Volleyball Coaching 401:
Advanced Tactics and Techniques
Course Syllabus
Course Description
This course is designed to assist coaches in developing effective organizational, motivational and teaching strategies to guide successful volleyball programs. Course materials, including professionally produced videos from Championship Productions and a text written by Don Shondell, will guide coaches in exploring the approaches of several of the nation’s top volleyball coaches. Students will explore the building blocks of philosophy, planning, motivation, teambuilding and evaluation. They will also survey the strategies successful coaches employ in teaching the skills and tactics of the game. Students will complete readings and view video presentations from these experts in the field and apply what they’ve learned to their own programs.
Text: Shondell, Don (2002). The Volleyball Coaching Bible. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Publishing
Videos: Keating, Tom Developing a Philosophy of Coaching
Planning for the Season, Practice and Match
Evaluation
Shymansky, Bond : Gettin’ Better: Passing and Serving
Dunning, John : 15 Essential Elements for Success
Becoming a Champion Volleyball Player: Setting
Becoming a Champion Volleyball Player: Hitting
Simplified Playing Systems
Johnson, Christy: Game Speed Drills for Setting
Haley, Mick: Defensive Strategies: Individual and Team Skills
Defensive Strategies: Systems and Concepts
Rose, Russ: Systems for Offense
Cook, John: Agility and Core Strength Conditioning
Lamb, Chris: Serving Progression
Hebert, Mike: 15 Drills for Transition
Lynch, Jerry: The Way of the Champion: Developing Team Unity and Leadership
Dale, Greg: Becoming a Champion: Goal Setting for Success
Brown, Debbie: Essential Drills for Blocking
Goals:
- Develop an understanding of the techniques and strategies used by the top volleyball coaches in the country.
- Learn effective strategies for training players in volleyball fundamentals.
- Learn effective strategies for training players in offensive and defensive systems.
- Learn effective strategies for training transition.
- Recognize the importance of developing a philosophy of coaching.
- Develop an understanding of planning and goal setting.
- Develop an understanding of motivation in coaching.
- Develop an understanding of the importance of evaluation in coaching.
- Use the concepts presented to develop your own plans, goals, and evaluation techniques.
- Use the concepts presented to develop your own physical and mental training techniques.
Replay Questions are the first series of questions in each module, and they are based on the readings and the video presentations. In the course outline you will find listed the readings and video presentations upon which these questions will be based.
Reflective Questions are the second series of questions in each module and are based on applying ideas to your specific coaching circumstances.
You are encouraged to follow this sequence in using course materials:
1. Read the instructions for each module in this Study Guide, noting the learning objectives and the related questions at the end of each module.
2. View the corresponding videos and read the assigned text readings, taking detailed notes on each presentation.
3. Complete the corresponding assignments on the colored pages within each module.
Evaluation Criteria: Your work will be graded based on your ability to accurately reflect on the presentations of “Volleyball Coaching 401,” and to apply those concepts to your specific needs and resources. Points are awarded based on your ability to:
- Respond with insight, clarity and precision
- Respond in relevant illustrative detail
- Write competently at the graduate level
The eleven modules and summary question for “Volleyball Coaching 401” are worth a total of 324 points, based on your responses to the replay and reflection questions for each of the modules.
Your final letter grade corresponds with the following percentages of total points earned:
A 90-100%
B 80-90%
C 70-79%
D 60-70%
F 59% and lower
