Coach Your Brains Out

• 0:39 - Balancing development of athletes, starting from a young age and lasting as they become older.
  • 0:42 - David Epstein - “cult of the head start” (balancing long term development and short term development in terms of success).
  • 1:55 - John’s thoughts on how playtime should be treated with young athletes.
• 3:45 - Practice planning example: what John would do in one hour of practice.
  •  4:05 - “Play practice play” model.
• 6:42 - Helpful advice coaches should give from the sidelines.
  • 7:10 - Developing intuition and independent problem solving within young athletes.
• 9:11 - Effective debriefing post match.
• 10:49 - Effectively coaching young kids who are easily distracted or not paying attention.
  • 11:07 - Creating standards.
  • 11:59 - Quick, rapidly moving games to keep kids attentive.
• 14:37 - Tips for maintaining attention during offtimes where coaches may want to explain or demo a drill.
• 16:03 - Working with kids who demonstrate a lack of effort during practice.
  • 17:06 - Trying to figure out why they might be not putting in effort during practice.
  • 17:29 - Kids that are not trying vs. kids that are disrupting practice.
• 18:07 - In a situation with a variety of skill levels, challenging kids at a higher level while also not drowning out kids of a lower level.
• 20:39 - The greatest takeaways from all the interviews John has done.
  • 20:59 - Importance of humility.
  • 21:26 - Understanding that the core tenet of coaching is love (both the sports and the athletes).
• 22:46 - John’s plans on upcoming live and virtual coaching development programs.

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• 0:27 - John’s podcast and development of the Changing the Game project.
  • Podcast link: https://wayofchampions.libsyn.com/
  • Changing the Game Project link: https://changingthegameproject.com/
• 1:56 - John’s main advice for youth sports coaching.
• 3:04 - Examples of negative coaching that drives off young athletes from playing sports.
  • 3:27 - Importance of having fun and encouraging genuine enjoyment of sports.
• 6:57 - Differentiation between seriousness and having fun, and maintaining both.
• 7:39 - John’s “ideal practice” scenario + his advice on running an effective practice.
• 8:54 - How to effectively interact with parents in the early coaching stages.
  • 9:29 - One of the most effective forms of practice - interleaved practice.
  • 10:36 - Showing parents that learning is messy, and that effective practices are not necessarily organized.
  • 13:07 - Building trust and connections with athletes and parents.
• 13:39 - What happens once coaches establish trust with parents?
• 15:16 - Dealing with parents coaching off the sidelines of games.
• 17:13 - Advice for parents to help their children grow as athletes.
• 20:44 - Establishing a healthy dynamic between parents and children in the context of sports.
• 24:01 - Do development and learning of fundamentals come before playing games, or do they emerge from playing experience?
• 26:51 - Why isolated, “fundamentals first” training is widely practiced.

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• 0:31 - In contrast to the “before practice” checklist, what are key components of the “during practice” checklist?
  • 0:58 - Dependent on the kind of coach and the “coaching moment”.
• 2:53 - Common things coaches should avoid when giving feedback to their athletes.
  • Staying on track with the original goal of practice and minimizing information overload.
• 4:51 - Should coaches focus on working with groups of athletes at a time, or just individuals?
  • 5:09 - Example given in the context of young athletes.
• 8:11 - Importance of encouraging athletes to practice on their own time by their own volition.
• 9:06 - Chris’ thoughts on including progressions and themes in practices.
  • 9:41 - Benefits of interleaved practice that mimics the constant change in games.
  • 11:42 - Balance of variety and consistency in practice planning.
• 13:32 - If the original practice plan seems to be ineffective, should coaches stick with the plan or improvise?
• 14:37 - “Coaching experiments” and the impact and importance of showing vulnerability as a coach.
• 16:01 - Chris’ thoughts on having post-practice consistent routines and discussions with either the coaching staff or the athletes.
• 20:23 - Ways in which coaches can get feedback on the effectiveness of practice
  • Writing down things to focus on in one practice + increasing skill sets
• 23:03 - Similarities and differences of working with beach volleyball coaches and coaches from other sports.
• 26:34 - Chris’ thoughts on intentional coaching and why he emphasizes it.
•  

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• 00:35 - Making the transition from being the head coach of the USA Field Hockey national team to a coaching consultant.
• 2:04 - What Chris has used from his coaching experience and implemented into consulting + what he would have done differently throughout his early career.
• 3:41 - How coaches have received Chris’ advice + how he identifies what kind of coaches he is coaching.
• 7:05 - What Chris thinks are the most prevalent or frequent areas in which coaches can improve in.
• 9:30 - “Checking for understanding”: a technique Chris uses to make sure that coaches are on the same page.
• 13:54 - How Chris actively develops coaching skills by making them work harder to figure out through trial and error rather than through being lectured. 
• 15:34 - Step by step process to make sure that all coaches are on the same page.
• 17:07 - Making sure to focus and maintain the goal or core idea of the game/activity.
• 21:12 - Key things coaches can do before a training session.
  • 22:22 - Establishing the purpose of the practice to maintain engagement and actively attempt to accomplish goals of that practice.
  • 23:49 - Importance of effective communication: implementing the best games or activities to get the standard/purpose of the purpose across to the players.
• 25:09 - Should players be involved in the planning process of practices?
  • 26:57 - Benefits of letting players be included in this coaching process.
  • 27:18 - Importance of letting go of your ego for the purpose of this process.

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• 0:31 - How the pandemic has affected the mental health of Dan’s players.
  • 1:43 - Ways in which Dan’s been trying to deal with feelings anxiety and pressure.
• 4:00 - Finding professional help to strengthen the mental health of athletes.
• 6:18 - Using the team environment to create bonds + having older players use their experience with playing anxiety to offer advice to younger players.
• 7:19 - How Dan has tried to maintain team bonds throughout the pandemic.
• 8:50 - Building connections even with pandemic restrictions.
• 9:46 - Exercises coaches can use to get players to open up about their mental health.
• 10:56 - Importance of communication with players and listening to athletes.
• 12:20 - Giving back to the community: why Dan and his players do community service.
• 13:36 - What Rae Strong is and how people can get involved.
  • Link: https://raestrong.org/
• 17:40 - An update on how Rae is doing today.
• 18:38 - Why and how Dan ended up coaching Tim Bomgren and Jeremy Casebeer at the AVP Chicago event.
• 20:09 - Why Dan doesn’t take money for coaching on the sand + why he enjoys being a part of the beach community.
• 22:34 - Dan’s players getting involved in the AVP Events.
• 23:24 - How less established players can take down the “giants” of beach volleyball.
• 25:04 - What Dan is doing currently to grow as a coach.

• 0:41 - Dan’s thoughts on being able to coach/work with his wife (having the opportunity to create crossover between coaching styles).
• 4:42 - Key factors to Dan’s success coaching a smaller program at Lewis University.
  • 5:18 - Importance of recruiting coachable players with good work ethic.
  • 7:16 - Lewis University’s volleyball popularity among the general students.
• 8:32 - Disadvantages of a small volleyball program and university.
  • 8:38 - Less of a social life in comparison to larger universities + harder to find ways to stay engaged within the community.
  • 9:49 - Younger alumni (younger program) who generally aren’t able to help fund the program yet.
• 10:33 - Importance of Dan’s team culture/philosophy (having fun, team mentality, being outside the box, and ownership and pride of the program).
  • 10:47 - Having fun + developing team mentality: enjoying competing in practice and in games as well as team activities outside the gym.
  • 12:49 - Maintaining team culture despite Covid limitations.
  • 13:04 - Journal writing.
  • 13:19 - Reading sports psychology and volleyball related books as a team (e.g. The Inner Game of Tennis).
• 15:16 - Making sure that players have self-discipline and put in the work to get better as a player and an individual. 
• 16:17 - Importance of learning about the history of the Lewis University volleyball program (being proud of the program).
• 17:55 - How Dan makes sure and can tell that his players are invested in the team culture.
• 20:26 - How Dan’s team culture and philosophy is reflected in and improves the team’s performance.
• 22:34 - What is done in practice to help close the gap between potentially more “talented” teams.
• 24:56 - Dan’s recruiting process (particularly how he finds the right players for the program).
• 27:49 - How Dan frames the program’s success when talking with his players.

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• 0:38 - What has changed in the last decade that has allowed pitchers to increase their pitching speeds (despite the factor of genetics).
• 2:12 - Active range of motion vs passive range of motion.
• 3:08 - At what point can athletes transition from focusing on developing healthy shoulders to focusing on increasing their speed?
• 5:03 - In terms of volleyball, what can be done to increase hitting speed?
  • 5:34 - Using weighted arm sleeves to develop faster arm swings.
• 5:59 - Developing clean and efficient arm swings is a large factor in increasing speed.
• 8:02 - How Vic would structure exercises using weighted arm sleeves.
• 11:19 - In addition to developing healthier shoulders, will a lower load also help people hit harder and throw harder?
• 13:13 - Are there benefits of measuring players’ spike and serve speeds?
  • 14:28 - Using measurable and visual results to increase motivation.
• 15:40 - What kind of coaching styles and methods have worked for Vic?
  • 16:01 - Identifying anchor points
  • 16:28 - Verbal and visual cues (in the form of analogies and metaphors)
  • 17:20 - Time constraints
• 19:08 - How Vic discovered these coaching methods.
• 20:49 - How players have responded to Vic’s coaching + example of how Vic walks a player through practice.
• 23:41 - Vic’s new overhead sports practice facility in Amarillo, Texas.

• 0:46 - How Vic was introduced to and gained an appreciation for volleyball.
• 1:52 - When and why Vic made the transition from playing in the majors to coaching - using his own experience to help younger, developing players.
• 3:27 - Simple and inexpensive warm-ups and routines coaches can teach to players and implement within their own practice.
• 6:50 - More expensive and heavy-duty equipment to invest in for better shoulder health (e.g. crossover symmetry, motion capture equipment).
  • Marc Pro device mentioned: https://marcpro.com/product-category/devices/
• 9:38 - What part of Vic’s previous coaching that he would try to do differently.
• 12:01 - Applying shoulder techniques in volleyball (preventing the full extension of arm above your head in a straight downward motion).
• 14:52 - Posture’s effects on shoulder health.
• 15:40 - Should you lower your elbow when extending your arm and shoulder?
• 17:11 - Developing correct arm swings in younger players who have to compensate for lower reach above the net.
• 19:25 - How to correct high elbow and extended shoulder motions that lead to weaker shoulders.
• 22:25 - Aqua bags, and utilization of them during practice.
• 24:43 - Using weighted balls during practice (weighted med balls, weighted baseballs, aquabags).
• 27:05 - Implementing practice methods that Vic uses in a volleyball context.
• 28:43 - Pre and post practice exercises and routines to maintain shoulder health.
  • Pre-practice -  Crossover symmetry and band exercises.
  • Post-practice -  Eccentric exercises.
• 29:39 - Repetition counts for pre and post practice exercises.
• 32:17 - Benefits of soft tissue massages (using lacrosse balls and foam rollers).

Show Notes (Angie Akers episode 2)

• 1:11 - Challenges Angie faced when transitioning to coaching April and Alix + dealing with the pressure of coaching an already successful team.
• 1:57 - Adjusting coaching to fit the circumstances within their team.
• 5:06 - Dealing with awkwardness and discomfort within teams to develop better relationships later.
• 7:58 - Transitioning from an Assistant Coach for the Dutch to a Head Coach with Team USA.
• 9:49 - Describing April and Alix’s excellence.
• 12:35 - Implementing “Dutch Directness” in practice and coaching.
• 15:14 - Will the US national team develop more cohesiveness between teams, modeling after other foreign teams.
• 16:40 - Tailoring coaching to the individual (particularly in the case with April and Alix).
• 17:45 - Dealing with differences in scouting judgement before games (e.g. wanting to serve different players.
• 18:10 - “Don’t get married to your plan” - being adaptive and flexible with strategies during games.
• 19:23 - Reflecting on the year - what Angie wants to work on as a coach.
• 21:19 - What Angie is “dominating” in: areas she believes she’s doing well in.
• 21:54 - Listener Questions
  • 22:05 - The most difficult part of coaching the A-Team/April and Alix.
  • 22:41 - April’s perspective on facing disappointment or undesired results.
  • 24:10 - Angie’s favorite part of the Olympic experience

• 1:11 - How Angie ended up coaching April and Alix and representing Team USA in preparation for the Tokyo Olympics.
• 4:15 - How Angie used a pre-mortem exercise to prepare for the Olympic Games, and avoid potential mishaps while accomplishing their goals.
• 4:56 - Covid 19’s limitations on relationship building and team building exercises during the Olympics.
• 6:43 - Facing and preparing for heat and humidity in Tokyo.
• 9:27 - Written form of a pre-mortem to manage anxiety and nerves.
• 10:53 - Role of past FIVB tournament results in preparation and practice, and identification of what was needed and when.
• 13:01 - Why they sat out of the Gstaad tournament.
• 15:30 - How the Olympic format and preparation helped them dominate their opponents during the Olympics.
• 17:03 - How Angie used film study to structure practice and prepare during downtime between games..
• 17:56 - Emulation of “playing” against opponents during practice and warmups.
• 19:20 - Would Angie have coached an underdog team differently than April and Alix?
• 20:16 - How Angie, April, and Alix approached every match.
• 21:18 - How John and Andrew would approach every match.
• 22:49 - Circumstantial warm up/preparation for different tournaments vs relatively consistent warm up/preparation (e.g. Cancun compared to a colder environment).
• 24:00 - Enjoying the Tokyo Olympic activities.
• 25:32 - Finding a routine during the Olympics, and filling up free time while staying mentally sharp.

-Story of resiliency 

-Handling pain

-Building leaders

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-Specializing at a young age

-The skill of being a good teammate

-Changing roles

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-Mental training

-Pushing through valleys

-Coach and team's role

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-Expectations

-Physical and mental preparation

-Enjoying the work

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-Monitoring stress

-Antifragility and injury prevention

-Keeping athletes healthy

-Concussions and common injuries

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-What it means to be antifragile

-Creating an environment that facilitates antifragility

-The role of stress

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-Leaders listen

-Player-led approach

-Building leaders

-Traditional and Transformational cultures

The Twin Thieves - https://www.amazon.com/dp/1736966200

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-Building culture

-People + Culture + Preparation + Execution

-Addressing tough issues

-Cows vs Buffalo

The Twin Thieves - https://www.amazon.com/dp/1736966200

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-Balancing strength and conditioning and practice

-Important measurements for volleyball athletes

-Working with groups

https://emergentmvmt.com/

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-Ecological Dynamics in sports training

-Shaping the learning/training environment

-Co-Design and a learner-centered approach

-Warmups for volleyball

https://emergentmvmt.com/

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-Team-centered culture

-High standards

-Coach/Player relationships

-Motivating athletes

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-Facing adversity on Mount Everest

-Physical and mental preparation

-Pushing yourself vs staying healthy

-Lessons learned on Everest

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-Evaluating if our language is working

-The role of praise

-Common coaching language mistakes

https://www.thelanguageofcoaching.com/

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-Volleyball cueing examples

-Teaching through analogies

-Cueing for groups and returning athletes

https://www.thelanguageofcoaching.com/

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-The importance of language in coaching

-Feedback: Knowledge of Result and Knowledge of Performance

-External focus of attention

https://www.thelanguageofcoaching.com/

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-Coaching changes they implemented

-Biggest struggles

-Tournament preparation

-Start Stop Continue

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-Universal language for stats

-Stats in-game

-Predicting the future of stats

-Are serving and passing really the most important skills?

Volley Dork - https://volleydork.blog/

Danny Kinda and Team USA - 

-Looking at the game objectively

-Rethinking passing and  attack efficiency

-What is undervalued and what is overvalued?

Volley Dork - https://volleydork.blog/

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-Common traits of successful programs

-Prioritizing what matters

-Handling team problems

-Lessons from John Wooden

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-Interview dos and dont's

-Common and Uncommon questions

-Moving up the coaching ranks

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-Identifying leadership and character

-Interviewing players

-Evaluating your recruiting track record

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-Managing staff

-Seeking different opinions

-Stepping into leadership roles

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-What is wayfinding

-The importance of self-regulation

-Encouraging athletes to explore

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-Representative Dial

-Co-Designing practice with your athletes

-Fostering feedback

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-Blending the mental and the physical

-Self-Talk and nerves

-Coaches modeling mental skills

-The All Terrain Project https://allterrainproject.com/

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-Committing to the controllables and the space around you

-Dealing with distractions

-3ft world in action

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-Athlete feedback

-Affordance vs Constraints

-Coaching models

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-Stuart's coaching path

-Ecological Dynamics approach to coaching

-Practice Design

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-Dark Blood release! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08QL6WNFK 

-Our intros to Motor Learning

-Blocked AND Random training

-Optimal Performance Theory

-What is this crazy thing called Ecological Dynamics we keep hearing about?

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-Holistic focus feedback

-Sports psychology lessons

-Training the mental game

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-What is a holistic focus?

-Internal focus vs. external focus

-When a holistic focus is beneficial

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-Playing time and role clarity

-Lessons for a first-year coach

-Growing a program and staff

-Keeping things fresh

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-Visualization and deep breathing

-Positive self-talk

-Mental training in practice

https://www.neuro-fuel.com/

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-Integrating workouts in practice

-The importance of transfer in strength training

-Aqua Bags

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-Implicit vs explicit learning

-Constraints in practice

-Examples of implicit and explicit coaching

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-Competition phase of practice

-Common mistakes in practice design

-Honesty vs Enhanced Expectations

-Dynamical Systems vs Schema Theory

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-How he got into studying motor learning

-The current state of virtual reality. 

-Using virtual reality in training.

-Practice Planning from warmups to "tutors."

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-Positive coaching

-Modeling values

-Mindset exercises to do with your teams during quarantine

-Listening to your athletes in times of stress

Max Out Mindset: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1645437183

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-Importance of allowing space

-Training optimism

-How to build highly effective teams

-Psychological safety

-Role players vs superstars

Max Out Mindset: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1645437183

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-What makes for effective feedback

-Measuring the effectiveness of practice

-Should we teach an "ideal" technique?

-Implicit vs Explicit Learning

The Best: How Elite Athletes Are Made - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08F4ZRQS9