The Power of Friendship

Become more than the sum of your parts. Use the ‘Power of Friendship’ to “do hard things.”

In volleyball, friendship is a force multiplier because the game demands interdependence. Every point links trust: a passer puts the setter in good position, the setter trusts the hitter will be there, the hitter believes the defense has coverage and continuity if the swing is dug. 

Ubuntu lives in every rally - I am because we are. A libero lays out for a pass not for personal glory, but because the team depends on her. The closer the bonds, the more reliable movement. Players stop thinking about themselves start thinking about us. 

Mudita shows up the moment a teammate gets hot. On great volleyball teams, a hitter’s success doesn’t create resentment - it builds resilience. Teammates celebrate kills they never touched and aces they didn’t serve. The bench erupts as joy is shared currency. Joy calms fear: fear of being replaced, fear of relegation, fear of irrelevance. Freed from comparison, players swing with confidence, set better, serve tougher. Individual success sustains team pressure.

Damon and Pythias inhabit volleyball’s quiet sacrifices. The hitter who tips instead of rips because it’s the right shot. The middle mostly passed over all match so the outside eats. The setter assumes responsibility for a bad ball despite an errant pass. 

Acts of loyalty show your success matters as much as mine. Over time, trust compounds. Players take smart risks knowing they belong in the circle of trust. Coverage tightens. Communication grows. Effort expands because that's what friends do.

Real friendship manifests courage. Teammates challenge each other without demeaning. Players correct mistakes. Teams meet momentum surges with connection not panic. Eyes meet, hands clap, shoulders stay square. The speed of trust is faster. 

Bonded teams apply constant pressure. Opponents aren’t facing six girls, they’re facing one system, one heartbeat. Rally after rally, the group owns the match, not the individual. Coach Gregg Popovich reminded players to "pound the rock." It may take a hundred hits to break, keep pounding. 

Working out together, lunching together, hanging out together bonds teammates. Friendship - shared meeting, shared vision, and shared sacrifice has immeasurable power.

Lagniappe. Be first. 

There’s a BIG difference between CHASING GREATNESS, and merely avoiding mediocrity!

~ via @CoachKurtHines pic.twitter.com/QyRzeAvuvy

— Coach the Coaches (@WinningCoaches) February 5, 2026

Congratulations to Dr. Victoria Crovo

Congratulations to MVB great, Victoria Crovo, who recently received her doctoral degree in Veterinary Medicine. Great job, Dr. Crovo. 

 

Failure Is Our Companion

This sounds really familiar. Where have I heard this before? 😀 https://t.co/u94i7yvpgG

— Jon Gordon (@JonGordon11) February 5, 2026

Failure is our companion in sports. The top hitters in baseball bat over .300. For most of last season, only SIX players hit .300 or more. That meant failure over 70% for every other hitter. What key gets worn on a keyboard? DELETE. 

Coach Vrabel shares key points about self-talk. Exceptional players move ahead despite failure. Courage isn't the opposite of fear; courage is moving ahead despite fear.

Failure is our teacher. As a high school baseball pitcher, I was on the varsity as a sophomore. After about four games (not playing), I asked to be 'demoted' to JV. "I can't improve without playing and I'm happy to play JV." The opening varsity game of the next season, I pitched a one-hitter and lost to Stoneham. Our excellent centerfielder lost a ball in the sun allowing a run to score on the only hit. Failure is simply part of the tuition for sports education.

Players become frustrated with their minutes, role, or recognition. That's human nature. Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra tells players, "There is always a pecking order." The guys at the end of an NBA bench were stars on every team they played on before. 

Lagniappe. Many of these tips allow you to play with more force. 

Parallels - Coaching and Playing

Impactful leaders obsess over 3 things:

Talent - attract stars, amplify teams
Clarity - everything from vision to values
Systems - principles compounded by culture

Falling short? Overwhelmed?
Go back to the basics.

— Dave Kline (@dklineii) February 1, 2026

"Experiencing the volleyball program" has value far beyond learning individual skills and team play. 

Coaches and players expand their talent. 

Coaches and players develop systems for improvement. 

Coaches and players develop identity and "role clarity." Learn "this is who we are" and "that is how we do it."

Team sports teach principles that persist through your life.

• Collaboration - working better with others
• Preparation - "preparation drives performance"
• Sacrifice - giving so that others flourish
• Leadership - making others around you better
• Urgency - leverage "the power of now" 
• Enthusiasm - "nothing great is ever accomplished without enthusiasm"
• Grit - the capacity to keep going even when you don't feel like it
• Playing with force - mental and physical toughness

Winning is hard. That's why people value it so much. Teams flourish not by playing for their community, school, family, or even yourself. The "winning experience" means playing for the girls next to you. That's the reason to practice hard, communicate, dive on the floor - showing how to care for each other. 

Lagniappe. Simple game...put the ball down and "keep the ball up." Keep more up with dolphin dives. 

Lagniappe 2. Libero saves...what MVB players come to mind for making diving saves? So many. J-Mac (Jill MacInnes), Amanda Commito, GG Albuja to name a few. You can't make great saves without great athleticism. 

Lagniappe 3. Amanda Commito... another underrated high performance athlete. 

Everyone Leads

pic.twitter.com/pSjqGhKi9w

— Jon Gordon (@JonGordon11) January 31, 2026

Choose one of the many ways to lead. Lead by: 

• Example - be the hardest worker
• Encouragement - support all teammates all the time
• Energy - lift the tone in the room
• Focus - be fully engaged, coachable, ask good questions
• Reliability - be the person others want on their team, their workout partner, the one everyone wants the ball hit to. 

 

The Best Time

pic.twitter.com/24tVq1gmXZ

— Deep Psychology (@DeepPsycho_HQ) February 1, 2026

"The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The next best time is now."

People accrue the most benefit from a change in habits the earlier they start.  

• A one percent improvement daily earns a 37-fold gain annually.
• Build a winning morning routine.
• Start saving for the future. 
• Maximize your strength, quickness, and conditioning. 
• Have a mindfulness program for focus and mental health. 
• Read outside of required reading. 
• "Do five more"...five more minutes of work, of writing, reflection, appreciation. 

Lagniappe. What non-required book(s) are you reading? 

Lincoln on Leadership by Donald Phillips - arguably America's greatest President with over 15,000 books written about him. 

The Leader's Bookshelf - curated by ADM James Stavridis - 50 books about leadership summarized 

Once an Eagle - by Anton Myrer an epic tome (over 1,300 pages) comparing and contrasting the leadership of two future fictional Generals - one committed to service, his men, and winner of a Congressional Medal of Honor for valor in WWI and the other a political animal who's a Staff Office hero. 

Useful Foreign Expressions

"I can go faster alone, but we can go farther together." - African Proverb

Enrich your vocabulary to enrich your experience and that of others. A few words from other languages illustrate. Often there is no substitute word in English. 

1. MUDITA... from Sanskrit, an ancient language. It means, "Your joy is my joy." Learning to celebrate the success or good fortune of others is a useful skill. It's easy to envy others or be jealous. We experience more happiness when we share in others' success. 

2. UBUNTU...from Swahili. The Celtics used Ubuntu during their 2008 NBA Championship. It means, "I am because we are." This celebrates the connectedness or interdependence inherent in community...and teams.

3. SAWUBONA... from Zulu. It is a greeting meaning "I see you" or "We see you," recognizing the uniqueness, worth, and experiences of another. It implies a deeper connection than a mere, "hello."

4. GEZELLIG...from the Dutch. Gezellig has no exact English translation but reflects warmth and togetherness. It got some attention in the series "Ted Lasso." 

5. AMAE...from Japanese...meaning a quiet trust that others will continue to care for you. It implies emotional safety. How teams come together after both winning and surrendering points reflects AMAE. An error does not remove your mutual trust. 

6. SISU...from Finnish...unshaken perseverance and resilience despite adversity. Grit isn't always self-sustaining. Connection can fuel it. 

The best teams have a special bond that outsiders can't necessarily see or haven't experienced. It's the ability to rally because we care about each other and we are in this together. 

Lagniappe. "I try to reach the ball even if it seems hopeless." 

Brilliant Advice

 Do these and prosper.

• Read more
• Write it down
• Network
• Say "yes" to learning opportunities

Solve Hard Problems Together

📚 Best Nuggets From Coaching Books

This one comes from The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle — one of the most underlined and highlighted books in my library.

The section I’m posting a picture of is about the Spurs and Gregg Popovich.
“One misconception about highly successful… pic.twitter.com/E2yO4JcfMV

— Mike Jagacki (@Mike_Jagacki) November 2, 2025

MVB has forged a positive, winning, and learning culture. As players, take ownership and pride in your culture. Solve hard problems together. 

The "C Words" matter...

• Caring
• Character 
• Collaboration (working together)
• Commitment
• Communication
• Connection 
• Consistency
• Culture 

Culture lives in a continuum. Culture needs attention. Culture needs care.

When you get the "C" words right, a lot of "Ws" follow. 

Lagniappe. What do you want? 

High Performing Individual

Yesterday, I was asked at an event I was speaking at how I defined a ‘high performing individual’:

My answer:

“Someone who just keeps showing up no matter how they feel, and still gives their best.”

In other words: Discipline & Consistency

— Allistair McCaw (@AllistairMcCaw) January 30, 2026

People see our character and competence. Make that meaningful. 

• Bring the best version of yourself daily. 
• Represent yourself, your family, and the team well. 
• Set high standards of excellence and raise others to yours.  

A Leadership Model from "Ike the Soldier"

"I never give up a battle until I am licked, completely, utterly, and destroyed, and I don't believe in giving up any battle as long as I have a chance to win." - Dwight Eisenhower from "Ike the Soldier" by Merle Miller 

Dwight Eisenhower had a storied career as Supreme Allied Commander during WWII and later as an American President. 

His leadership model was framed around three principles:

• Ability
• Opportunity
• Craft

Ability 

• intelligence 
• self-confidence
• risk-taking
• embracing change

Practical rec: Track what you did daily to grow skill, game IQ, physical and emotional preparedness. It could be something simple, "I invested seven minutes in mindfulness which increases focus and lessens anxiety. Or, "I watched the fifth set of Burlington...taking notes on where we improve.”

Opportunity 

Depended "mostly in the hands of others." That has special importance in the hands of teachers, coaches, and mentors. To highly motivated and competitive student-athletes, embrace asking for mentoring. Coaches recognize the privilege of helping others achieve their dreams. 

You need chances to prove yourself under both routine and pressure situations. 

Practical rec: Track "coachability" - how you interacted with coaches and mentors to seize opportunity. 

Craft

We choose a profession and both invest and sacrifice to excel and develop expertise leading to successful execution of that 'mission'. 

"His enormous emotional intelligence...permitted him to constantly put himself in the shoes of his teammates and use his understanding to motivate them..."

Leadership, especially within the team, has great importance to results. Leadership takes time and there's no scale or yardstick to quantify. It appears in many forms - communication, confidence, energy, resilience, and the intangible savoir faire - the capacity to "know how to do it."

Practical rec: Focus on team building activities. Work out with a teammate. Praise teammates for their commitment and teamwork. 

If one were selecting an All-Time team of MVB standouts, one must include Victoria Crovo, maybe the best player never to win a sectional title. The "V-Rex" played with a competitive spirit and ferocity among the highest I have seen in a student-athlete. 

As a team, manifest leadership with teamwork, focus, competitive spirit, and resilience - a refusal to "give in" or waver from your goals. 

Lagniappe. For the love of the game... 

Jayson Tatum on playing in Boston:

“It’s a great place to be in because they expect more so it raises your level. You come into the arena and there’s only championship banners, we don’t hang for making the conference finals. It’s championship or nothing.” pic.twitter.com/In2hTGpuXu

— jb (@lockedupjb) January 31, 2026

Lagniappe 2. Find ways to enjoy your daily 'practice'. 

James Clear: Embrace the fact that life is continual and look for ways to enjoy the daily practice. pic.twitter.com/B6kYgUX4sq

— Reads with Ravi (@readswithravi) January 30, 2026

 Lagniappe 3. AI key takeaways from "Ike the Soldier"

Here are three pivotal leadership lessons from Ike the Soldier that translate cleanly—and powerfully—to student-athletes.

1. Leadership Is About Coordination, Not Heroics

Ike’s reality:
Eisenhower was not a battlefield tactician charging hills. His greatness lay in orchestrating coalitions—managing egos (Patton, Montgomery), aligning allies, and synchronizing logistics across nations. Victory came from coordination, not individual brilliance.

Student-athlete lesson:
Teams don’t win because one player “wants it more.” They win because roles are clear, timing is right, and everyone pulls in the same direction.

• Your value increases when you connect pieces, not dominate them.

• Knowing when to screen, rotate, talk, or move the ball is leadership.

• Glue players matter more in big moments than volume scorers.

Volleyball translation:
Leadership is often invisible. If everything looks easy, someone is doing it right.

2. Emotional Control Is a Competitive Advantage

Ike’s reality:
Eisenhower operated under relentless pressure—D-Day timelines, casualty projections, political scrutiny. He absorbed stress without broadcasting it, allowing others to function. He famously accepted responsibility in advance for failure, shielding subordinates.

Student-athlete lesson:
Your emotional regulation sets the temperature of the team.

• Composure after mistakes is leadership.

• Body language is communication.

• Blame outward weakens trust; responsibility inward strengthens it.

Volleyball translation:
The leader is not the loudest voice—it’s the calmest presence when things wobble.

3. Humility Builds Trust—and Trust Wins

Ike’s reality:
Eisenhower consistently gave credit away and took responsibility upon himself. This wasn’t weakness; it was trust engineering. His humility made others more willing to follow, sacrifice, and tell the truth.

Student-athlete lesson:
Teammates don’t follow titles. They follow fairness, consistency, and respect.

• Praise teammates publicly.

• Accept coaching without defensiveness.

• Measure success by team outcomes, not personal stats.

Volleyball translation:
Humility doesn’t mean shrinking yourself—it means making space for others to be great.

One-sentence takeaway for players

Leadership isn’t about standing out; it’s about holding things together when pressure rises.

 

Cross-Posted (My Way) from Basketball Blog

Sinatra's best is always worth a listen. Plus a few lessons for leaders. 

What Do You Do Well?

This video shares fundamental truths about sport that apply in other domains. We choose our focus. How can we be better and reinforce positive performance? 

This is at variance with Michael Useem's four questions in the introduction to "The Leadership Moment." 

• What went well? 
• What went poorly? 
• What can we do differently? 
• What are the enduring lessons learned? 

What separates exceptional players? First, they impact winning. Second, they make the players around them better. Third, they're "team players."

Lagniappe. "One band, one sound." 

“ I’ve embraced the idea that myself and players can have different personalities but what we can’t have is different mindsets,” Mike Vrabel

Culture doesn’t negotiate with mindset. pic.twitter.com/pdDydIVFyQ

— The Winning Difference (@thewinningdiff1) January 31, 2026

 

Significance

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." - Winston Churchill

Few teens subject themselves to contemplation of philosophy or place in the world. Far more pressing matters like school, friends, and family occupy their universe.

Nevertheless, developing a philosophy helps provide you with a "North Star" to follow, useful when times are easy and critical during struggle. 

Philosophy derives from two Greek words meaning "to love" and "wisdom," so means "love of wisdom."

What belongs? The elements should resonate for you as they become your anchors for core attitudes, beliefs, and values. Simplicity and clarity add benefit. The principles could include both statements and questions. For example:

1) What is my WHY? This addresses your motivation. 

2) "My core value is modeling excellence in all areas (family/personal, school, sports)."

3) "I treat others as I would want to be treated." - Golden Rule and "I do not treat others as I would not want to be treated." - Silver Rule of Nassim Taleb

4) Teamwork is a top priority. “I am easy to play with and hard to play against." 

5) "I devote full attention to the person or the activity with which I am engaged." 

All, some, or none of the above may have meaning for you. If "being kind to cats" is among your top priorities, then it belongs. 

Over a lifetime, significance emerges from our impact on others. Most of us want to have a positive impact and that takes time, discipline, and effort. 

What does this have to do with competing in sports? Everything. 

Lagniappe. "Wall material" 

pic.twitter.com/UnORIDGoyE

— Coach the Coaches (@WinningCoaches) January 30, 2026

Lagniappe 2. "...a skillful leader in a democratic setting can win others to his or her cause using reason, logic, interpersonal skills, rhetoric, and emotion." - Admiral James Stavridis in "The Leader's Bookshelf"

"It's Hard"

Some Drake Maye content from UNC basketball coach Hubert Davis before the Tar Heels head to Georgia Tech.

On how Davis used a clip of the New England Patriots QB, who will be playing in the #SuperBowl, to motivate his team: https://t.co/UQYFdSrUZe pic.twitter.com/cXDJZmxFaR

— Rodd Baxley (@RoddBaxley) January 30, 2026

Life is difficult.

It’s hard to wake up focused every day.
It’s hard to handle home, school, and still grow as a player.
It’s hard to make the team, earn a role, and accept what the team needs from you.

It’s hard to receive rockets, dive on the floor, serve the alleys, talk every ball, and line up against a stud outside hitter. It’s hard to make the right set at the right moment.

It’s hard to do the unrequired work - the extra sprints, pogos, box jumps, skaters.

It’s hard on families too. They sacrifice time, money, and energy. They show up when you’re tired, hurt, or frustrated.

They show up anyway.

And the ones who fight through hard don’t just win points or matches.
They make memories that last forever.

I

Playing to Your Identity

Every year, every team is different. MVB '26 won't have a known quantity, dominant middle.

It will have youthful experience and much to prove as the double digit streak of Freedom Division dominance is history. 

Regardless of roster, your job is to play to your MVB identity. Leave an impression. 

MVB '26 Identity

• Aggressive
• Cerebral
• Communicating
• Consistent
• Positive
• Team First

MVB '26 Realities

• More conventional (pins) offense
• Experienced back row defense 
• Rebuilding the middle with many athletes in the mix
• Need to find more points off service 
• "Numbers crunch" with 13 returners (intense competition)

Success without "overwhelming" talent 

• Limiting mistakes (consistency)
• "Make winning plays" 
• "Win this point" mentality ("Next play")
• Energy
• Resilience 

Lagniappe. What do coaches look for in a player? 

What Coach Scheyer looks for in a recruit or portal player that doesn’t show up on film:

Mental toughness
The ability to have an off night and still impact the game in other ways. How do you affect winning when the ball isn’t in your hands? How do you respond to adversity? Even… pic.twitter.com/EzqvmBvFEs

— Blue Devil Voices (@DukeEchoes) December 3, 2025