Introduction

Volleyball coaches can profoundly impact young athletes on and off the court. The best coaches inspire athletes to fulfill their potential while nurturing positive character. Master coaches change lives for the better.

However, ineffective coaching can damage athlete motivation, love of the game, and self-confidence. Poor role models breed poor behaviors. Athlete well-being suffers under authoritarian regimes.

What separates great coaches from poor ones? Decades of research and player testimony reveal common themes. This article outlines seven essential skills of elite volleyball coaches, as well as seven common mistakes beginners should avoid.

Mastering key coaching competencies takes time. Excellence is a lifelong journey. But understanding the right principles and mindsets from the outset puts developing coaches on the path to success.

While every coach has a unique style, the very best share core values and understandings. They build connection and trust. They take the long view of athlete progression. They inspire the joy of learning and competing collaboratively.

Young coaches inhabit influential roles. Your athletes’ sports experiences will shape them. Approach coaching with care, humility and wisdom beyond your years. Strive to embody the positive qualities described here. Learn from others’ missteps.

Use this guidance to critically examine your mindsets and methods. Be honest in your self-assessment. View development as iterative refinement, not instant transformation. Aim for consistency and commitment, not perfection.

The reward will be young athletes who thrive socially, academically, and athletically thanks to your mentorship. There is no greater prize than unleashing human potential. Heed this advice, and change lives.

Essential Skill 1: Having a Growth Mindset

One of the most important mindsets a coach can have is believing that both they and their athletes can continually improve through effort and learning. Having a fixed mindset – where one’s abilities are set in stone – severely limits potential. With a growth mindset, one believes talents and abilities can be developed through hard work, good strategies, and input from others.

This begins with being honest about one’s own mistakes and ability to improve. A coach who thinks they already know everything will stop growing and learning. As legendary coach John Wooden said, “It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.” The best coaches remain humble and curious, viewing themselves as lifelong learners of their craft.

This humility allows coaches to build trust and connection with athletes. A coach who admits mistakes models this for their team. Athletes will forgive imperfection, but not ego or lack of care. A coach must create a psychologically safe environment where mistakes fuel growth, not shame.

Part of lifelong learning is expanding one’s vision of the game. Young coaches often zoom in on singular execution errors. Veteran coaches see technical mistakes as symptoms of larger strategic issues. This wider perspective allows more effective diagnosis and training. It takes time, but opening one’s eyes to see more is a key coaching skill.

Finally, growth mindset coaches individualize training and have empathy. Not all athletes respond to the same style. Great coaching means aligning training with each athlete’s learning style, strengths and weaknesses. Coaches must avoid a one-size-fits-all mentality and get to know all athletes as individuals.

The best coaches never stop pushing themselves to improve. They are fiercely committed to developing each athlete to their potential, not the coach’s ego. A growth mindset creates excitement for the journey, not fixation on destination. With the right mindset, anything is possible.

Essential Skill 2: Focusing on Learning and Development

The most effective coaches focus on the process, not the outcome. Rather than obsessing over wins and losses, great coaches look at each moment as a learning opportunity. The right question is not “did we win?”, but “did we get better?”.

Practices should challenge athletes to expand skills and understanding. Losses become reflective learning experiences, not embarrassments. A growth mindset turns mistakes into lessons. The focus is helping all athletes reach their potential, not just the most talented.

A developmental focus also means recognizing that results will come later. Younger athletes need learning experiences first. Patience is required. Instant gratification cannot be expected. Athletes must lay foundations before excelling.

Coaches focused purely on outcomes demand quick wins. This increases pressure and anxiety. Athletes stop taking risks and playing creatively. Losses feel like personal failures. The ensuing negativity ruins love of the game.

But coaches seeking development play the long game. They focus on effort and learning, embracing failures. Athletes feel respected regardless of results. This intrinsic motivation and enjoyment fuels growth. Athletes then sustain excellence once successful outcomes arrive.

Great coaching balances the short and long term. Yes, some immediate results are expected. But the emphasis is continual, incremental improvement. Be an architect planning for a 30-year-building project. Judge yourself not on wins today, but who athletes become thanks to your guidance.

Essential Skill 3: Creating an Enjoyable and Positive Environment

Great coaches create training environments where athletes want to be their best. This begins with an enjoyable, supportive and respectful team culture. Players should be excited to practice and compete.

Enjoyment breeds fearlessness and effort. As Canadian sport scientist Dr. Joe Baker says, enjoyment is critical for athlete development. Demanding sessions can still be enjoyable if athletes feel cared for. Eliminate fear and intimidation.

Coaches must get to know all athletes as individuals. Understand their motivations and values. Bond with them beyond volleyball. Show you care for them as people. Athletes will go all-in for someone who goes all-in for them.

This family environment allows for positive communication. Praise and encouragement should far outweigh criticism. Be athletes’ biggest supporters. Remind them of their potential. Uplift them after mistakes. Create excitement around team goals.

Strong relationships also enable constructive feedback. Athletes accept challenging messages from trusted coaches. Tough love is only effective when athletes know it comes from a good place.

Enjoyment and relationships are the foundation. Technical and tactical development happens far more quickly in positive environments. Teams only reach their potential if athletes are having fun.

Essential Skill 4: Being a Demanding Yet Caring Coach

Great coaches are demanding. They expect more from athletes than athletes expect from themselves. The best coaches push individuals and teams to higher levels consistently.

But it is not enough simply to be demanding. Coaches must also truly care for each athlete as a person. Care plus demand equals excellence.

Demanding coaches inspire by asking for athlete’s best effort. They bring out greatness already inside. They challenge in positive ways. Demand is focused on potential, not shame.

Caring coaches get to know all athletes deeply. They understand backgrounds, pressures and learning styles. They never compromise dignity. They accept and educate, never humiliate.

Care builds trust. Athletes feel comfortable sharing concerns. Coaches can then customize training accordingly. Athletes also hold themselves accountable to someone who cares.

Demand prevents complacency. Intense effort is expected daily. Respect is earned by exceeding expectations, not meeting them. Reference standards are adjusted upwards continually.

Care plus demand sets higher standards while providing support to achieve them. Athletes give their best to positive, caring demand. This combination unlocks athletic potential.

Essential Skill 5: Listening and Empathizing with Athletes

Great coaching requires deep listening and empathy. Coaches must understand each athlete’s reality, not just their own. This builds trust and connection.

Active listening demonstrates caring. Athletes should feel heard and respected. Let them share feelings without judgement. Ask open-ended questions. Clarify meanings. Summarize key points.

Listen also with your eyes. Observe body language and other non-verbals. Notice patterns over time. Try to sense athletes’ unspoken messages. There is often more beneath the surface.

Strive to truly empathize, not just sympathize. As Brene Brown says, empathy requires getting in the hole with someone, not just peering down giving advice. Imagine yourself in the athlete’s shoes. Shared experience builds bonds.

Listening improves coaching strategy. Athletes will tell you how to best reach them, if you listen. Quiet athletes may need different motivation. Customize your approach based on each athlete’s needs.

Ultimately, coaching is about trust and relationships. Listen first, speak second. You have two ears and one mouth for a reason. Validating athletes through listening shows you care. This motivates far more than any lecture.

Essential Skill 6: Allowing Athletes to Take Ownership On-Court

Effective coaches decentralize decision-making authority. They avoid micro-managing from the sidelines during competition. Athletes must take ownership on-court.

Over-coaching stunts intuitive creativity. Athletes wait for instructions rather than reading play themselves. This slows reactions and inhibits flow. Independent thinking is vital.

Clearly explain strategic principles in practices. Prepare athletes to make their own judgments during matches. Empower them to adjust tactics based on game situations. Trust their capabilities.

Initial guidance may be required. But gradually give athletes more autonomy. Mistakes will occur, but creativity and responsibility will grow. Steadily expand the decision-making circle.

On-court leadership also flourishes when athletes take ownership. Coaches on sidelines cannot coordinate like on-floor players. Enable athlete leaders to guide teammates.

Post-match, ask questions instead of lecturing. “What did you see happening?” “Why did you make that choice?” Let review be collaborative.

Great coaching distributes responsibility and instills confidence. The coach still sets principles, but athletes apply them. This creates resilient, empowered teams.

Essential Skill 7: Continuously Developing One’s Coaching Philosophy

Excellent coaches consciously evolve their personal coaching philosophy over decades. They refine core principles while adapting to new knowledge and ideas.

Early on, coaches may rigidly adhere to one style or system. But the best integrate elements from various mentors and build their own way over time.

An effective coaching philosophy provides stability and consistency for athletes. But it must also be flexible enough to fit unique individuals and teams.

Philosophies should outline optimal athlete development and experience. Define values and standards. Detail effective teaching methods. Outline ideal team culture.

Re-evaluating one’s philosophy yearly prevents stagnation. Have honest dialogue with athletes and fellow coaches. Identify potential improvements.

Be a lifelong learner. Draw inspiration from books, seminars, mentors. Find new drills and communication techniques. Expand technical and tactical knowledge.

Core values remain steady, but methods continually evolve. Adapt without totally reinventing. Build on what works. Discard what does not.

Great coaches have a clear philosophy that guides their approach. But growth requires never being totally satisfied. Keep refining and improving. No finish line exists.

Common Mistake 1: Focusing Too Much on Outcomes Rather Than Process

It is easy, especially early on, to judge coaching success solely on wins and losses. But an obsessive results focus can be destructive.

Outcomes-driven coaches often sacrifice athlete well-being and long-term development to get short-term wins. This leads to lopsided, anxious teams.

Pressure skyrockets. Fear of failure suppresses needed creativity and risk-taking. Athletes wait for direction rather than taking ownership.

Positivity disappears. Coaches criticize more than compliment. Athletes begin playing not to lose rather than giving full effort trying to win. Fun declines.

Athletes get pigeon-holed into set roles instead of developing versatility. Key players get overused. Struggling athletes get ignored.

Outcomes-focused coaching causes reactive volatility. A big win provides false security. A tough loss provokes overreaction. Perspective is lost.

The right balance recognizes results matter, but keep them in context. Judge efforts and improvement, not just the final score. Focus on the journey travelled, not just the destination.

Common Mistake 2: Being Overly Serious and Forgetting About Enjoyment

Many coaches believe elite sport requires utmost seriousness at all times. Joy and fun are seen as incompatible with intense effort and competition. This is a mistake.

Practices and competitions should of course challenge athletes. But enjoyment and relationships must not be sacrificed. Burnout is inevitable otherwise.

Overly serious environments breed fear of failure. Athletes hold back to avoid mistakes. Creativity vanishes. Teammates stop taking risks for each other.

Obsessive seriousness exhausts athletes mentally and emotionally. Self-confidence gets shattered by intense criticism. Loving the game becomes impossible.

Positive peer relationships deteriorate. It becomes everyone for themselves. Teams fragment into cliques instead of bonding into one unit.

Athletes counts down the minutes until practice ends. They transition from internal to external motivation. The fire driving excellence fades.

Great coaches demand much from athletes but also earn their love. Be serious about hard work, but make sure enjoyment and care stay central.

Common Mistake 3: Resorting to Fear and Intimidation Instead of Inspiration

Some coaches believe chewing athletes out is required to produce results. But intimidation seldom leads to sustainable long-term success.

Fear-based authority relies on threats and personal attacks. Coaches embarrass and degrade athletes to motivate. This kills morale.

Intimidated athletes become timid and tentative. Fear chokes creativity and risk-taking required for peak performances. Athletes wait for instructions rather than taking charge on-court.

Overly criticized athletes lose confidence and withdraw effort. They start avoiding the scornful coach. Resentment festers, destroying relationships.

Athletes pressured by fear and intimidation often quit when free from the coercive environment. If given the choice, many would go elsewhere.

Great coaches earn authority through inspiration, not intimidation. They rally athletes around shared vision and values. They build true unity, not compliance through threats. Players give their all because they want to, not because they have to.

While respect for the coach is non-negotiable, it should arise from care for athletes, not fear. Inspire by caring and bringing out the best, not criticizing the worst.

Common Mistake 4: Blaming Athletes Rather Than Taking Ownership

Master volleyball coaches intently listen to players and demonstrate deep empathy for their perspectives. Failing to listen and relate on an individual level severely limits coaching effectiveness.

Poor listening manifests in frequently interrupting athletes, being preoccupied when they speak, and neglecting nonverbal cues. Coaches miss key insights when they do not devote full attention. They also undermine trust and transparency.

Beyond basic listening skills, elite coaches strive to truly understand each player’s mindset and emotions. They appreciate the unique pressures and anxieties athletes face in training, competition, and life.

Showing genuine empathy requires avoiding assumptions about players. Coaches connect more profoundly by asking thoughtful questions, not imagining they grasp what someone is going through. Making time for 1:1 conversations facilitates trust and understanding.

Strong empathy also means accommodating differences in learning and motivational styles within appropriate boundaries. Coaches avoid taking a rigid one-size-fits-all approach if individualization better serves athletes.

Developing advanced listening and empathy takes dedication. Coaches must continually reflect on their ability to relate to players from diverse backgrounds. They also benefit from mentors who model human-centric leadership.

Ultimately, elite volleyball coaches recognize each player’s humanity beyond just athletic abilities. They forge trusting relationships through patient listening and deep empathy. Understanding individuals profoundly enhances motivation and developmental impact.

Common Mistake 5: Talking Too Much Rather Than Listening

When starting out, coaches often feel urgency to teach everything they know. But one-way lecturing fails to connect with athletes.

Great coaches listen far more than they talk. Speaking should reinforce listening, not replace it. Avoid dominating conversations.

Listen actively without judging. Let athletes express themselves on issues beyond volleyball too. Get to know them more deeply as people.

Ask open-ended questions. When giving feedback, have a back-and-forth dialogue rather than monopolizing discussions.

Observe non-verbal cues – body language, tone, energy levels. Sensing unspoken messages is key. Not everything is conveyed verbally.

Listening shows you care. Athletes feel respected, not just lectured at. bonds build when coaches validate athletes’ perspectives and feelings.

Information flows both ways. Coaches learn how to best motivate and connect with each athlete. Customize your approach based on what you hear.

The best coaches talk strategically, not constantly. They reinforce listening with targeted communication. Two ears, one mouth. Listen first, speak second.

Common Mistake 6: Micromanaging On-Court Decisions

It’s tempting for coaches to make every on-court decision from the sidelines during competitions. But this stunts athlete development.

Over-coaching breeds dependency. Athletes wait for instructions rather than reading situations themselves. Reactions become robotic.

On-court creativity and intuition are limited by constant sideline direction. Flow is disrupted. Players think rather than tap instincts.

Independent decision-making, communication and leadership skills do not develop. Players rely on the coach as the brain of the team.

Effective coaches teach principles and prepare athletes to apply them during competitions. Players gain freedom to adjust tactics based on game situations.

Of course coaches guide from the sidelines, especially with less experienced athletes. But gradually expand the on-court autonomy circle. Mistakes will occur but learning follows.

Post-match, ask thoughtful questions instead of giving every answer. “What did you see happening there?” Let athletes self-reflect.

Great coaching distributes thinking across the team, not just the sideline. Empower athletes to take ownership on the court.

Common Mistake 7: Putting One’s Ego Ahead of Athletes’ Needs

Early career coaches often feel urgency to prove themselves. Some sacrifice athlete well-being in order to quickly advance their status.

Ego-driven coaches play favorites, overuse star players, and ignore struggling athletes. Development of the person takes a back seat to wins.

Outward confidence masks inner insecurity. Their self-image depends on external validation through results. Coaching becomes self-serving.

When upset by losses, ego-driven coaches often turn on players with anger and blame. Cool reflection is absent. Knee-jerk reactions rule.

Envy can also inject ego into coaching. Rival coaches’ success threatens self-image. Status anxiety breeds emotional volatility.

Great coaches check ego and always put athlete development first. Your worth comes from helping young people, not trophies or credentials.

Be ambitious and confident professionally, but stay humble interpersonally. Welcome scrutiny of methods. Be motivated by service, not status.

Coach from the heart, not the ego. Measure impact by lives influenced, not personal profile. Seek significance through others’ success, not your own.