Dr. Fergus Connolly has worked with top organizations across business, military special forces, and sport.
Read his PRINCIPLES carefully and consider how to use them. These three resonated for me:
1. "Protect your attention ruthlessly. Not every distraction deserves a response." (The ability to focus is a superpower. It works in the classroom and on the court.) It's a vital element of coaching and coachability.
2. "Win through better reasoning, not louder voices." There's an old saying that "an empty barrel makes the loudest noise." Others have said it well, like Shakespeare:
Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 5, “It is a tale, Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.”
Learn what to embrace and what to ignore, separating signal from noise.
3. "How you speak to yourself determines your capacity to lead."
The voice we hear most often is our own. Our attitude, choices, and effort flow from our ability to filter and apply from that firehose of information. Nobody can drink from a firehose. Sorting allows us to transform thoughts into action. "I should work out today" becomes "I'm working out when others are not."
Lagniappe. "As a grandfather, I consider it my right and responsibility to dispense hard-earned wisdom, whether it’s requested or not." - General Stanley McChrystal in "Character"
— Coach AJ 🎯 Mental Fitness (@coachajkings) April 29, 2026
Over time, own your personal growth. Realistically, nobody will provide a "personal growth coach" for each of you. What can you do?
1. Build better habits
2. Pick, stick, and check them.
3. Lean on each other to grow together.
4. Build resilience with training of body and mind (mindfulness).
5. Take inventory of your growth...ask how you are a better leader, a better teammate, a better thinker (what ideas have you changed after study and reflection?)
Players and coaches are superstitious. We can't help ourselves.
In 1973, players wore jackets and ties on game day. It represented pride and maybe a hint of status. Coach Ellis Lane forgot his coat on game day and borrowed my brown corduroy coat for the game. We won. He asked me to bring it to the next game. Another win. That coat "won" thirteen straight games, including three upset wins in the "Tech Tourney" including the Sectionals in Boston Garden. Before "it's the shoes," it was the coat. Eventually it found its way to Goodwill.
Wade Boggs ate chicken before every game.
Jim Palmer got the nickname "Cakes" for eating pancakes before his starts. He never gave up a grand slam in his Hall of Fame career.
LeBron James throws chalk before every game.
Michael Jordan wore UNC shorts under his Bulls shorts
Karch Kiraly wore a pink hat during volleyball tournaments
Serena Williams is renowned for her extensive superstitions, including using the same shower, bringing her shower sandals to the court, tying her shoelaces in a specific way, bouncing the ball five times before her first serve and twice before her second.
Olympic champion US golfer Nelly Korda always keeps three tees in her hair, replacing them only when they break.
I had/have a lot of superstitions, chewing "Big Red" gum during games, wearing wrist bands, not wearing pro team gear on game day, playing the same song (Livin' on a Prayer) before our daughters' playoff games. Superstitious people know superstitions are a waste of time, but why tempt fate?
Superstitions find their way into your routine - what you wear, what you eat, how many times you brush your hair, or how you bounce or twirl the ball before serving.
"The wind blows hardest at the top of the mountain."
MVB was at the top of the ML for a long time. That's history. So is last season.
Joe Mazzulla shares enduring lessons in a unique way.
1. Compete. The same as the "Fourth Agreement," Always do your best.
2. Winning is hard. It's not a legacy or entitlement. Fight for it every day.
3. Complacency is the enemy. Pat Riley discussed, "The Disease of Me."
Riley writes, "The most difficult thing for individuals to do when they’re part of the team is to sacrifice. It’s so easy to become selfish in a team environment… Willing sacrifice is the great paradox. You must give up something in the immediate present – comfort, ease, recognition, quick rewards – to attract something even better in the future; a full heart and sense that you did something which counted. Without sacrifice, you’ll never know your team’s potential, or your own.”
New assistant Coach Gia Vlajkovic was a pleasure to watch at the intersection of:
Skill
Strategy (VB IQ)
Physicality (Athleticism)
Psychology (Mental toughness)
What do you want? How do you get that? What investment are you prepared to make? Is that a price you can pay?
Let's examine some highlights from the State Semifinals loss to King Philip. Gia had 18 kills and was immense in defeat. It was one of the best performances from an MVB player in a loss since Hannah Brickley in a playoff loss to Central Catholic.
Outside Attack
Gia transitions from defense at the net into a "long runway" as she is at least six feet behind the net. She's probably a little "late" but her athleticism allows her to adjust and attack down the line. The "pin hitter" needs a quiver with multiple arrows - down the line, cross court, cut shots, tips, roll shots, and more.
If you watch the match on YouTube, you can adjust the speed for more detail.
Pass, Set, Hit
"Win more 'positive' points." Gia attacks the double block and "tools the block" off the outside defender's outside hand. These attacks can be smashes or pushes off the hand, the latter more likely close to the net.
"Great Is the Enemy of Good"
Sadie Jaggers said that Gia taught her to focus on 'good' not 'great' passes. Gia played all-around and is in position one where she makes a "good" pass leading to a successful attack.
Attacking Off the Net
Gia didn't need "perfect sets" to attack because of her skill, aggressiveness, and mental toughness. Here she attacks from about the ten foot line with both power and precision.
Hand-Eye Coordination
In this "choppy" clip, Gia makes an extraordinary save to "keep the ball up." While falling backwards, she makes a one-armed "chicken wing" dig, initially to rescue the point...later won by KP.
Attack from the Back
Here Gia serves and then plays from the back. Her attack creates advantage and ultimately a future star, Sadie Jaggers, finishes the point.
Enduring lessons:
Skill, there is no substitute.
Versatility pays big dividends.
Exceptional performance requires excellence in athleticism. Gia wasn't overly tall but she was a great athlete.
Asked Jaylen Brown about the Celtics’ identity of playing hard, no matter what else:
“It just started from before the season — we just set a precedent, just set a tone for what we want Celtics basketball to be. And it wasn't an excuse for none of our guys, not me, or for anyone… pic.twitter.com/3OkgMrfzrJ
How does one write over 5,000 entries about a high school volleyball program? (Beyond obsession, of course)...Find topics that resonate. Jaylen Brown says the quiet part out loud, that perhaps 70 percent of the battle is competing hard. Here are realities:
1) There is no "on-off" switch.
Few MVB squads have been good enough to show up and overwhelm the stronger teams with talent alone. What you want to become is the team with the talent to succeed and the drive to show up and do it.
2) The only way to compete in games is to compete in practice.
I've watched enough MVB practices to know that to get on the court for MVB 26, you need to be a "dirt dog." Compete when "you cross the red line" onto the court.
3) There's nothing but "Blank Space" on the dance card.
Jobs are there to be earned. Competition reflects the saying that "a rising tide lifts all boats."
4) "Play hard, play smart, play together."
Play the right way (how your coaches want it done), right now, every day. The only way that happens is hard work to drive your physical and mental conditioning and being coachable.
5. Play with joy.
Exceptional teams radiate joy. They enjoy playing the sport and they enjoy being around each other. Be a light bulb. Here's an old quote from Pete Carril that resonates:
"Light bulbs, that's what I call them. Light bulbs. There's an intangible feeling a coach and a player have that you can delight in. When Armond Hill was at Princeton and he'd go up and down the court in warmups, that's excited me. Frank Sowinski walked onto the court in practice. I could be dead tired: I saw him, I felt good. Billy Omeltchenko. Craig Robinson. I call them light bulbs. They walk on the floor, the light goes on." - February 6, 1991.
Playing "the right way" has to be your identity. You have to own it, live it, and believe in it. When everyone is on board with both talent and that philosophy, you can become special.
Arm yourself with mental models and understanding of cognitive biases to make better decisions.
In Rolf Dobelli's "The Art of Thinking Clearly" he includes the fallacy of the single cause. Assigning success or failure to a single cause is faulty during complexity. Ask why success succeeds.
MVB 25 Features
A youth movement arrives (includes five frosh and five sophs) Record setting performance by senior Sabine Wenzel Growth of the quarterback - sophomore Sadie Smith
MVB 25 Bugs
"Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want" Struggle to close out games (e.g. Newburyport, Burlington) Need to improve blocking at the pins(point prevention)
The Future
Connection - move from good to excellent Attention to detail - champions win more points Finishing kick - capacity to close out sets and matches
Connect. Watch programs like America's Got Talent. Note how the best 'acts' connect with the audience. UCONN Coach Geno Auriemma says that during recruiting, dominant players stand out from the beginning. Excellence is evident.
Lagniappe. Consistency is a superpower.
The most successful people are not the most talented or extraordinary. They just do the ordinary things with extraordinary consistency.
Competitiveness doesn't exclude compassion. Learning sportsmanship is part of development.
Win with humility and lose with grace.
The lie sports culture keeps telling:
You can’t compete against your opponent and still have compassion for them.
You can be the hardest worker, the fiercest competitor, the one nobody wants to line up against and still be humble, respectful, and compassionate.… pic.twitter.com/hv3eehOexR
— The Winning Difference (@thewinningdiff1) April 22, 2026
Major cheat code for life: Believe that things will work out for you. Not blindly, but through effort. When you expect good things and pair it with action, you start noticing opportunities others miss. Optimism paired with effort is a powerful force.
Want to make the team. Want to contribute. Want to be in the regular rotation. It's okay to want to be a "star" player, understanding that means assuming more responsibility.
You know the Golden Rule, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." You should know Nassim Taleb's Silver Rule, "Do not do treat others as you would have them not treat you."
When you hear that a classmate did well on a test, "Celebrate with them and for them."
When you hear that a classmate got into the school or the job that they wanted, "Celebrate with them and for them."
When you see a teammate performing well, regardless of your situation, "Celebrate with them and for them."
Being happy for others' success isn't alway easy. But it improves our lives.
Lagniappe. A vital question...
Here is one of the best questions a leader can ask: What do you need from me to perform at your best?
Developing our four-legged stool (skill, strategy, physicality, psychology) gives a young athlete a chance to "play with force."
One of Coach Scott Celli's strengths is the ability to project players - figuratively to "see into the future." Former NFL Coach Bill Parcells had a saying, "If they don't bite when they're puppies, they won't bite when they're grown."
I asked Coach when he knew a former player would become a player. He answered, "Five minutes after I saw her."
Exceptional athletes don't "hide in plain sight." When we had basketball tryouts, we ran players through drills to get an idea of their athleticism and adaptability to the unfamiliar. Then we separated them into quartiles - top, middle two, and bottom.
For team selection, I focused on the middle group. The top and bottom six players quickly separate themselves. The challenge is finding the diamonds in the rough.
You may know the saying, "looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane." Sometimes you find a player who "looks like Jane and plays like Tarzan."
And there's the unforgettable Payton Tolle quote, "Play like you're the third monkey trying to get on the ark and it's starting to rain."
"Good artists borrow; great artists steal." - Picasso
Coaching disputes an alleged Einstein quote, "Imagination is more important than information." Most coaches learn at the feet of mentors who learned from their mentors.
Arkansas basketball coach Mike Neighbors is both a bookworm and student of coaching. He shares a lengthy article on 25 stolen lessons. Here are excerpts from his Off the Court Top 15.
"Your players want to know that you care about them. They want to feel secure and confident. They want to feel that you care more about them than
the outcome of the game/season/career. You want to feel the same way about your “coaches” don’t you? Don’t you want your administrators to be
supportive of you when you make your mistakes?"
Excellent coaches earn that reputation because players respond - they listen, work to do what's right, and do it right again and again.
"There are numerous things you can do… Situation Cards were our best use of time. We developed a
“deck” of 52 cards. Each card was printed with a time/score situation. At some point in each practice, a
player would draw a card, read it everyone else, then we would divide into teams with one team executing
from the offensive perspective and the other from the defensive perspective."
Bill Belichick called them, "Gotta have it situations." Three obvious ones are:
Coming back, close and late and trailing
Closing out sets, close and late and winning
Getting off to solid starts in decisive sets
Situational practice matters.
"Gary Blair told me to start a file in 1999 labeled PAYCHECKS. In that file went notes from players, coaches, parents, or
fans that made me realize how lucky I was to be doing what I was doing. It was labeled PAYCHECKS to remind me that
it wasn’t about the low pay or the long hours that coaching requires. It is great for those days when something doesn’t
go right and you need a pick me up."
Thank you notes stick with you. They remind us that "coaches get more than we give." You never know when you may not get a chance to thank a person whom you want to thank.
"Keep what YOU do simple."
Simple is hard. There's a "hard-to-resist" pull to do more instead of being exceptional at what we do a lot. If a magic genie gave me a volleyball wish, I'd ask for better blocking the pin hitters.
"We all know that TALENT is the starting point… Great Lou Holtz quote…
“I’ve coached teams with good players and I’ve coached teams with bad players. I’m a
better coach when I have good players.”
Making the MOST of our TALENT is our charge as coaches. It’s what we are paid to do."
Teams do well when all the players want to succeed as much as the coach wants to succeed. MVB doesn't have any "hobbyist" players. There are a few players who excel at other sports, but nobody on MVB is a casual participant.
Education shares tools to help student-athletes learn and think better. For example in the introduction to The Leadership Moment, Michael Useem shares four questions:
What went well?
What went poorly?
What can we do better next time?
What are the enduring lessons?
Apply those to analyze a game, a season, a life, a historical event. "Losses are lessons."
Learn every day. The Professor shares a message about better arguments. Use this structure to become more effective:
1. Make a claim.
2. Provide supporting evidence.
3. Add your explanation.
Claim: Simply the Best
MVB 2012 was the greatest volleyball team in Melrose history.
Evidence: Just the Facts
State Championship pedigree
Two Herald players of the decade (Brooke Bell, Sarah McGowan)
Four eventual All-Staters (Bell, McGowan, Jill MacInnes, Allie Nolan)
Two of the most underrated ever (Jen Cain, Rachel Johnson)
Best blocking pair (Kayla Wyland and Rachel Johnson)
One of top two MVB servers (Cassidy Barbaro)
Wealth of experience - seven seniors
Explanation: Behind the (26-1) numbers
A State Finals loss in 2011 set the stage for redemption in 2012. The team lost four sets all year, including the loss to D1 runnerup Newton North in the regular season finale. MVB 12 took losing hard as they wanted to be undefeated. They demanded more from each other. There's a story about a captain getting in the face of a young star with a "Get in the game" moment. Winning is hard; that's why it means so much.
It's far too early to construct an 'argument' for or against MVB 26. Own your evidence.
MVB has put many extraordinary all-around athletes on the stage. If generating a list, we'd unfairly omit some worthy of mention.
There's a difference among "talents" - focus, hand-eye coordination, athleticism, volleyball skill, competitiveness. Again it's unfair to leave so many deserving players out.
When I talk about "all-around athletes," I think in term of 'decathletes' who compete in ten events - running, jumping, throwing.
As a high school senior, Bo Jackson was a spectacular multisport athlete. Later, he competed in both the pro football and pro baseball All-Star games in the same season.
As a high schooler, he was told that he should try the Alabama state decathlon. He arrived not knowing the events. He set the state record.
Via AI: won the Alabama 3A state decathlon title in both 1981 and 1982 while attending McAdory High School, setting a state record for total points that still stands.
He achieved this dominance while competing in multiple sports, often skipping the 1,500-meter run because his point lead was so insurmountable that no other athlete could catch him.
I wasn't at practice every day, so I can't speak with complete authority about potential decathletes on MVB 26. And that omits players on JV whom I don't know. Decathlon favors "bigger, faster, stronger." These athletes "bounce." That's reality.
If I had to pick three to compete in decathlon here's my list in alphabetical order: Adriana, Ella, Sabrina.
All this is the lead-in for athleticism development. Directional pogos, single-leg exercises, consecutive jumps, and lateral bounds (among others) will help you become an exceptional athlete.
Learn to use AI as a collaborator to expand our understanding and communication about topics like volleyball.
Today's piece could represent "lunch with AI (ChatGPT Plus).
For this volleyball blog post, you and I will share 'hallucinations' about volleyball education. Help high school aged players to "see the possibilities." I want to talk about "reducing friction" in volleyball. What techniques can we apply to create better individual and team play based on the "reducing friction" theme?
This is literally a TL/DR piece (too long, didn't read). Read it and write down five ACTIONABLE IDEAS.
This is a strong idea. “Reducing friction” is intuitive, visual, and teachable—perfect for high school players. It also gives you a unifying lens across skill, decision-making, and team culture.
Friction is inefficiency - inefficiency in communication, reading plays, decision-making, athletic limitation, skill execution.
Reducing Friction in Volleyball
Helping players see the game more clearly
Let’s start with a useful hallucination.
Imagine volleyball as a game of friction vs. flow.
Friction is anything that slows the play down, distorts it, or makes the next action harder than it needs to be. Flow is when the ball moves cleanly, decisions are obvious, and the next play almost makes itself.
Great teams don’t just make plays.
They reduce friction.
What Is Friction?
Friction shows up everywhere:
Late reads
Extra steps
Off-platform passing
Sets that drift
Hitters adjusting mid-air
Silence instead of communication
Friction is the invisible opponent. You don’t always see it on the stat sheet - but you feel it in every broken play.
The Goal: Make the Next Contact Easier
The best teams think one step ahead:
“How do I make the next player’s job simple?”
That’s volleyball at its highest level.
Not just execution—facilitation.
Five Ways to Reduce Friction
1. Early Information (See It Sooner)
Friction comes from being late.
Read the server before contact
Read the hitter’s shoulder, not just the ball
Call seams early and loudly (ELO: early, loud, often)
When you see it sooner, everything slows down.
Hallucination: The ball is moving at the same speed—but it feels slower to you.
2. Efficient Footwork (Fewer, Better Steps)
Bad feet create chaos.
Beat the ball to the spot
Square early
Eliminate extra adjustment steps
Every unnecessary step is friction.
Great players look smooth because they are on time, not because they are fast.
3. Platform Discipline (Clean Angles)
Passing is the first place friction shows up.
Quiet platform
Stable base
Simple angles
A perfect pass doesn’t just help the setter—it unlocks the entire offense.
A poor pass forces everyone else into compensation mode.
4. Predictable Sets (Give Hitters Certainty)
Setters are friction managers.
Same tempo, same location
Consistent height
Trustworthy release points
Hitters shouldn’t be guessing.
They should be arriving.
5. Communication That Leads the Play
Silence is friction.
Call the ball early
Call seams clearly
Talk between plays
Communication doesn’t describe the play—it shapes it.
The Hidden One: Emotional Friction
This one matters more than we admit.
Frustration after errors
Negative body language
Carrying the last play into the next
Emotional friction lingers. It slows reaction time. It clouds judgment.
Great teams reset quickly.
Next ball. Clean slate.
The Standard
“The standard is the standard.”
Low-friction teams look different:
The ball travels cleanly
Players move with purpose
Decisions appear obvious
Teammates make each other better
It’s not magic.
It’s the result of hundreds of small choices to reduce friction.
What Players Should Ask Themselves
After every rep:
Did I make the next play easier or harder?
Was I early or late?
Did I move efficiently?
Did I communicate clearly?
That’s how players learn to see the possibilities.
Lagniappe
Friction is the enemy of excellence. Remove enough of it, and the game opens up.
The ball starts to move faster. The court feels bigger. And what once looked difficult… becomes obvious.
Thanks for an insightful overview. During the next four months before tryouts, suggest three ways the individual player can reduce friction?
That’s the right constraint—four months, individual control, visible improvement.
If we keep the theme honest, we shouldn’t give them ten things.
Give them three levers that show up every day in the gym.
Reducing Friction: The Individual Plan (4 Months to Tryouts)
1. Win the Race to “On Time”
Friction = being late. Flow = arriving early.
Most high school players don’t struggle with effort—they struggle with timing.
Focus: Beat the ball to the spot.
How to train it:
Daily wall work (5–10 minutes):
Toss → move → platform to target
Don’t stand and pass—arrive and pass
Footwork reps:
Shuffle → stop → hold platform
Crossover → square → freeze
Self-check:
“Was I waiting… or arriving?”
Standard:
Early feet. Quiet body. No panic steps.
What it unlocks:
When you’re on time, the game slows down.
When you’re late, everything speeds up.
2. Build a “Quiet Platform”
Friction lives in angles. Flow lives in simplicity.
Passing breaks down not from effort—but from instability.
Focus: Make your platform boring.
How to train it:
Wall passing (every day):
50–100 clean reps
Same angle, same finish
Hold your finish:
Freeze for 2 seconds after contact
Check: did the ball do what you expected?
Add movement gradually:
Start stationary → then step → then move
Constraints to use:
No swinging arms
No last-second adjustments
Platform decides the ball—not your wrists
Standard:
If someone filmed you, your platform would look the same every time.
What it unlocks:
A clean first contact reduces friction for five other players.
3. Train Your Voice (ELO: Early, Loud, Often)
Silence is hidden friction.
Most players think communication is optional.
It’s not—it’s a performance skill.
Focus: Speak before the play needs you.
How to train it:
Solo reps with voice:
Call “mine” on every touch - even alone
Serve receive visualization:
Call seams out loud before the serve
Watch volleyball (film or live):
Pause → say what you would call
Simple rules:
Early beats accurate
Loud beats perfect
Often beats occasional
Standard:
Your voice should arrive before the ball does.
What it unlocks:
Good communication doesn’t react—it prevents confusion.
The 4-Month Edge
If a player does just these three things consistently:
They arrive earlier
They pass cleaner
They communicate sooner
They won’t just look better. They’ll feel different to play with.Coaches notice that immediately.
Bottom Line
Reduce friction and the game opens up.
Early feet
Quiet platform
Clear voice
Do that for four months, and tryouts won’t feel like a test. They’ll feel like confirmation.
Suggest three exercises (physical training) to reduce "athleticism friction."
Great extension—athleticism as friction control.
If skill is what you do with the ball, athleticism is how cleanly you arrive to the ball. Most high school athletes don’t lack effort—they leak energy through inefficient movement.
Give them three exercises that clean that up.
Reducing “Athleticism Friction”
Move better → arrive sooner → play cleaner
1. Snap-Down → Stick (Landing Discipline)
Friction = wasted motion after movement. Flow = control on contact.
Most players can jump. Fewer can land and stop.
How to do it:
Stand tall → snap arms down → drop into an athletic position
Feet shoulder-width, hips back, chest up
Stick and hold for 2–3 seconds
Progressions:
Add a small jump → land and stick
Lateral hop → stick
Single-leg stick (advanced)
Reps: 3 sets of 5–8 quality reps
What it trains:
Deceleration (huge for defense and transition)
Balance and body control
Eliminates the “extra step” after movement
Translation to volleyball:
You don’t just get there—you arrive under control.
2. Lateral Bound → Hold (Court Coverage Without Chaos)
Friction = choppy, inefficient movement. Flow = powerful, direct movement.
Volleyball is lateral. Most training isn’t.
How to do it:
Push explosively off one leg → bound sideways
Land on the opposite leg
Stick the landing before the next rep
Coaching points:
Cover ground, don’t just hop
Land quietly
Knee tracks over toes (no collapse)
Reps: 3 sets of 4–6 each side
What it trains:
Lateral power
Single-leg stability
Efficient first step
Translation:
Fewer steps. More ground covered. Less panic.
3. Short Burst → Controlled Stop (5–10 Yard Starts)
Friction = slow first step and sloppy stops. Flow = quick start, clean finish.
Most plays are won in the first 1–2 steps.
How to do it:
Start in athletic stance
Sprint 5–10 yards
Decelerate under control—no drifting
Add variability:
React to a visual cue (partner points left/right)
Start from different positions (low, turned, shuffle start)
Reps: 4–6 reps per set, 2–3 sets
What it trains:
First-step explosiveness
Change of direction
Game-like reactions
Translation:
You get to balls others can’t—and you’re balanced when you do.
The Hidden Theme
All three share one idea:
Don’t just move fast. Move clean.
Jump → land under control
Move → arrive balanced
Sprint → stop on time
That’s how you reduce athletic friction.
Athleticism isn’t just speed or vertical.
It’s efficiency.
Stick your landings
Cover ground with purpose
Start fast, stop clean
Do that, and everything else—passing, setting, hitting—gets easier.
Share three sentences to help the committed player "get over the hump" through discipline, habits, and monitoring.
Discipline is choosing the standard over your mood—on the days you don’t feel like it, those reps count double.
Habits are your silent teammates; build a simple daily routine and let consistency do what motivation can’t.
What you track improves—measure your reps, your quality, and your effort, and the truth will pull you forward.
