Be Easy to Play with and Hard to Play Against

All opinions expressed in the blog are solely my own. The blog is not an official publication of any City of Melrose organization. 

"Be easy to play with and hard to play against." What does that mean for volleyball?

The best teammates make the game lighter for everyone else. They reduce friction.

Easy to Play with (top qualities):

• Prioritize teamwork. The team comes first. Always. 
• Communication (ELO - early, loud, often)
• Unselfish. Take the right swing, not the glamorous one. 
• "On the same page" - Everyone knows their responsibilities
• Trust. You believe your teammate will do her job — and she believes you will do yours.

Hard to Play Against (top qualities):

• Talented (technique)
• High volleyball IQ (strategy)
• Aggressive and relentless (mental toughness) 
• Diversified attack (able to score in multiple ways)
• Attention to detail - Let nothing slide. 

Hard teams apply pressure. They serve tough. They transition fast. They don’t gift points. They expose weak rotations. They don’t blink late.

Identity and Performance Arcs

Excellent teams overflow with "competitive character" (your identity statement) and "extreme competence" (your performance statement). Know who you are and what you do. 

Winning teams have not only high end talent but players able to "maintain" focus and performance under the stress of score, situation, and fatigue. 

Crafting Legacy

Exceptional teams are remembered because winning leaves footprints and individuals become more than the sum of their parts. They have the ability to score points ("put the ball down") and deny points ("keep the ball up"). They have "stars" ("every team has a pecking order") and a supporting cast that plays with Anson Dorrance's competitive fury. 

Stars matter. So do the grinders. Legacy is built in that tension.

There's no right answer* but here's a Q&A: 

The greatest MVB player never to win a sectional? Victoria Crovo

The greatest MVB player never to be named All-State? Jen Cain

The greatest MVB player, awarded and underappreciated? Emma Randolph

Most underrated MVB player? Rachel Johnson

Most underrated MVB defender? (tie) Autumn Whelan, Amanda Commito

For example, if a player was named All-State and All-Scholastic by both Boston newspapers, underrated doesn't apply. Underrated means overlooked relative to impact. 

Lagniappe. "Buy in" to the program. 

BUY IN signs:
🏀Eye contact
🏀Good body language
🏀Talking in practice
🏀Echoing instructions
🏀Quick to praise
🏀Enjoying the process
🏀Coachable
🏀Helping up teammates
🏀First to everything
🏀Last to leave

— Daniel Makepeace (@PureIntensityBB) February 25, 2026

Influence Boosting

Boost your influence. 

1. Be likable. People are more likely to "hear" you if they like you. "You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar."

2. Be positive. "You cannot have a positive life with a negative attitude."

3. Be persistent. Be the "Energizer bunny" and keep going.

Lagniappe. Remind yourself to lead. 

10 @TedLasso leadership lessons:

1 be curious
2 winning is an attitude
3 all people are different people
4 see good in others
5 forgive first
6 stay teachable
7 believe in yourself
8 optimists do more
9 be honest
10 doing right thing is never wrong thing
pic.twitter.com/BNiTnZfmpU

— Vala Afshar (@ValaAfshar) February 22, 2026

Leaderships Books That Foster Leadership Skills*

*Lightly adapted from my basketball blog

"In all of the professional walks of life - medicine, the law, politics, the arts, and so on - the ability to rationally describe and ultimately perform the function of leadership is essential. The heart of truly professional activity is a sense of community, an accepted set of normals, traditional processes of advancement, and an orderly application of effort in pursuit of important goals." - R. Manning Ancell in The Leader's Bookshelf about "The Soldier and the State: The Theory and Politics of Civil Military Relationships"

Books inform important inputs sculpting our leadership. The half dozen books below resonated for me. 

Teaching how to become a leader is an important coaching function. Becoming a leader as a student-athlete is both a choice and an obligation. Lead by modeling excellence and building your leadership portfolio. Professionals maintain a professional reading practice. 

Your experiences with family and peers, teachers/coaches, and books shape your leadership arc - knowledge, philosophy, and style. Add value by sharing your volleyball wisdom. Get buy-in through relationships that capture hearts and minds. 

They Call Me Coach (John Wooden) 1972

Wooden shares an abundance of beliefs inhabiting his coaching. Two worth noting:

Excellence is built in daily habits and revealed in moments of pressure. We make our habits and our habits make us. 

In his "Letter to Players" he marks his territory, telling players that he makes decisions, whether they like them or not, with the intent of doing what is in the best interest of the team. 

Legacy (James Kerr) 2013 

Kerr gets under the hood of the legendary New Zealand All-Blacks rugby team. Two key messages:

"Leave the jersey in a better place." The All-Blacks have an enduring tradition of excellence. Players understand that they are part of something bigger than themselves. Few organizations inhabit that domain. 

"Sweep the sheds." Leaving the locker room or the bench area in better condition than you found it is consistent with metaphorical "commitment to excellence."

The Score Takes Care of Itself (Bill Walsh) 2009

Walsh was the architect of the 49ers dynasty and later was a professor at Stanford. Two lessons:

Walsh's "Standard of Performance" embraced a philosophy of discipline, detail, and commitment to improvement. "Standards" are a common theme in sport and business and Walsh was an 'early adopter' if not founder. 

Attention to detail was a core concept for everyone in the organization - how staff answered the phone, striped the field, or taught blocking. 

The Leader's Bookshelf (James Stavridis) 2017

Admiral Stavridis and others summarize fifty books recommended by high ranking military officers, not necessarily books about the military. For example, Stephen Covey's "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" and Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" are included. Two principles:

The best leaders lead from the front not from "ivory towers." King Leonidas (Sparta) made the ultimate sacrifice at the Battle of Thermopylae against Xerxes' Persian "Million Man Army." Fight for your beliefs or your civilization. 

Brilliant minds do not always translate to good decisions. During the Kennedy Administration, "The Best and the Brightest" led the country into a disastrous quagmire of Vietnam.  

Lincoln on Leadership (Donald Phillips) 1992

Many historians consider Lincoln America's greatest president, preserving the Union and ultimately killed in office. The best authors share unique insights into the character and mindset of their subjects. For example:

Lincoln was a technology geek. He constantly reviewed patents that might help the Union, for example, the telegraph. Lincoln is also the only President with a patent, on a device to lift boats run aground.

Lincoln's "Hot Letters" were written often in response to actions that upset him. They helped him 'get it out of his system'. He wrote, "Never signed, never sent" and filed them 

Leadership in Turbulent Times (Doris Kearns Goodwin) 2018

Doris Kearns Goodwin is one of America's most well-known and prolific historians. "Leadership in Turbulent Times," formidable in itself, is a 478 page "Cliff Notes" to her tomes on the Roosevelts, Lincoln, and Lyndon Johnson. A couple of key points amidst thousands:

Teddy Roosevelt was a sickly child and challenged himself physically so that ultimately he could "do hard things." 

The author was not a fan of LBJ (Johnson), so much that he hired her for his administration to try to convince her of his leadership skills. Sometimes it is better to bring critics into your circle than to exile them. 

The most recent data I read reported that 48 percent of Americans had not read a book in the past year. "Education changes behavior." Coaches are educators and have a responsibility to our players to teach both our sport and life lessons. 

Lagniappe. Find the NBA, "Next best action." 

Lagniappe 2. Did you play to the best of your ability? 

 

What Great Leaders Do

“Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers who can cut through argument, debate, and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand.” - Colin Powell

— Head Coach🏀Training Center (@HeadCoachTC) February 21, 2026

What makes great leaders? 

• Integrity
• Communication
• Emotional intelligence
• Solution-orientation
• Energy
• Simplicity

Complexity often masks inability to apply simpler solutions. 

Lagniappe. "Shuffle don't shank." 

Lagniappe 2. The simplest solution is often the best.

 

Cognitive Errors

All opinions expressed in the blog are solely my own. My goal includes sharing principles that work across multiple domains - life hacks. The blog is not an official publication of any City of Melrose institution. 

Cognitive errors are the euphemism applied to "flawed thinking" or "dumb mistakes" They're widespread in life and in sport.

Sometimes you get away with them ("swimming with sharks") and sometimes you don't. They differ from bad behavior which we know is dangerous such as drinking excessively or distracted driving (e.g. texting and driving). Or, in England, remember to "look right" before crossing. 

Here are a few for today's discussion:

1) Attribution bias

2) Sample size

3) Confirmation bias

4) Recency bias

5) Availability heuristic

Attribution Bias

Many factors relate to the outcome of sporting contests - talent, preparation, and coaching are among the most important. When successful we feel pride or validation that our methods are sound. When not we may seek alternatives - the officials, the venue, opposing fans, anything that shifts or attributes the outcome away from "we weren't good enough that day." 

Health and luck certainly play a role in outcomes, but habitual excuse making is a bad look. Be humble in victory and gracious in defeat. 

One famous football coach who will remain nameless had the reputation of taking credit for victories and assigning blame for losses to players. He's not coaching now. 

Sample Size

"One swallow does not make a summer." Everyone has a breadth of performances with most clustering around some central range. That's why tryouts usually don't last one session, because more data - more detailed observation - tends to improve coaches' projection of player potential and long-term performance. There's a saying in business that's a corollary, "hire slow, fire fast." You don't want bad performers mucking up the works. 

Confirmation Bias

Confirmation bias occurs when we engage with evidence that reinforces our beliefs and don't consider other opinions or disconfirming evidence. For example, we know that the best predictors of NBA success are - college attended, college basketball performance, and age at drafting (younger is better). The young star from a strong program fares better on average. There are exceptions, like the Celtics Payton Pritchard. 

Consider the recent Super Bowl. If you read Boston papers, watched local media, and listed to Boston fans, you might be convinced to load up on the Patriots at "BettheRanch.com." Meanwhile, national forecasters were far less optimistic about the locals. 

Extending those principles, we might project "career" success for freshmen who made varsity. There is truth to that, but it's not 100 percent. Polls are predictions and fun but don't change the scores of the games. 

Recency Bias 

Many tend to think that "what happened yesterday" will happen again today. Masataka Yoshida had a strong September when healthy, so he's prepped for a strong campaign in 2026. Recency bias says, "That dog don't hunt." UNC soccer maven Anson Dorrance tossed players into his "competitive cauldron" and forged "continual ascension." That's highly desirable and easier with a roster of All-Americans. 

Last season's results are in the book. What will this season's record be? I can tell you before the season starts. 0 and 0. 

Availability Heuristic

The availability heuristic is "back of the envelope" thinking where people estimate the frequency of an event based on how easily examples come to mind. Prior to 2020, when people thought "global pandemic" the reference point was the Spanish flu (which began in Fort Riley, Kansas) circa 1918. Newcomers to MVB rightly think of elite - Elena Soukos, Gia Vlajkovic, Sadie Jaggers, Leah Fowke, and Sabine Wenzel. Nothing wrong with that...older fans recall players from almost a generation earlier. 

Bonus Consideration: "Antifragility"

Systems can breakdown when subjected to "shocks." Buildings, economies, and teams are fragile under some conditions. Superman wilts near Kryptonite. What is antifragile? The Hulk is antifragile. Evolution is antifragile, as many organisms adapt over time. Team depth isn't antifragile but is more survivable. Teams with solid seniors and promising youth are less fragile if not antifragile. MVB 26 should have depth which helps - along with higher end talent. 

Lagniappe. Study. Study history. Study literature. Learn from what is known and others' mistakes. 

"I believe in the discipline of mastering the best that other people have ever figured out. I don't believe in just sitting down and trying to dream it all up yourself. Nobody's that smart."

— Charlie Munger pic.twitter.com/KglHwTAUrx

— Steve Burns (@SJosephBurns) February 20, 2026

"The Story's Not Done"

Asked Joe Mazzulla what he thinks the story of this Celtics team has been:

“The story's not done. We are only a product of what we do tomorrow, what we do the next day, and that's just the story. And if we would have lost this game by 1, tomorrow’s film session has to be as… pic.twitter.com/kM8dPvM0UW

— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) February 23, 2026

Everyone is a work in progress. When you care, you're always "under construction." 

"We are only a product of what we do tomorrow, what we do the next day, and that's just the story."

"All we've done is stick to the process of winning on both ends of the floor, put our head down, don’t overreact to a good win or to a bad loss. And, get better in the next game. So, still plenty of stuff we can get better from tonight."

"So the story is, it's just not done — and we just got to keep sticking to that process.” 

One of the beauties of sport is that you enjoy and celebrate a win and then you go back to work so that you can have that feeling again. And because you know you don't want to feel the sting of a loss. 

In 2002, including playoffs, MVB was 14-8. MVB 25 was 13-8. No difference...and then what?

From 2003 to 2005, MVB went 66-7, the First Dynasty. One season doesn't define you, it's your "body of work." You have the opportunity to be special. Write a great story. 

Story Bias

All opinions expressed in the blog are solely my own. The blog is not an official publication of any City of Melrose institution. 

"Whenever you hear a story, ask yourself, " Who is the sender, what are his intentions, and what did he hide under the rug?" - Rolf Dobelli in "The Art of Thinking Clearly" 

Stories help explain the world. But they're crafted to fit certain narratives. Often they inform valuable lessons. Here are three within the context of MVB:

Rags to Riches (The Horatio Alger story_

AI digression:

The Core Idea

A poor but virtuous young person rises to middle-class respectability through hard work, honesty, perseverance, and a lucky break.

Typical Plot Beats

1. Humble beginnings — orphan, bootblack, newsboy.

2. Moral fiber — the hero refuses shortcuts or crime.

3. Industry — relentless effort and self-improvement.

4. Recognition — a benefactor notices character.

5. Opportunity + upward mobility — a job, mentorship, or investment changes the trajectory.

What It Really Promotes

• Character as capital

• Reputation as currency

• Opportunity meeting preparation

• Social mobility as attainable

The Cultural Impact

Alger’s stories (e.g., Ragged Dick) helped cement the American belief that:

Success is earned through grit and virtue.

The Quiet Caveat

Alger’s heroes rarely succeed by effort alone.
They need:

• A sponsor

• A network

• A timely stroke of luck

MVB Version: Freshman team (JVb) to major contributor. The quintessential character is Kayla Wyland, who becomes impactful right side (opposite), rising from the Freshman team with skill, athleticism, and hard work. Part of the "Great Wall" (Rachel Johnson/Kayla Wyland) a blocking force. 

Success is non-linear. Every player experiences setbacks and struggles. Their abilities to overcome them manifest in their "body of work." 

Triumph of Inevitability

Cinematically and in literature, it is literally "The Hero's Journey." It's The Odyssey, Star Wars, The Matrix, Wonder Woman, and many more. 

AI Digression: 

The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell (1949) argues that myths across cultures share a common narrative structure he called the “monomyth” or Hero’s Journey: an ordinary person receives a call to adventure, initially resists, gains mentors and allies, crosses into a realm of trials, undergoes a symbolic death and rebirth, wins a transformative boon, and returns home changed—bringing wisdom or power back to the community. Drawing from global mythology, religion, and psychology (especially Jungian archetypes), Campbell contends that these recurring patterns reflect universal human developmental stages and inner struggles. The book has profoundly influenced modern storytelling, shaping works from Star Wars to countless novels and films, and remains a touchstone for writers, filmmakers, and thinkers exploring narrative, identity, and transformation.

MVB transitioned from the star-crossed (injury) teams with Hannah Brickley to Next Gen youth movement that led to the "Second Dynasty" of Bell, McGowan, Cain, and more. That group went to the State final in 2011 only to come up short and then capture the banner in 2012. 

Diamond in the Rough

MVB spawns "origin stories," formative tales or stories of discovery.

This pic is one of my favorites, left to right, Stephanie Crovo, Liz Sheerin, and Dr. Victoria Crovo. Little girls watch MVB and become captivated by the action and athleticism of the "big girls." 

AI Digression:

In Sports

A “diamond in the rough” player might:

• Lack polish (footwork, decision speed)

• Be underscouted or underexposed

• Show flashes of instinct or competitive edge

• Need reps, coaching, and structure

The coaching art is in:

Seeing brilliance before it’s obvious.

Origin stories are often like icebergs...the most substantive parts lie beneath the waterline. We don't always appreciate the sacrifices of players and families, the physical toll that sports can exert on players, and the reality that less celebrated players also often "live the grind" without the recognition.

Hard work is the price of admission yet no guarantee that you'll love the show. Write a great story for yourself. 

Someday

"Someday is a disease that will take all your dreams to the grave with you." - Tim Ferriss 

Tomorrow!
Tomorrow!
I love ya
Tomorrow!

You're always
A day
A way!

- Tomorrow, from "Annie"

Someday is always in the future. "I'll get to it someday" kills dreams. 

How do we defeat the "someday mentality?" 

1) "Eat that frog." Do the hardest thing first. 

2) Develop your morning routine (habits). Atomic Habits author James Clear says, "Habits are votes for the person we want to become." 

3) Be a tracker. Track your habits and measure progress. 

 

Powell's 13 Rules*

*Adapted and lightly edited from my basketball blog

Rules aren't always rules, as much as (via Pirates of the Caribbean) guidelines.

General Colin Powell, formerly Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, National Security Advisor, and Secretary of State started his 2012 book, It Worked for Me with his thirteen rules. He shares many relevant stories from his long career. 

Here are his rules and possible uses. 

1. It ain't as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning.*

"Well, maybe it will, maybe it won't." 

Players, families, and fans aren't always happy with minutes, roles, results, and recognition. Part of coaching is becoming uncomfortable with being uncomfortable. 

2. Get mad, then get over it.

Carrying around disappointment and grudges serves no master. As Samuel L. Jackson tells himself, "Not every role is for you." And as Coach Cob reminds us, "You are a coach, but not the coach." Decisions made under the shadow of anger appear without the benefit of the most light. 

3. Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position falls, your ego goes with it.

Legendary trader Jesse Livermore's life informs this. He made and lost fortunes multiple times. In the end, he committed suicide. Don't make a permanent decision based on a temporary problem. 

4. "It can be done."

Army officers must maintain a positive attitude to succeed in tough missions. Both coaches and players cannot succeed without self-belief. 

5. Be careful what you choose: you may get it.

This parallels "be careful what you wish for." A 'dream job' can turn into a nightmare. Or the job may not turn out to be what you thought it was. It argues that "due diligence" must be more than a slogan. 

6. Don't let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision.

This has significant nuance. Remember what Michigan Coach Bo Schembechler said about some recruits, "If you don't get him, he can beat you once a year; if you do, he can beat you every day." Do you want that low character, high talent player in your program? 

7. You can't make someone else's choices. You shouldn't let someone else make yours.

There's a saying that people unable to manage their own lives can easily manage others. Trusted advisors are 'that' - advisors. If you're the guy in charge, you (not the advisors) own the decision. That can involve anything - talent recruitment and retention, strategy and style of play, assistants...

8. Check small things. 

Every good coach focuses on attention to detail, having everyone on the same page, and "taking care of what's in their boat." And every coach has a horror story about a detail disaster (e.g. the Webber timeout). 

9. Share credit. 

People need appreciation. Some of the worst people to be around are "credit hogs." Professor Adam Grant's book, "Give and Take" shares stories about givers, takers, and matchers. One football coach who will remain nameless, was famous for taking credit for wins and assigning blame for losses to players. 

10.Remain calm. Be kind. 

Leadership demands the ability to stay calm when those around us are not. Everyone has slipped up and been unkind, especially under pressure. Do all we can to preach and practice virtue. 

11.Have a vision. Be demanding. 

"Be demanding without being demeaning." And remember that if we don't know where we're going, we might end up there. Chart the course before the journey, including a coherent philosophy. My coaching philosophy has always been TIA - teamwork, improvement, accountability. 

12.Don't take counsel of your fears or naysayers. 

"Don't take criticism from people from whom you would not take advice." Being steadfast and committed to making good judgments challenges everyone. Others' advice may be intended for their well-being, not yours. 

13.Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier. 

Optimism is a strength. One set of values was called a "COTE of armor" - confidence, optimism, tenacity, and enthusiasm. Another adage is "you cannot fashion a positive life with a negative attitude."

These 'rules' resonate with me for several reasons:

• They apply across many domains. 
• They reflect wisdom of both facts and self-regulation. 
• Each is expansive and deserves careful thought (maybe their own discussion)

Lagniappe. Care about the value brought to our communities. Coaches touch the lives of many. 

A great high school coach isn’t measured by wins alone.
It’s measured by:
- The players who come back to visit years later.
- The lessons that stick long after the final buzzer.
- The *men and women* your players become off the court.

— Steve Collins (@TeachHoopsBBall) January 29, 2026

Lagniappe 2. What environment makes us our best? 

The most revealing question you can ask someone is this:

"I am at my best when I am ____."

You’ll learn more from that answer than a stat sheet or a highlight reel.

Here’s Sean McVay with one of the best responses you’ll hear. pic.twitter.com/Pm9FuKUpY8

— James Purchin (@JamesPurchin) February 9, 2026

 

Somebody Job or Everybody Job?

"There are somebody jobs, & there are everybody jobs. Everybody has to play with effort and energy. Young players get hung up on whether they are scoring points or not. The way you get on the court is with effort & energy."

(Via @thewinningdiff1 🎥)

pic.twitter.com/Nkq6UlhgbM

— Hoop Herald (@TheHoopHerald) February 20, 2026

Everybody won't get the "somebody job." But even the "somebody" guys who attack, block, and set have to do the everybody jobs. 

Play unselfishly. 

Play with energy.  

Make good decisions.

Support your teammates. 

If you do the "everybody jobs" and work hard, you will get opportunities at the "somebody jobs." 

What matters most for your individual training is to discover who you are at any given point - and whom you want to become to fuel your dreams. Then, to work to reveal the truth and to narrow the gap between 'A' and 'B'. 

Social Proof and Volleyball

All opinions expressed in the blog are solely my own. The blog is not an official publication of any City of Melrose organization. 

What Is Social Proof?

"Social Proof" has another name, "herd instinct." It's behavior that leads parents to ask, "If your friends jumped off a bridge, would you?"

It's not irrational. In another era, if the "community" started running when one member perceived danger, running might save you from that hungry lion. 

Social proof is one of the core principles in Robert Cialdini's classic book, "Influence." Social proof drives trends in advertising, in fashion, music, and more. If our friends say "ABC" is a great song, book, or movie, then we're more likely to check it out. 

Why It's Useful

The value of social proof depends on its use. It drives charity (think international disasters) and bullying (the unacceptable becomes normalized). Learn to recognize it's use as inspiration or manipulation. 

Social Proof in Volleyball and Team Sports

Team leaders leverage social proof for good. They promote unselfishness, togetherness, toughness, and sportsmanship. 

Social proof drives action. Working out with a partner or as a group creates value. "Group behavior" might drive participation in Summer League or volunteering at a Food Kitchen. 

Social proof permeates the gym. When top players lead in effort and communication, others follow. “Your hustle standard is not what you say. It’s what your best player does.”

When the best players "lift," others are more likely to come with. When the leaders "do five more," the crowd is more apt to see that "champions do extra." 

When "hitting the floor" for diving digs becomes the standard, the program floor and ceiling both elevate. 

When the bench is engaged, that reinforces teamwork and unselfishness. When parents root for all the team, not just their children, that builds culture. 

Summary: 

Social proof answers the question every athlete asks:
“What do people like us do here?”

If the answer is:

• We work.
• We communicate.
• We dive. 
• We serve tough.
• We celebrate teammates. 

That is who you are...and our community knows it when they see it.

Lagniappe. Know the responsibilities/zones that Coach Celli wants. 

Lagniappe 2. More on confirmation bias. Imagine that your math teacher provides a series of numbers such as 2, 4, 6... and asks you the "rule" for the sequence. Seek disconfirming evidence. If you say "-3" your teacher will say, "That is not it." But what if you say, "9" and the teacher says, "That works in the sequence." The number 9 disconfirms "generate by adding two" and works for "the next number is higher than the previous." The moral? "Seek disconfirming evidence. 

"The Game Honors Toughness"

“You build confidence by doing really hard things over & over - cause that’s your intent - that’s your focus - your job is your focus.”

(Via @Jammer2233 🎥)

pic.twitter.com/qJaBWjzlF3

— Hoop Herald (@TheHoopHerald) February 20, 2026

Tough players prepare. They "show up" every day, not just when they feel like it.

Tough players train, communicate, mentor younger players, encourage each other, learn to focus better.

It's not complicated. But it's hard. Do hard things better.  

What Tools Do You Need to Succeed?

Develop tools of your trade and become an architect of excellence.

See the Game

"Dig, set, spike" morphed into "Pass, set, hit." What is your responsibility in that context? Are you a DS whose main job is passing - to initiate the sequence or "set" an out-of-system attack? Or are you a hitter who must read the set, read the defense, and execute one of many types of attack?

Control Your Emotions

Excellent players channel excitement and enthusiasm into controlled action. Learn to bring the "right" amount of activation to play. Every elite Melrose athlete learned emotional activation and regulation. 

ChatGPT Plus generates both text and graphics to illustrate the relationships among different "arousal" levels and performance.

🏐 Arousal & Performance in Volleyball (Inverted-U Applied)

LEFT SIDE: 🔵 Low Arousal (Flat / Passive)

What it looks like in volleyball

• Late to close block

• Slow transition off the net

• Casual serve receive platform

• No talk, no eye contact

• “Hope the ball comes to someone else”

Language athletes use

• “I feel tired.”

• “We just don’t have energy.”

Coaching lever

• Increase intensity: short competitive drill

• Force first-contact accountability

• Use quick scoring games to create urgency

Comment: "Low energy" athletes seldom get over the performance hurdle to make teams and get on the court. They simply lack "activation energy" to build and translate skills. 

PEAK: 🟢 Optimal Arousal (Calm Intensity)

What it looks like

• Quick read on hitter’s shoulder

• Balanced block footwork

• Aggressive but controlled serving

• Clear, early communication

• After an error: quick reset, next ball

Language athletes use

• “I’m locked in.”

• “The game feels slow.”

This is your “calm fire.” High energy. Low noise.

Comment: Even within the "optimal activation" zone, there are levels. Someone like Dr. Victoria Crovo was "fire" and another player like Elena Soukos was "ice." 

RIGHT SIDE: 🔴 Over-Arousal (Tight / Rushed)

What it looks like

• Service errors long

• Net violations from tension

• Over-penetrating block

• Wild swings out of system

• Emotional swings after mistakes

Language athletes use

• “Don’t miss.”

• “I can’t mess this up.”

Muscles tighten. Vision narrows. Timing suffers.

Comment: For athletes who trend toward "overactivation" tools like mindfulness (stop and take a breath) and softer music choices before games can help. 

🏐 Task-Specific Nuance (Important for You as a Coach)

Different volleyball skills have different optimal arousal zones:

Skill	Optimal Arousal
Serving	Moderate–Low
Serve Receive	Moderate
Setting	Moderate–Low
Blocking	Moderate–High
Transition Attack	Moderate–High

A libero’s peak zone may look different than a middle blocker’s.

Athleticism

Athleticism links skill, strategy, and emotion. Every exceptional MVB player is an excellent athlete. Motivation and competitive character are necessary but insufficient. 

Bo Jackson was an All-Star in both pro football and baseball. In high school, someone suggested he should try decathlon. He "walked on" to the state decathlon competition in Alabama, not knowing what all the events were...and set the state record. 

It's a disservice to name individual exceptional quick twitch/power MVB athletes because there were so many. Some players rely on guile as well. 

Summary: Find your MVB tools that will get you and keep you on the court. Technique, tactics, physicality, and emotional regulation are the keys that unlock elite performance.  

Coaching Translation for Melrose-Style Culture

ACE: Attitude, Choices, Effort.

The inverted-U fits perfectly:

• Attitude regulates arousal.

• Choices (breathing, self-talk, routines) stabilize it.

• Effort pushes you out of the low zone.

The best teams don’t just “play hard.” They learn to self-regulate.

Lagniappe. Get a running start... advice from Kelvin Sampson. 

Kids don’t want things to be easier.
They want structure, clear routines, clear expectations, and consistent follow-through.
But, structure without relationship is just control.
High standards only work when we pair them with high support.
Demand more. Teach more. Care more. pic.twitter.com/3nRSwUTGt1

— The Winning Difference (@thewinningdiff1) February 20, 2026