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GROWING UP IN THE ’70s, I watched the NBA seeped into at all lev- for injury? In this pursuit I have learned a lot of professional basketball. As a Denver els, and now we see arguably some of the from physical therapists, athletic trainers native, I watched Denver Rockets games best athletes on the planet playing a fast, and other people with advanced degrees (then a member of the American Basketball dynamic and skillful game that is equally in Exercise Science and Biomechanics. If Association league and a team that would lat- entertaining to watch. I have a question, I ask someone who has er become the Denver Nuggets) on local tele- Now, you might be asking yourself – how the expertise I am seeking. I will be writing vision, which displayed a type of play vastly does this relate to volleyball? In observing about some of this in future articles. different to the NBA play of the ’70s. The the evolution of basketball that occurred I often hear coaches say they don’t have ABA was known for a flashy, freewheeling through the ABA and the NBA merger, it’s the athletes to justify training the high-level style of play that showcased the talent and my opinion that we should look to profes- skills we see exhibited by the best players in athleticism of their players. When the ABA sional models of volleyball for inspiration the world. The solution these coaches create merged with the NBA in 1976, the NBA be- and evolution in our sport’s future. Within is to teach different skills – skills their ath- gan a shift towards this more athletic and en- the realm of volleyball, the most elite and letes can “handle.” So, if in your opinion I tertaining style of play. This merger increased exciting play is happening internationally. don’t have the athletic ability of Olympic television coverage of professional basketball Thanks to technological developments and sprinter Usain Bolt, you would not teach me NCAA 2015 & 2016 Official Volleyball Video, – which gave young players like me access to the growth in popularity of volleyball, in- to sprint? Or, would you teach me to sprint Official Partner DI-II-IIINCAA Men’s2015 and & Women’s 2016 Breakdown,Official Volleyball and Analytics Video, Officialof the AVCAPartner ChampionshipsDI-II-III Video professional models of the sport. ternational game film is more available on my knees because I lack Usain’s talent? DIMen’s National and ChampionsWomen’s Breakdown,Partner of USA and Volleyball Analytics of the AVCA ChampionshipsExchange & Analysis Video I remember going to the local middle than ever before on many media platforms. Think critically about the coaching and de- DI National Champions Partner of USA Volleyball Exchange & Analysis school blacktop with my friends to play Exposing our young players to elite volley- velopment of your own teams and players – pickup basketball. We all yearned to imi- ball players exhibiting superior athleticism are you teaching the “4 corners” version of tate the moves we saw on television from and skill, and teams with different styles volleyball, or are you challenging your play- our favorite professional basketball players. of offense and tempo that we see interna- ers to be athletic and realize their potential? Expand Your Recruiting Reach Speeding around the court and killing it on tionally, would inspire them to go out and Why limit our athletes? Why not chal- Expand Your Recruiting Reach that nine-foot rim, we would do our best experiment on their own blacktops, per se. lenge them! Don’t we want our athletes to imitations of the “Tomahawk,” “Windmill” As Head Coach of the USA Youth fully express their athleticism and creativ- and the “360 Dunk.” Obviously, we could National Team from 1998 to 2002, one of ity? Don’t we want athletes who achieve not fly through the air like Doctor J, and we the first tasks I assigned my players was to to be highly skilled players? And why not couldn’t dunk like Moses Malone or pass have them look at video from several senior challenge our own views of what’s possible with the creativity of . But, we national teams and report back to our team with our players? We should look at the went out on that blacktop everyday and we about what they observed. They watched best international players and teams in the tried. And by doing so we engaged our ath- video on Russia, Cuba, Italy, China, Japan world and study their techniques and tac- 1 2 3 leticism and our creativity, and it sparked a and other top women’s volleyball teams. tics. Look at Lonneke Slöetjes and Laura 1 2 3 deep sense of enjoyment. I wanted to open their minds to different Dijkema of Nederlands, Natalia Pereira and Access and be part Share, view, and learn Showcase your skills in During this same time period, I was also tactics and techniques that were being im- Dani Lins of Brazil, Zhu Ting and Xia Ding Accessof our andvideo be and part fromShare, tagged view, video,and learn key fullShowcase and choose your the skills best in watching . Many coaches plemented by the best players around the of China, Brankica Mihajlovic of Serbia, as ofstats our databasevideo and frommetrics, tagged and video, rankings key full andfit choose for you the best were employing a tactic called the “4 cor- world. I wanted them to understand that well as top USA players like Jordan Larson, stats database metrics, and rankings fit for you ners” offense or the “stall.” This style of bas- there was more than one way to play volley- Alicia Glass, Lindsey Berg and Foluke ketball was boring to watch as a spectator, ball. And most importantly, I wanted them Akinradewo. Observe how they pass, at- And Much More... and would eventually spur the conception to see that the game at its highest level was tack, , defend and set. Do these skills And Much More... of the “shot clock” in the ’85-’86 season, played with power, precision, athleticism look different from the way you’re teach- 2017 SCHEDULE which introduced speed and athleticism and creativity. ing? Probably – but aren’t they just as, if not 2017 SCHEDULE back into the game. Many college coaches I consider myself a technician when it more, effective? Challenge yourself to learn did not like the ABA style of play, and ar- comes to teaching skills in volleyball. But a skill in a new way. Progress doesn’t just February March April June July February March April June July gued that dunking was “not a skillful shot.” my criteria is this: is the skill biomechanical- take time – it also takes people who are will- Triple Crown Tour of Texas Finals Lone Star Classic USAV Girls’ HP Championships (Dunking in the NCAA was outlawed from ly efficient and is the movement being done ing to be challenged day after day because TripleUtah Crown Tour ofTexas Texas Finals Lone StarTexas Classic JuniorUSAV Nationals Girls’ HP ChampionshipsFlorida 1968 to 1976.) Eventually the influence of in such a way as to decrease the probability they know that is the path to greatness. Utah Texas Texas JuniorMinnesota Nationals Florida Contact us also for any other video and we will help you with your recruitingMinnesota needs. Contact us also for any other video and we will help you with your recruiting needs. 10 | Championships Issue | COACHING VOLLEYBALL web: volleymetrics.com email: [email protected] phone: (385)204-5133 web: volleymetrics.com email: [email protected] phone: (385)204-5133

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