Tag: USA

Volleyball Coaching Wizard Ruth Nelson

Posted onAuthorVolleyball Coaching Wizards

Developing Volleyball’s Future Generations

Ruth Nelson coached at the highest levels of the sport in the college, professional, and national team ranks. Recently, though, she has turned her attention to coaching kids at the very beginning of their journey and says she’d never go back.

Her resume includes:

  • Over 500 wins in 16 years of NCAA Division I coaching
  • US Women’s National Team assistant coach under Arie Selinger and Head Coach of the US Junior National team.
  • Coached in the US professional league Major League Volleyball
  • AVCA Hall of Fame inductee

Here’s some of what Ruth discusses in her interview:

– Being a new sponge in terms of your development
– Reasons for avoiding early specialization in young players
– Being a trainer vs. a coach
– Working with the new generation of athletes

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

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

Additionally, Ruth’s interview is featured in the first Volleyball Coaching Wizards book. You can also access it as part of the following bundles:

Volleyball Coaching Wizard Iradge Ahrabi-Fard

Posted onAuthorVolleyball Coaching Wizards

Volleyball Coach and Researcher

Iranian Iradge Ahrabi-Fard started his career in his native land, but rose to international prominence while coaching in the US. As a professor of physical education, he has helped link coaching with research. He has published numerous volleyball coaching related articles.

His resume includes:

  • Member of the inaugural class of AVCA Hall of Fame inductees
  • Over 500 NCAA Division I victories in 19 seasons
  • 1999 AVCA Division I National Coach of the Year
  • 1997 AVCA Excellence in Education Award winner
  • Consultant and coach for USA Volleyball

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

– Adapting what you learn to your own coaching
– The importance of proper rest/recovery for athletes
– Coaching across different cultures (and sports)
– Being a professor and a coach
– A number of research observations

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

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

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

Volleyball Coaching Wizard Tom Tait

Posted onAuthorVolleyball Coaching Wizards

Father of the Penn State Volleyball Programs

In the 1970s Tom Tait, a professor of kineseology, took charge of both the men’s and women’s teams at Penn State. They were club programs at the time, but he eventually saw both elevated to full varsity status. After handing off the women’s team to Russ Rose, Tom carried on for several more years with the men before shifting is focus to coaching education.

His resume includes:

  • 6 NCAA tournament appearances, including a runner-up finish
  • 1986 Volleyball Monthly National Coach of the Year
  • 5 times Eastern Collegiate Coach of the Year
  • EIVA Coach Emeritus
  • Member of the inaugural AVCA Hall of Fame induction class

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

– Learning from successful coaches
– The history and development of Penn State Volleyball
– Training attackers to hit with power
– The importance of understanding athlete movement

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

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

Tom’s interview is also featured in the following bundles:

Volleyball Coaching Wizard Sue Gozansky

Posted onAuthorVolleyball Coaching Wizards

One of the World’s Most Respected Coaching Educators

Coaches around the world know Sue Gozansky from her tireless efforts in coaching education and development. She is also author of well respected coaching books. All of this is built on a long, successful career coaching US collegiate volleyball and in a variety of international capacities.

Her resume includes:

  • Nearly 700 wins in 39 seasons coaching at UC Riverside.
  • 3 National Championships and a record 20 straight trips to the NCAA tournament.
  • Author of Championship Volleyball Techniques and Drills and Volleyball Coach’s Survival Guide
  • International coaching instructor for the FIVB and for USA Volleyball
  • AVCA Hall of Fame inductee

Here’s some of what Sue discusses in her interview:

– Developing the team concept and team-building
– Coaching career progression and growth
– Learning and sharing coaching knowledge
– Managing relationships with player
– Training planning and implementation

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

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

Sue’s interview is also featured in the following bundles:

Volleyball Coaching Wizard Mick Haley

Posted onAuthorVolleyball Coaching Wizards

Making Winning Championships a Habit

After enormous success at the Junior College level, Mick Haley became the first coach of a non-West Coast university to win an NCAA Division I National Championship when he did it at Texas. After coaching in the Olympics, he once more led a college team to the top while running the USC program.

His resume includes:

  • 2000 Olympics coach for the USA Women’s National Team
  • NCAA Division I National Championships with two different universities.
  • 6 Junior College National Championships
  • Well over 1000 career victories
  • Member of multiple coaching halls of fame.

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

– Coach development and education
– Working with male vs female players
– When things aren’t as good as you’re used to
– Creating a volleyball powerhouse at Texas
– The influence of the international game on US coaching

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

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

Mick’s interview is also available as part of these bundles:

Volleyball Coaching Wizard Carl McGown

Posted onAuthorVolleyball Coaching Wizards

Changing How Coaches Think About Training

When it comes to influence on volleyball coaching, few can match Carl McGown. His advocacy of training specificity, among other concepts, through his work with the USA National Team program and Gold Medal Squared has changed the thinking and training methods of many coaches all over the world.

His resume includes:

  • 4 decades of USA National Team coaching
  • 2 NCAA Men’s National Championships.
  • Swiss professional league and cup titles
  • AVCA Hall of Fame

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

– Specificity and long-term athletic development
– The difference in performance between the US men and women
– Initial vs. final ability

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

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

Additionally, Carl’s interview is featured in the first Volleyball Coaching Wizards book. It’s also part of these interview bundles:

Volleyball Coaching Wizard Simon Loftus

Posted onAuthorVolleyball Coaching Wizards

Coach of Scotland’s First Ever International Trophy Winners

Simon Loftus started his coaching at the youth level in his native Scotland, but soon was on to bigger things. He developed the Leeds Metropolitan University program which dominated U.K. university volleyball for several years. He then went on to lead the Scottish men to their first ever trophy in international competition. After spending time coaching in the US, he returned to England.

His resume includes:

  • Coach of the England Men’s National Team
  • 2012 Novatel Cup winner as Scottish National Team head coach
  • 6 U.K. university championships (BUCS) and 5 Volleyball England Student Cup titles
  • NCAA tournament appearance while coaching in the US
  • Also coached professionally in Sweden

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

– Developing a coaching style
– Working with male vs. female athletes
– Comparing the US and European systems
– Coaching against lower caliber opposition

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

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

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