Coaching High School Volleyball

Coaching High School Volleyball includes:

• 21 go-to drills
• Practice plans for middle school, freshman, JV and varsity teams
• Chapters covering potential, errors, skills and more
• Personal anecdotes from a veteran high school coach

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Chapters:

Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: On the Job Training
Chapter 3: Building Blocks
Chapter 4: Skills Before Drills
Chapter 5: Drill Design
Chapter 6: How to Use This Book
Chapter 7: Drill Key
Chapter 8: Beginning of Practice Drills
Chapter 9: Mid-practice Teaching Drills
Chapter 10: Mid-practice Games
Chapter 11: End of Practice 6 v 6
Chapter 12: Practice Plans for Middle School/Freshman, JV and Varsity

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Sneak Peek from the Introduction:

Thanks for taking a peek at my book. This little guide takes all the important stuff I’ve learned in 38 years of coaching and shares it with you in a fast and fun format. The most important lesson I’ve learned over the years is that coaching is not really about knowing more, it’s about knowing what’s more important. One of my favorite quotes is from basketball legend Pat Summitt, who guided the University of Tennessee women’s basketball team to 1,098 wins and eight NCAA championships in a coaching career spanning nearly 40 years. In her words, “It’s not what you teach; it’s what you emphasize.”

In that spirit, join me as we cut the clutter, focus on what’s important, and see how much we can improve our coaching skills. Here are six features that make this different than your standard drill book:

1. Ease of use
The lists and drills I share here aren’t complicated. You and your team can easily apply them in ways that immediately improve your practices.

2. Less is more
This is a simple but important premise. You don’t need more drills; you need a small toolbox of drill formats that you can manipulate to achieve your goals. The best coaches are masters of simplicity. From Pat Summitt to former UCLA coach John Wooden to New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick to University of Virginia men’s basketball coach Tony Bennett, the coaching outliers are not teaching their players more fundamentals, they are simply identifying the most important ones and teaching them better than their competition.

3. Applicable to all levels
Each drill format has a simple variation for middle school (or freshmen) players, a more difficult variation for the JV level, and finally the most demanding variation for a talented high school team.

4. Doesn’t take itself too seriously
We’re playing volleyball here, not tackling world hunger!

5. Versatile
You can read it cover to cover – and I hope you do – but you can also skip around and use it as a reference book. I think you’ll find it to be a big time-saver as you plan practice.

6. Interactive
Have questions or just want to get a second opinion on something related to your team? Feel free to contact me at (contact details provided in the book).

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About the Author

Tod Mattox has been coaching volleyball in San Diego since 1982, working extensively with high school and club girls’ programs. In addition, he has coached boys’ high school, AVP women and a bit of men’s college. Tod recently retired from his “real job” – teaching English at The Bishop’s and recently completed his 25th year heading the girls’ varsity team. Until 2019, Tod was the owner/director/head coach of a small local volleyball club that served inexperienced 12- and 14-unders. After selling the club, he began his current work in coaches’ education with The Art of Coaching Volleyball and Coast Volleyball Club. Tod is a current board member and long-time supporter of Starlings Volleyball, US, a non-profit that serves at-risk girls.