Cultivate multiple
Kingman, Dave Kingman. He had a 16-year Major League Baseball career, hitting 442 home runs. What's not to like? During that time he had 17 "Wins above replacement" (WAR) about one a year. He struck out a lot and was a terrible fielder. He was a home run specialist.
Contrast the WAR of the Red Sox Cedanne Rafaela (5.5) and Wilyer Abreu (5.4) with a month to go in the season. Rafaela has 13.4 career WAR and hasn't turned 26. At age 27, Abreu has 13 career WAR.
There's value in becoming an "anti-specialist" (generalist) who adds value in multiple areas that get and keep you on the court. You don't need every skill to earn coaching trust, but you need "separating skills" for your position.
Front row players need to attack and block. The DS needs to dig, pass, serve, and make "out of system" plays. Setters must set, defend, block, and attack with "demonstrated reliability."
The anti-specialist isn't great at everything. She gives the opponent little to attack.
Imagine two outside hitters. Player A crushes the ball but struggles in serve receive, gets tooled, doesn't cover well, and is error-prone. Player B is an 'adequate' hitter but passes, serves, blocks, covers, communicates, reads well, and keeps tough balls alive. Which player adds more value over a hundred plays?
Volleyball is good exposing weakness because opponents can choose whom and where to attack. The anti-specialist separates by hard to chase off the court.
Consider a central coaching insight:
Availability earns opportunity. Reliability earns minutes. Versatility keeps them.
Especially on defense, you become indispensable through consistency. Anna Burns makes plays like the "volleyball robot" - she gets to balls, makes good decisions, and passes well. Coaches don't have to think about her. Less glamorous skills but valued ones.
If you want more time, ask "What weakness could force my coach to substitute me out?" Reduce that weakness. Become the player that a team doesn't want to hide.
"Do well what you do a lot." When a team has players like that across the roster, they become a tough out. "Reliability everywhere" and "excellence somewhere" is a potent force. Separate yourself.
Lagniappe. Standards vs rules...
"Standards are for people who aspire to do special things. Rules are for people who can't follow directions."
— The Winning Difference (@thewinningdiff1) August 31, 2026
-Tim Corbin
Rules create order.
Standards create separation.
The teams that do special things expect more than what is simply required. pic.twitter.com/Ukkh0pXSIQ
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