Category: Wizard Interviews

Interviews of Volleyball Coaching Wizards completed thus far.

Volleyball Coaching Wizard Stephen Pierce

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Not Letting Location be a Limit

Like many US high school volleyball coaches, Stephen Pierce coached on top of his full-time job as an English teacher. In his 20+ year career, which overlapped in the early days with fellow Wizard Jefferson Williams, he established himself as perhaps the best high school coach in any sport in the state of New York.

His resume includes:

  • Nearly 1000 victories
  • 14 State Championships, including 8 straight, the most of any New York coach
  • 2010 he was named National High School Volleyball Coach of the Year
  • The only New York juniors coach to win a USAV national championship or a USA National Qualifier at the Open level

Here’s some of what Stephen discusses in his interview:

– Being able to push players
– Developing coaching vision
– Juniors vs high school coaching differences
– Developing volleyball in the community
– Handling coaching with a full-time teaching job

Play this excerpt for a taste of the sort of insights and ideas you’ll get from the full interview:

Get access to Stephen’s interview now for just a $4.99 contribution to the Volleyball Coaching Wizards project.

Stephen’s interview is also part of the following bundles:

Volleyball Coaching Wizard Al Scates

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A Legend Among Legends

When it comes to institutions in the sport, few can match the 50 years Al Scates led the UCLA men’s volleyball program. Over that time he not only did he win a ton, a number of his former players went on to become successful coaches in their own right.

His resume includes:

  • Over 1200 career victories
  • 19 NCAA Championships
  • 5 Coach of the Year awards
  • AVCA Hall of Fame inductee
  • International Volleyball Hall of Fame inductee

Here’s some of what Al discusses in his interview:

– Lots of volleyball history!
– Game training vs blocked
– The legend of the blue curtain
– What’s most important elements for competitive success

Play this excerpt for a taste of the sort of insights and ideas you’ll get from the full interview:

Get access to Al’s interview now for just a $4.99 contribution to the Volleyball Coaching Wizards project.

You can also find Al’s interview in the following bundles:

Volleyball Coaching Wizard Gerry Ford

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Volleyball Saved His Life

Gerry Ford is the head coach of the Northern Ireland men’s national volleyball team. He grew up during the Troubles in that country. Volleyball brought together people from both sides of the political and religious divide and gave them a whole different perspective on each other.

His resume includes:

  • Coach of the Northern Ireland Men’s National Team
  • Head Coach at Queens University Belfast
  • Coach of the Year

Here’s some of what Gerry discusses in his interview:

– Making the player to coach transition
– The challenges of being a small sport in your country
– Working with limited resources
– Non-volleyball influence of coaches
– Working when you’re the underdog

Play this excerpt for a taste of the sort of insights and ideas you’ll get from the full interview:

Get access to Gerry’s interview now for just a $4.99 contribution to the Volleyball Coaching Wizards project.

You can also find Gerry’s interview in the following bundles:

Volleyball Coaching Wizard Glenn Hoag

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Getting it done for Club and Country

Like Vital Heynen and fellow Canadians Stelio DeRocco and Garth Pischke, Glenn Hoag transitioned from a high level playing career into success as a coach.

His resume includes:

  • Coach of the Canadian Men’s National Team from 2006 to 2016, including leading the team to 5th at the 2016 Olympics
  • Winner of Canada’s first ever NORCECA Championship title in 2016.
  • Bronze Medal with Canada at the 2015 Pan-Am Games
  • Winner of the French League, French Cup, and the CEV Champions League with Paris Volley.
  • Winner of the Slovenian Championship, Cup and MEVZA in 2008 and 2010 with ACH Team
  • Winner of multiple Turkish Championships and a Cup with Arkas Sports Club
  • Also coached university volleyball in Canada, and was named CIS Coach of the Year in 1997

Here’s some of what Glenn discusses in his interview:

– On-going education and mentorship
– Developing a sense to how to play as a team
– Making the change from player to coach
– Working with players at different levels and from different cultures

Play this excerpt for a taste of the sort of insights and ideas you’ll get from the full interview:

Get access to Glenn’s interview now for just a $4.99 contribution to the Volleyball Coaching Wizards project.

You can also get Glenn’s interview as part of the following bundles:

Volleyball Coaching Wizard Tod Mattox

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Coaching with a Subversive Streak

Tod Mattox likes to do things a little differently than other coaches. It seems to be working! He’s one of the most respected high school coaches not just in his local San Diego area volleyball community, but throughout California and beyond.

His resume includes:

  • Over 600 wins in 30 years of high school coaching, including 7 San Diego County Championships
  • USA Volleyball Leadership Award in 2008
  • 2016 Head Coaches Award from the San Diego Hall of Champions
  • AVP beach coach
  • Long-time coaching clinician

Here’s some of what Tod discusses in his interview:

– Challenging assumptions
– Managing team parents
– Coaching evaluations and looking to improve as a coach over the season
– Working with players on college recruiting

Play this excerpt for a taste of the sort of insights and ideas you’ll get from the full interview:

Get access to Tod’s interview now for just a $4.99 contribution to the Volleyball Coaching Wizards project.

You can also find Tod’s interview in the following bundles:

Volleyball Coaching Wizard Craig Marshall

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An Aussie on the World Stage

There are others we’ve interviewed who have done some beach coaching. Australian Craig Marshall, though, is the first of our interviewees who does it full-time. Beach volleyball coaching has taken him around the world and to multiple Olympic Games.

His resume includes:

  • Nearly 20 years coaching on the pro beach volleyball World Tour
  • 8 podium finishes and a World Championships medal
  • Multiple medal wins on Continental tours, including a historic clean sweep of medals at the 2016 Asian Championships
  • Coached the Australian men in the 2000, 2004, and 2008 Olympics tournaments

Here’s some of what Craig discusses in his interview:

– Staying in one position for so long
– The pressure of coaching where there is a lot of fan support
– Dealing with problem personalities in the team
– Remembering that coaching is about the players, not about the coach

Play this excerpt for a taste of the sort of insights and ideas you’ll get from the full interview:

Get access to Craig’s interview now for just a $4.99 contribution to the Volleyball Coaching Wizards project.

Additionally, Craig’s interview is featured in the first Volleyball Coaching Wizards book. It is also featured in the following bundles:

Volleyball Coaching Wizard Dave Shoji

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A Coaching Institution

Dave Shoji is Hawaii volleyball. For more than 40 years he’s been at the helm of a college program which is always at or near the top of the annual attendance figures rankings, with thousands of people coming out to watch his teams play. How many of us would love to coach in front of crowds like that?

His resume includes:

  • More NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball wins than anyone (approaching 1200)
  • Four national championships and over 30 trips to the NCAA tournament
  • 12-time conference, 10-time region, and twice national Coach of the Year
  • AVCA Hall of Fame inductee and named on of the all-time great coaches by USA Volleyball in 2002

Here’s some of what Dave discusses in his interview:

– Staying in one position for so long
– The pressure of coaching where there is a lot of fan support
– Dealing with problem personalities in the team
– Remembering that coaching is about the players, not about the coach

Play this excerpt for a taste of the sort of insights and ideas you’ll get from the full interview:

Get access to Dave’s interview now for just a $4.99 contribution to the Volleyball Coaching Wizards project.

You can also get Dave’s interview as part of the following bundles:

Volleyball Coaching Wizard John Corbelli

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Assistants Get Credit as Well

John Corbelli is the first interview of someone who has primarily been an assistant coach through is career, notably being a part of a spouse coaching duo. He is well respected as one of the best trainers around.

His resume includes:

  • More than 20 years as assistant coach to his wife at Texas A&M (nearly 500 wins, and almost 20 trips to the NCAA tournament – 2 Final Fours, 30 All-American selections)
  • Three years as an NCAA Division I head coach in his own right.
  • Assistant to Arie Selinger for the USA Women’s National Team during the 1984 Olympics

Here’s some of what John discusses in his interview:

– The qualities of a good assistant coach
– The culture of Hawaiian volleyball
– Coaching with and against your spouse
– Incorporating structured and game-like training approaches

Play this excerpt for a taste of the sort of insights and ideas you’ll get from the full interview:

Get access to John’s interview now for just a $4.99 contribution to the Volleyball Coaching Wizards project.

John’s interview is also available in the following bundles:

Volleyball Coaching Wizard Garth Pischke

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Coaching as a Continuation of Playing

A lot of people have probably never heard of him, but Canadian Garth Pischke has become one of the winningest colleges coaches of all time during his 30+ year tenure leading the University of Manitoba men’s program. This is after being one of Canada’s best national team players.

His resume includes:

  • More victories in men’s college volleyball than even the legendary Al Scates (more than 1300)
  • 26 trips to the CIS National Championships, winning 9 golds, 9 silver, and 5 bronze medals
  • Head Coach of the Canadian National Men’s Volleyball Team from 1996-2000 and guided them from 21st in world rankings to 10th.
  • Selected to the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame, the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame, and the Canadian Volleyball Hall of Fame.

Here’s some of what Garth discusses in his interview:

– The structure of Canadian volleyball
– The importance of being honest
– Shifting from having a player’s mentality to a coach’s mentality
– Training philosophy
– The use of visualization
– Parenthood and coaching

Play this excerpt for a taste of the sort of insights and ideas you’ll get from the full interview:

Get access to Garth’s interview now for just a $4.99 contribution to the Volleyball Coaching Wizards project.

Additionally, Gareth’s interview is featured in the first Volleyball Coaching Wizards book. His interview can also be found in the following bundles:

Volleyball Coaching Wizard Ryan Mitchell

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Relentless Pursuit of Excellence

USA coach Ryan Mitchell embrace a philosophy of constantly striving to be better, to move from good to great.

His resume includes:

  • 5 straight Texas high school championships between 2008 and 2012
  • 6 Coach of the Year selections in Texas
  • 2012 NFHS National High School Coach of the Year and AVCA National Coach of the Year finalist
  • Over 400 victories and an 87% win rate in 10 seasons as a head coach
  • Consistently sees his juniors teams, no matter the age, earn Nationals qualifications.

Here’s some of what Ryan discusses in his interview:

– Being a continuous learner
– Developing players as leaders from an early age
– Season training progressions
– Try-out philosophies
– Team-building

Play this excerpt for a taste of the sort of insights and ideas you’ll get from the full interview:

Get access to Ryan’s interview now for just a $4.99 contribution to the Volleyball Coaching Wizards project.

You can also get Ryan’s interview as part of the following bundles: