The Art of Coaching Volleyball

The impact of positivity on team culture through question-based learning

Keith Lundgren — Fri, 15 May 2026 07:41:00 +0000

When discussing positivity, we want to be clear regarding what we are not talking about. This includes blanket statements about being positive or hype type/feel-good scenarios. World champion Novak Djokovic stated in a “60 Minutes" interview that “the difference between the [people] who are the biggest champions and the ones who are struggling to get […]

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Winning with empathy

Shelton Collier — Tue, 12 May 2026 21:17:22 +0000

All of us coaches want to win more games, have the respect and approval of our players and are hopeful that players will speak well of us when talking to parents or other people about their experiences playing for us. Quite often, coaches will read blogs like this to get drill ideas or game strategies […]

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Basic key terms to know for games

The Art of Coaching — Fri, 08 May 2026 21:25:00 +0000

This video includes descriptions for a few basic key terms that signal different aspects of the game: Free ball: An emergency last contact for the opposing team that's sent over the net and is considered a "freebie" for your team. Free balls are an opportunity for your team to create a kill. Down ball: An […]

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Serve +1 drill for improving your offense

Beth Launiere — Sat, 02 May 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Beth Launiere, coach at the University of Utah, uses this 6-on-6 drill to work on teamwork, strategy, offensive consistency and contribution from all positions. Players do not rotate in this drill. Teams alternate service. After every serve, a coach enters a down ball to the team that just served. For a team to win, each […]

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6 v 6 drill to improve offense and defense

Michael Henchy — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 21:00:00 +0000

In this video, we see a standard 6 v 6 drill that requires teams to put the ball down both in system and out of system. One focus is tooling the block, so teams earn a bonus point if the attacker gets a kill off a tool. Another focus is tipping and defending the tip. […]

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Keys to developing players who are ready to compete

Russ Rose — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Legendary college coach Russ Rose discusses a player's readiness to enter an intense game and do their job to the best of their ability. What does this depend on? Preparation, preparation, preparation. Physical preparation, psychological preparation and mental preparation are all critical aspects of creating a player who's ready to perform. Focus on each of […]

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Perfecting the power tip

Megan Hodge Easy — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 10:48:00 +0000

Megan Hodge Easy talks in this video about the keys to hitting an effective and legal power tip, a huge weapon in today’s game. 1. Keep the ball in front of your body. If it’s behind your ear, the ref is likely to blow the whistle. 2. Use your fingertips, not the palm of your […]

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Fostering leadership on a team with no natural leaders

Christy Johnson Lynch — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 09:00:00 +0000

College coach Christy Johnson-Lynch discusses how to foster leadership on a team where there isn't a clear leader to do so. Creating a leadership infrastructure depends on the players you have on the team, whether they're younger or older players, whether they're natural leaders, and whether they're willing to take responsibility for the season. Below […]

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Drill to improve off-speed shots

Michael Henchy — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Michael Henchy introduces a drill in this video that helps attackers develop off-speed hitting skills. One key to an effective shot is disguising your intentions. Henchy says this is done by starting every tip with a bent elbow, same as if you were swinging away at the ball. Start the drill with four players on […]

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Target practice for hitters

Megan Hodge Easy — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Megan Hodge Easy introduces a drill in this video that helps hitters work on their attacking control. As Easy notes, this drill is similar to hitting lines. The difference? The target practice drill is a competition where players keep track of their points. Points are earned when a player hits one of four targets. Two […]

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What is “bunch read” blocking

Luka Slabe — Sat, 04 Apr 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Luka Slabe explains the merits of "bunch read" blocking, which is a strategy where the pin blockers pinch in closer to the middle blocker in order to be ready to assist the middle blocker in blocking sets through the seams. This requires the pin blockers to be dynamic and fast in order to react to […]

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Improve bump setting with left, middle, right drill

Tod Mattox — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 22:00:00 +0000

With passing, we don’t normally teach a lot of legwork. It’s the opposite with bump setting. To produce a consistently hittable ball, players need to lift with their legs while using an angled platform and minimal arm swing. Practice this technique using the drill below. Left, middle, right drill Purpose: To produce a consistent bump […]

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