What warm-ups are best for volleyball? Should you stretch before practice? Is there a best workout for volleyball players? You don't have to wonder anymore! David Hardy, volleyball trainer, makes these complex topics easy to understand for even beginner coaches! —————— GET IN TOUCH WITH DAVID —————— Instagram: @davidhardytrainer & @trademarkperformance (the company David works for) Facebook: David Hardy - Trainer Work with David in person: http://www.trademarkpc.com or call (219)...

Do you only become successful after hard work and growth? Or does success lead to growth? Listen to this quick episode that breaks down how to strategically use "success" in order to help your athletes gain confidence on the court and get better in their sport. —————— DRILLS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE —————— Shuttle Passing: https://getthepancake.com/drills-and-tips/easy-passing-drill-shuttle-passing Team Serving Challenge:...

Win more volleyball games using these simple (but not always obvious) strategies!  Break down your opponent's strengths and weaknesses, then use your team's talents to chip away at them. Practice "ugly" volleyball to prepare for this opportunity, and be ready to go into the match with high expectations! —————— MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE —————— Get The Pancake website: https://getthepancake.com/ Teach Your Passers To Read The Hitters:...

Have you ever been accused of "having favorites" as a volleyball coach? If the answer is "no," it's probably just a matter of time!  In this episode, I break down my theory on why players sometimes struggle with the decisions their coaches make.  Deciding playing time, making your team, choosing captains... You can make these decisions easier on yourself and clearer for your players by first defining your values, sharing those values, and therefore giving players the framework they need to...

On this week’s episode of the Get The Pancake Podcast, I speak with a good friend of mine, Lynette Ray. Lynette has a wide range of experiences in the volleyball world… from officiating to being the director of a club program, this former college athlete and current volleyball coach has a ton of experiences to share… and she’s only 28! Listen in as she shares how her current 18’s team is dealing with the 6-week gap in their season due to coronavirus, some of the most surprising feedback...

I'm just going to be honest with you... when it comes to skill development and comfort on the court, open gyms are better for most players than camps or clinics! You can improve the quality of volleyball in your area by simply offering a 1-2 hour open gym every week, provided you create a great learning environment for your players! Follow my tips to see a jump in overall skill and awareness on the court with players in your area. NOTE: Coaches may have restrictions on the interactions they...

Anytime we're separated from our athletes (vacation, breaks, or mandated lockdowns), we're not able to coach them, right? ...WRONG! With just a few free apps, you're able to work with athletes anywhere, anytime. Listen to today's episode to get the full details on how I remotely work with players to provide them with helpful feedback digitally, while also boosting my coaching income (totally optional) in the process. —————— RESOURCES TO GET STARTED —————— 👥 Join the "Volleyball coaches...

Thinking about coaching volleyball this season? Have you really thought about whether it will fit into your schedule or not? Coaching can be a huge time commitment, especially when you compare "scheduled" coaching hours to the time you actually spend! Listen in as I discuss typical time requirements for rec volleyball coaches, middle school and high school volleyball coaches, and of course, club volleyball coaches. Keep in mind that your area might be different, and I encourage you to reach...

Have you ever coached a team where it felt like everyone was dragging their feet? Or have you had a match where everything felt frantic and out of control? Instead of hoping for your team to "return to normal" it's time you take matters into your own hands! Teach your team to "control the thermostat" and influence the pace of the match using these simple analogies as cue words.  —————— HELPFUL RESOURCES —————— 📖 “Coaching Volleyball: A Survival Guide for Your First Season":...

Don't let little issues turn into disasters! Schedule mid-seasons evaluations with your volleyball team for a "progress report" now to save yourself headaches later on! —————— HELPFUL RESOURCES —————— 📖 “Coaching Volleyball: A Survival Guide for Your First Season": https://amzn.to/2LGqVRw 🏆 Volleyball Goal Setting Packet: https://getthepancake.com/products/volleyball-season-goals-worksheets 📋 Coaching beginner volleyball players? Read “The Ultimate Guide to Coaching 5th and 6th Grade...

This week on the Get The Pancake Podcast, I'm going to read you an article I shared recently on www.getthepancake.com. The way you handle mistakes after a bad tournament has a huge impact on your performance moving forward, so be sure to follow these 4 simple steps before your next practice. —————— MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE —————— Original Article (Links Included): https://getthepancake.com/drills-and-tips/4-steps-to-recover-from-a-bad-tournament Episode 33. Building Up To Chaos:...

If you’re a new volleyball coach, you’re probably worried about… well, everything. Even if you have a year or two under your belt, you’re probably still working on refining your coaching philosophy, learning the latest techniques and strategies, spending extra time researching volleyball drills and skill breakdowns, signing up for coaching clinics… I think you get my point. When you're a new coach, it seems like you're always striving to learn more. But when you've been coaching for a...

Frustrated parents = headaches for volleyball coaches. But based on feedback from parents who follow GTP on Instagram, a lot of these headaches are avoidable. Listen in as I outline top complaints from parents and breakdown how YOU can improve these important relationships. Happy parents means less drama and a better experience for everyone! —————— MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE —————— Playing Time Philosophy (GTP Episode 34):...

Have you sat down and determined your playing time philosophy for your volleyball team? Or, are you just making adjustments as you go? Listen to this week's volleyball coaching podcast episode as I discuss the pros and cons of equal playing time, playing time based strictly on performance, and my own personal playing time philosophy which I have developed over the years. —————— HELPFUL RESOURCES —————— 📖 “Coaching Volleyball: A Survival Guide for Your First Season":...

Too many coaches teach skills in a controlled environment, and then wonder why their team can't pass, hit, etc. in a match. It's because you haven't practiced in "chaos!" In this episode of the Get The Pancake Podcast, I take you from skill introduction to gameplay execution in just 20-25 minutes. Regardless of your team's skill level or age group, "building up to chaos" is a great way to incorporate more gamelike volleyball drills into practice. —————— DRILLS...

I get asked this question ALL. THE. TIME. And I'm not surprised! Being on a volleyball team means facing challenges day after day with individuals you may or may not get along with. This is tough for most adults I know, let alone teen and preteen athletes. In this episode, I'll walk you three types of "interventions" you can use when your volleyball team doesn't get along. This moves from easiest to implement to the more challenging ways to deal with conflict. At the end of this episode, you...

Have you been thinking about running a volleyball clinic for your players, but weren't sure where to start? Let me share some helpful tips on how to structure your clinics so you can start introducing the sport we all love to more athletes. Sign-up for the Get The Pancake Newsletter at www.getthepancake.com! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/getthepancake/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/getthepancake/support

If you are coaching beginners in volleyball, this is episode is a *MUST* listen!  Do you need a crash course on the basic rules of volleyball, what skills young volleyball players need to know, and what concepts you need to teach them? Let me walk you through how to coach beginner volleyball step-by-step! ---------- LINKS ---------- Original Article: www.getthepancake.com/drills-and-tips/ultimate-guide-5th-6th-grade-volleyball How to Underhand Serve a Volleyball for Beginners:...

Are you a new volleyball coach who is trying to understand the positions on a volleyball team? Are you trying to place players in positions but don't know where to start when looking at your roster? Let me help! Keep in mind... this information is highly generalized and more for younger and newer teams. I hope this provides you with guidance but if you disagree with anything I highly encourage you to do what you think is best for your team! There have been plenty of times I myself have...

It's that time of year again! Let me share three tips that I believe will make a HUGE difference in how you coach volleyball this year. Highly recommended for all coaches, but new volleyball coaches will especially benefit from the information in this podcast. ----------- LINKS ----------- Rules Article Link: https://getthepancake.com/drills-and-tips/team-rules-free-printable Podcast Episode 10: Chapter 4: Beginning of the Season:...

Lindsey Napela Berg is a former Olympic and professional volleyball athlete, born in Honolulu, Hawaii. Lindsey played volleyball for the University of Minnesota and in three Olympic Games for the US national team, winning two Olympic silver medals. She is currently building a platform, THE CUORE PROJECT,  to share, educate and inspire.  She is focusing on female volleyball athletes, to provide a positive resource for those coming up in the sport. ----------- LINKS ----------- THE CUORE...

In this week's volleyball podcast episode, you get TWO articles from getthepancake.com read to you, PLUS audio from the Get The Pancake YouTube channel is included. It's that time of the year when the end of the season is sneaking up on us... don't get caught by surprise! This week's episode includes tips on what to do for volleyball seniors on senior night, end of season party ideas, and how to give a great speech at your end of the year volleyball...

I thought this week I'd go more "motivational" and share a very small portion of one of the most influential books on my own personal coaching career.  John Wooden was an astonishing basketball coach who achieved much during his long career, and I've always found his style, values, and teachings to be motivational, no matter what situation I was in. Let me share two building blocks of his infamous "Pyramid of Success" with you in this week's episode. ----------- LINKS ----------- ...

What motivates players more, a "good job" or a high five? Find out in this week's episode of the Get The Pancake Podcast, a podcast for volleyball coaches! ----------- LINKS ----------- Original study: "High fives motivate: the effects of gestural and ambiguous verbal praise on motivation” by Bradley J. Morris and Shannon R. Zentall, published in the Frontiers in Psychology journal in 2014. Read my article on getthepancake.com:...

Questions addressed in today’s episode:      - “How do you motivate players? To talk, to encourage each other, to play hard, etc?”      - ”How can I get a school to give me a shot at coaching if I’ve never coached before?”      - “How to help a coach when you are a parent?”      - “What is your suggestion on a healthy praise/criticism ratio?”      - “How do you feel about Player A saying Player B’s name when she thinks it’s their ball?”      - “Never coached before but have played. I am...