Wisconsin Head Volleyball Coach Kelly Sheffield has developed some of the best players in the sport. His methods might be a bit different than a typical coach, but then again, you don't want typical players if you want to win championships. Coach Sheffield talks with Janice about the importance of losing games (yes, losing), and find out how his music selection during training and practice sessions plays a role in shaping some of the most skilled players in the league. Links mentioned: For...

Starting out as a sports psychologist, Paco Labrador was always looking for ways to help athletes and programs bring out the very best in themselves. However, once he saw our life as a head coach could be, he was set on changing paths. Now, as the Head Coach of Volleyball at the Naval Academy, Paco is living his dream. He took the Naval Academy to their first NCAA Volleyball Tournament, and was voted the National Coach of the Year for Division 3. Paco has done great things, perhaps in part...

What is the ideal personality for a coach to have? Who should be the most competitive person on the team? How do you manage a new team every year? Coach Julie Jenkins has spent the last 40 years figuring out the answers to these big questions. As the head coach at Trinity University in Texas, Coach Jenkins is victory leader in Division 3, with 1,080 wins. She’s even been recognized as the national coach of the year twice by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). Janice and Coach...

Meet the woman whose power and bravery on the court led Team USA to their first-ever Olympic gold medal in women’s volleyball. Jordan Larson is a four-time Olympian with two silver medals and a bronze to go with her gold. As the new Assistant Coach for the University of Nebraska, Jordan is bringing us some of her best Lessons she discovered while playing on the US Olympic team. Hear how she implements those lessons now as a coach herself, and how you can, too! Find out what separates the Gold...

The vast majority of volleyball players go their whole career without winning a national championship. Meet Molly Phillips. She won three national championships! Two of those wins came back-to-back with the University of Texas. She then moved to the beach volleyball team at the University of Southern California and won her third national championship. Molly tells Janice about her pre-game superstitions, training for the pros, and the importance of the smallest roles on the team. Links...

Think about what it takes to win a state championship. Now imagine doing that 10 times! As the Head Volleyball coach at RHAM High School in Hebron, Connecticut, Tim Guernsey has made that astonishing Achievement. Before Tim began running the volleyball program at RHAM High school, it didn’t even exist. He built it from the ground up into a program now known for dominating the court. Hear why one of his biggest challenges today is teaching his new players that winning doesn’t come as easy as...

Taking immature high school players and evolving them into formidable athletes takes more than just carefully planned training routines. Coach Stephanie Noriega has found a way to grow her players her players into confident and caring young women, unafraid of new challenges. She’s the Head Coach of Volleyball at West Springfield High School in Virginia. Just as important, Stephanie helped build and grow the Dig Pink charity tournaments with the Side-Out Foundation at their very...

Talent comes at a young age — whether you’re playing or coaching. As someone in her mid-twenties, Katie Oleksak has quickly rose in the world of volleyball. This NCAA Woman of the Year nominee broke the career assist record (5,083) at Colorado State University, and earned All-American honors each of her four seasons. After graduating, Katie wasted no time going pro and competing in Switzerland. She took a chance during the pandemic From there, Katie made the transition from the court to the...

Team USA has only ever won four Olympic Gold medals in volleyball. One of those Golds belongs to coach Hugh McCutcheon. He led the men’s team to Gold in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Hugh then switched over to coach the U.S. Women’s National team to a Silver medal finish at the London Olympics in 2012. Now serving as the Assistant Athletics Director for the University of Minnesota, Hugh talks with Janice about his keys to success, and the differences between winning on a national stage versus...

Ever wonder how balls get made, jerseys get designed, and sports equipment gets tested? Jake Licht knows. As the president and CEO of Báden Sports, it’s Jake’s responsibility not to just make your sports supplies, but make them the best.  Janice talks with Jake about the unique path that got him involved with Báden Sports. And hear how, as a CEO, he has learned to lean on himself and others during challenging times. Links mentioned: For more information go to www.side-out.org. Follow the...

As a coach, would you choose a player with a small role on a winning team, or take a player with a big role on a losing team? University of Pittsburgh Head Volleyball Coach Dan Fisher has built a VERY successful career out of recruiting players from all types of backgrounds. He tells Janice about his methods and philosophies when it comes to standing out in an extremely competitive field. Also, discover the superstitious habit Coach Fisher got hooked on after leading his team on an incredible...

With four national championships under his belt, the current head coach of Nebraska’s Cornhuskers volleyball team is spilling the secrets to competing at his level. Hear Coach John Cook explain why he prefers practices to matches, and why he believes the best coaches start out as dedicated school teachers. John also tells Janice what he learned from the Navy Seals when it comes to finding the leaders for his top team. Links mentioned: For more information go to www.side-out.org. Follow the...

The winningest coach in Texas A&M history has thoughts on volleyball you may have never heard before. Laurie Corbelli knows how to rally her teams to perform at levels they’ve never reached. The current Volleyball Operations Consultant for the Pro Volleyball Federation is a former Olympic silver medalist. Whether it’s competing against her fellow coach husband, or attracting the best players in the world, Laurie has a story for you, with lessons to embrace. Links mentioned: For more...

At just 22 years old, Cecile Reynaud was thrust into being the Head Coach of Florida State University’s Women’s Volleyball program. As one of the top female coaches, Cecile recognized many women in the sports coaching world weren’t being taken as seriously as their male counterparts. So Cecile decided to do something about it. She’s now spent decades uplifting other female coaches across all sports. Dr. Cecile Reynaud's lifetime of achievement and ambition is currently being put to the test...

On August 2nd, 2023, sports history was made at a volleyball game in Lincoln, Nebraska. More than 92,000 fans packed into a stadium to watch an NCAA match — making it the largest crowd to ever watch a women’s sport.  As the Director of Operations for the University of Nebraska’s Volleyball program, Lindsay Peterson helped put together the largest attended women’s game in history. How did it happen? How can it be repeated? And what’s next for the future of the sport in stadiums and on TV?...

Thinking about a career in professional volleyball? Star players Kendall White and Sydney Hilley share what it’s really like. From the NCAA, to the Omaha Supernovas, Kendall and Sydney are charting a path for future players with the United States’ Pro Volleyball Federation. They’ve played professional volleyball for various countries around the world, where overcoming the language barrier is as difficult as dealing with the thousands of miles separating them from their friends and families....

If you treat your players like family, they will fight for you like family. That is one of Coach Cathy George’s principles. As the current Head Coach of the Grand Rapids Rise professional volleyball federation team, and the winningest coach in the history of Michigan State’s volleyball program, Cathy has dedicated her life to raising the best players in the sport. Often times that has involved inviting her players over to her home for the holidays, when they can’t be home with their...

What does it take not only rack up an impressive win streak, but to find the confidence to keep that streak going? In 2023, Indiana Wesleyan University’s Candace Moats was honored with multiple ‘Coach of the Year’ awards, in part to her team finishing with a flawless 38 wins and zero losses season (the first time in 6 years for any NAIA volleyball team to accomplish).  Coach Moats has been coaching volleyball competitively for 40 years. She shares her advice for not caving to the high-stakes...

Building a championship team takes great players that can be pushed to get better, AND great team staff that can push the coach to get better as well. Coach Erin Virtue leads the women’s volleyball team at the University of Michigan and serves as an Assistant Coach for the U.S Women’s National team. Coach Virtue tells Janice how she and the national volleyball team had to re-shape the scouting system they were using so they could spot and recruit the best players the country has to offer....

For decades, the best volleyball players in the country had few places to turn to if they wanted to stay with the sport they loved after college. Jen Spicher helped change that. As the CEO of the newly created "Pro Volleyball Federation," Jen is giving women a chance to continue their dreams.  In her talk with Janice, Jen breaks down just what it takes to launch a new professional sports league. Jen also offers her unique perspective on the difference between being a college NCAA coach, and a...

In the early days of collegiate and competitive volleyball, organizer had one major question in mind: How to raise the popularity and visibility of the game. That’s where Terry Liskevych came in. As a former collegiate and US Olympic team national volleyball coach, Terry Helped create the framework to support promising coaches and leaders in the world of volleyball. Terry explains to Janice why he has a hard time putting faith in the USA volleyball organization. And in the ongoing debate over...

Winning isn’t everything if you’re not winning cleanly. Coach Tyler Carey believes in pushing his players to be accountable for every point… even the ones the refs don’t get right. Tyler helped start the “Power of Pink” volleyball tournament, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for breast cancer research. He talks with Janice about how a brush with death helped him find a renewed passion for life, and helping others. Links mentioned: For more information go to www.side-out.org. Follow...

In the world of women’s volleyball, one coach has racked up more wins than any other. His name is Russ Rose. He spent 40 years at Penn State and picked up seven NCAA Division 1 championships, among numerous other huge successes. So what does it take to not just get to the very top level, but stay there? Russ’s coaching style holds players accountable. Hear what he sees as problems on the court today. Links mentioned: For more information go to www.side-out.org. Follow the side-out...

When Gary Thompson lost his wife Maureen to metastatic breast cancer almost 10 years ago, his kids (15, 13, and 10 1/2 at the time) lost their mom. He and his family leaned into a variety of philanthropic endeavors to honor her legacy. As a result of his daughters spearheading Dig Pink® games (raising over $75K over 6 years) at their high school in Austin, TX, Gary was brought to the Side-Out Foundation and now serves as the Board Chair. Gary talks with Janice about his mission to give others...