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A GREAT HIT How to host a super summer camp

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CONTENTS | VOLLEYBALL Edition | PREseason 2011 | Vol. XIX, No. 5

Coaching Management

23 COVER STORY 16 A GREAT HIT What makes a summer volleyball camp successful? Along with hiring the right staff and offering solid instruction, it’s finding that perfect balance between work and fun.

LEADERSHIP 23 READY TO RECEIVE

STRENGTH & CONDITIONING 29 BELL POWER

Many high school athletes today are eager to receive advice on how to get recruited to colleges. That’s why every coach must be prepared to offer meaningful guidance on the topic.

Dumbbells and kettlebells provide unique advantages that can add value to any strength regimen, but only if you understand how to best use them.

Q&A 13 JENNIFER HARRISON

PRESEASON

BULLETIN BOARD

Men’s volleyball adds NCAA Division III championship … Taking sportsmanship to another level … Cal player dons helmet … How to upset a number-one ranked team … Iowa high school opens its gym to flooded-out college team … Coaching with a reduced roster.

On the cover

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 34 35 35 38

VOLLEYBALL COURT TEAM EQUIPMENT COACHING AIDS BRACES & SUPPORTS

At Clarion University, Head Coach Jennifer Harrison led her program to its first Elite Eight appearance in the NCAA Division II playoffs this fall.

39 PRODUCT LAUNCH 36 ADVERTISER’S DIRECTORY 40 NOW PLAYING

Michigan State University’s Alexis Mathews puts down a great hit in a game last fall, while the MSU volleyball camp has become a hit among area youth every summer. Story begins on page 16. PHOTO BY MICHIGAN STATE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

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Coaching Management 1

BULLETIN BOARD Preseason 2011

CONTENTS

2 NCAA adds D-III men’s tourney

2 Team gives

back points

Championships

Men’s Game In Growth Spurt For many years, NCAA-sponsored championships for men’s volleyball have been a limited affair. There is only one tournament for all divisions and just four teams are invited to participate. But that is on the cusp of changing, thanks to an upswing of collegiate teams starting and new conferences forming. Those developments have led to the introduction of an NCAA Division III tournament and could bring about expansion of the traditional championships. The most recent news came out of the 2011 NCAA Convention, where Divi-

5 3 Qs on pulling off an upset

6 Overcoming a head injury

sion III delegates approved a proposal to create an NCAA Division III Men’s Volleyball Championship, which will be held for the first time April 19-21, 2012. Currently, 57 Division III institutions sponsor the sport and based on those numbers, the inaugural format for the tournament will be an eight-team bracket with all games at a single site. A four-member Division III Men’s Volleyball Committee will determine selection criteria and the Division III Championships Committee will establish automatic qualifier criteria for conferences. The NCAA hopes to finalize a championship handbook and an operations and tournament manual this June. And last October, confident the proposal would pass, the Division III Management Council assigned men’s volleyball a 19week season with 23 dates of competition, which will become effective in 2012. In anticipation of the pending NCAA championship, 12 Division III institutions from the Northeast have come together to form a new men’s volleyball league, the United Volleyball Conference (UVC). Ten of the 12 teams began league play this season and all 12 will be on board for the 2011-12 campaign. “I know I speak for all UVC members when I say how proud we are to be a part of this new group that will play an integral role in the transition of Division III men’s volleyball to an NCAA championship structure,” Russell Rogers, Director of Athletics at Stevens Institute of Technology and Vice President of the new league, said in a statement. “The conference is going to provide an outstanding experience for its student-athletes and add excitement to student life on each of our campuses.” Meanwhile, in NCAA Division II, Conference Carolinas will include men’s volleyball as a full conference sport beginning this season after adding Barton College as a sixth team. Conference Carolinas becomes the first league composed solely of Division II institutions to sponsor men’s volleyball and the fourth men’s vol-

2 Coaching Management

neighbor

10 Nine is enough

leyball league operating in NCAA Division I and II. According to NCAA Championship guidelines, a conference is eligible for an automatic qualifier after playing two seasons with six teams. That means Conference Carolinas could apply for automatic qualifier status in April 2013, and if accepted would be able to automatically put a team in the 2014 NCAA Tournament. Currently, the NCAA Men’s Volleyball Championship consists of a Final Four made up of automatic qualifiers from each of the three major conferences—the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association, the Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association, and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation—and one additional at-

In Division II, Conference Carolinas will include men’s volleyball as a full conference sport after adding Barton College. large bid. Coaches are hoping that with Conference Carolinas’ emergence, the NCAA will alter the current four-team format to one that includes six or even eight teams in the near future. “This is great news for Conference Carolinas and for men’s volleyball in general,” Pfeiffer University Head Men’s Coach Ben Guiliano said in a statement. “The addition of a sixth team adds legitimacy to our conference and allows us to apply for an NCAA automatic bid. At some point, a conference team may be playing Penn State or Stanford in the first round of the NCAA tournament. That is very, very exciting.” Leadership

Letting the Ball Drop Many coaches stress the importance of sportsmanship to their student-athletes. But most don’t take it as far as Chadd McKee, Head Coach at Union High School in Tulsa, Okla. During a match this past fall against Bishop McGuinness High School of OklaCoachesNetwork.com

richard formica

As men’s volleyball continues to grow, several new leagues are forming, including the United Volleyball Conference, comprised of 12 NCAA Division III teams. Stevens Institute of Technology (middle hitter Timothy Karl serves, at left) is one member.

8 Helping a

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BULLETIN BOARD “So I told my girls, ‘The next two times they serve, let the ball drop,’” McKee says. “‘They have two more points than the officials are giving them, and we should let them have their points.’ My players agreed with me, so we let their next two serves hit the ground and then went back to playing.

QUESTIONS

homa City, officials incorrectly set the score to be 13-9 in favor of Union, when the actual score was 13-11. Despite both head coaches agreeing the score was incorrect, the officials were unable to award the two points to Bishop McGuinness because neither team was keeping an official book.

In December, Purdue University provided the biggest surprise of the 2010 NCAA Division I Women’s Tournament when the 16-seeded Boilermakers stunned topseeded and number-one ranked University of Florida to reach the Elite Eight. Trailing 24-20 in the first game, Purdue denied Florida four set points and won 28-26. In the second set, the Boilermakers got off to a quick 7-0 lead and never looked back. They went on to sweep the Gators in convincing fashion, winning the last two sets 25-15 and 25-19. Head Coach Dave Shondell has led Purdue to six straight NCAA Tournament appearances, but had never beaten a number-one ranked opponent in his nine years with the Boilermakers. Here, he shares his thoughts on preparing for Florida and what the victory means for the team’s future. CM: Was the win over Florida a program changer? Shondell: Yes, I think it was a monumental win for our program for a couple of reasons. It pushed us into

Purdue University players celebrate their big win over Florida in the 2010 NCAA Sweet 16.

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“I didn’t tell the opposing coach what I was planning on doing,” he continues. “But after we let the serves drop, I turned to her and said, ‘There are your points. Now we’re ready to go.’” The move caught McGuinness Head Coach Kristy Ellis by surprise. “Never have I seen a coach in a really close match let

Authoring an Upset the Elite Eight, which our program had not reached since the tournament expanded to 64 teams. We had been to the Sweet 16 three of the previous five years, so this was a breakthrough. The other aspect of the game was beating the number-one team in the country—that made it a signature win for our program. How did you prepare your team? What helped us was playing difficult opponents on back-to-back days during the Big Ten regular season. There were weekends when we’d play at Ohio State then Penn State, or at Wisconsin then Minnesota, or at Michigan then Michigan State. Those are some tough Friday and Saturday nights. But we prepared for Florida DAVE SHONDELL like we do for any team by watching as much tape as possible on them. We showed our team that there were some Florida players who we could attack in serve-receive and that we matched up well with them physically. So we went into the game with a positive outlook. We felt like this was an opportunity for our program to take a huge step. In preparing to play a top team, when you first watch them on tape, initially you’re impressed with all the things they do well. But as you get into your fifth, sixth, and seventh hour, you start seeing the things they don’t do so well and where you can attack. The more tape we watched, the more our team believed we could play with them. How will you build on the momentum from your 2010 tournament run? Even though we lost to Texas in the next round, there’s no substitute for the feeling we had competing in front of 4,500 fans during the Elite Eight. We played very well despite losing our top outside hitter to an ACL tear a week earlier and our All-American setter to a hamstring pull in the first set. Our team still competed until the final point against a very talented opponent. The confidence we built from that match will help us move forward. Coaches often tell players that they can succeed, but until they go out and actually experience it themselves, they’re not sure they can do it. Next fall, we’ll have a returning team that truly believes they can take it one step further.

Coaching Management 5

BULLETIN BOARD bounds, and we would have won states, but the official missed the call?’” he says. “‘Or what if you touch one that goes out, you don’t call it, and we win—are you going to feel good knowing that we didn’t really earn it?’ “I’m fortunate to get good kids who understand that we’re focusing on the big picture,” McKee continues. “Winning is not the only thing. How you conduct yourself is what’s important. These girls aren’t going to play volleyball their whole life, but they’ll always be someone in society who’s called upon to do the right thing. We want to win a state title as much as anybody else, but we’re not prepared to compromise our standards to get one.” Sports Medicine At Union High School in Tulsa, Okla., Head Coach Chadd McKee talks a lot about sportsmanship to his players. In a game this fall, his squad let two serves drop after the official scorer had neglected to record two points for Union’s opponent.

6 Coaching Management

No Fear Here After suffering a concussion her freshman season, University of California libero Robin Rostratter was nervous. She knew that having one concussion makes it easier to get a second one, and she was aware of the dangers of successive head injuries. That’s why, ever since she returned to the court for her second season, she’s been wearing a helmet. Although she was cleared to compete with no limitations,

Robin Rostratter, a libero for the University of California, began wearing a special helmet after returning to the court following a concussion. The gear will not prevent another head injury but increases her mental comfort.

MICHAEL PIMENTEL/ISIPHOTOS.COM (BOTTOM)

girls score a point for nothing,” Ellis told KOCO.com. “I think it’s huge because … it showed his girls and my girls what being fair is really all about.” While Union’s display of sportsmanship in that match, which it went on to win, earned the school a nice bit of positive publicity, it’s not the first or last time one of McKee’s teams has put fairness first. Honesty over winning has been a big part of McKee’s coaching philosophy for many years, and his players routinely call touches the officials miss. In fact, later in the year, during the first round of the 2010 state tournament, Union was tied with its bitter rival, Jenks High School, 13-13, in the fifth game. A Jenks player hit the ball out of bounds to give Union the lead, but one of McKee’s players told the official she touched the ball before it went out. “So Jenks got the point, and they won the match on the next serve,” McKee says. “We lost 15-13, but we had no problem with it. Our philosophy is that if we beat somebody, we want it to be because we’re better, not because the officials made a mistake. I have to give my girls a lot of credit because they’re the ones out on the court calling touches on themselves. No matter what I preach to them about fair play, they have to follow through and do it.” McKee’s focus on sportsmanship began about a decade ago, when Union was playing the top-ranked team in the state during pool play of a regular-season

tournament. At a crucial juncture in the match, Union hit a ball that landed about two inches in, but was called out by the line judge. The opposing head coach overruled the judge and said the ball was in, giving Union the point. “That was the first time I’d come across something like that and it surprised me,” McKee says. “She was more concerned with doing the right thing than winning the game, and I decided, from that point on, we would do the same.” Players coming into the Union program today understand the culture, but when McKee implemented the policy, he had to do some convincing to get players to go along with it. “I asked the girls, ‘How would you feel if you hit a winner off somebody’s block, it went out of

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fear of another head injury was making her hesitant to play aggressively. “The helmet is not a preventative piece of equipment, but it helps me mentally when I’m on the court,” says Rostratter, now a sophomore. “Any athlete who suffers an injury is going to naturally play with a little more hesitation or caution, but you don’t want to do that long-term. By wearing the helmet, I feel confident that my head is safer, so I can play aggressively and not worry about what would happen if I hit my head or collided with another teammate.” Made from high-density foam, the helmet is similar to the type worn by martial artists, although the earpieces have been removed. “For Robin, using the helmet is about increasing her comfort level out on the court,” says Cal Athletic Trainer Linda Smith. “There’s no evidence to date that wearing a helmet prevents concussions.” Rostratter says the transition to donning the headgear wasn’t seamless. In fact, it took her a while to get used to it. “I’d never seen anyone wear one in volleyball before so having it on was a little difficult at first,” she admits. “But I grew more comfortable in it and now, I

don’t even notice it. When I’m getting ready for a game, I tell myself, ‘I need to put on my kneepads, I need to put on my helmet.’ It’s just part of my routine.” Wearing the helmet was clearly effective in keeping Rostratter confident and productive this past season. She appeared in all 34 games and led the team with 30 service aces and 495 digs, as Cal recorded its best season ever, advancing to the NCAA Division I championship game before falling to perennial power Penn State University. And while she had some early trepidation about the reaction of opponents and fans, the response thus far has been mild. “I was nervous about what fans or other teams were going to say to me,” she says. “But the worst I’ve heard is ‘helmet head.’ Most people understood that I was wearing it because of an injury, so I didn’t get a major reaction.” In fact, before one of the team’s biggest matches of the season—The Big Spike game against rival Stanford—a Cal athletic trainer used old volleyballs to make helmets for fans to wear. “There were signs that said, ‘Fear the helmet,’” Rostratter told the Kansas City Star. “The fans were embracing it.”

The sophomore says she’ll continue to wear the helmet next season. “You’ve only got one brain,” says Rostratter, who won this fall’s NCAA Elite 88 Award for Division I volleyball, which recognizes the athlete with the highest cumulative GPA among those teams participating at the championship finals site. “Playing with the helmet on gives me that little bit of mental comfort. For me, it has been a positive thing.” good neighbors

After the Flood Once practice schedules are set, no coach likes to change them. But when a high-profile neighbor faced a crisis, Ames (Iowa) High School Head Coach Brad Bixby was more than happy to make adjustments. The neighbor-in-need was the nationally ranked Iowa State University women’s team, whose home court, Hilton Coliseum, had been damaged due to severe flooding across the state in August. That’s when administrators at Ames High reached out to the university and offered to lend a hand—and a court.

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BULLETIN BOARD

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The Ames (Iowa) High School team shared its home court with a college neighbor this fall, after flooding in the area left Iowa State University with a damaged court. At right, Ames High School’s Rachel Boylan returns the ball against Ankeny High during the Iowa Class 4A girls’ regional semifinal.

“Our girls could have looked at the situation as Iowa State coming in and taking their gym from them, because there were times when we changed our schedule to accommodate our visitors,” Bixby

says. “But they saw it as a positive rather than a negative, which is what I hoped would happen. The girls understood it was a great opportunity to help someone in our community.”

The Cyclones set up shop in the Ames High School gym for much of the season, playing matches and occasionally practicing at the facility. “They didn’t hold all of their practices at our place, but they did from time to time in order to make it feel like their home court,” Bixby says. “They didn’t want their home to be a road-type environment.” Ames did everything it could to make the Iowa State athletes feel comfortable, including posting welcome signs in the gym and locker room. In return, Bixby’s players gained a great deal of knowledge by being around their guests. “We got to watch them practice a few times and a lot of our players went to the games,” Bixby says. “It was a great

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Coaching Management 9

BULLETIN BOARD experience because my girls got to see the intensity of college play. Especially through watching practices, they gained a greater understanding of what it takes to be a member of a top-tier NCAA Division I team. They got to see some things that hopefully they can achieve one day.” And the relationship between the two schools was reciprocal. “All of the Iowa State coaches were genuinely interested in how our team was doing and how our season was going,” Bixby says. “Then, at the end of the season when we hosted one of our regional matches, there were probably 10 Iowa State players who came and watched the entire match. Being a D-I athlete is pretty much a fulltime job, so for them to take time out of their schedule to come see us was great. The girls really appreciated that.” In the end, though, Bixby says the arrangement was mostly about helping out a fellow community member. “They were in need of something, and we were capable of helping, so it was just the right thing to do,” he says. “The flooding was

“We’d rather their arena never flooded, but the situation helped create a good relationship between the programs.” Brad Bixby Ames (Iowa) High School

certainly a terrible thing, but some good came out of it. Obviously we’d rather their arena never flooded, but the situation helped create a good relationship between the programs. I’m not sure what will come of it going forward, but this has at least opened some doors.” Tough Challenges

A Reduced Roster For coaches at two-year colleges, there is often concern over having enough players on the roster. For Merced (Calif.) Community College Head Coach Jessica Casey, that concern escalated to alarm when her squad dwindled to eight players in early October. The Merced program was rocked when two players, a middle blocker and a setter, quit the team. “One word popped in my head: panic,” Casey recalls. “We started the season with 10 active players and two girls redshirting, and even that was scary for me. With injuries and illnesses and academic issues, you never know what can happen, so when we went down to eight players, I thought, ‘Oh boy.’” 10 Coaching Management

Casey’s initial strategy to salvage the season was to rally her remaining players. So, one afternoon, instead of practice, she took the team to a nearby yogurt shop to talk. “The worst-case scenario for me was that they would decide to pack it up and leave the team,” Casey says. The sentiments her squad relayed to her, however, were the exact opposite. “The girls were mad,” Casey says. “They told me, ‘I can’t believe that those two walked out on us in the middle of our season.’ Then they calmed down and said, ‘We’ve worked too hard this season to let them take us down.’ When I heard that, I realized the girls were ready to keep going.” Casey then called up one of the two redshirts on the squad. And she cringed any time a player fell or coughed. “I held my breath the rest of the year,” Casey says. “Whenever one of the girls got sick or spent time in the athletic training room, I worried that we might not have enough girls to play. But they were tough. One player missed a practice with laryngitis and came back the next day. She sounded like a frog, but she played.” Constructing meaningful practices was another challenge. “I really had to go back to the drawing board to make our practices helpful,” Casey says. “We couldn’t do a lot of game-situation work, so we did more drills, especially ones dealing with defense and passing. We brought out a ball machine and did a “hot ball”

Merced College competed with just nine players for the second half of its 2010 season, a new challenge for Head Coach Jessica Casey. Above, the squad works its offense against Reedley College in early November, winning the match, 3-0.

drill where each player would receive 25 balls in a row.” And although Casey kept practices short to limit fatigue, she tried to keep her team’s spirits up. “I focused on making practices more fun so the girls didn’t lose their desire to come out and play,” she says. “We would do little competitions and I would give out prizes to the winners.” The team responded well. In fact, rather than become complacent due to a lack of competition for starting spots and shorter practices, the players became more focused and efficient with their time. “I was concerned that the girls would get lazy because no one was pushing them,” she says. “But they actually worked even harder.” The team finished 11-10 on the season. “The girls really rallied,” Casey says. “The loss of the two players actually brought the rest of them closer together. Even though we didn’t have the season we might have had if the team was at full strength, I think the whole team can look back on what we accomplished this season with pride.” CoachesNetwork.com

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Q&A

reaching new heights

Clarion freshman middle hitter Corinne Manley puts one away during the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championship final vs. Edinboro University last fall. The Golden Eagles won, 3-1.

Q&A with Jennifer Harrison | clarion university

It hasn’t taken long for Jennifer Harrison to make her mark at Clarion University. Since being named Head Coach in 2007, she has led the Golden Eagles to four consecutive winning seasons and three NCAA Division II playoff appearances, with a trip to the Elite Eight this past fall. The 2010 season was best in Clarion history. Finishing 32-5, the squad captured its first Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West regular season title and won the PSAC tournament, then advanced farther in NCAA play than ever before. Named an AVCA Atlantic Region Coach of the Year in both 2009 and 2010, Harrison CoachesNetwork.com

has implemented a strict and structured practice and playing system at Clarion, as well as a competitive cauldron. She is the first Clarion volleyball coach to win an NCAA tournament game. Prior to Clarion, Harrison spent two years as an assistant coach at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County. And from 2001 to 2004, she was Head Coach at Glenelg (Md.) High School while also playing professionally. She led Glenelg to the state finals three consecutive years, winning the championship in 2002. During that period, she also served as Associate Head Coach of Timeout Volleyball Club, an under-18 national travel team. In this interview, Harrison discusses the secrets to building a successful squad, her approach to strength and conditioning, and multi-sport athletes.

CM: Your program had its best season ever in 2010. What were the keys to your success?

Harrison: These players were ones we’ve been able to develop through their entire careers at Clarion, and that was very important to our success. They understood the goal and each year they’ve worked hard to improve. When you bring in a group of athletes and they get on board with not only your goals but also your training, they set a really good example for some of the younger kids. Then, the younger athletes are more apt to buy into what you’re doing. We also focus on improving on a daily basis. Every day we walk into the gym has to be another day for us to get better. We don’t concentrate too much on our opponents. We will break them down before competition, but we focus more on what we’re doing with our own players on offense Coaching Management 13

Q&A and defense. We don’t want to get consumed thinking about how to beat a certain team, then forget what our team is supposed to be doing. How do you teach your players to be competitive?

We use a competitive cauldron, which determines position ranking and playing time. After the cognitive level of learning and teaching, everything we do has a competitive value attached to it. We track wins and losses in every competitive drill, including both small and large group games, and examine players’ statistics within the large group games. Our girls come in knowing that they have to be completely focused and work very hard every day or they can lose their position pretty quickly. We wipe the slate clean every 10 to 12 games and start over because people learn at different paces. For some girls, their light

individual and a team goal. Then the team as a whole comes up with one specific team goal. Before spring starts we re-evaluate our goals. We look at how we did throughout the season, what needs to change in order for us to get better, and what specific skills we want to work on. Once these are established, we focus on them throughout the spring to prepare for next season. What are the secrets to recruiting at the NCAA Division II level?

I find that athletes are interested in Clarion and other Division II schools because they want a well-rounded college experience. Clarion has done a great job promoting academics and that’s been a big thing we sell to recruits. Overall, I’m going after athletes that I believe will best fit our program. Once we identify these athletes, we do our best to open communication, get them on campus,

“I ran my high school teams very much the same way I now run my college team … We kept stats and we created a competitive cauldron.” bulb moment comes mid-season and this process gives us evidence we need to make a change. Does your team do a lot of strength and conditioning?

We work on strength and conditioning in the spring, when we’re not allowed in the gym. Our plan is focused on injury prevention and we partner with our athletic training staff in developing it. It entails a lot of low-impact strength work. We concentrate on the core and improving balance, and we don’t use a lot of heavy weights. On top of the weight-training program, we spend two days a week conditioning. Everything is quick burst sprint and stair work and we never go more than five minutes at a time. During the season our strength and conditioning is mostly maintenance work. And we don’t spend any practice time stretching, running, or warming up—players are expected to do that before they come to the gym.

and let the university do some of the talking for us. On their visits, I spend the entire day with the athlete and make sure she gets a lot of time with our current players so she has a feel for what a typical day is like for a student-athlete at Clarion. Your high school teams were also very successful. How did you motivate players at that level?

At the high school level you get athletes who are more interested in just being part of a team than playing competitive volleyball. I felt it was important to teach athletes that it takes hard work if you want to be the best. So I ran my high school teams very much the same way I now run my college team. We kept stats, we created a competitive cauldron, and we really encouraged the girls to compete. We also made it clear why certain girls were playing and why others weren’t. Too many athletes are coming out of the high school ranks having to be taught how to work hard.

Do you develop individual and team goals with players?

Did you see conflicts between high school and club volleyball?

Every year I sit down with each athlete to talk about goals for the season. I try to teach them the difference between realistic and unrealistic goals. Every player determines an

I always encouraged my athletes to play club even though they would be playing for a different coach and learning in a different way. Club competition is very important for

14 Coaching Management

anyone who wants to go on and play at the collegiate level. The biggest conflict I saw was with the kids who were playing high school basketball as well as club volleyball. I never discouraged my club players from playing basketball as long as they could manage their time and not let their teams down. Did you encourage or discourage multi-sport participation?

I think it’s good to be well-rounded, but there can be a problem with overuse injuries. Part of that is coaching and part of that is understanding what type of training should be done for what type of sport. Athletes need to be careful and coaches need to be more cognizant of the workouts they prepare for multi-sport athletes. Sometimes, doing less is a good thing. There’s still a stigma that if you rest your kids it’s going to do damage when actually rest and recovery is a positive. You are a single parent with a young son. What kind of impact does that have on your coaching?

My ex-husband is very involved and is an amazing father. However, being on the road a lot definitely presents some challenges. The one nice thing about being a coach is that during my downtime I have the opportunity to spend more time during the day with my son. He is a fixture during our practices and everybody at Clarion has been very supportive of him being around. What are your career goals?

I want to get better as a coach. I still feel like I have a lot to learn. I try to reflect often and learn from what I’ve done and seen. A lot of people ask me if I am going to leave and coach in Division I. The answer is: I don’t know. I think if the right job came along I would be prepared to step into the role, but I am really happy where I am. I’m very happy with the university, the administration, my players, and my personal life. What one piece of advice would you give to high school coaches interested in a college job?

Get good at organizational skills. With college volleyball, there’s a perception that you’re in the gym all day and that’s not necessarily the case. You are actually in the office most of the day. You need to do everything that you can to make your players want to be successful—both in the classroom and on the court. And that means spending time planning and organizing. CM CoachesNetwork.com

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At Michigan State University, great action in the fall is preceded by memorable summer camp programs. Full page photo: MSUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Alexis Mathews goes for a kill vs. Ohio State last November. Top inset photo: Former Spartans player Mischelle Nelson, who returns to campus to serve as a summer camp coach every year, speaks with high school athletes. Bottom inset photo: Campers warm up as a group.

COVER STORY

A GREAT

HIT What makes a summer volleyball camp successful? Along with hiring the right staff and offering solid instruction, it’s finding that perfect balance between work and fun. | By Mike Phelps

In the state of Nebraska, volleyball is a big deal. This past year, Western Nebraska Junior College won the 2010 NJCAA national title and Wayne State College finished ninth in the final AVCA NCAA Division II poll. And it doesn’t get any bigger than the Cornhuskers from the University of Nebraska, a perennial power that completed last season ranked seventh in the Division I coaches poll and is consistently among the national leaders in attendance.

MICHIGAN STATE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Volleyball fever isn’t limited to the fall, either. When summer rolls around, the University of Nebraska volleyball camp is one of the hottest tickets in town, with sessions regularly selling out. In fact, according to Head Coach John Cook, many kids will work on farms all summer long in order to save up enough money to attend. “Because of that, we owe it to them to make it a fantastic camp,” Cook says. “We do everything possible to create a great experience for the participants. I know there are

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always some kids who are literally saving every penny to come to this camp and I want them to walk away from it feeling like they’re a part of Nebraska volleyball.” So what goes into making summer camp a memorable experience? At Nebraska, it’s a top-notch coaching staff, the Husker players, and elite training. For others, it’s a mix of drills and fun competition or the chance to bond with teammates. In this article, top coaches offer their tips to help make your summer camp a successful one.

Coaching Management 17

COVER STORY

ON THE COURT

The foundation for any summer sports camp should be high-caliber on-court instruction. And that means maximizing the amount of personalized attention each camper gets from instructors. At Nebraska, Cook limits the number of athletes per court, ensuring each gets plenty of one-onone time with coaches. “I’ve seen camps that have so many kids on the court they never get to do anything,” Cook says. “We cap the camp at 12 to 13 attendees per court, so each kid is able to get

The same is true at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, where campers have one main coach throughout camp, but are assigned to a different coach to work on team-related skills, and another for position-specific drills. “For every eight or 10 kids, there is one coach who takes attendance with them every day and really gets to know them,” says Head Coach Jim Boos. “But they’ll have a different coach when working on team stuff, and then they might be involved with three or four groups at their specific position so that’s three or four more coaches they’re exposed to. I’ll

TEAM CAMP In addition to hosting general camps for individuals, many schools are finding success offering team camps. A high school coaching staff brings its entire team in for a few days of team-intensive training and competition.

just come and play. We actually provide instruction and train the teams.”

The University of Nebraska’s camp typically hosts 22 to 24 squads per session and spaces are always in demand. “Our team camp is different than probably 95 percent of the other team camps,” says Head Coach John Cook. “At most team camps, the teams

At the University of Minnesota-Duluth, team camp involves a lot of activities to help players learn to work together and solve problems as a group. “One game we use is called ‘log off,’” says Head Coach Jim Boos. “You have a bench or some sort of

As a bonus, Cook counsels the coaching staffs. “My role in the team camp is providing a clinic for coaches between each camp session,” he says. “So it’s also a mini camp for coaches.”

a great experience and a lot of repetitions, and they don’t have to sit out.” Mike Gawlik, Assistant Coach and Camp Director at Michigan State University, has a similar philosophy and likes to maintain a ratio of one coach for every eight campers. “That’s a number our coaching staff can handle and allows the players to get a lot of personal attention,” he says. “It’s important to not exceed the size we can handle successfully.” Michigan State also varies which coaches are working with which campers on any given day. “We’ll have our coaches remain stationary and have the players rotate from court to court, so they get a chance to work with all our coaches,” Gawlik says. “We want them to be able to experience as many of our student-athletes, staff members, and summer camp coaches as possible.” 18 Coaching Management

balance beam and the kids line up on it. We number them one to 10 and their goal as a team is to invert their order so they end up standing 10 to one. They have to find a way to get themselves into this new order without falling off the beam. “Along with team-building, it really allows coaches to figure out who their leaders are,” he continues. “Then when the activity is done, we’ll hold a decompression session where we talk about what just happened. The kids discuss what they did and what they could have done better.”

also try to continuously go around the entire camp and give feedback to as many kids as possible.” During instruction, it’s important to expose campers to a multitude of skills, even if that means taking a different tactical approach than you use with your own team. “If this was my volleyball team, we’d be training ball control and serving for three straight days, because that’s what kids at that age level need to focus on,” says Boos. “But they’re paying good money to get an experience on all the facets of the game. Exposing them to everything and letting them try new things is important.” The same is true at camps conducted at the high school level, where the age and experience level of participants can skew much lower. “We’re really just trying to set a base level of knowledge for the kids,” says

Mike Hurlbut, Head Coach at De La Salle High School in Concord, Calif. “We’re not looking to find anyone for the national team right then and there. The idea is to get them acquainted with and enthusiastic about the sport—show them the fun aspects of it.” At Archbishop Alter High School in Dayton, Ohio, Head Coach Tina Jasinowski likes to introduce a skill to campers as a whole before breaking them into smaller groups of eight to 10. “I’ll do a breakdown of the skill and while I’m talking about the fundamental aspects of it, my high school players will demonstrate it,” she says. “Then we’ll explain a couple drills before breaking up into smaller groups. Those consist of two or three high school players helping kids work on the drills. Meanwhile, myself and the other adult coaches walk around the entire gym and help out as needed.” Jasinowski also rotates the campers through different groups of student-athlete coaches each day and puts care into how she pairs high school players. “The coaches stay together the whole week, but they get different groups of campers each day,” she says. “I’ll try to have a junior or senior working with a sophomore, or an outgoing person working with a shy player.” One more element of providing great instruction is having enough space to conduct all drills and activities. “Anyone can host a camp,” says Gawlik. “But if you only have the gym space to accommodate two courts, you can’t take 100 kids. If you’ve bitten off more than you can chew, campers won’t want to come back the next year. You’re better off making 40 kids happy than making 60 kids unhappy, even though you’ll make money on 20 more kids.” Space constraints are a reality at De La Salle, so Hurlbut makes the most of his facility by designing drills that can be performed in small areas. “We break skills into individual motions instead of running a full drill on a full court,” he says. “If we can break something down and still make it fun, we’ll try that. And occasionally, if we can, we’ll even take a drill outside.” BALANCING ACT

While a summer volleyball camp shouldn’t be treated as a day camp where kids play games all day, it isn’t boot camp, either. One of the most difficult parts of putting together a winning camp is walking the line between work and fun. “Some kids will go to a camp because mike phelps is an Assistant Editor at Coaching Management. He can be reached at: mp@MomentumMedia.com.

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they want to improve and they take it very seriously,” Gawlik says. “But another kid at the same camp might only be there because her best friend is going and said it would be fun. And there are always kids whose parents signed them up and they don’t know anything about volleyball. If you can find a way to make it fun for all three types, you’re going to have a pretty successful camp.” “You have to find a balance between a memorable, fun experience and providing enough actual nuts and bolts of volleyball,” Boos says. “Too much fun and they’re really not getting enough out of it for the money they’re paying, while too many drills drags them into the doldrums of preseason training.”

One way to accomplish both is to construct drills that work on skills but are also competitive. “Any time there’s a score or goal involved, kids respond differently,” Boos says. “They’re in sports because they’re competitive people to begin with. You can do things like serving, hitting, or passing competitions where they have a target to aim at. Have them compete in their smaller group, with the group winners facing off. Anything where you can get the kids rooting for each other and competing with each other is a positive.” Jasinowski adds fun incentives that she would never do with her high school team. “For example, on the last day, I’ll put sheets on the court with candy on top of them. The

planting the seed When Mike Gawlik, Assistant Coach and Camp Director at Michigan State University, first started working at the school’s camp for elementary school kids two years ago, he wasn’t sure what he’d gotten himself into. Now, it’s one of his favorite parts of summer. “Kids Camp is awesome,” Gawlik says. “It’s very different than any of our other camps.” At the three-day camp, which is designed for first through fifth graders, campers move between drills and skills much faster than at Michigan State’s other camps. “Their attention span is shorter, so we account for that,” Gawlik says. “We can’t have them doing one thing for 30 minutes straight. We’ll usually work in 10 or 15 minute blocks and do a lot of station work to keep the kids moving around.” The camp also strives for a hands-on feel. “It’s very interactive between the coaches and the kids,” Gawlik says. “We’ll send them home with homework—maybe they’ll have to teach someone one of the skills they learned that day. The next day at camp we’ll ask them about who they taught the skill to and how it went.” Camps for younger kids also need to take into account that volleyball skills can be particularly challenging for those in elementary school. “Hitting balls off your body and controlling where they go is very tough,” says Jim Boos, Head Coach at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. “In basketball, you

20 Coaching Management

can dribble, in soccer, you can kick a ball. But in volleyball you have to be able to hit this ball 30 feet over a net to serve it. You have to be able to bump it off your arms and control where it goes. It’s an entirely different beast. “So our youth camp is more about fun than it is about volleyball,” he continues. “It’s about exposing them to the game, teaching them some of the beginning steps, and planting the seed.” Michigan State sometimes uses modified equipment to help the kids succeed. “We have some lighter balls that are easier for them to hit,” Gawlik says. “We’ll lower the net so the campers can have success attacking the ball. We’ll practice blocking by putting them on a blocking box and just hit balls directly into their hands. Most of them are only three feet tall, so it gives them a feel of what it’s like to block.” At Archbishop Alter High School in Dayton, Ohio, Head Coach Tina Jasinowski feels it’s important to teach skills to young kids, even if they can’t immediately apply what they’ve learned. “My theory is if they walk out of camp feeling like they were taught something and they had fun, when they are old enough to play on a team, they’ll choose to do so,” she says. “We’re teaching them things they’ll never apply at that age, but they can go home and say they learned a jump serve today. How cool is that? They may not be real successful at it, but they can say they did it. They’ll then be excited to play volleyball when they are older.”

kids have to serve to the sheets, and if their ball hits the sheet, they can go and grab a piece of candy off it. They still have to earn it and they’re working on skills, but it’s fun. Or sometimes we’ll just do a game that isn’t volleyball related, but gets them running around and works on conditioning.” The Alter camp also has a theme each day, like wacky wardrobe day, where campers and coaches come dressed in crazy clothes. Another day includes volleyball show and tell. “Kids bring in something that has to do with volleyball they can show us and tell us about,” Jasinowski says. “Some might bring in a medal or a jersey from one of the teams they play on. Last summer, I had a kid bring in a picture of me playing college volleyball with her mom. “I’ve also had kids write poems about volleyball or create a volleyball work of art,” she continues. “If they don’t participate there’s a penalty, which is always something silly like standing in front of the camp and doing the hokey pokey. It’s not anything horrific. It’s fun, but teaches some discipline.” Jasinowski also hands out awards to an outstanding camper from each skill group, as well as daily awards for things like doing the best job calling for the ball. At De La Salle, Hurlbut takes recognition a step further. “We give everybody an award,” he says. “Each camper gets some type of positive encouragement at the end of camp. It could be for the best jump serve or best passing platform—anything to make sure every single kid is brought up in front of the rest of the camp and gets recognized. It makes them feel special. They know they did something well and should continue playing volleyball.” BUILDING A STAFF

Every camp needs a knowledgeable and energetic staff, and for many host schools, that starts with the student-athletes on their team. “I really believe the players at Alter are the backbone of our camp,” says Jasinowski. “They’re great with the kids, they’re enthusiastic, and they make the campers excited about being here.” That excitement is taken up a notch at schools like Nebraska and Michigan State, where players are seen as celebrities by many of the campers. “They love being around our players,” says Cook. “Every kid has a Nebraska player on their court for most of the sessions. Our players are not responsible for running the drills. Their role is to pump the kids up and help the other coaches.” “Camp is a great opportunity for kids to get to know our players on a personal level,” Gawlik says. “And some of our athletes do want to coach down the road, so it’s a good chance for them to gain experience.” CoachesNetwork.com

COVER STORY Current players also provide a unique, younger perspective that campers can benefit from. “Most of our players aren’t that far removed from their first day of volleyball,” Hurlbut says. “They know the feeling of leaning to pass for the first time.” Having your own players work your camp can simply make each day run a

coaches to work your camp, in addition to your players. Gawlik looks for camp coaches when he’s out recruiting future Spartans. “If I see a high school or club coach who’s really making a difference, is a good communicator, is very encouraging yet demanding, and gets the kids to respond, I’ll approach that person and tell them we’d

selves. “A lot of coaches like coming here because when we do demonstrations, we’re showing them the skills and techniques we use here,” Cook says. “It’s almost like a mini coaches clinic for them.” Being involved in the camp scene is also a chance for coaches to network and can even pay recruiting dividends down the road.

“Each camper gets some type of positive encouragement at the end of camp. It could be for the best jump serve or best passing platform—anything to make sure every single kid is brought up in front of the rest of the camp and gets recognized ... They know they did something well and should continue playing volleyball.” little more smoothly, too. “Some of the techniques we train might be different than other schools, so you need people there who understand and can demonstrate the nuances of what you’re asking the campers to do,” says Boos. “If I simply assembled a group of 10 outside coaches, they might not know exactly what I’m trying to teach.” Still, it’s important to attract experienced

Mike Hurlbut, De La Salle high school

love to have them coach camps this summer,” he says. “If they’re interested, I’ll pick their brain a little about which groups they think they’d be best with. Then we evaluate them during the camp season so we know whether to invite them back next year.” While coaches are there to help the campers learn, remember that they want to get something out of the experience them-

“Camps are a great way for coaches to get exposure,” Boos says. “These kids are able to see you, work with you, and get a feel for your style. Then when they’re getting ready for college, they may remember you from camp and be interested in your program.” GET THE WORD OUT

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COVER STORY

campers a fantastic experience, and sometimes that’s all it takes, along with a little word of mouth, to fill your camp up quickly every year. But there are also more concrete ways to publicize your product and make sure your courts are full. At Alter, Jasinowski sends out an e-mail blast to a mailing list of colleagues and past campers she has compiled over her years of To learn more about the coaching. “I also summer volleyball camps at try to let the nearMichigan State University, by elementary, Assistant Coach Mike Gawlik welcomes questions and can middle, and high be reached at: school coaches gawlikmi@ath.msu.edu. know about it so they can pass the information on to their players,” she says. “My beginner camp is the hardest to fill, so for that one I create a flyer and take it over to some of the schools in the area and ask that it be handed out to kids in third and fourth grade. Many of those kids have never thought about volleyball and might not know the camp exists.” De La Salle gets information about its

have a file on my computer at all times of ideas for next year’s camp.” Even if you don’t necessarily agree with the feedback, if a trend emerges from the evaluations, it’s worth considering. “They’re the customers and their suggestions need to be considered,” Boos says. “Just because you wouldn’t want to do something with the team you’re coaching doesn’t mean it’s not a good idea for your camp. You want the kids to get exposure to your training, but ultimately they need to have fun and want to come back.” “When people aren’t happy, reflect on it and see if the problem is on your end,” Gawlik advises. “Respond accordingly and don’t just ignore the problem.” At the same time, Boos warns against deviating too far from your own ideas. “It’s important to stick to a philosophy,” he says. “Some camps are completely about training and others are more about fun. Be honest in what you’re putting out there so kids know what they’re going to get. Have that philosophy set so you can design the game plan and expose campers to something unique and memorable.” CM

camps printed in local newspapers, while Boos makes sure camp details are posted on the school Web site. Michigan State does many similar things to promote its camp, but Gawlik cautions against going overboard. “We do our best to promote it, but we’re conscious about how much we spend because the camp is also a money-maker for our program and the university,” he says. “We’re not going to take out a $5,000 television commercial. But we get the word out as best we can.” FINAL EVALUATION

How do you know if your camp is truly meeting expectations every year and keeping up with changing times? Boos says the best way is to gather feedback from campers. “Getting their opinions can be very beneficial,” he says. “I give them evaluations to fill out at the end of camp so they can share their thoughts. What did they like or dislike? What did they learn? Would they recommend it to a friend? I ask them to rate the instruction of the coaches as well. “If I get 80 of those back, I can easily start to see themes and if there are any problems I need to address,” Boos continues. “I also

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22 Coaching Management

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LEADERSHIP

READY TO RECEIVE

Many high school athletes today are eager to receive advice on how to get recruited to colleges. That’s why every coach must be prepared to offer meaningful guidance on the topic. By Dr. Karen Weaver

david steutel/maxpreps.com

Molly Cassidy smiles at the question. An interviewer has just asked the 19-year-old field hockey player why she spent the summer before her senior year of high school in the Netherlands. “I realized if I wanted to learn from the best, I had to go overseas, where my sport is more popular,” she says. “It was tough with the language barrier, but it prepared me for my college career.” CoachesNetwork.com

Like elite athletes in other sports, Molly decided at an early age she wanted to play field hockey at a high level. While she was recognized as one of the top high school players in California, leading La Costa Canyon High School to three state titles, she worried that wouldn’t be enough to land an athletic scholarship at an NCAA Division I school. So she looked for chances to play against better competition and receive elite coaching. When field hockey teams from the Netherlands came to train at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif., she not only watched the practices, but spoke with players in hopes of finding better coaching. Through those conversations, she found Coaching Management 23

LEADERSHIP

opportunities to attend high-level summer field hockey camps in Europe. Both Molly and her family knew the road to an NCAA Division I scholarship would be easier if she was mentored by some of the top coaches in the world. And all the work paid off. Michigan State University offered her a field hockey grant in aid in 2009, and as a redshirt freshman goalkeeper, Molly was named Big Ten Conference Defensive or Freshman Player of the Week five times in 2010. She was also chosen for the Division I All-Region First Team. The world of recruiting is changing before our eyes. High school athletes are eschewing their high school coaches and traditional training methods and using an entirely differ-

giate athletic experience, coaches have come to believe that a measure of their success is how many athletes they send to Division I institutions. And parents are contributing to this by putting pressure on coaches to deliver a scholarship opportunity for their child. In their world, if Sally is the best player on her high school team, that must mean she is good enough to get an athletic scholarship. If she doesn’t get a scholarship it’s the coach’s fault, right? When parents don’t feel the coach is doing enough, they will turn elsewhere for help. From signing up for “expert” recruiting advice to seeking costly club or international experience, every avenue is considered.

able to truly guide them through the pros and cons of this path and help them make the best decision. That’s why, to start, it’s important to illustrate the realities of competing at the Division I level. There are many reasons to pursue this option. The commitment of the coaching staff to the athlete’s development is one very strong point. Coaches usually have the resources to provide top strength and conditioning, sport-specific mental and physical training, and nutritional advice. Athletes competing at the Division I level are also pushed by similar caliber athletes every day in practice. If you’re like Molly Cassidy, whose dream is to play on the U.S. national team, Division

If you are frustrated by the “professionalism” that seems to have taken over the college athletic recruiting process, take a deep breath. There are solutions for how to give advice that resonates with parents and student-athletes. ent process to get noticed by college coaches. And unless a major shift in our thinking occurs, high school coaches may soon become inconsequential in the recruiting process. TODAY’S REALITY

More than ever before, club sport coaches and personal trainers hold significant influence over top high school athletes. IMG Academies in Florida, Texas, and Arizona are examples of this trend. Built 30 years ago for tennis players to train year round, they have since expanded to include athletes in all sports, who can come for a day, week, or month and compete with others from around the world. IMG will post your information and stats on its Web site and promote you when you commit to a college. Just as significant, online recruiting companies have exploded, offering targeted eligibility seminars to those who want to play NCAA Division I or II sports. You can even self-promote using the Internet. YouTube has become the premier place to post highlight videos. The value system of some high school coaches has also changed. Because the media emphasizes Division I as the ultimate colleKAREN WEAVER, EdD, is Director of Athletics at Penn State University-Abington and serves as a consultant on college athletics recruiting, speaking regularly to high school student-athletes and parents. She spent 16 years as a head coach at the NCAA Division I and III levels and posts about the college recruitment process at: twitter.com/collegeathlete. She can be reached through her Web site at: www.intelligentrecruiting.org.

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We could spend hours thinking about where we went wrong in the process of preparing our student-athletes for college athletics—club tournaments, summer camps, combines, and invitationals are just some of the ways we have conditioned studentathletes to believe that their athletic skill is a ticket to financial reward. While hindsight is 20/20, it doesn’t change where we’re at. Instead, as coaches, we have to help our students and their families see the bigger picture. Somehow, we have to help them understand that a college coach’s opinion and their program’s needs are not more important than what a young person wants to get out of college. CHANGING MINDSETS

If you are frustrated by the “professionalism” that seems to have taken over the college athletic recruiting process, take a deep breath. There are solutions for how to give advice that resonates with parents and student-athletes. As coaches, we know that our potential to influence and guide our athletes lies in a complete understanding of the challenges they face. Therefore, the key is to be knowledgeable about the facts of recruiting and present them in a way that keeps the student-athlete’s best interests in mind. There are a myriad of opportunities to compete collegiately, but most parents only recognize the Division I dream—Division II and III schools rarely enter the equation. As a high school coach, you may be the only person

I is where you need to go. If you truly have the ability to play at the highest level and you relish the idea of challenging yourself to achieve the utmost potential, Division I can be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. But beware that it does come with tradeoffs. Many students and their families buy into the dream of playing for a Division I program, only to find out when they arrive on campus that the time commitment is much greater than they realized. Along with a lack of playing time, this is one of the top reasons why student-athletes transfer to a lower-division school. As their mentor, ask them to really think about why they want to go to a Division I program. Is it because it validates their athletic talent? Or is it because they truly want to play at an elite level and are willing to endure the sacrifice it entails? In some cases, a student’s academic goals may simply not mesh with the commitment expected of a Division I athlete. If a student-athlete chooses a major that conflicts with practice times (biology labs are sometimes only offered in the afternoon), that can ignite problems between the athlete and the team. At the Division I level, more often than not, a coach will recommend to an athlete if they want to remain on the team, they will have to adjust their academic schedule. The same goes for student-athletes who want to pursue other interests, like studying abroad, writing for the student newspaper, or assisting a professor with a research project. So many high school athletes join a colCoachesNetwork.com

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lege team believing the workload will be just like it was for them in high school. Nothing could be further from the truth. Playing on a Division I team is a large commitment, both in time and emotion. Even on an official paid visit to a school, you would be hard pressed to find a coach who would tell you the challenges—it’s one of those areas that never gets discussed until after you arrive on campus. One way to get some insight into a college coach’s commitment to the balance of academics and athletes is to ask for the team’s graduation rate. College coaches are required to provide you this data. Over the years, I have been amazed by the number of teams that boast how many top recruits they bring

asking the total amount of money available to one team helps families understand the realities of the situation. Athletes should be sure to do this for every school they speak with and not assume that schools in the same conference have the same amount of scholarship dollars available. It’s also important to know that NCAA scholarships are only binding for one year. Although it is not a common practice, a coach does not have to renew an athlete’s scholarship every year. This rule has recently been challenged in court by a former Rice University football player. Along with understanding scholarship money, it’s helpful to make sure students

college experience, meaning there is time for pursuits beyond athletics. NCAA Division II does offer scholarships, but, depending on the sport, will usually have fewer than Division I. Volleyball has 8.0 scholarships for women and 4.5 for men. These are both equivalency sports, meaning the money can be divided up among team members and allotted as partial scholarships. As in Division I, some schools may not have the resources to offer the maximum amount of scholarship money allowed. “Discover-Develop-Dedicate” is the new tagline for NCAA Division III. While traditionally known as the “non-scholar-

It’s really important to compare dollars to dollars ... Let’s say a coach at a state school offers a partial scholarship totaling $4,000 and tuition at that school is $8,000. Compare that to a $20,000 scholarship where tuition is $40,000. in, only to find out that less than one third remain on the team until their senior year. MONEY MATTERS

One of the areas most misunderstood by parents is scholarship money. Because the high-profile sports of football and basketball provide full scholarships, most people assume the same is true in all sports. But it is more complicated than that. In Division I women’s volleyball, there are 12 full scholarships that schools are permitted to offer. Schools are not required to hand out all 12 scholarships, but they cannot provide partial scholarships. Women’s volleyball is termed a “head count” sport. Men’s volleyball is an “equivalency” sport that allows 4.5 scholarships. Those 4.5 scholarships can be divided up among any number of players. So, for example, a men’s coach may decide to offer full scholarships to two athletes and spread the rest out among six other athletes. Or a team can divide the money among 15 players. Sometimes, athletes are told their scholarship money will increase based on how they perform as freshmen. It can be difficult for 18- and 19-year olds to shoulder the pressure to perform well enough their freshman year to increase their scholarship money, especially when they know their parents can’t afford the tuition. If an athlete has concerns about the amount of money he or she may receive, it is appropriate to ask how much scholarship money the team has. While it is not okay to ask how much another athlete is receiving, 26 Coaching Management

understand the bigger picture of how schools fund their sports in Division I. Many athletic departments create a tiered system of financing, which results in funding some programs more than others. This means that the money allocated for a non-revenue team will be less than some of the other teams, including the football or basketball team. This can affect many things. One example is medical expenses—if an athlete is injured seriously enough to require surgery, and is in a lower-tier sport, some programs will cap the amount of reimbursement picked up by the school. Or a lower-tiered sport might not subsidize spring break travel to play sand volleyball games in warmer climates, thus requiring each athlete to come up with $300 to $1,000 to cover their expenses. It may also mean traveling in vans instead of chartered buses—a tough environment to study or sleep in. OTHER OPTIONS

If discussing these realities dampens a student-athlete’s desire to play Division I, the next step is to be well-versed on the other options. They include NCAA Divisions II and III, NAIA, and junior colleges. “I chose Division II” is the NCAA slogan for Division II institutions, and the group has worked hard at differentiating its members from Divisions I and III in recent years. Most Division II programs offer a wide range of teams and focus on integrating their student-athletes into the campus and local communities. They also focus on ensuring student-athletes have a balanced

ship” division, member institutions sell their well-rounded educational and athletic experiences to prospective student-athletes. Non-scholarship hardly means uncompetitive—many of the top Division III programs compete with and beat higher-division programs during the course of a season. NAIA schools award scholarships and are launching an eligibility clearinghouse this year similar to the NCAA model. Many NAIA schools are currently increasing their athletic offerings as part of an institutional goal of sustaining enrollment. They can be a great option for student-athletes wanting a small school experience, especially if they don’t have a long list of athletic accomplishments. At the community college level, studentathletes can also receive partial and full athletic scholarships. This can be an inexpensive way to fund the first two years of an athlete’s education, especially if a student is not sure of what they want to do both academically and athletically. It’s important to help a young person realize that their athletic abilities can be used to advance their educational aspirations, not just to impress a coach. If an athlete is able to attend a quality academic school that he or she otherwise couldn’t get into thanks to athletic talents, in the long run, that could greatly serve one’s career prospects. It is also important to consider the network of college career counselors and alumni who can help in the job market. I often hear high school athletics directors say about college, “It’s not just a four-year commitment—it’s a 40-year relationship.” CoachesNetwork.com

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GUIDING THE ATHLETE

You’ve probably heard some top high school coaches boast that, “Every athlete on my team who is interested goes on to play in college.” This is actually possible for almost any high school coach to say. If athletes are not focused only on Division I, there are many opportunities. In guiding athletes and their parents, my best advice is to offer them many questions. It’s all about the experience the athlete wants to get from their time in college. And, by answering probing questions, they can better understand what is right for them. Here are some questions your athletes should consider: What do you want academically? Unless you have Olympic aspirations, your academic dreams should come first. You only have four years to hone your skills for the working world and you want to find a school that matches your choice of study. Even if you love the head coach at the school with “technology” in its name, if you’re not really sure that math is your thing, this is probably a poor choice. What do you want competitively? Are you excited about joining a team where you are going to have to push yourself to a new

What factors are important to your family? Take the time to talk about how choices will affect your entire family. This can be anything from attending a parent’s alma mater to how far away the school is from home. What if you don’t compete? One of the best questions you can ask yourself is this: Will I be happy at this school if—for whatever reason—I don’t remain on the team? This can be a great way to really examine if the school is a good fit. By having more substantive discussions with your student-athletes about the recruiting process, you are developing their critical thinking skills about an important decision in their lives. A personal trainer or a club coach may think they know everything about the college recruiting process, but they may not understand all the factors at play. As an educator, you have the ability to help your athletes make a choice that puts them in the best possible position to get the most out of college. CM

level to get playing time? Or do you want a continuation of your high school experience, with time for other pursuits? And don’t define competitive by the NCAA division the school is in. There are many Division III schools, for example, that are highly competitive, and may not leave time for outside interests. What type of coach do you want? In most cases, your college coach will be an important person in your life. During communication with college coaches recruiting you, carefully judge their character and style of coaching. Ask others about them. Think about the coaches you have enjoyed most during your high school career and why. How much money is available? It’s really important to compare dollars to dollars and not scholarships to scholarships. Let’s say an NAIA coach at a state school offers you a partial scholarship totaling $4,000 and tuition at that school is $8,000. Compare that to a $20,000 partial scholarship at an NCAA Division II school, where tuition is $40,000. You are being offered a lot more money at the Division II school, but you still need to come up with $20,000 every year vs. $4,000 at the NAIA school.

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STRENGTH & CONDITIONING

BELL POWER

Dumbbells and kettlebells provide unique advantages that can add value to any strength regimen, but only if you understand how to best use them. By Vern Gambetta

iStock.com/TIM MCCLEAN PHOTOGRAPHY

Coaches are constantly inundated with marketing claims about the “latest and greatest” training aid or exercise method. Many of these pitches are laden with buzzwords, puffery, and half-truths about the training approaches being plugged and the science that supposedly backs them up. Of course there have been some significant achievements in the training aid marketplace in recent decades, so I don’t want to paint all new products and systems with a CoachesNetwork.com

broad brush. But despite the never-ending barrage of new ideas, the most basic and time-tested equipment is sometimes still the most practical. Such is the case with two of the oldest types of training implements: dumbbells and kettlebells. Dumbbells have been around for so long that some early versions were literally “dumb (soundless) bells,” from which the clapper had been removed so someone could lift the heavy metal objects repeatedly without making a racket. And kettlebells were a staple of Eastern European training long before achieving their current revival of popularity in the West. This article will give you some practical advice on getting the most out of dumbbell and kettlebell work. Using my experience training athletes in various sports, I’ll discuss what these implements can and can’t do and how to make training with them as functional as possible. Coaching Management 29

Movements, Not Muscle

The goal of any sound strength training program is to develop strength that an athlete can use in his or her sport. To accomplish this, I think of training as the process of moving through a spectrum of different movements and muscle actions with varied modes and loads to elicit maximum adaptation. Moving across the spectrum is a means to an end, and the end is a stronger, more functional athlete. In my opinion, traditional approaches to strength training have been too heavily influenced by convenience. Many lifts and exercises focus on movement in a single plane with one joint because these movements are easy to describe to athletes, easy to relate to what we see in anatomy textbooks, and easy to evaluate through visual observation. But performance in any sport is a multidimensional activity that takes place in a dynamic environment. Thus, truly functional performance involves moving the whole body in all three planes—sagittal, frontal, and transverse—using as many joints and muscles as needed to produce and reduce force. This is a key reason why the freedom of movement achieved with dumbbell and kettlebell training is so valuable. Athletic movement involves synergists, stabilizers, neutralizers, and antagonists all working together. The central nervous system constantly modifies movement patterns in response to gravity, ground reaction forces, and momentum. Each activity is further

refined and adjusted by feedback from the body’s proprioceptors. Strength training, at its core, is actually coordination training with appropriate resistance, with the main goal of enhancing linkage and connectivity to produce more powerful and efficient movements required in an athlete’s sport. Dumbbells and kettlebells are excellent tools to train multidimensional movements and enhance power and coordination. Because of their versatility, dumbbells and kettlebells can be used for resistance in all the essential movements needed for comprehensive athlete development: n Pulling n Pushing n Squatting (and derivatives like lunges and step-ups) n Rotation n Bracing. In a well-designed program, all these movements should be incorporated through multi-plane, multi-joint movements that involve the full range of motion and high proprioceptive demand. Fitting Them In

Dumbbells and kettlebells can both be viable modes of resistance in virtually any athlete’s training program, but they’re not a stand-alone training method. They must be part of a comprehensive program to achieve optimal results. Kettlebells in particular have become something of a training fad lately, and despite

KETTLEBELL SAFETY The unique design of the kettlebell presents some challenges that must be overcome to minimize risk. Here are some points of advice on making kettlebell training as safe as possible: n

Even though kettlebell work is thought of primarily as a form of upper-body exercise, instruct athletes on proper leg stance to reduce the risk of poor body alignment during various movements.

n Teach

the most basic swings and let the athlete get comfortable with those before moving on to more complex movements.

30 Coaching Management

Start with light kettlebells, and don’t progress to heavier ones until the athlete displays mastery of technique. Then, increase the load only in small increments.

Don’t focus on the quantity of reps at the expense of quality of movement. A large number of reps with less-than-optimal technique provides fewer advantages and poses a much greater injury risk than a smaller number with excellent technique.

their clear value, some claims regarding their benefits are a bit over the top. There are no “Russian secret” kettlebell training methods that single-handedly produced the huge, intimidating Soviet athletes of past generations, as some of the more ambitious marketing hype would lead you to believe. In fact, kettlebells were a staple of U.S. and European gyms and physical education programs in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Just like climbing ropes, Indian clubs, and various other training implements, they fell out of favor as physical education moved away from movement gymnastics and toward team sports. There has been revived interest in kettlebells over the last 10 years, and today they can frequently be seen in commercial fitness centers and high school, college, and pro team weightrooms. So how do you fit them into a comprehensive strength program? I think kettlebell training is best added as a later step in most progressions, after an athlete has built a solid foundation of strength and is starting to look for variability and different adaptive responses. Safety is a major reason behind this approach, since improper technique with a kettlebell can quickly put unwanted stress on the wrist and elbow. Mastering correct mechanics for the various movements performed with a kettlebell is essential to gaining optimum return and minimizing injury risk. I am currently working with volleyball players, who rely heavily on swinging movements in their sport. For that reason, the swing-based mechanics of kettlebells are an excellent fit. On our total-body training days, I use the basic two-arm kettlebell swing for two sets of six, followed by one set of six one-arm swings with each arm and one set of six “swing and catch” movements with each arm. We then do jump shrugs with the kettlebell, and that leads into either high pulls with the kettlebell or kettlebell cleans (for the more advanced athletes). This is just one example of how kettlebells can be incorporated into a sport-specific program for highly trained athletes. Dumbbells, meanwhile, are appropriate for practically all levels of athletes, even those just being introduced to strength training. The most common alternative to dumbbells is a bar, which can be limiting vern gambetta is Director of Gambetta Sports Training Systems in Sarasota, Fla. He has been a conditioning coach to athletes from the high school to professional levels for over 35 years and is author of six books. His daily thoughts on enhancing sports performance can be viewed on his blog: www.functionalpathtraining.typepad.com.

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STRENGTH & CONDITIONING

because its minimum weight is often more than a beginner can lift with proper technique. In addition, the athlete has to adapt and “fit” to the bar, fixing the hands in one position relative to the torso. Because the user is unable to turn his or her hands when using a bar, greater stress is placed on the elbow and shoulder, especially with inexperienced lifters. In contrast, a dumbbell places virtually no restrictions on movement and positioning. For total-body movements like high pulls, cleans, and snatches, the maneuverability of dumbbells provides a major advantage. I have found that dumbbells are the best way to teach total-body pulling movements, such as the high pull, clean, and snatch, and once the athlete is proficient, we progress to bar work for added resistance and greater variety. One of the most frequent questions athletes ask when working with dumbbells or kettlebells is how much weight they should lift. I use percent of body weight as a guideline to start, with the amount depending on the movement and complexity of the exercise. Whole-body movements demand a higher percentage of body weight than

Expand Your Knowledge Base

pressing movements, and the load should never be so great that the athlete cannot perform the prescribed sets and reps with the desired tempo and range of motion. Remember that rep speed—not just load— is critical for power development. Also, it is important to have dumbbells available in 2.5-pound increments, or to use magnetic add-ons of 1.25 or 2.5 pounds to fine-tune the load. The standard five-pound increments commonly found on dumbbell racks are generally not sufficient to customize a progressive workout. Benefit Package

If you want to make muscle power as functional as possible, nothing is more important than coordination and synergy between muscle groups and body parts. Dumbbells and kettlebells force this synergy while also requiring each limb to work independently, eliminating the potential for one side to compensate for the other at any point throughout the range of motion. Another advantage is that many beginners, especially female athletes strength training for the first time, find dumbbells

much less intimidating than bars. I find that they quickly “dive in” with dumbbells, while with the bar they are hesitant to increase load or even to begin lifting. When working with more advanced athletes engaged in high-level training, one of the best selling points for dumbbells and kettlebells is simple availability—they provide a weightroom without walls. With these implements’ easy portability, they can be used on the volleyball court or practically anywhere else athletes find themselves. For all these reasons, dumbbells and kettlebells are valuable tools for athletes looking to build functional strength. And like with all pieces of equipment, the key is determining how best to use them based on an individual’s ability, experience, and performance goals. There’s good reason why some training tools have stood the test of time. CM

A version of this article was published in Training & Conditioning magazine, a sister publication to Coaching Management. Additional articles from T&C can be found at: www.Training-Conditioning.com.

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John Dunning’s Taking Your Setting to the Next Level

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In Part 1, Attacking, Coach Dunning shares technical and coach tactical goals for successful attacking. In Part 2, Serving, Dunning shares technique, strategies and ability-based progressions for the standing float serve, jump float, jump spin, short serve and deep court serve. In Part 3, Blocking, Dunning offers basic blocking instruction. 68 minutes. 2008

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Spalding Volleyball Equipment • 800-435-3865 www.spaldingequipment.com Circle No. 502

Learn How To Hit It Hard

Fine Tune Your Skills

Blazer’s Spike/Set Stand is a super training aid. The unit, 30” high, is welded with 1 1/4” steel square tubing and comes with a ball rack and wheels that can be removed to make a plyo-box. The Spike/Set Stand is lightweight and easy to roll to storage, and features a built-in ladder. The top rack comes off and folds flat for ease of storage. Call or go online to learn more about the Spike/Set Stand and Blazer’s other products. Blazer Mfg. Co. • 800-322-2731 www.blazerathletic.com

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Now You See It …

Tired of hauling heavy, awkward, bulky volleyball posts to and from your gym? Bison’s new Centerline Magic — a set of five unitized, rigid, aluminum telescoping tubes — selfstores in a 32” deep floor well. For set-up, the tubes easily lift and twist to lock in place. The net can be adjusted from 42” to 96” high. A complete system includes brass floating floor plates, net, zippered net storage bag, antennae/boundary markers, post padding (16 colors), free pad lettering and net-side tape lettering, net-height chain gauge, and lifetime warranty on posts and winch.

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SoloSports Advanced Technologies’ SoloSpike LS2500 is great for helping beginning players in the development of hitting bio-mechanics. It can also speed, strength and explosiveness in advanced players. The SoloSpike LS2500 can help develop proper hitting bio-mechanics through multiple repetitions (three-second ball recovery), improved hitting endurance and velocity, better attack height and more consistency in hitting. Call or go online to learn more. SoloSports Advanced Technologies, Inc. • 877-765-6774 www.solospike.com Circle No. 531

Ease & Durability

Built to last a lifetime and easy to use every day, the Schelde Collegiate 4000 Net System combines ultra-light weight with innovative engineering to make it one of volleyball’s most popular net systems. Schelde’s exclusive Unirail net attachment system provides quick height adjustment, and the Collegiate 4000 is designed to be set up by one person in five minutes or less. Its Tecton duraluminum posts and fully sheathed, steel-gear linear winch come fully assembled and carry a limited lifetime warranty. Schelde North America • 888-SCHELDE (724-3533) www.scheldesports.com Circle No. 506 CoachesNetwork.com

Team Equipment Versatile Training Tool

With the adjustable Step-Up Box from Power Systems, you can now vary the intensity of your team’s workout to suit each player. The platform quickly adjusts to a 14”, 16”, 18”, or 20” height to train a wide range of athletes. Maximize explosive power and improve overall speed by performing double- or single-leg exercises. The Step-Up Box — which comes in black and is 28” long by 28” wide — is made of welded steel and a 3/4”- plywood platform, covered with a nonskid surface. Assembly is required, and casters are included for ease of mobility. Power Systems, Inc. • 800-321-6975 www.powersystems.com

Jumpstart Training

The high-impact TurfCordz™ Jump Belt, used by professional sports teams and international Olympians, strengthens leg muscles to enhance an athlete’s vertical leap. With five resistance levels, it’s ideal for basketball, football, and track training. The easy-to-use Jump Belt features an adjustable cam buckle closure that fits up to a 36-inch (90 cm) waist, and two 30-inch (75 cm) rubber tubes that connect to foot straps. For more on the full line of TurfCordz resistance products, designed to meet the extreme demands of high-level athletic training, call or go online today. NZ Manufacturing • 800-866-6621 www.turfcordz.com

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Practice More Efficiently

Solo Resistance Training

Spalding’s new volleyball ball cart is lightweight and easy to move around the court. It features a nylon carry bag with shoulder strap, making it easy to transport to different locations. It will also collapse for easy storage. The cart features a classic square design and is 18 1/2” deep, big enough to hold approximately 20 balls. For practicing spiking or serving, this ball cart will keep many balls just an arm’s length away.

Eliminate the need for a partner when using resistance tubing with Power Systems’ Power Base Trainer™. The Power Base is a great solution for performing multiple-direction jumping movements for teams or individuals. Four independent rings around the perimeter anchor up to four resistance tubes. It comes with handles for portability, and a non-skid bottom so it stays in place on smooth surfaces.

Spalding Volleyball Equipment • 800-435-3865 www.spaldingequipment.com Circle No. 508

Power Systems, Inc. • 800-321-6975 www.powersystems.com

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Coaching Aids Consistent Jump Serve

If handling the jump serve is the problem in your game, the Attack Volleyball Machine is the solution. The newly designed throwing head provides extreme ball control at internationallevel speeds. National, college, and club teams can all benefit from the Attack’s powerful game-simulating repetition delivered from a realistic over-the-net (men’s) release point. Take advantage of the precision and speed of the Attack Volleyball Machine, and take your game to the next level. Sports Attack • 800-717-4251 www.sportsattack.com

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Coach from Above

The Coaches Box from Sports Imports is a lightweight but sturdy coaching platform that puts you or your athletes at volleyball net height to isolate specific skills and game experiences. You can deliver the ball from the top of the net to simulate game-like blocks and kills, or focus on hitting or blocking skills without worrying about jumping. The Coaches Box has a large platform, a non-skid top, and rubber feet, and it weighs only 28 pounds. It folds to a closed position of three inches for easy storage. Sports Imports • 800-556-3198 www.sportsimports.com CoachesNetwork.com

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At Your Service

Both the Gold and Silver models of the Volleyball Tutor can vary ball trajectory and speed to produce any desired set or pass, while delivering serves at speeds up to 60 miles per hour. The Silver model’s 5 1/2-foot-high release point is perfect for sets, and it features a separate dial to control the amount of topspin and underspin on serves. The Silver model can also be angled down to practice dig drills. The Gold model can automatically throw six volleyballs at intervals ranging from five to 20 seconds. The unit is completely portable, and is available with either AC or battery power. Sports Tutor • 800-448-8867 www.sportsmachines.com

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Realistic Practices TOOL

The new throwing head on the Attack II Volleyball Machine provides complete ball control, unlimited spins, and professional-level speeds. The machine can help with all types of drills, from floaters to jump-serve receiving, to digging, spiking, passing, and setting. The Attack II serves the ball from a realistic over-the-net (women’s) release point and at non-stop game tempo, making every minute of every practice effective. Sports Attack • 800-717-4251 www.sportsattack.com

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