Coaching Management 11.9

Coaching Management VOL. XI, NO. 9

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Coaching Management Volleyball Edition Postseason 2003

CONTENTS

Vol. XI, No. 9

p. 2

p. 24

LOCKER ROOM

COVER STORY

Bulletin Board . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Sweat & Smiles

Volleyball coaches hail Title IX announcement … AVCA program encourages minority coaches … Michigan video teaches parents about teamwork …

Wisconsin shares its promotional know-how … Chi Alpha Sigma honors athletes’ academic excellence.

Q&A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 After 25 years and nine state titles, Pickens (S.C.) High School Head Coach Peggy Anthony has retired.

Here, she offers advice on developing players and staying a step ahead.

Advertiser Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Web Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Setting Up Safety

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24

Keep yourself on the volleyball court and out of the legal courts by understanding the nuances of liability and coaching.

COMPETITIVE EDGE

Playing with Power

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Turning your athletes into powerful volleyball players involves strengthening their core, knees, and shoulders.

Team Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Uniforms & Apparel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Volleyball Court . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Editorial Assistant Greg Scholand

Prepress Manager Adam Berenstain

Circulation Director Mark Shea

Associate Editor Guillermo Metz

Production Manager Kristin Ayers

Ad Materials Coordinator Mike Townsend

Art Director Pamela Crawford

Assistant Editors RJ Anderson Kenny Berkowitz David Hill Dennis Read Laura Smith

Asst. Production Manager Kristi Kempf

Special Projects Dave Wohlhueter

Production Assistant Jonni Campbell

Administrative Assistants Sharon Barbell Daniela Reis Amy Walton

IT Manager Mark Nye

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Editor-in-Chief Eleanor Frankel

Business Manager Pennie Small

...............................

How do you keep your athletes motivated practice after practice, drill after drill?

According to top coaches, the key is finding drills that are unique, competitive, and multi-skilled.

Publisher Mark Goldberg

Art Assistant Dina Stander

p. 29

COVER PHOTO: KEVIN WHITE/SOUTHWEST MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY

Technology & Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Catalog Showcase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 More Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Advertising Sales Associates Diedra Harkenrider, (607) 257-6970, ext. 24 Sheryl Shaffer, (607) 257-6970, ext. 21 Business and Editorial Offices 2488 N. Triphammer Rd., Ithaca, NY 14850 (607) 257-6970, Fax (607) 257-7328 info@MomentumMedia.com Mailing lists for Coaching Management Volleyball are provided by the Clell Wade Coaches Directory.

The Coaching Management volleyball edition is published in April and December by MAG, Inc. and is distributed free to college and high school coaches in the United States and Canada. Copyright © 2003 by MAG, Inc. All rights reserved. Text may not be reproduced in any manner, in whole or in part, without the permission of the publisher. Unsolicited materials will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

Coaching Management is printed by Banta Publications Group, Kansas City, MO. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Coaching Management, P.O. Box 4806, Ithaca, N.Y. 14852.

Printed in the U.S.A.

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Volleyball Coaches Hail Title IX Announcement Coaches of women’s athletic teams breathed a sigh of relief this summer with the July 11 announcement that Title IX enforcement will remain essentially unchanged in the wake of an extensive review. “If the decision had gone another way, it could have turned back the clock on a lot of progress for women’s athletics,” says Bonnie Kenny, Head Coach at the University of Delaware.

sion reached consensus on 15 recommendations and remained deeply split on eight others. Paige considered the unanimous recommendations, but in the end, announced that Title IX will be enforced using the same guidelines as in the past.

American Volleyball Coaches Association President and Macalester College Head Coach Stephanie Schleuder praised the decision. “For me as a women’s volleyball coach, the announcement was affirming,” she says. “This was a very big moment for women of my

men’s sports are because of gross over-spending in men’s revenue sports, and it’s up to individual institutions to get that spending under control. Title IX was simply a scapegoat.”

Schleuder is hopeful that the July 11 announcement will signal an end to such finger pointing. The statement spelled out that eliminating men’s sports in order to pass the Title IX proportionality test is a disfavored practice. It urged institutions to utilize all three Title IX compliance tests to measure equality, and clarified that demonstrating increasing opportunities for women or showing that women’s athletic interests are being met hold just as much weight as proportionality.

“It won’t be as easy for schools to cut men’s sports and blame the cuts on Title IX,” Schleuder says. “Now it’s up to individual institutions to take a hard look at how their money is being spent, and I believe university presidents are the ones who need to take the lead in that.”

The Title IX review posed a unique challenge for the volleyball community, since some men’s volleyball programs have found themselves on the chopping block.

When the AVCA took a position in support of Title IX, Schleuder believed it threatened to create a rift within the sport.

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generation who grew up without the athletic opportunities that women have today.

“However, I was disappointed that the review was conducted in the first place,” Schleuder continues. “It was based on a fallacy. It was prompted by the perception that men’s nonrevenue sports are being cut because of Title IX. I think that’s missing the point entirely.

The problems that exist in

“As the AVCA president, I had to tread very lightly,” she says. “The challenge was to help men’s volleyball coaches understand that the association wasn’t taking a position against them—we’re fully in support of men’s programs— but we were taking a position in favor of a law that has brought women from virtually no opportunities to approaching equity.”

While the Department of Education’s July decision shored up Title IX for now, both Kenny and Schleuder point to the need for continued vigilance. “Coaches can’t wait until their own program is in jeopardy,” Kenny says. “They need to get involved now.

This review showed us that everything could change with one decision.”

“It’s important not to take Title IX for granted,” agrees Schleuder. “It’s critical that we educate today’s studentathletes about what it was like before Title IX. I tell my student-athletes that when I played, the surest way to make the team was to own a car, because the school wasn’t going to provide transportation for a women’s team. I tell them that the dance teacher doubled as our volleyball coach, and she didn’t get paid.”

For coaches who don’t have their own stories to tell, Schleuder suggests inviting a guest speaker to share her experiences. “Or have them ask their parents,” she says.

“The mothers of today’s student-athletes often remember what it was like, and they’re

ROB BARBER

The review began last year, when the 15-member Commission on Opportunity in Athletics set out to study Title IX enforcement and make any recommendations needed to improve it. The Commission’s creation caused outcry from Title IX proponents, prompting U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige to promise to consider only recommendations that received unanimous approval from the panel. The Commis-

The point was driven home when the Ball State University men’s volleyball program was threatened with elimination last spring. The school ultimately dropped men’s indoor and outdoor track and cross country, but kept men’s volleyball intact. “The entire volleyball family, men and women, came to the assistance of the Ball State men’s team,” Schleuder says.

“It was a major factor in getting the school to reverse its plan to cut the sport. It showed that if we all work together, rather than allowing difficulties to divide us, we can have an impact on sustaining opportunities for both men and women.”

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determined to ensure opportunities for their daughters.

But they need encouragement to discuss the issue with their kids.

“Today’s young women are a little more strident and a lot more politically organized than women of previous generations,” Schleuder adds.

“As long as we educate them about the history of women’s sports and the importance of Title IX, they’ll take action to protect it in the future.”

istration, and how to move through the ranks.”

The program will provide 150 candidates the opportunity to meet with professional coaches and each other, along with lessons in networking, finding

The NFHS and HBCUs are helping out by providing mailing lists of potential attendees and helping publicize the seminars to their members.

“This program is about giving people an opportunity to

AVCA Program Encourages Minority Coaches

“Our goal is to target graduate assistants, high school coaches, club coaches, and athletes who want to pursue coaching as a career,” says Katherine McConnell, Executive Director of the AVCA. “We want to foster their professional development by teaching them how to secure a coaching position, how to operate within the admin-

McConnell hopes the program will grow and that the NCAA will continue to provide matching funds to host future seminars. “This is not just a one-shot deal,” she says. “This is part of an ongoing effort to reach out to potential coaches.

We want to enhance the visibility of the coaching profession, especially among minority candidates, who may not think of it as a career path.

“Enhancing the opportunities for potential coaches can really strengthen our sport and our association,” McConnell continues. “Minority coaches can bring a different perspective to the sport, as well as tap into potential participants. The more diversity we have in the sport, and the more voices we involve, the stronger we get.”

In a collaborative effort with the NCAA, the NFHS, and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), the American Volleyball Coaches Association has started a new program to encourage more minority women to enter the coaching profession. Called “Volleyball, Live It, Love It, Coach It,” the program began with a grant proposal by the AVCA Minority Coaches Committee, which has resulted in a $31,550 NCAA Matching Grant for Advancement of Minority Women Coaches.

The money is being used to promote and put on a seminar for minorities at the 2003 AVCA convention in Dallas, and is primarily directed at nearby coaching candidates in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas.

and if that’s something they want to pursue, we give them the vehicle to formulate their professional development.”

For more information and a sign-up form, log onto: www.avca.org/ NewsDetail.asp?id=64.

A New Way To Reach Parents

United States Air Force Academy Head Coach Penny LucasWhite is a co-chair of the AVCA Minority Coaches Committee, which is working hard to attract more minorities to the volleyball coaching profession. job opportunities, building a coaching staff, and developing a coaching philosophy.

The candidates will also receive a free one-year membership in the AVCA, free admission to the entire Dallas convention, including the Final Four, and invitations to a series of follow-up seminars to be held next summer.

advance themselves, because there are quite a few people out there who might like to coach, but don’t know how to go about it,” says organizer Ruth Lawanson, Assistant Coach at Fresno State and co-chair of the AVCA Minority Coaches Committee. “We’re giving them an opportunity to learn about the process,

Of the 400,000 athletes who play high school volleyball every year, just over 4,000— one percent—go on to play at the NCAA Division I level.

That statistic may be no surprise to most coaches, but it’s an eye-opener for many parents, which is why the Michigan High School Athletic Association launched a program called “High School Sports: It’s About Team” for the 2003-2004 school year.

The objective of the program is to educate parents, fans, and others about the true value of high school sports. It Continued on page 8

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Continued from page 5 defines them as “educational support programs which help develop tomorrow’s community leaders—not the starting lineups for tomorrow’s collegiate or professional teams.”

“We started seeing more and more cases where the highly publicized success of a handful of elite athletes was being touted as the defining moment of high school sports,” says John Johnson, MHSAA Communications Director. “We created this program to combat that message.

“High school is the highest level of play most volleyball players will ever see,” he continues. “The emphasis cannot be placed on the one percent who play after high school—it has to be on the experiences and values all players can take away from their high school team.

“Parents are increasingly likely to view playing in college or earning a college scholarship as a right. So they place all the emphasis on getting their child seen by college scouts, rather than on functioning as part of a high school team.

Educating parents about the actual odds that their child will earn an athletic scholarship to a Division I university can help them gain some perspective and change their attitudes.”

A key component of the “It’s About Team” project is a video that was sent to Michigan high schools for use during the 2003-2004 season.

The six-minute video stars Jim Brandstatter, a sportscaster

For more information on the “It’s About Team” program, visit www.mhsaa.com/ aboutteam/index.html.

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many in the state recognize as the voice of University of Michigan athletics, and his passion is the video’s biggest asset, according to Johnson.

“Jim feels so strongly about the educational values of high school athletics and about creating participation opportunities for all students that his words ring true,” he says. “We thought it was important to find someone who genuinely believes in what we’re trying to convey, because kids can see right through a fraud.”

Wisconsin Shares Promotional Tips How do you draw more than 50,000 fans per year to your volleyball matches? The University of Wisconsin found an answer in its mascot, Bucky Badger.

tional efforts and helps the Badgers bring in an average of 3,500 fans per home contest. To start, Bucky assists in introducing the players on the court. He then circulates through the crowd and leads activities during intermissions, including:

Sam Ellis, Athletic Director at Highland Park High School, says he’s urging his coaches to use the video at preseason meetings, so both athletes and parents can view it. “The values expressed on the video are exactly what our athletes and parents need to hear, and the presentation is great,” he says. “It’s also concise, and that’s important. Otherwise, you start to lose people.”

The MHSAA encourages coaches to show it at school board meetings as well, so that upper-level administrators can support the theme, and to community groups outside the school, to get fans on board. “We want this message to not just be preached to the choir—our school people —but to the public as well,” explains MHSAA Executive Director Jack Roberts.

In addition to the video, Brandstatter is featured in six one-minute public service announcements. Coaches were also given full-color brochures outlining the educational values of high school sports for distribution to athletes and parents. Schools can also take advantage of ready-to-print articles offered by the association by including them in monthly school newsletters or game programs.

At the University of Wisconsin, school mascot Bucky Badger is intertwined in a host of promotions aimed at entertaining kids and bolstering fan-player interaction.

“Our target audience is women and families, so a lot of our volleyball promotions are geared toward kids,” says Adam Ahearn, a marketing assistant in his third year in the athletic department. “We’re trying to establish an atmosphere of fun, and kids are an integral part of that.”

Thus the emphasis on Bucky, who anchors a slew of promo-

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The Battle of the Mascots, where Bucky Badger plays volleyball with mascots from corporate partners and local businesses.

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Bucky’s Putting Challenge, where fans putt a golf ball around the court, with their starting positions determined by their answers to Wisconsin volleyball trivia questions.

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The Badger Clothes Relay, where kids race the length of the court, putting on oversized UW volleyball uniforms along the way, before serving a ball over the net.

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Bucky’s Grand Prix, where fans race remote-controlled cars around the court.

Bucky is also the host of the Kids Volleyball Festival, which includes a preseason skills clinic with the team and a question and answer session with Head Coach Pete Waite.

He also takes part in UW’s Junior Reporter Program, which allows kids into the press room, where they’re given credentials, media guides, and a chance

to write a recap of the game, which is posted on the team’s Web site. And he’s the centerpiece of Bucky Badger Photo Day, when fans can have pictures taken with the team mascot and then download the photos from the team’s Web site.

“The kids go crazy for him,” says Ahearn. “At the same time, there are plenty of adults who scream out his name and want their picture taken with him.”

Bucky has his own poster, which is given free to volleyball fans of all ages on Bucky Poster Day, and his own book, Badgers in Training Sports and Fitness for Families Activity

Book. The book is filled with games, puzzles, and healthy lifestyle tips compiled by the school’s health care provider, UW Health, and given free to children under 12 on Badgers in Training Day. At the center of all these promotions is an attempt to draw fans closer to the game.

Along with enjoying Bucky’s antics, Wisconsin wants its fans to have as much contact with the players as possible and feel involved with the action on the court.

To this end, the team has started the Volleyball Kids’ Club, which allows members to go on the court after a Badger victory, line up for high-fives

from each player, and sing the school song with the team and band. On Team Poster Giveaway Day, fans are given a poster of the entire team, which they can have signed during a post-game autograph session. Volleyball Trading Card Giveaway Night sees 1,000 children receive trading cards of the starting players, who are available to autograph the cards after the game.

“We’re always looking for opportunities to have our players interact with fans,” says Ahearn. “We want our fans to identify with our players and get to know them, because that will make them more inclined to come to another game.”

To view a list of all of Wisconsin’s 2003 volleyball promotions, log onto: www.uwbadgers.com/promotions/index.aspx#vb

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Honoring Academic Excellence At a time when reports of academic fraud and cheating scandals threaten to stain the reputation of the nation’s collegiate athletic programs, an up-and-coming organization is working to return honor to the term student-athlete. Chi Alpha Sigma, the National College Athlete Honor Society, was started to recognize student-athletes whose classroom achievements mirror their success on the field or the court.

Modeled after other college honor societies, it is open to juniors or seniors who have maintained a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.4

on a 4.0 scale, while earning one or more varsity letters.

However, for a student-athlete to join, his or her school must have a chapter on its campus.

Over 60 institutions in 25 states have taken the steps to include qualifying student-athletes in the organization, and the push is on to add more.

To start a charter in Chi Alpha Sigma, each institution pays $100 the first year and a $50 yearly renewal fee, regardless of the number of honorees.

The school’s payment deflects any cost to the student-athlete —something relatively unique for college honor societies, which routinely charge honorees $50-$100 per year to be included in their society.

A member of the athletic department, usually an assis-

tant athletic director, academic advisor, or coach, acts as a chapter advisor and is empowered to enforce Chi Alpha Sigma’s constitution and motto of “excellence in athletics.” The chapter advisor also plans and facilitates the annual end-ofthe-year meeting where the honorees are inducted into the society and receive a certificate from the national headquarters.

Westminster College (Mo.) volleyball player Corrie Anderson, on left, was the first person to be inducted into her school’s chapter of Chi Alpha Sigma. Here, she poses with Stacy Eckart when both were named cofemale athletes of the year.

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Nick Mourouzis, Head Football Coach and Professor of Kinesiology at DePauw University began the organization in 1996. “I felt we needed to renew the emphasis on the ‘student’ part of the term ‘student-athlete,’” he says.

“There are 66 honor societies in the country representing

Mourouzis notes that while Academic All-America programs are in place to honor student-athletes, that recognition is allotted to only a handful of students per sport.

He estimates that Chi Alpha Sigma has between 1,800 and 2,000 student-athletes in its local chapters.

large NCAA Division I universities as well as numerous Division II, III, and NAIA institutions, and has plans for many more to follow.

Eventually, Mourouzis would like to see Chi Alpha Sigma obtain a corporate sponsor, which would provide funding

idea to coaches and administrators nationwide.

“With the concern about athletes graduating, this certainly adds to the credibility of the athlete as a scholar,” says Dr. Dorothy Mitstifer, Executive Director of the Association of College Honor Societies.

“I felt we needed to renew the emphasis on the ‘student’ part of the term ‘student-athlete’ ... There are 66 honor societies in the country representing economics, mathematics, theater, and so on, but there was nothing for athletics. The National College Athlete Honor Society honors student-athletes the way Phi Beta Kappa recognizes its scholars.” economics, mathematics, theater, and so on, but there was nothing for athletics. The National College Athlete Honor Society honors studentathletes the way Phi Beta Kappa recognizes its scholars.”

Mourouzis, who is retiring after this, his 22nd, season at the helm of the DePauw football program, has worked tirelessly to increase awareness of the fledgling honor society. He has brought on board several

for an executive director and a national office. In the meantime, he is working toward getting the society certified by the Association of College Honor Societies and continuing to sell the

“I support it. Anything athletics can do to make itself look better would be wise.”

For more information go to www.ncahs.org

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First-Class Fuels

By JULIE BURNS, M.S., R.D. Founder of SportFuel, Inc. and sports nutrition consultant for the Chicago Bears, Chicago Blackhawks, Chicago Bulls and Northwestern University athletes

The hours athletes spend in practices, training and competing place large demands on the physical conditioning of players. The peak energy level and power needed to compete in any sport can be maximized with a balanced diet focused on whole-grain carbohydrates, high-quality protein and healthy fats.

To fuel power workouts, enhance stamina, energy, strength and quickness, athletes need to eat and drink the proper foods. Use these recommendations to assist the athlete in reaching their goals:

Eat adequate dietary carbohydrates daily to fuel training and competition Many athletes need help identifying foods that contain carbohydrates. They may know that pasta is a good source of carbohydrates, but they are not aware that fruits, vegetables, dried peas and beans, whole-grain cereals, breads and potatoes also contain carbohydrates.

✓ Athletes should incorporate a variety of natural fats into

their daily diet, such as nuts, nut butters, oils and seeds, cold water fish, olives and avocados. Large amounts of saturated fat (from animal products, such as dairy and meat), and “trans” fats (from hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils in many packaged products) should be avoided.

INSTEAD OF THIS…

TRY THIS...

Donut or sweet roll

Whole-grain bagel with nut butter

Chips and dip for a snack

Albacore tuna on whole wheat bread

Sugar cereal with 2% milk and a fruit bar

Whole-grain cereal with non-fat milk or soy milk, handful of nuts, and a piece of fresh fruit

Hamburger on a white bun

Salmon, turkey or veggie burger on a whole-grain roll with lettuce and tomato

Choose high-quality protein

Cake or cookies

✓ While protein is not a primary fuel for working muscles,

Fresh fruit dipped in natural peanut butter

Sausage or pepperoni pizza

Vegetable pizza and garden salad

Choose mostly whole-grain carbs, when possible Some athletes rely heavily on highly processed foods with refined ingredients rather than whole-grains. Whole-grain bagels, breads, muffins and cereals contain more nutrients and less unhealthy fats than highly processed products.

it is a component of muscles, organs, enzymes, and oxygen-carrying hemoglobin. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. High-quality protein foods contain all the essential amino acids needed to build and repair body tissues.

✓ Athletes should consume a wide variety of high-quality protein foods, such as chicken, turkey, beef, pork, soybeans, milk, eggs, legumes (beans) and nuts.

✓ Fat is needed in the diet. Aside from being a

concentrated source of dietary energy, fats form essential tissue-building blocks and hormone-regulating substances.

Nutrition practices can have a significant impact on the overall development of a first-class athlete. The proper fuel can help athletes reach their potential.

Peggy Anthony Pickens High School, South Carolina

After 25 years, 737 wins, and nine state titles as Head Coach at Pickens (S.C.) High School, Peggy Anthony decided to trade her seat on the sidelines for one in the stands. Anthony retired from coaching last year after a third-straight South Carolina Class AAA state championship and a 73-match winning streak.

A physical education teacher at Pickens Middle School, Anthony is spending the fall and winter watching her daughter, Nikki, play on the volleyball and basketball teams at Florida State University.

She’s also spending more time helping her husband with their farm and horse stable.

In this interview, Anthony talks about the key to developing players, her priorities as a coach, and how she learned the sport of volleyball.

What do you miss about coaching?

What I miss most is the pride that comes with seeing girls work very hard to achieve goals. I also miss seeing them progress from little kids to outstanding high school players. That’s a thrill, like a teacher who is thrilled when kids finally grasp what they’re trying to teach in algebra.

When you see them in the ninth grade struggling to get the quick hit down, and then suddenly that light bulb goes on and they’ve got it—that’s just one of the great joys of coaching. Also, I miss the relationships with the players, trying to help them pursue their dreams of playing in college and continuing their education.

What did you do to get that light bulb to go on?

Practice, practice, practice, and continued repetition. I also used a philosophy of first saying something positive, then explaining what needed improvement, and finally

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offering some encouragement. I might say “Okay, your approach was great, but your arm swing is late. So keep practicing, and when you get that arm swing down, you’ll have it.”

Another thing I’d do, and it probably drove a lot of the girls crazy, was continually emphasize the details. In order to be successful over a long period of time, I think you have to pay attention to the finer points of the basic skills, and not be satisfied with simply doing them okay.

What are the finer points that you kept drilling your players on?

First, I tried to emphasize relentless pursuit of the ball defensively, never giving up on a ball, and never giving up on a game. No matter what the score is, you always continue to work hard.

Some of the finer skill points would be keeping the elbow high on the arm swing and swinging fast. If they were early on their approach, sometimes we’d even hold their jersey, and then when we’d release it, they could go. Little things like that helped get them to understand what kind of timing is required for the various types of hits.

Defensively, I always talked about staying low. I even had them do drills where they had to touch the floor before they played a ball, or I would put kneepads on their backs while they were bent over to keep their backs flat—if the kneepad fell off that meant they were standing up.

REX BROWN (2)

I also had older girls work with the younger girls, and they were great teachers.

Some of my players had tremendous experiences with high-performance development camps, and as a result they were like second coaches out there.

Under Anthony’s guidance, Pickens High School players learned to emphasize the “finer points of the basic skills, and not be satisfied with simply doing them okay.”

How did you get into this profession?

I knew that I wanted to coach and teach physical education, and to return to

COACHING MANAGEMENT

13

Q A

&

Pickens, which is my alma mater. Oddly enough, I didn’t know anything about volleyball beyond what I learned while taking skills classes and the coaching classes in college. In my first year, I coached volleyball and basketball and later picked up track, so I was coaching three sports.

Then I had a miscarriage five months into a pregnancy. After that, my husband said, “Look, you’re doing too much. Plus, I’m taking care of Erica [their first daughter] three-fourths of the year. You’re involved with coaching all this time, so I think you should give one of them up.”

the clinic, and I just could not believe the ball handling skills they had, and the talent they exhibited. So I went up to her and said, “Look, I’m brand new. I don’t even understand an offense.” She took the time to sit there with me and drew a 4-2, covered some points with me, and recommended some books and other materials.

At that time, I loved basketball, and I felt like I had more experience and knowledge with it, but it was a longer season than volleyball. So I gave up basketball.

I became a real student of the game, in part because I was motivated by my hatred of losing. I studied the game hard and learned what I needed to know to pass on the right information to my players. I entered the team into some tournaments where we were beaten a lot, but I made my kids stay and watch the finals. I learned by watching those kids and their coaches in the finals, and my kids learned too.

As someone with little volleyball experience, how did you learn about the sport?

I went to the clinics and spoke with some of the top coaches, including Kathy Blackman [Head Coach at Bishop England High School in Charleston, S.C., from 1975 to 1991]. She had her girls demonstrating at

The first time we went to a tournament in Chattanooga it raised our game so much, because the other teams were doing shoots and quicks and slides and running much quicker offenses. Back in South Carolina, most teams were still high-balling it on the outside, high-balling the middle, and high-balling to the right.

I’m pleased to say, my last year coaching, we had the most diversified, complex offense that we ever had, and we did it well.

What were the most valuable lessons you learned at that time?

I learned the value of setting high expectations. Don’t settle for mediocrity—set your goals high, form your plan, work on correcting your weaknesses, improve your strengths, and carry that over. Get your game plan. Be organized in practice.

Keep working hard.

In 1980, we won our first state championship and from then on, I think the girls who were returning had that hunger to do it again. Often, we didn’t have Division I–caliber players, but we always had kids who were willing to work as hard as they could, to do what it took to win, to be a team, and to listen to me.

Another thing I learned was that to beat the larger schools, I needed to do something different. So we started a recreational volleyball program, and now we have teams beginning in second grade.

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COACHING MANAGEMENT

Circle No. 20

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Circle No. 10

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Circle No. 11

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Q A

&

The younger kids use a trainer ball that’s larger and lighter, along with a shorter court and lower net. But they learn the skills, they learn how to serve underhand, and they learn how to move to the ball.

In fifth grade, they switch to a regulation ball. The net is still low and the court is shorter, but then they’re learning the overhand pass, the overhand serve, how to pass the ball rather than just hit it over the net, and down balls.

I also always tried to instill a strong work ethic and to get our team in better shape than everyone else. I made sure everybody understood their role on the team, and knew that their role was important. I always tried to have fun, too. I tried to smile on the court and have a good time, and to encourage the younger players.

I also think it’s important to read as much as you can about coaching and talk to

good coaches. For example, early in my career, I would sometimes call my younger players the Baby Bunch, and I learned through reading an article that even though I did so in fun, it wasn’t good, because it didn’t make them feel good about themselves. If you use nicknames for groups, they need to be something positive like the Super Sophs or the Fantastic Freshmen. You can always learn something new, every year.

What kind of goals do you set for the young kids?

Our goals at that level are for everybody to participate and for everyone to have fun. If they don’t play the first game,

My coaching philosophy is that you never stop learning. So I continued to study the game, and I was not afraid to change things. If you’re not getting better, you’re falling behind … I also made sure everybody understood their role on the team, and knew that their role was important.

they play the second game. But we also want them to learn the basic skills. We want them to learn the correct form of the underhand serve. We want them to learn to call the ball, and how to move for the ball. We want them to learn to serve in formation. At that young age, we’re basically looking at serving and serve receiving.

What’s your coaching philosophy?

My coaching philosophy is that you never stop learning. So I continued to study the game, and I was not afraid to change things. If you’re not getting better, you’re falling behind.

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Then, when they get to the fifth grade, we tell them, “No more ping-pong, we’re trying to pass the ball.” And at my camp, if they did a bump-set-spike instead of playing ping-pong, and scored a point off it, instead of one point we gave them five.

That gives them the incentive to really try to pass it.

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Circle No. 12

COACHING MANAGEMENT

17

T

hroughout the course of a season most teams reach a point when practice becomes less than perfect —when players are moving and responding, but looking as if they would rather be somewhere else.

Making practice something to look forward to is the goal of most every coach but even very disciplined squads can become disenchanted with their routines.

So how does a team avoid the tedium of repetition? How does a coach spice up practice, get his or her players to pick it up a notch?

For most coaches, the answer involves having a couple change-of-pace drills to insert into practices at key times. “The thing I’ve realized,” says Melissa Stokes, Head Coach at Southwest Missouri State University, “is that it doesn’t matter that they’re 21, 22, or 18 years old, they’re still kids and they still love to have fun.”

While some coaches bristle at combining “fun” and “practice” in the same sentence, that’s mostly a matter of semantics. “Fun drills do not mean you want to have a party atmosphere,” says Mick Haley, Head Coach at the University of Southern California. “That can deter your focus.”

The key objective is to re-energize your players, and that can be accomplished by keeping three goals in mind.

One, the drill must offer something out of the ordinary. Two, it should utilize multiple skills. Three, it needs to be competitive. “‘Fun’ to us means being very competitive,” says Jan Barker, Head Coach at Amarillo High School in Texas and 2002 National High School Coaches Association Volleyball Coach of the Year. “If it’s a one- or two-skill drill, the players get bored very easily. We need four-, five-, or six-skill drills—that’s when they are the most competitive, the kids have the most fun, and we get the maximum out of them.”

Southwest Missouri State players give a cheer after a tough practice.

SWEAT

BY RJ ANDERSON

18

COACHING MANAGEMENT

&

COVER STORY

KEVIN WHITE/SOUTHWEST MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY

How do you keep your athletes motivated practice after practice, drill after drill? According to top coaches, the key is finding drills that are unique, competitive, and multi-skilled.

SMILES

Creative Scoring One of the best ways to spark your athletes’ competitive drive and pick up the practice is to make a drill a contest with nontraditional point scoring. The altered point system can emphasize what you want the players to be working on at that particular time. It also provides something out of the norm.

“When you give one side more ways to beat the other side while using a concept that you’re trying to teach, it drives the kids to compete even harder and increases their focus,” says Haley.

Barker does just this in a drill she calls “Defensive Columbus.” A five-onfive drill, the emphasis is on defense. A team scores more points if they dig a ball than if they don’t.

There is a setter, a left-side hitter and three back row players. The coach initiates play by tossing a ball to the side that lost the previous rally. If a team ends a rally with a dig, then a successful set and kill, it gets a point. If there is a kill, but it is not set up with a dig, no points are awarded, but the team does get a chance to score the next point since the other side is awarded a free ball. A team can also score a point with a successful block. The game is played to 25 points, with players rotating in from the sidelines after every point.

“This is the one drill every team of mine has begged to do almost every single practice,” says Barker. “It ups the defensive intensity because they really want that dig to get extra points.”

Another drill Barker uses with altered scoring is called “Baseball,” because it uses the scoring system of a baseball game. “It’s a 6-on-6 drill,” says Barker. “It’s a lot of game-like situations but the scoring is a little different. My players get excited, mad, and will point fingers across the net and have a good time as well.”

RJ Anderson is an Assistant Editor at Coaching Management.

COACHIING MANAGEMENT

19

Circle No. 13

COVER STORY

The drill begins with one side serving. If the team that serves wins the rally they then get a free ball and are awarded a point for every free ball they put down to win a rally, meaning they can only score points on free balls. But if they mess up at any time during the

Once a week, during warmups, players are divided into teams of three or four to compete in a type of relay race. Individuals accumulate one point for each relay their team wins with players rotating to form different teams every week. Points are accumulated throughout the season and an individual winner is declared at the end of the season. serve or the game and lose the rally then it is scored as an out.

The same server goes back and serves again until they register the second and third out, which ends that side’s half of the inning. The drill lasts for six innings, which means each side rotates six times.

“The girls enjoy it because if they put the ball on the ground they have a chance to retain serve and do it again,” says Barker. “If they get in a real groove they can score a lot of points. And the kids really enjoy hitting off what is generally a perfect pass. Plus they have to win the rally to even start scoring, which pushes the defense.”

At Southwest Missouri State, Stokes uses a creative scoring system called “Relay of the Week” with her conditioning drills. Once a week, during warmups, players are divided into teams of three or four to compete in a type of relay race.

Individuals accumulate one point for each relay their team wins with players rotating to form different teams every week. Points are accumulated throughout the season and an individual winner is declared at the end of the season.

“Some of them are really competitive running relays,” says Stokes, “and some are goofy, where they have to do some kind of dance move.” Many of the running-oriented relays incorporate players

passing balls that are between their feet to teammates. “It gets real competitive and they all keep close track of what their points are throughout the year,” says Stokes.

Team Needs Getting players re-energized should also focus on what your particular team needs. “We’re constantly trying to bring up the last one-third of our team to a higher level,” says Haley. “We feel that the better the last third gets, the better practices we’re going to have and the better our first team is going to get.”

To achieve this, Haley borrowed a concept from USC Football Coach Pete Carroll. “One thing Pete does is take the starting quarterback and give him a bunch of reps with the B squad, which helps liven that squad up. The B offense

Haley says that implementing this concept on the volleyball court increases the intensity on both sides of the net.

Haley will take his best player, which this season was libero Nicole Davis, and put her on side B. “I know she’s going to dig everything and she’s going to pass serve,” he says. “So that makes side B so much better because they don’t give up easy ball-control errors.”

The second part of the move requires that the backup libero go to side A, where Haley says that person plays harder because she has to play up to the level of the starters. Haley says the move increases the capability of both sides and allows side B a greater opportunity to push side A. At Southwest Missouri State, players thrive on improving their defense, so Stokes uses a drill called “Valley” to get

BONUS BALLS

M

any coaches use creative scoring systems to up the intensity of their practices. Melissa Stokes, Head Coach at Southwest Missouri State University, goes a step further by asking her players to create their own “bonus balls.”

To start, Stokes asks each of her players to choose a ball from the team’s supply and decorate it however she wants. Once the ball is personalized, it is returned to the team’s baskets. So if the team has 100 balls in its baskets, 15 of those are decorated and designated as bonus balls.

Then, whenever a bonus ball is pulled from a basket and inserted into a drill or a scrimmage, it is worth two points.

“Let’s say you’re playing a three-two drill,” says Stokes. “The starting team has to get three points before the other team gets two. When the bonus ball comes out it’s automatically worth two points and can be a game-breaker…the kids go crazy!

“Players also really take pride in creating their own ball,” she continues, adding that coaches can allow 20 minutes during practice for ball decoration or they can allow their players to take the balls home

works a lot harder because they know they have the starter taking the snaps behind them. And the quarterback knows he has to step up his play to win with that particular squad.”

to apply their artistic touches. Stokes says once the balls are decorated, players can take their ball home to work on individual skills. But every day before practice, she notes, the bonus balls return to the team’s baskets.

their competitive juices flowing. The key to this drill is that it moves fast and players get to dive for dig after dig.

“Valley” is run with a setter, a right back, a middle back, and a left back on

COACHIING MANAGEMENT

21

COVER STORY

each side of the net. They rotate in oneminute rotations, from right back to middle back to left back then out. With 15 players the drill lasts 15 minutes.

The drill is initiated by a player off the court with down balls from the

many college campuses, is an ideal way for her team to warm up and is also great for getting away from the pressures of volleyball for a short time.

“It’s constant running and takes total communication,” Stokes says. “Our team loves playing it.”

Stokes allows her team to plan its practice during the final week of the spring. “You will find that it gives them a sense of ownership, they get excited about it, and they’ll want to do well at practice because they designed the drills,” she says.

“The funny thing is they end up utilizing the drills you already use and they want to work on the things you want to work on.”

Tourney Time Another tactic for giving players something that is out of the ordinary, multiskilled, and competitive is setting up a type of tournament at a specific point in the season. John Dunning, Head Coach at Stanford University, ends his program’s spring practices with a roundrobin tournament that incorporates indoor volleyball, outdoor volleyball, tennis, and golf.

“We do it for competitiveness, but also for fun and team building,” says Dunning. “We do that kind of stuff where it fits—in fact I should probably do it more often.”

Stokes is another coach who likes to insert different types of tournaments into her practices. During the last week of spring practice the SMS team holds a theme tournament that players participate in while wearing different costumes. “Last year, four of the players came in dressed up exactly like the coaching staff—including me,” says Stokes with a laugh.

The players begin scoring by earning points for their costumes and then compete in a variety of contests, which include a doubles and a triples tournament, a serving contest, and finally, a six-on-six tournament. After play is concluded, points are tallied and an individual winner is declared.

Also in the spring, the team holds what they call the “SMS Volleyball Olympics,” which consists of different events that measure physical skills such as jumping ability, along with more volleyball-specific skills. “We have a speedblocking drill, and a serving contest where you have to hit certain areas to earn a certain number of points—something we also do with attacking, hitting crosses,” says Stokes. The digging contest requires players to hit a certain number of balls off the floor initiated by the coach or another player.

“We create the categories differently every year,” says Stokes. Points are given for winning each category or exercise, scores are then totaled, and the high

ground, so they are swinging overhead.

Stokes says initiating the drill in that manner allows her players to work on their arm swing even though they’re not playing on the floor.

“During the drill the team is playing competitive defense—digging balls and attacking from the back row,” says Stokes. “Our players love getting after it and playing a lot of defense so that drill is their favorite.

“It sounds crazy, but any time throughout practice if we yell ‘Valley,’ whether they’re on a water break or shagging balls, the kids fly over and try to get to the three positions on either side of the net in order to be the first to play,” says Stokes.

Stokes is also open to leaving the volleyball court altogether when she feels her team needs a big change of pace.

One sport Stokes found that resonates among her players as an alternative to typical volleyball drills is Ultimate Frisbee. Stokes says the football-like game, popular on the intramural fields of 22

COACHING MANAGEMENT

scorers are awarded gold, silver, and bronze medals.

Player Ownership A final way to liven up practices is to pass the buck to the players. In other words, let them decide what drills should make up the day’s practice.

“I think input from the girls is important,” says Barker. “The kids buy into it when they feel like they have a say and that their feelings mean something, which helps the morale of the team.”

One drill that her players came up with on their own was turning a simple warmup game of pepper into a competitive exercise. The girls pair up and see who can pepper back and forth the longest. After working with a partner until they miss, they add up their score and rotate to a different partner. Whoever has the most combined hits at the end of five rounds wins the contest. It’s probably not the most novel of ideas, but Barker says that it adds intensity to the warm-up while encouraging athletes to work on ball control and their rapport with teammates.

Stokes allows her team to plan its practice during the final week of the spring. “You will find that it gives them a sense of ownership, they get excited about it, and they’ll want to do so well at practice because they designed the drills,” she says. “The funny thing is they end up utilizing the drills you already use and they want to work on the things you want to work on.”

Stokes also says she sometimes lets a player, usually a senior, plan practice during the season. A Monday practice during a week when there is a Friday game is an ideal time to give a player the opportunity, Stokes says.

When & Where Sometimes coaches wonder when and where a change-of-pace drill should be inserted. Barker advises, first, not to use these drills too often. “ I purposely don’t do the ‘Defensive Columbus’ drill every day because I don’t want them to get tired of it,” she says.

She also likes to use these types of drills as rewards, something her players can look forward to. Near the end of practice is one of her preferred times. “I like to be able to end practice,” she says, “with people smiling, high fiving each other, and having a good time.” ■

Circle No. 14

Keep yourself on the volleyball court and out of the legal courts by understanding the nuances of liability and coaching.

Setting Up This article is about the most boring subject there is in sports: safety. It’s boring, that is, until an athlete suffers a serious injury.

Coaches must know and appreciate their risk management duties. The implementation of solid safety rules will not guarantee your athletes freedom from injury, but it will lower the chances of both common and serious catastrophic injuries. Lowering the chance of injury lowers the chance of expensive, timeconsuming, program-shattering lawsuits.

The following are your legal responsibilities as a coach. They are based on a consensus of opinions by those in athletics, an ongoing review of court cases, and my years of experience as an athletic risk manager. They are also what a good coach does—offer a worthwhile athletic experience that manages the risks of participation.

However, when in doubt about your duties, seek the advice of your school’s legal counsel. Do it before an accident.

The Right Attitude The very first step in lowering risks is to make the issue of safety important by constantly making it a priority. Explain to your athletes the danger of not setting up the net correctly. Correct safety

24

COACHING MANAGEMENT

problems immediately. Say, “No, we won’t play,” if a situation is hazardous.

Sell athletic safety in both your actions and your speech. Work with your athletes on making the guide wires safer. Avoid terms such as “suicide” drill. Remind your athletes of their responsibility for their own safety and the safety of others on the court.

When athletes hear you preach safety, they will be less apt to attempt risky behavior. When parents see you take safety seriously, they will trust you and your judgement, even after an injury happens. When you put a priority on safety in your own planning, you will be able to spot hazards more easily.

Warn of Risks Some coaches feel that if you inform student-athletes of potential injuries, they will stop participating. This has proven to be untrue. In fact, obtaining an informed-consent form from players and parents is an established duty, and warning people about the potential risks of participating in any activity actually reduces injuries.

It may seem obvious that an athlete can get hurt in volleyball, but informedconsent forms help spell out just what the potential risks are. The form should include pertinent words in large print, such as “Warning,” “Attention,” and

“Please Read.” The heading on the form should also be in large print. The form should cover all phases, sites, and timeframes. Your legal counsel should review the informed-consent form. After it has been signed, give a copy to each studentathlete’s parents, and keep the original.

It is important that the recipient understands the seriousness of the consent form. Have a parent-information meeting to discuss the risks and benefits of participation. Ask parents and players if they have any questions and if they understand what they are signing. They should know that signing the form is voluntary, and that by doing so, they are agreeing to accept the risks that come with participation.

Even after the form has been signed, warnings and reminders should be issued. They should be frequent and given within the context of normal instruction.

Super Supervision Lack of supervision is the most-cited complaint against coaches. The coach’s presence during an activity is the first line of defense against potential problems. Permitting players to remain on the court for extra work without supervision is no longer an option.

Being there, however, is only the first step. Supervision means controlling the

RISK MANAGEMENT

situation through your knowledge and planning. First, you must be completely familiar with the activity you are supervising. You must plan appropriate activities for the group you are working with, taking the time to foresee potential problems.

You must also watch all players at all times. Learn to continually scan the activity from the best vantage point. Avoid distractions. While you’re supervising a drill is not the time to talk with others.

BY DR. RICHARD P. BORKOWSKI

Safety Appropriate Equipment The days of giving old, poorly-fitting equipment to the freshman team are over.

Equipment lasts for only a certain length of time. Replace it before it is no longer functional and becomes dangerous.

Volleyball players must have appropriate footwear and knee and elbow padding. Volleyballs should be inflated correctly. Any training devices should be proven safe before they are used.

In addition, buy only from established and reputable companies. I would avoid purchasing new “state of the art” equipment until it becomes “established” equipment.

Avoid modifying equipment or using it for any activity other than what it was intended for. For example, a young coach invented a very heavy volleyball by filling it with rags and stones. The idea was to strengthen the hands, wrists, and arms of his players. Two broken fingers, a strained wrist, and the complaints of the team ended the experiment.

Check Facilities Volleyball facilities can often be filled with hazards. We’ve all seen a volleyball

player run into something while trying to chase down an errant pass. The goal is to avoid or soften such collisions.

First, be sure you have appropriate “buffer zones.” The present level of volleyball requires adequate space outside the regulation court. Attempting to play modern volleyball in a confined space is asking for an injury.

The lack of space in older gyms can make safety difficult, so you need to be vigilant here. Any walls within six feet of the playing area must be padded. Do not place the scorer’s table close to the sideline unless it has padding. Look at windows and lighting fixtures to see if they need padding.

In addition, do not place two courts too close together. The minimum is six feet between courts, but athletes racing for a ball can easily move 12 feet. I recommend 24 feet.

Older volleyball standards that lack appropriate padding present another safety risk. Do not use them, or buy padding to cover the exposed areas.

Make sure your

guide wires are made of brightly colored material.

Setting up and taking down the volleyball nets can be the most tedious time of the practice day, but it is also the time when accidents can happen most easily. Have very specific rules for the setting up and taking down of equipment, including how it should be transported to and from the storage closet. Make it someone’s job to recheck pole fittings and guide wires.

Other points to remember: Check for debris, dirt, or wet spots on floors.

Missing or raised floor plates should be reported to the maintenance department. Avoid loose balls on the court during practice. If you will be using bleachers, thoroughly inspect them. Put up guardrails, if you have them.

Also know that sports become dangerous when played at unsuitable sites.

A parking lot is not a place for practice.

A gym with no buffer zones outside the court or without protective padding is also not an appropriate site.

It is the coach’s duty to inspect the site he or she is going to use. If there is a problem, correct it. If it cannot be corrected immediately, adjust the activity and report the problem. Stay current with facility recommendations made by local, state, and national governing bodies, and stay in communication with the maintenance department.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY CHRIS MURPHY

Richard P. Borkowski, EdD, CMAA, is a sport safety consultant based in Narberth, Pa., who served as the Director of Physical Education and Athletics at the Episcopal Academy in Merion, Pa., for 33 years.

His most recent book is titled Coaching for Safety, A Risk Management Handbook for Coaches, published by ESD112 in Vancouver, Wash.

COACHIING MANAGEMENT

25

RISK MANAGEMENT

Know The Rules You are required to know the rules of your specific sport and fulfill the requirements of the national and state associations. Read the rulebook every season. Attend state and local meetings.

A SHORT LIST Every volleyball coach needs to: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

■

■

■ ■

Recognize that risks exist.

Identify those risks.

Evaluate the risks.

Have a plan to reduce the risks.

Closely supervise the program.

Remind participants of their role in controlling risks.

Always remain vigilant. Risk management is a continual process.

Review and revise the program when necessary.

Ask for assistance from supervisors.

Care about the welfare of all athletes.

Never ignore any regulation that pertains to a safety issue. There is no excuse for not staying current with all rules and regulations.

Just as important, follow your athletic department rules and regulations.

Consider talking with your athletic director at least once a year about safety related issues.

Know the basic rules of health safety.

You are not expected to know all that an athletic trainer knows, but do stay current on the major guidelines. For example, it would be considered a breach of your duty as a coach if you prevented your players from taking water breaks during practice. If you recommend any type of nutritional supplements to your players, be sure there are absolutely no risks to taking them. Know about proper warmup and cooldown.

Progressive Planning A key part of risk management, which is being challenged most recently in the courts, is the coach’s role in instructing his or her athletes in a pro-

gressive, safe manner. You have a responsibility to develop a sequence of progressive practice sessions and offer game preparation and strategies that result in a worthwhile and safe experience for students.

This begins with your strength and conditioning program. Progression is the key to proper conditioning, and rest is a key component. Always check with your team physician and athletic trainer before implementing a new idea. Trying to do too much too soon is a bad mistake coaches sometimes make.

Progression is just as important in teaching skills. Don’t ask your players to dive for a ball if you haven’t taught them—and had them practice—how to reasonably protect themselves when falling and diving. Don’t ask them to spike or block if you haven’t taught proper jumping mechanics and how to play at the net. Don’t ask your setter and middle hitter to attempt a quick hit if they have not been taught how to do it without the hitter landing on top of the setter.

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COACHING MANAGEMENT

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RISK MANAGEMENT

Another part of proper progression is to keep competitions as equal as possible. Skill, experience, maturity, height, weight, age, sex, mental state, and the activity itself all play a part in avoiding competitive mismatching. For example, the coach of a girls’ high school team and an elite boys’ team may think it’s a great idea to invite the boys to scrimmage the girls to “toughen them up.”

But if a girl is suddenly on the other end of a spike that is traveling faster than she’s ever seen before, the result can be a ball in the face.

Good Instruction Along with proper progression must be appropriate instruction. You not only have a duty to instruct your athletes to play well, but you must teach the proper techniques to lower the chance of injury.

The repetition of fundamental skills is one of the major, and often neglected, techniques used to lower risk. Have the skill demonstrated and let the players practice it in various ways before using it in a game. Teach before you test. Never, ever place an athlete into a situation she is not prepared for.

Ask yourself if you are running an activity in an acceptable manner. Is the way you run your standard defensive drill the best and safest way to run it?

In addition, coach only that which you really know. Continue to improve your knowledge by attending workshops.

After the Injury Regardless of the excellence of a risk management program, injuries will still

occur. A coach is expected to have basic knowledge as to what he or she should and should not do when a player is injured.

Most importantly, you must know how to implement your emergency plan. Do you know what to do at an away game when there is a serious injury? Whom do you call? Do you have a cell phone? Where is the nearest exit?

Actually practice your emergency game plan before an emergency happens.

Coaches should have training in basic first aid and CPR. Obtain an AED and make sure someone present knows how to use it. Maintain a first aid kit that includes individual emergency medical forms. Obtain a higher level of medical care as quickly as possible after an injury happens.

Protect the player from further harm.

Comfort the athlete. Do not offer medical assistance beyond your ability. Remember the golden rule of injury assessment and first aid care: Always assume and treat for the worst possible injury.

Report and document the incident as soon as possible. Accident reports should be factual and to the point. Do not editorialize. Avoid postinjury discussions with anyone but your supervisor. Avoid offering information to those in the area except to your supervisors or medical personnel. An athlete should not return to play after an injury or illness without a completed “return-to-play” form.

Along with being knowledgeable in first aid care, the single most important thing you can do after an athlete suffers an injury is show her and her parents that you care. Although it sounds simple, parents are less apt to take a coach to court if he or she seems to have been genuinely concerned about the welfare of the student-athlete.

Maintain Records As often as possible, put things in writing and keep records. This includes checklists, practice plans, training plans, medical examination forms, the athletic

handbook, informed-consent forms, and return-to-play agreements. Following a written plan lowers the chance of forgetting an issue and demonstrates your professionalism. It will save you a great deal of time in the future.

Check with your athletic administrator as to the number of years you should retain all these records. My sources suggest four to seven years.

One more note here: The records you keep on file must reflect what you actually did in a situation. If your written rules state athletes cannot practice without passing a physical and then you permit a student to play who hasn’t, you may be found negligent.

On A Daily Basis Whether it’s a practice, strength workout, or game, as you walk into every situation, ask yourself, have I done all that is reasonable to lower the chance of injury to my athletes? Have I checked for hazards? Have I reviewed the safety of the drills? Have I taught my athletes how to be safe, themselves?

The best defense against injuries and possible lawsuits is to understand,

appreciate, and meet your legal duties as a coach. You may have noticed that they are the same as the basic duties of a good coach.

It’s a matter of staying vigilant and caring about those who play for you.

Let’s keep risk management boring. ■ For more articles on risk management by Dr. Borkowski, please visit our Web site at www.AthleticSearch.com and type “Borkowski” into the search window.

COACHIING MANAGEMENT

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COMPETITIVE EDGE

G N I Y A L P H T I W R E W PO nto letes i s h t a r er g you all play eir b Turnin y e l l o ful v ng th power strengtheni rs. es houlde s d involv n a nees, core, k

T

BY JIM KRAMER

hroughout my career as a strength and conditioning coach, I have been fortunate enough to work with some of the top volleyball players in the country, including those on the U.S. National Team.

These highly talented athletes have reached the pinnacle of their sport through endless hours of practice, meticulous development of specific skills, and incredible physical ability.

Yet, accomplished as they are, even these athletes need strength training.

The most gifted athletes will benefit from added strength and endurance, and a progressive program will help them avoid injuries.

The overriding rule is to keep it simple. There are no magic exercises, no mystical schemes of sets and reps. The keys to a successful strength training program are having a dedicated and consistent effort from the athletes and a sound physiological basis for what you have them do. In any strength and conditioning program, it is also important to start slowly with simple exercises and gradually work to more complex exercises with more sets and reps. Pushing

athletes to do too much, too soon can lead to injury and will do little to help them get stronger or better conditioned. In this article, I explain the approach I have used with the national team and also in my previous work at the collegiate level, including injury prevention, performance enhancement, and conditioning.

Always keep in mind the two basic purposes of strength and conditioning programs: to aid in the prevention of

Jim Kramer, MS, CSCS, is Coordinator of Strength and Conditioning at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., where he works with several teams, including women’s volleyball. He was previously a strength and conditioning coach at the University of Northern Iowa and Georgia Tech.

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COMPETITIVE EDGE

injuries and to help improve athletic performance. Often, the two purposes overlap. For example, we regularly use the squat to develop hip and leg strength for improved jumping and defensive play, but it is also an effective way to help reduce injuries in the lower extremities.

Injury Prevention Unfortunately, strength training cannot prevent all injuries from occurring.

But it can decrease their frequency, lessen their severity, and shorten recovery time. For a non-contact sport, volleyball puts a tremendous amount of stress on certain areas of a player’s body. Areas especially prone to injury are the shoulders, knees, and abdominals.

Over-use shoulder injuries are common in volleyball, and much can be done through strength training to prevent them. Rotator cuff and smaller shoulder muscle exercises are mainstays of most volleyball strength training programs, including ours. To strengthen the smaller shoulder muscles, we use a series of exercises called the Super 8 that Jay Omer introduced to me when he was the Strength and Conditioning Coach at Georgia Tech. The series consists of standard flexion, standing supraspinatus, scaption with external rotation, external rotation/prone abduction, prone saws, deceleration, seated dumbbell military press-up, and internal and external rotation with tubing.

The athlete performs one set of each exercise in a slow, controlled manner, then immediately moves to the next with no rest. The key to these exercises is proper technique and controlled movement during each exercise, not the amount of weight lifted. Athletes typically start with 2.5 to five pounds, which should be taxing enough if the exercises are performed correctly.

Some athletes eventually work up to eight to 10 pounds, but if they go any heavier, technique and control may begin to suffer.

Don’t forget, however, that every movement used to strengthen the front of the shoulder must be balanced with work for the opposite side of the joint.

Thus, we also focus on strengthening the upper back and the rear deltoid, which are the muscles responsible for arm deceleration. We accomplish this 30

COACHING MANAGEMENT

through rows of any nature, lat pulldowns, and rear-deltoid work like rear flys or raises.

Working with female athletes in volleyball, we must also address the knee, including prevention of ACL injuries.

This means strengthening the musculature around the knee and hip joint. We have found that nothing works this area better than the simple squat (which is a cornerstone of other segments of the program as well). Supplementary to squats, we use single-leg movements, including straight lunges, side lunges, and one-leg squats.

The hamstrings are critical for stability of the knee joint and are worked constantly in our program. We do this with a combination of Romanian deadlifts, glute ham raises, single-leg curls on a machine, and physio-ball exercises.

Another frequent region for injury is the abdominal muscles. To help prevent injuries here, we focus on strengthening movements rather than muscles. If we look at the mechanism for abdominal strains in volleyball, we find the injury, whether acute or chronic, usually stems from the hitting action. The attack phase of the volleyball spike consists of two distinct movement patterns often referred to as “cocking-the-hammer” (see opening photo on page 29) and the actual hit. These movements place distinct and considerable demands on the abdominal musculature.

To address this area, we first develop a base of strength with core training and general abdominal exercises, such as crunches, extended physio-ball crunches, and physio-ball twist crunches. Once this base core strength is established, we focus specifically on building strength for the hitting action by using more speed and sport-specific movements like physio-ball La Ducs (see Figure One, above) and overhead medicine-ball throws, with special attention paid to working the abdominal muscles and not relying on only the arms for force.

Improving Performance Athletes often feel they’re invincible, so they’re typically less concerned about injury prevention than they are about performance improvement. But if there’s a chance an exercise will help them win a point, they’ll give it everything they have.

One obvious area for physical improvement in volleyball is jumping ability. We address this area by having our athletes start with the back squat and front squat, and once they have developed a base level of strength, we begin work on improving explosiveness.

Much research and empirical evidence exists to support the relationship between proficiency in the Olympicstyle lifts and jumping ability, making them excellent tools to help improve

Figure One Physio-ball La Ducs help build strength needed for powerful hits.

Figure Two For volleyball players, the pulling movements are the most important part of Olympic lifts, such as the clean.

vertical jump. The two variations of Olympic-style lifts most benefiting volleyball players are the power clean, where the bar is brought from the floor or knee to the shoulders, and power snatches, where the bar is brought from the floor or knee to over the head.

COMPETITIVE EDGE

As always, remember you are ultimately training athletic movements, not necessarily muscles. Therefore, it is the pulling movements of the Olympic-style lifts (see Figure Two, at left) that lend themselves well to volleyball movements. The pulling movements come before the point where the bar is brought on the shoulders or over the head. Instead the athlete performs just the jump and shrug portion of the lift from the thigh or floor. The arms should not be bent and the lifts involve only hip and leg movements.

I will often start our off-season program by having the athletes perform only the pull portion of the Olympic lifts, then progress to performing the full lifts. During the season, if athletes have difficulty finishing full lifts due to injury, I will also limit them to the pulling motions.

can increase both explosive power and flexibility. The key is to make sure exercises are performed through a full, safe range of motion. Lunges and side lunges are excellent complementary strength exercises that help improve flexibility when performed through the full range of motion.

Once a good lateral strength base is attained, the slideboard is an excellent tool for developing additional explosiveness and power in the lateral move-

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The most beneficial way we have found to increase conditioning for volleyball is through metabolic conditioning, in which we integrate agility and jumping movements with short sprints. Unlike speed and agility training, we want to decrease our rest periods between repetitions and not allow full recovery.

When coaching volleyball players on the Olympic-style lifts, I will look more for speed of movement than how much weight is on the bar. I emphasize the power snatch more than other Olympic lifts and use it as a speed and explosivepower exercise, not as an exercise where we will attempt to use maximal weights.

Along with jumping ability, volleyball players need to be able to bend and lunge to a ball efficiently and with splitsecond quickness. To make great plays in volleyball, the athlete needs to have the ability to drop her hips, bend her knees, and get low to the ground. This requires flexibility as well as agility and quickness.

Many people overlook the role of strength in flexibility. Strength training

ment since it emphasizes lateral reactive strength. When using the slideboard for power development, we perform only 10- to 15-second bouts, attempting to get as many contacts with the ends of the board in that amount of time. After athletes become proficient at it, they should be able to exceed one contact per second.

Angle boards (See Figures Three and Four on page 32) are another excellent tool for the development of lateral

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COACHING MANAGEMENT

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COMPETITIVE EDGE

quickness. This plyometric exercise is performed with the athlete standing three to four feet away from an angle board. The athlete begins by pushing off the outside leg (the leg away from the board) and hops over to the angle board. Both feet must be brought to the board with only the inside foot (which started nearer to the board) touching (Figure Three).

Upon landing on the angle board, the athlete immediately explodes off the board (Figure Four) back out to the starting position. The athlete then takes her time and repositions for the next rep.

I use several variations of this drill.

One is to have athletes see how far they can propel themselves away from the board. However, they should be cautious not to sacrifice quickness for distance. Another favorite variation is to have players, after five repetitions, explode off the board, turn, and run into a sprint.

Whenever you are attempting to increase speed, agility, and quickness remember to allow your athletes full recovery between repetitions. When trying to build speed and agility, you are training not only the muscular system, but the entire neuromuscular system.

For increases in speed and agility to occur, most experts believe that the athlete must train at or near 100 percent. A fatigued athlete cannot move at or near these levels. So, start your athletes slowly with low weights and fewer repetitions and allow them to fully recover between reps.

Below is one example of a metabolic conditioning workout we do once our athletes have a good base. Athletes are divided into three groups of four, and we use a three-station circuit with athletes going directly from one station to the next. The times and distances are designed to mimic the demands of volleyball. The stations include: Hurdle Hops to Lateral Sprint: We place three sets of three six-inch hurdles five yards apart. Athletes sprint out to the first set of hurdles and begin hopping back and forth, mostly sideways, but occasionally front to back, across

Conditioning Volleyball is a strength/power sport, so focusing on aerobic or cardiovascular training will do little to help athletes perform better. As a matter of fact, too much aerobic training can have a negative effect on vertical jump. It is not the type of conditioning that wins matches in the fifth game.

The most beneficial way we have found to increase conditioning for volleyball is through metabolic conditioning, in which we integrate agility and jumping movements with short sprints.

Unlike speed and agility training, we want to decrease our rest periods between repetitions and not allow full recovery. However, we must remember to be mindful of over-use injuries, especially with the jumping movements.

the hurdle for four to six seconds. On command, the athletes then turn and sprint to the next hurdle and the next three athletes sprint to the first set of hurdles. We do three reps total.

Wave Drill: Three athletes sprint about 15 feet to a line on the court in front of the coach. The coach then gives these three athletes directional commands by pointing. During the first two reps, the athletes shuffle to the right or left as the coach directs. During the third and fourth reps, the athletes turn and run a varied distance to the right or left, but no more than a few steps. The coach can also give directional commands for a forward sprint, a backpedal, and a vertical jump. Each repetition should last no longer than six to eight seconds.

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COACHING MANAGEMENT

60-Yard Shuffle: The athletes form three lines. On command, the first three athletes sprint five yards to the first line and back, then 10 yards to the next line and back, and finally 15 yards to the next line and back to the finish.

The command is then given to start the next group.

This example provides a 3:1 rest-towork ratio, but the exact number of repetitions per drill, rest periods (or group size), and number of sets can vary based on how the athletes are handling the session and how they adapt over several training sessions. The ratio can also be

Figures Three & Four To best develop lateral quickness, make sure athletes bring both legs over to the angle board ‌ before exploding back to the start position.

tweaked to provide more work for athletes who are able to handle it or less for those who need more recovery time.

One final word regarding strength training for volleyball. A basic program for developing general strength should not be neglected for the sake of sportspecific exercises. During the season, it is important to emphasize general strength over power or speed and agility training, since players typically train these aspects during their sport practice. If you maintain strength, you will increase performance, since strength is a function of power, endurance, speed, and agility. â– A version of this article recently appeared in our sister publication, Training & Conditioning.

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C USTOMER T ESTIMONIAL

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THE VOLLEYBALL AUTHORITY (866) 999-3004, www.TheVolleyballAuthority.com Introduced in October 2003, and available first from The Volleyball Authority, the Hammock style ball cart from Mikasa is now offered in nine bright team colors: scarlet red, royal blue, navy blue, kelly green, purple, black, gold, orange, and cardinal. The sturdy steel frame is fully collapsible for easy storage. The $99.97 price includes a matching nylon carry bag with adjustable shoulder strap.

It holds 24 volleyballs. The expanded size is 48" L by 22" W by 40" H. Circle No. 31 on Reader Inquiry Card

VERTIMAX (800) 699-5867, www.vertimax.com The VertiMax platform training system is the best device ever designed to increase an athlete’s vertical jump and first-step quickness. It is at Stanford, Long Beach State, Nebraska, and Arizona.

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Fifteen players can do the whole 8-set routine in just 40 minutes (and it will be the best off-court 40 minutes they have ever spent). Be sure to visit the company’s Web site and see how and why this training system is unlike any platform trainer you’ve ever seen.

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X VEST (800) 697-5658, www.THExVest.com “I have found the X Vest to be an excellent tool for providing overloads in both plyometric and strength training, conditioning and rehabilitation programs.

The fit and adaptability are excellent. The X Vest allows for freedom of movement and doesn’t interfere with any of the agility, bounding or running programs that I write for a wide variety of athletes, both collegiate and professional.

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X Vest has a new weight configuration and it’s heavy, 84 pounds of heavy. The new X Vest known as the Fire Fighter model was developed strictly for Fire Fighters and their rigorous training. It has the same basic design as the original X Vest but internally it has a new weight configuration allowing for 84 pounds. Because of its ability to adjust weight like the original X Vest numerous individuals from bodybuilders to the military are buying them.

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Uniforms & Apparel MOYER SPORTS (800) 255-5299 ext. 3, www.moyersports.com Moyer Sports USA offers a full line of stock and custom uniforms. Top name brands such as adidas, Mizuno and Kaepa are available. Custom uniforms come in 100% Microweave Polyester Dyna-Dry or Polyester Dazzle. Sublimation printing allows you to choose any color combination, guaranteed to never peel or crack and is never discontinued. Many colorful designs are available.

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PRO LOOK SPORTS (888) 937-3156, www.prolooksports.com Pro Look Sports, renowned for its basketball uniforms, makes the absolute best high-end volleyball uniform at an extremely modest price. Like its basketball products, quality is never sacrificed.

All uniforms carry custom tackle-twill and embroidery, as opposed to competitors inferior products containing silkscreen. All uniforms come with a 2-year guarantee and all upgrades are free.

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Pro Look Sports has become the fastest growing team sportswear company in six years for one reason: fully custom, quality uniforms.

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WINSTON COURT SPORTS (336) 547-9506, www.winstoncourtsports.com Winston Court Sports sells t-shirts, along with several types of shorts, sweatshirts, sweatpants, visors, hats, key chains, sandals, mini balls, and all types of volleyball items.

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C USTOMER T ESTIMONIAL

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“That’s why Schelde volleyball equipment has been so vital to our success at USC. Schelde equipment is easy to put up and take down. The net is always taut and easy to adjust.

All of our players can handle it with ease, and they like the equipment. If you have quality equipment that goes up quickly, it gives you more time to focus on the individual skills of each student. Having the time to develop the full potential of every player on your team, so they can all contribute to your success, is the real key to building a championship team.

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COACHING MANAGEMENT

Volleyball Court AIRBORNE ATHLETICS, INC. (888) 887-7453, www. networksvolleyball.com Manage your players and your space with NetworKs. NetworKs catches and collects volleyballs so you don’t waste valuable training time gathering volleyballs! The front net is 10’ wide and adjustable from a height of 6’ to 9’ for all age and skill levels from beginners to the USAV. Practice hitting, serving, setting or passing into NetworKs. Use during the season for an extra training station or for off season training.

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AMERICAN ATHLETIC, INC. (800) 247-3978, www.americanathletic.com American Athletic, Inc.’s (AAI) complete line of world-class volleyball equipment, including

the official indoor net system of USA Volleyball, is featured at the company’s Web site, www.americanathletic.com. In addition to aluminum and steel uprights that meet all Junior, NFHS, NCAA, and USAV specifications, AAI manufactures referee stands, padding, and training products. The Web site also details AAI’s baseball, basketball, and gymnastics products.

Circle No. 42 on Reader Inquiry Card American Athletic, Inc. (AAI) manufactures a complete line of volleyball equipment. The Elite® System (shown) is designed for the highest levels of competition and is available in either aluminum or steel.

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Sizes: XS - XXL

Cho-Pat’s Original Knee Strap is designed to alleviate certain knee discomforts due to overuse syndromes, arthritis, and other forms of degeneration. Nearly two million sold!

22 . . . . AthleticLink.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 13 . . . . AVCA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

(Now Patented)

Sizes: Sm - XL

Strengthens and tightens kneecap mechanism by applying pressure upon the tendon above and below the kneecap and lessens the development of iliotibial band and overuse syndromes.

Sizes: S, M, L

This patented device will reduce stress upon the Achilles Tendon and provide effective relief from pain and discomfort associated with Achilles Tendonitis.

41 . . . . Airborne Athletics

(AirCAT TEAM)

40 . . . . Airborne Athletics

(Networks) .

36 COACHING MANAGEMENT

(Elite System).

35

42 . . . . American Athletic, Inc. (volleyball equipment) 35 55 . . . . AthleticLink.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 44 . . . . Bison

(Centerline Elite) .

45 . . . . Bison

(volleyball post padding) .

. . . . . . . . . . . 37 . . . . . . 37

21 . . . . Cho-Pat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

56 . . . . Dimensional Software

(TapRecorder)

57 . . . . Dimensional Software

(Volleyball Ace)

16 . . . . eFundraising.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

. 39 39

47 . . . . Jaypro

(PVB-3000)

2 . . . . Gatorade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

46 . . . . Jaypro

(Referee Stand) .

5 . . . . Jaypro. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

48 . . . . JV Pro, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

15 . . . . JV Pro, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 1 . . . . Kid’s Choice Cookie Dough . . . . . IFC 10 . . . . Networks

(Airborne Athletic) .

. . . . . . . 15

18 . . . . Porter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 4 . . . . Pro Look Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7 14 . . . . Sports Imports

(Attack Volleyball) .

(Senoh Volleyball)

. . . 23

. . . IBC

11 . . . . The Volleyball Authority (Camp Tshirts) . . 16 3 . . . . The Volleyball Authority

(Mikasa) .

...4

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 . . . . . . . . . . . 37

58 . . . . Kid’s Choice

(cookie dough) .

59 . . . . Kid’s Choice

(farmhouse favorites) .

. . . . . . . 40 . . . 40

35 . . . . Moyer Sports U.S.A. . . . . . . . . . . . 34 50 . . . . Porter

(Powr-Line) .

49 . . . . Porter

(Powr-Net)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

60 . . . . Power Systems

(Agility Ladder)

54 . . . . Power Systems

(catalog)

61 . . . . Power Systems

(Plyo Jumper)

. . . . . 40

. . . . . . . . . 39 . . . . . . 40

37 . . . . Pro Look Sports

(team sportswear) .

. . 34

36 . . . . Pro Look Sports

(volleyball uniform)

. . 34

52 . . . . Sports Imports (Attack Volleyball 51 . . . . Sports Imports

Machine)

(Senoh net systems) .

38

. . 38

53 . . . . Sports Tutor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 23 . . . . VertiMax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 17 . . . . Volleyball ACE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 7 . . . . Volleyball Tutor

(Sports Tutor)

. . . . . . 10

31 . . . . The Volleyball Authority

(ball cart)

. . 33

38 . . . . The Volleyball Authority (uniform Spandex) 34 32 . . . . VertiMax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 39 . . . . Winston Court Sports . . . . . . . . . . 34

24 . . . . Winston Court Sports . . . . . . . . . . 39

33 . . . . Xvest

(Don Chu) .

34 . . . . Xvest

(Fire Fighter model) .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 . . . . . . . . . 33

For Quicker Response, Request Information From Advertisers On-Line at

MomentumMedia.com

Call 800-221-1601 (toll free) or 609-261-1336 or visit www.cho-pat.com to learn more about Cho-Pat’s innovative sports/medicine devices.

Circle No. 21

. . . 35

. . . . . 35

30 . . . . Cho-Pat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

8 . . . . Xvest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Achilles Tendon Strap

PAGE NO.

20 . . . . Ballgirl Athletic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

25 . . . . Sports Imports

Dual Action Knee Strap

COMPANY

43 . . . . American Athletic, Inc. 12 . . . . American Athletic, Inc. . . . . . . . . . 17

I.T.B. Strap

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Volleyball Court BISON, INC. (800) 247-7668, www.bisoninc.com Whether you prefer the rigidity of steel or the weight advantage of aluminum, Bison has complete court equipment for competition volleyball.

Bison’s Centerline Elite equipment is available with your choice of aluminum or steel telescoping standards.

A unique Auto Track spring-assisted height adjustment, combined with a machined 26:1 gear ratio winch, ensures the net is always bowstring tight. Standards and winch are covered by a lifetime limited warranty.

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Customize your court with volleyball post padding that sports your team or school name. Bison volleyball post padding meets all NCAA, National High School Federation and USVBA rules.

Padding and lettering is available for stationary and portable standards.

High density, 1 1/2" thick foam protects your players to a 6' height. Padding for stationary standards is available in 12 school colors. While designed to fit Bison volleyball standards, this stationary standards padding will also cover most other manufacturers' in-floor volleyball systems.

Bison padding can be customized with up to 10 bright white block style letters.

The UV protected ink will keep the look crisp and bright for years and promises a name considerably more durable than vinyl stick-ons.

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JAYPRO SPORTS (800) 243-0533, www.jaypro.com Jaypro’s new VRS-3000 Referee Stand features a sturdy two-leg design and a

blue powder coated finish. The clamp-on 1-5/16” steel tubing frame mounts to most standards. Platform padding adds extra comfort for referees. Optional padding is available.

Circle No. 46 on Reader Inquiry Card Jaypro’s new 3” steel volleyball system (PVB-3000) combines steel’s strength (bottom section) with aluminum’s light weight (top section) in classic style. With the FlexNet, tension is put directly on the net headband; no extra cables, straps, or tie-offs are needed. Pin stop height adjustments range from 6’ 6” to 8’ 2”. Three-inch diameter uprights fit most existing floor sleeves.

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RAW TALENT AND GREAT COACHING MAKE FOR A WINNING TEAM AND WE’LL GIVE YOU A MUCH BETTER ATHLETE TO WORK WITH! If you really want to help your athletes, this season and in their future sports endeavors, VertiMax is the answer!

by GENETIC POTENTIAL UNLIKE ANY JUMP TRAINER YOU HAVE EVER SEEN! • NO other trainer will improve your athletes’

Vertical Jump and First-Step-Quickness like VertiMax! 15 players can do the whole 8-set routine in just 40 minutes!

As featured in Sports Illustrated and seen on ESPN, HBO and FOX Sports Networks

• Vertimax is presently in use at Div 1 schools

such as Stanford, Long Beach State, Texas, Arizona, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Kansas, and many others.

1-800-699-5867

www.vertimax.com Your front line players will be spiking like never before, and your back court players will be making saves they never could get to.

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Volleyball Court JV PRO, INC. (800) 962-2440, www.jvpro.com JV Pro, Inc. offers custom made freestanding and convertible bleacher mount scoring tables. Standard options include an LED possession arrow with bonus indicators, illuminated shatterproof lexan panels, heavy duty soft rubber casters for easy movement, and they fold down to 16 inches for easy storage. JV Pro offers heavy duty courtside chairs with your logo/mascot in school colors to complement your scoring table. They offer the perfect image for your sports program.

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PORTER ATHLETIC EQUIPMENT COMPANY (800) 947-6783, www.porter-ath.com A breakthrough design for volleyball equipment, Porter’s Powr-Net® System attaches overhead and is electronically powered. This system is ideal for facilities requiring instant and frequent court setup. The entire system, including net, judge’s stand, and padding, quickly folds to the overhead storage position with the simple turn of a key. Call for installation locations across the country.

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The Powr-Line® professional Volleyball System, from Porter Athletic Equipment, is designed to accommodate competitive

volleyball at all levels.

It meets the demands of championship play with maximum safety, quick set-up, and easy storage. Porter’s PowrLine® high-strength lightweight aluminum volleyball system allows micro-adjustability on net settings. Porter’s PowrWinch® self-adjusting, net-tensioning mechanism is sensibly designed to provide the utmost in a durable, yet safe and simple net-attachment system. Fits 3”, 31/2”, or 4” diameter floor sleeves to accommodate new or existing facilities.

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SPORTS IMPORTS, INC. (800) 556-3198, www.sportsimports.com Sports Imports is starting its 26th year of providing Senoh net systems to volleyball programs throughout the country. In that time, Sports Imports has installed more systems than anyone else. Sports Imports has chosen to remain focused only on volleyball rather than be distracted by other sports. The company has also chosen to have Sports Imports people make personal visits to your facility rather than being represented by a dealer or middleman. Sports Imports believes that this is the best way to ensure tailored equipment for your specific program. Sports Imports and Senoh—the first, the best, the most

widely used; yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Circle No. 51 on Reader Inquiry Card The Attack Volleyball Machine, from Sports Attack, challenges professional men’s and women’s volleyball programs. Ball speeds are up to 70 mph with accuracy and repeatability assured in every drill. The throwing-head release points adjust from 5’ to 9’6”, from setting to men’s over-the-net serving and spiking heights. Horizontal and vertical throwing-head movement allows the coach to instantly target any point on the court, simulating real game situations.

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SPORTS TUTOR (800) 448-8867, www.sportstutorinc.com The Gold and Silver Model Volleyball Tutors, from Sports Tutor, can vary ball trajectory and speed to produce any desired set or pass, and can also deliver serves at speeds up to 60 mph. The Gold Model can automatically throw six volleyballs at intervals ranging from 5 to 20 seconds. It is completely portable, and is available with either AC or battery power. The Silver Model has a release point 5-1/2 feet high, and features a separate dial to control the amount of topspin or underspin. Priced from $899.

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Web Connections AMERICAN ATHLETIC, INC. WWW.AMERICANATHLETIC.COM The American Athletic, Inc., Web site describes AAI’s quality-driven design, engineering, and manufacturing capabilities and its world-class products for the sports of gymnastics, baseball, volleyball, and basketball, as well as for the sports construction business.

DAKTRONICS, INC. WWW.DAKTRONICS.COM For 35 years, Daktronics has provided visual communication solutions to thousands of customers all over the world. Daktronics is recognized as the industry leader for designing and manufacturing innovative scoring, timing, video and animation display systems.

LYON WORKSPACE PRODUCTS WWW.LYONWORKSPACE.COM

38

COACHING MANAGEMENT

Lyon Workspace Products is the world’s leading manufacturer of specialty lockers for athletic facilities, and now offers an antimicrobial paint finish, featuring silver ion technology, to fight bacterial and mold growth in locker rooms.

PORTER ATHLETIC EQUIPMENT CO. WWW.PORTER-ATH.COM Porter’s new Web site introduces on-line purchasing and greatly enhanced features that make it easier than ever for coaches, athletic directors, school administrators, architects, contractors, etc. to purchase its products and obtain detailed information about Porter equipment and services.

PRO LOOK SPORTS WWW.PROLOOKSPORTS.COM Pro Look Sports makes fully custom, quality uniforms. Their uniforms are made of the finest

materials and constructed to your exact specifications. There are no additional costs for embroidery or soft tackle-twill lettering.

SPIKENASHBAR WWW.SPIKENASHBAR.COM Servicing volleyball players and coaches since 1981. SpikeNashbar® offers the largest selections of team wear, practice wear, footwear, volleyballs, kneepads, training aids, tee shirts, and lots of fun stuff. SpikeNashbar is the number one source for the sport!

SPORTS IMPORTS WWW.SPORTSIMPORTS.COM Sports Imports is the exclusive distributor of Senoh volleyball equipment. We provide direct service with regard to court layout, new construction design, and equipment recommendations. Check out our new Web site.

Catalog Showcase POWER SYSTEMS, INC. (800) 321-6975, www.power-systems.com Since 1986 Power Systems has been a leading supplier of sport training, health and fitness products. The company prides itself in being the one resource for all of your training needs. Its new 2004 catalog has a new look with better graphics and photos. Included areas are core strength, medicine balls, speed, plyometrics, agility, strength equipment, strength accessories and flooring. You will find the catalog full of hundreds of new products and dozens of products available exclusively from Power Systems. The company has also lowered some prices to enable the customer to get premium products at great prices.

Go online or call Power Systems to request a free 2004 catalog today.

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Technology & Software ATHLETICLINK (719) 633-5465, www.AthleticLink.com Job announcements, resume postings, clinics/seminars/conventions/workshops, open schedule dates and a consultant connection are all part of AthleticLink.com. An Internet site that offers services for athletic administrators, coaches, principals, educators and human resources, AthetlicLink.com is very affordable and especially easy to use. Search everything on the site for free and use the free email notification of your personal search criteria.

AthleticLink.com is a partner with major coaches and educational organizations nationwide.

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DIMENSIONAL SOFTWARE (877)223-8225, www.ace4vb.com The TapRecorder™ is a new handheld software tool from Dimensional Software that enables coaches to record statistics during practice. The PracticeStats™ templates for Volleyball allow you to track

any kinds of counts and rating and monitor performance on practice drills as well as selected stats during scrimmages. The TapRecorder is an excellent tool for recording and summarizing information right on the court.

Circle No. 56 on Reader Inquiry Card Dimensional Software’s Volleyball ACE is the best and fastest handheld software to accurately record stats during a match.

We are committed to keeping up with what coaches want and are proud to announce Version 5. New features include Customized Reporting, Web Ready HTML Output, and Quick Subs. The software also generates NCAA Box Scores, points per rotation and records charts and ratings.

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39

More Products KID’S CHOICE (800) 774-4474, www.kids-choice.com Hey Team—If you are looking for a fund-raiser that will make the most amount of money in the shortest period of time, Kid’s Choice Cookie Dough is your only choice. Kid’s Choice works with small AAU travel teams to total P.E. Departments. We help you before, during and after your sale to insure that your fund-raiser is a successful venture.

Kid’s Choice—your only choice, when fresh really counts.

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New From The Kid’s Choice Family Kitchen–Are you ready for a real “Down Home” Tasty Fund-Raiser? If so, Kid’s Choice’s new farmhouse favorites, featuring Country Ham at its finest as well as cheese, sausage and two country classic “sweet snacks” are the perfect complement to its already famous cookie dough. Call today for samples and sales kits. Finally something different as a fund-raiser. Did anyone say Cheese? Cheesecakes that is….It’s new: “The Ultimate Dessert Collections” features a great sampling of pies, cakes and gourmet coffees.

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POWER SYSTEMS, INC. (800) 321-6975, www.power-systems.com Improve foot quickness, agility, coordination and balance with your volleyball players with the Power Systems Agility Ladder. This versatile footworktraining device allows you to work linear and lateral movements as well as quick change of direction. The ladder easily splits into 2 fiveyard sections and stores quickly and neatly on a stacking pin. The unique adjustable slats allow you to change the “stepping area.” Agility ladder is ideal to use on the court during practice.

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The Plyo Jumper from Power Systems is great for volleyball jump training with resistance to improve vertical jump. The Plyo Jumper has resistance that is adjustable from 40, 80 or 120 pounds in seconds. Unit is portable and easy to use, making it ideal for training on the court during practice.

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In the May 2004 issue of Coaching Management Volleyball The Volleyball Court Team Equipment Team Uniforms Coaching Aids Apparel

C USTOMER T ESTIMONIAL

“My first experience with Senoh equipment was in 1980 when I was hired to coach the UC Irvine women's volleyball team. The gymnasium had three Senoh court systems that were installed when the University moved up to Division I in 1978. That equipment also was used by our physical education and student recreation programs. To say the systems incurred daily abuse is an understatement.

“I coached at UC Irvine for 16 seasons with the same Senoh uprights the University purchased in 1978. Our only added investment was a new ratchet crank, safety pads, and in 1984, a fourth set of uprights. Even though coaches and players have come and gone, 26 years later, those original uprights, platform, pads, and cranks are still used by both the men’s and women's varsity volleyball programs.

“In 1996, I retired from coaching and became recreation department administrator and was fortunate to be involved with the design and construction of a 100,000 sq. ft. student recreation center. As the "expert,” I was responsible for researching volleyball equipment. We were so impressed with Senoh’s longevity, durability, ease-of-use, and value, that we equipped our new facility with Senoh products. The ease of set-up with Senoh has allowed us to maximize our multi-use recreation facility.

Our patrons and staff benefit daily from our decision to go with the best!”

Mike Puritz Associate Director UC Irvine Campus Recreation and former Head Women’s Volleyball Coach at UC Irvine (1980-1995)

Sports Imports P.O. Box 21040 Columbus, OH 43221

Check out www.AthleticBid.com 40

COACHING MANAGEMENT

800.556.3198 www.sportsimports.com

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“AirCAT... it’s like a pitching machine for volleyball” ™

AirCAT ™ makes your players better by providing fast, precise “air fed” tosses for all volleyball drills, while leaving you free to coach

Patented Uses air, not Consistent spinning wheels!

Air Technology ™ Consistently projects up to 1100 balls per hour with air (not with spinning wheels which can be inconsistent and cause expensive ball wear)

Auto Ball Feeder 10 ball capacity (all brands); no dangerous exposed moving parts

Adjustable Angle Tilts to simulate sets, passes, hits or serves

Computer Controlled

Battery or A/C operation

You dial in launch speed and set timed launches

Built-in battery charger

Team or Individual

“AirCAT is going to revolutionize volleyball training!”

Perfect for team practice.

Also allows players to train by themselves

Karch Kiraly Professional Beach Volleyball Player; Former USA National Indoor Player; 3-Time Olympic Gold Medalist

For a FREE Video and Brochure call toll-free 1-888-88SPIKE or email spikeit@frontiernet.net

Approved and Endorsed by

Wireless Remote Control (200' range) Operates by timer or remote (which frees you to coach)

Airborne Athletics 116 West Main Street, Belle Plaine, MN 56011 www.aircatvolleyball.com

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