoven said. “It’s super nice where it cuts out your own clips, so I can see just the film of me and create highlights reels.” 

For a club that’s regarded as the best in the region, OJVA uses Hudl to stay ahead of the game. Their innovative training technique leverages cutting-edge technology to help athletes reach their potential and blaze a trail to the next level.

If your team knows how to serve specific zones, you’ll be ready to rule the court.

Coaching doesn’t end after the final game. Here are five tried-and-true tactics for taking better advantage of your offseason.

The offseason may represent a lull in action for teams, but not for coaches. The minute post-season play is over, you start going over your mental to-do list for next season. Player admission and eligibility, team camps and your state coaching certifications are all top of mind, not to mention a fundraiser for next year’s team. 

Raising funds in the offseason is often required, especially with the rising cost of playing sports compared to registration fees and what high school budgets can cover. You want a fundraiser that will bring in the most money possible, but it can be difficult to find the ideal method.

In this eBook, we’ll cover how to get your offseason started off on the right foot, give you new and profitable fundraising strategies, explain the tried-and-true fundraising tactics, and provide a real-world example of a small school in Iowa that won a state title on a tight budget.

Step 1: Rest

It’s hard for coaches to remember that it’s called offseason for a reason. While it’s important to get to work and improve, it’s even more vital to rest, both mentally and physically. Competitors are often trained into thinking hard work is synonymous with more work. But when it comes to the offseason, working smarter should be the goal. So take a week off (or a few) to recuperate from the strains of season.

Step 2: Reflect

Time away from the gym or field provides a clear mind to reflect objectively on the previous school year and season. To prepare for the future, it’s imperative to evaluate the past. Identify the major strengths and weaknesses of the team last year. Ask yourself questions like, “how can I innovate different areas of training to take my team to the next level?” Thinking through these things will help you build a stronger game plan for the summer.

Step 3: Invest

Use this offseason to improve yourself. Look into books without a sports focus that will challenge the way you approach everyday life. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covery may be a good place to start. Discover a more effective form of leadership by listening to the Learning Leader Show, a podcast made up of interviews with the most fascinating leaders across the world. Attend a coaching clinic to find innovative coaching methods in your specific sport. The offseason is the perfect time to educate and challenge yourself.

Step 4: Prepare

Through strategic planning, you can maximize the offseason and make major progress towards your biggest future goals. Take advantage of the time to prioritize what areas are most important. Consider the resources you’ll need for success, like gym space, access to video or weight-room equipment. Will you need to fundraise to get these things? Mapping these out in advance will help prevent future

Step 5: Progress

Set goals and track team progress along the way. Consider your team’s vision and create goals to help the team get there. Start with smaller weekly goals— these can be anything from maximizing player attendance at optional practices to attaining a new level of individual fitness. Achieving short-term goals will build the team’s confidence and culture.