Tuesday, June 09, 2026

Delivering Messages as a Player and as a Coach

Find stuff you can 'take to the bank'. A couple are in the video:

1. Coaches want players they can trust to put on the floor. 

2. Passing means playing. Who is the best passer on the team? Or maybe you want to choose among two or three. Do they play a lot? 

3. Be a "dog." It's the context where you have pride in being a dog, a grinder, a player who gets after it. 

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Win Soft Skills*

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

"Seeing is believing." What if unmeasurable gains, compounded growth, are the secret? Soft skills make tough people. 

“True strength isn’t always something you see on the outside.” - Dune Prophecy 

Inspiration

  • Underdog stories
  • Success despite impairment
  • Great teaching 
  • The power of persistence
Thoroughness

Do the job well. In "Toughness" Jay Bilas shares a story about being asked to change out the contact paper in his sister's vanity. He did a poor job and his father had to redo it - after a long day at work. His father said nothing. Bilas felt shamed and learned attention to detail. 

Don't cut corners. Don't skip steps. "Pound the rock." Nothing will show up until the rock breaks. 

Sleep

Shakespeare described, "Sleep that knits up the raveled sleave of care." 

Sleep "cleans our brains," consolidates memory, and results in proven better athletic performance. Seek eight hours minimum. 

Habit Formation 

James Clear writes in Atomic Habits that our habits are "votes for the type of person we wish to become." This restates, "How you do anything is how you do everything." Winning habits could include reading (e.g. Kevin Eastman, NBA Champion assistant coach), mindfulness (Search Inside Yourself), gratitude (The Jar of Awesome), and many more. 

Positivity

Nobody ever crafted a positive life from a negative attitude. Be "The Positive Dog"
  • Enhanced Resilience and Better Pressure Management
  • Broadened Perspective for Problem-Solving
  • Elevated Performance and Productivity
  • A Contagious Culture that Elevates the Whole Team
  • Increased Longevity and Personal Well-Being

Patience

Coach Wooden's "Pyramid of Success" has values of faith and patience flanking the top of the pyramid. Don't be seduced by the myth of overnight success. "Be fiercely patient with how long it takes for those compounding daily actions to turn into substantial returns."

Reading

Nobody sees the effort of study invested away from the arena. When my daughters were in a high school, a future D1 coach told me, "they really know how to play." Have the will to embrace Pete Newell's mandate for coaches, "Help players see the game." 

When someone asks, "What are you reading today?," have an answer.
  • "True Blue" by David Baldacci
  • "Albert Einstein" by Walter Isaacson
Work Ethic

Anson Dorrance saw Mia Hamm training alone in a park on his drive to work. He shared that in his book, "The Vision of a Champion." 


I used to hand out a "mini poster" of this to players. 

Service

Serve your family. Serve your teammates. Serve the community. In an era of the "Me Generation," make others better. Serve by sharing, by leading, by encouraging, by 'rethinking', and by giving credit. 

Craft your plan and succeed.

Lagniappe. Improve your defense. 

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Bonus Post - Lemon Squares

Here's a tangy treat from the 1950s or 1960s. It has a sweet baked crust and tart poured topping. The recipe came via Betty Crocker and Reddit.


I got lots of love for Betty Crocker's Cookbook! 

LEMON SQUARES

1 cup Gold Medal Flour

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

2 eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Heat oven to 350 degrees (Moderate). Measure flour by dipping method (page 5) or by sifting. Blend flour, butter, and confectioners' sugar thoroughly. Press evenly in square pan, 8x8x2 inches. Bake 20 minutes. Beat rest of ingredients together. Pour over crust and bake 20 to 25 minutes more. Do not overbake! (The filling puffs during baking but flattens when cooled). Makes 16 squares. 

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Monday, June 08, 2026

Earning More Time

Get more minutes. You should want to play more. Because you've built skill, boosted your volleyball IQ, raised your athleticism, and done the mental work, you want ROI - return on investment.

Link shared tips:

  • Communicate
  • Ask for more practice reps to show your commitment. 
Other tactics
  • Mentoring. What do you need to work on?
  • Athleticism. Athleticism stands out. Not easy among athletes...
  • Attitude. Bring energy, focus, and resilience.
Points to Ponder
  • Players set the rotation...coaches fill out the card. 
  • Bring the "wow" factor. Catch "Coach's eyes."
  • The only constant in life is change. 
Lagniappe. Everyone should know how to bump, pass, and set. Scoring "out of system" matters. 

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Apply a Quality, Value, Growth Matrix to MVB

Borrowing from finance, apply a Quality, Value, and Growth (QVG) filter to volleyball. Translate financial metrics into athletic performance metrics.

To analyze a team, player development, or a specific match, the QVG discipline acts as a crisp editorial lens. It focuses past outcomes on the program structure.

The Volleyball QVG Matrix Defined

  • Quality: System Execution & Discipline

Examine: Serve-receive passing accuracy (scaled 0-3), out-of-system hitting efficiency, and unforced error rates (e.g. service errors, net touches). A high-quality team doesn't beat itself. 
 

  • Value: Roster Efficiency & "Power"

The Skinny: Who maximize their touches or rotation adjustments that earn high point differentials? This is about finding impact contributors who aren't necessarily the flashiest - like a defensive specialist who locks down the back row or a middle blocker who alters an opponent's attack geometry. 
 

  • Growth (The Trajectory): Development Curve & Adaptability.

Examine: In-season improvement, young talent stepping up or the team’s in game adjustments their from Set 1 to Set 4.


Headline Idea: Searching for "7s": A Portfolio Review of the Melrose Rotation

The philosophy. Championship volleyball isn’t built on having one flashy "10" hitter paired with a "4" in receive rating or a "3" in service errors. Develop a robust rotation with steady "7s" across the board.

Be specific.

1. The Quality Pillar: System Discipline

Evaluate the current rotation.


Example: "Looking at our recent matches, our ball control is hovering right at a 7.5/10. We stay in-system, allowing our setters to run a diverse offense. The unforced error rate in our serving game has dropped. We don't give away cheap points to opponents with miscommunication or bad receives.

 2. The Value Pillar: Roster Depth and Efficiency

Highlight the high-efficiency, maximum-return elements.


Examples: "If you want pure value (7/10), look at our middle transition game. We aren't just relying on heavy swings; our hitters are finding the deep corners and capitalizing on broken plays. Furthermore, our defensive standard is giving us transition opportunities we didn't always have last season."

 3. The Growth Pillar: Player Development

Assess the trajectory of the team and specific underclassmen.

Examples: "We score a 7.5/10 on raw growth, which is exactly where you want to be mid-season. We aren't erratic and unpredictable group. The younger varsity roster spots are more than depth, and the team's pressure response shows a maturing volleyball IQ."

The Takeaway: Summary

Like a great investment portfolio, a championship volleyball team doesn't need to chase high-risk and volatility. A lineup with disciplined, valuable, improving "7s" is what mounts a margin of safety on the court and wins matches in the competitive cauldron.

The Connection

This framework provides fans with an analytical toolkit. Watch the game like a coach, focusing on efficiency, consistency , and in-season trajectory. 

Lagniappe. MVB goes as far as the serve-receive. 

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Sunday, June 07, 2026

Rebuilding the Block

Blocking serves multiple functions

  • Block-kills score points
  • Blocking can intimidate hitters (changes the attack)
  • Blocking coordinates defense to handle slowed spikes
  • Blocking forces some attack errors  
Exceptional blockers bring attitude to the fight.

The CARE acronym works
  • Concentrate
  • Anticipate (read the setter, predict the attack)
  • React (don't 'ball watch', urgent footwork to get to the spot)
  • Execute (timing, penetrate the net, stiff block)
Improve
  • Better reading of plays (study video)
  • "Get there" 
  • Timing is practice (some is 'natural')
  • Work on your athleticism (a few inches makes a differences)
Examples (Rachel Johnson):


Hang time (stay with the play):
 

One block doesn't end the play. 


Lagniappe. Show strength. 

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Saturday, June 06, 2026

Foundational Process*

What would we emphasize in an introductory 'presser'? Every year, every team is "new." Just as Coach John Wooden began each season with an explanation on donning socks and shoes (to prevent blisters), each year coaches explain our approach, seeking buy-in and high performance by adding value.

*Adapted from my basketball blog

Philosophy

Coaches want teams to reflect our personality and approach to the game.

  • Bring the best version of ourselves every day with the Stoic approach of "control what we can control." 
  • "Every day is showtime." 
  • Priorities are teamwork, improvement, and accountability. We are responsible for our 'brother'/'sister'

Specificity

It's not enough to say we'll play hard, play smart, and play together. Explain what that means.

  • Focus and effort to limit easy points (e.g. service errors, miscommunication, missed assignments)
  • Communicate on the floor at all times. 
  • Play to succeed each possession as the game is the sum of individual possessions. 

Culture

Put value on a learning culture. "Everyone benefits from coaching" and coaching is correction. "Form begets function." Doing it the right way, at the right time, every time has to become 'automatic' as volleyball IQ becomes "I do."

Standards

Track performance of what matters. "Winners are trackers." Successful teams commit to higher standards, recognizing that better process (preparation) leads to superior results. 

  • Analytics prove that we're doing the right things. Higher efficiency and fewer errors inform better outcomes. 
  • "Fouls negate hustle." We can't bail out teams with mistakes. 
  • High performance applies at home, school, and sport. If players can inhabit volleyball mastery, they can excel at English, history, and mathematics. 
Mindset

"Do more to become more and become more to do more." Competition is a habit. Toughness is a habit. Hard work is a habit. 
  • Put the team first. Seize learning and leadership opportunities.
  • Develop great habits of preparation and self-care. Just as you service your car at your convenience, you fix it at your inconvenience. There are no "little things." Sleep, recovery, hydration, and nutrition are force multipliers.
  • The "keystone habits" developed today carry over throughout your life. Everything builds upon today's gains. 
The only constant is change. Be curious, open, and alert to new and better ideas. 

Lagniappe. Study exceptional players. 
View on Threads

Lagniappe 2. The ability to see the action, anticipate, decide, and execute separation excellent from good. 

 

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What's Your Program?

Talent, attitude, and habits are separators.

  • What's your program?
  • Write it down.
  • Track your adherence. 
  • Monitor progress.
  • Revise as needed. 
Have a mentor. 

Work out with a teammate. 

Commit to raising your standard. 

Lagniappe. Budget friendly healthy foods 
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Friday, June 05, 2026

Underrated Training Activities

How do you improve? If you have availability, there's nothing better than playing. Easier said than done.

Return to our Four Pillars:

  • Technique
  • Tactics
  • Physicality
  • Psychology
1. Jump rope (physicality) improves endurance, coordination, and vertical jump (a little). If we could jump rope for five minutes in 1973 at the beginning of practice, then why couldn't you? 

2. Vertical jump. Improve your ups. Sport rewards athleticism. Yes, time and physical maturity matter, too. There are jobs to be won. 


3. Armswing technique. "Form begets function" and "repetitions make reputations." Here's a progression drill. Tip: when starting out, do this in front of a mirror. 

4. Armswing power...engage your core, your shoulder, your wrist. 

5. Another stepwise integration of armswing. A few returning players have above average power and many have potential to boost their capability. 

6. Train leg and core power exercises. Usually you'll have to do about three sets of 6-8 reps per exercise. 

7. Study volleyball video. "Film is the truth machine." There are two versions available - "This is what I saw" and "This is reality." Always follow the principles taught by Coach Celli and staff. 


8. Train your mind. Mindfulness increases focus, benefits sleep, and reduces circulating stress hormones and anxiety. Exceptional players do ordinary things in extraordinary ways. 


9. Mental practice. Visualize yourself executing volleyball actions. Leverage your mind. 

AI Prompt: Briefly summarize (one paragraph) evidence that mental practice translates to physical improvement in volleyball.

Response: Research in sports psychology and motor learning consistently shows that mental practice can improve physical performance, especially when combined with actual training. When athletes vividly imagine executing a skill—such as a volleyball serve, pass, block, or attack—they activate many of the same neural pathways used during physical movement. Studies have found that visualization improves technique, decision-making, confidence, reaction speed, and skill retention, while also helping athletes prepare for pressure situations. Mental rehearsal is not a substitute for physical repetitions, but it can enhance learning by strengthening neural connections, reinforcing correct mechanics, and increasing the quality of subsequent practice. In volleyball, players who regularly visualize successful serves, defensive reads, setter decisions, or attacking sequences often perform with greater consistency because they have effectively "rehearsed" the skill before stepping onto the court.



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