"A" Game

With enough talent, savvy, physicality, and resilience, your "A" Game can have a high ceiling. How can you bring that "best version" out as often as possible?

Manage Your Hardware

Your hardware includes both your body and your mind. Have a plan for maintenance and upgrades. 

• Power, conditioning, and quickness. Build a workout schedule.
• Sleep. Demand eight hours or more nightly. Sleep helps both muscles and the nervous system. 
• Nutrition and hydration. Dehydration first shows up as fatigue.
• Recovery. Post-exercise walking is an option as well as "thermal contrast" - alternating cold and warmer water in the shower. 

Upgrade Your Software

• Study the game. Study both team and individual play. 
• Play volleyball. Set specific goals for practice improvement. If you serve, work on serving to zones, seams, better pace or float, or adding topspin. 
• Mindfulness upgrades both hardware and software. Investing seven to ten minutes daily on a mindfulness practice improves focus, memory, and sleep. It lessens anxiety, depression, and blood pressure. 

Get a Coach

• Eventually, become your own coach. Self-assess, develop, and monitor an improvement program. 
• "Pick your coaches' brains." Seek tips and recommendations. Show your coaches that you want to improve, to play, and to win. 
• Use AI. If you don't you are falling behind. 

Yes, I get it. TLDR (too long didn't read). Is being in the serve rotation for you? 

Prompt to Claude.ai (Anthropic site): Help me develop a strategic plan to improve my volleyball serving. When I become more proficient as a server, I increase my chance at having a greater role and contributing to winning.

Response: First, Anthropic asked specifics:

Q: What is your current playing level? A: High School

Q: Which serve types do you want to focus on? (Select all that apply) A: All of the above

Q: What's your biggest current weakness when serving? A: Placement / targeting

Here's Claude's answer:

VOLLEYBALL SERVING

STRATEGIC IMPROVEMENT PLAN

High School Level  •  Float | Jump Float | Topspin/Jump Serve  •  Placement & Targeting Focus

Overview & Goal

This 12-week plan is designed specifically for a high school player who wants to become a consistent, strategic server across all three primary serve types. The core focus is placement and targeting — because a well-placed serve that disrupts the opponent's pass is more valuable than a powerful serve that lands out.

Improved serving creates a direct path to more court time and greater impact on match outcomes. Coaches at the high school level reward servers who are reliable, smart, and put the team in a good position to score.

Your Serving Profile Level: High School Primary Weakness: Placement & Targeting Serves to Develop: Float, Jump Float, and Topspin/Jump Serve Plan Duration: 12 Weeks (3 phases of 4 weeks each) Daily Commitment: 30–45 minutes of focused serve reps

Phase 1: Mechanics Foundation (Weeks 1–4)

Before targeting can improve, mechanics must be consistent and repeatable. Targeting problems at the high school level almost always trace back to mechanical inconsistency — an unreliable toss, inconsistent contact point, or variable approach. Fix these first.

Float Serve (Weeks 1–2 Priority)

The float serve is your highest-leverage weapon at the high school level. A well-executed float knuckles unpredictably and is harder to pass than a faster topspin serve.

• Hand position: Contact point: Strike the ball dead center with a firm, flat hand — fingers together and wrist locked.
• No follow-through: Stop your swing on contact. This is what creates the knuckling effect. A follow-through kills the float.
• Toss discipline: Toss low (2–3 feet), directly in front of your hitting shoulder, with zero spin on the ball.
• Footwork: Use the same footwork pattern every single rep — this becomes muscle memory under pressure.

Jump Float (Weeks 3–4)

The jump float adds height and a sharper downward angle while preserving the unpredictable float movement. It requires a consistent approach before adding power.

• Approach first: Master a 3-step approach (left-right-left for right-handers) before worrying about jump height.
• Toss height: Toss must travel slightly forward and high enough for a full arm swing — practice toss only until consistent.
• Same contact: Contact remains the same as the standing float: flat hand, no follow-through, center of the ball.

Topspin / Jump Serve (Weeks 3–4 Introduction)

The topspin jump serve is introduced later but only after the float is consistent. This serve trades knuckling movement for speed and angle — useful against strong passers.

• Toss: Higher toss (4–5 feet) in front and slightly to the hitting side.
• Contact: Contact slightly above center of the ball with a snapping wrist-through motion to generate topspin.
• Follow-through: Follow through fully toward your target — opposite of the float serve.

Phase 1 Daily Drill — The 50 Reps Rule Hit 50 serves every practice session Track results in three columns: IN | OUT | NET Do not track feelings — track data. Patterns will emerge over 2 weeks. First 2 weeks: float serve only. Weeks 3–4: split between float and jump float. Film yourself from behind at least once per week to identify mechanical issues.

Phase 2: Placement & Targeting (Weeks 5–8)

This phase directly addresses your biggest weakness. A serve landing in-bounds is not enough — every serve should have an intended destination before the toss. Serving with purpose separates good servers from impactful servers.

The Six Zones

Mentally divide the opponent's court into 6 zones matching standard rotation positions (Zones 1–6). Your goal in this phase is to be able to hit any zone on demand with at least 70% accuracy.

Zone 4 (Left Front)	Zone 3 (Middle Front)	Zone 2 (Right Front)
Zone 5 (Left Back) ⭐	Zone 6 (Middle Back)	Zone 1 (Right Back) ⭐

⭐ = High-priority zones. Zones 1 and 5 are your primary targeting goals — see High-Value Targets below.

High-Value Targeting Zones

• Zone 1 (Back Right Corner): Forces the setter to chase and pass before setting — this disrupts their entire offensive system.
• Zone 5 (Back Left Corner): Exploits weak passers, creates sharp cross-court angles. Often exposes the left-side defender.
• Seam Serves (Zone Boundaries): The seam between two players causes communication breakdowns — aim at the gap between Zones 1/6 or 5/6.
• At the Setter: When the setter is in the back row, serving at them forces them to pass instead of set, removing their most important role.
• Short (Zones 2/4): A short serve to Zones 2 or 4 pulls a back-row passer forward and creates chaos in serve-receive coverage.

Phase 2 Targeting Drills Cone Drill: Place a cone or folded towel in a target zone. Serve 10 reps at that target. Record hits vs. misses. Rotate through all 6 zones. Seam Drill: Place two cones 3 feet apart at a zone boundary. Try to land the ball between them. Accuracy Goal: Hit your intended zone 70%+ of the time before moving to Phase 3. Serve-type rotation: Mix float and jump float reps across all zones. Don't just drill one serve type.

Phase 3: Tactical Intelligence & Pressure (Weeks 9–12)

Mechanics and targeting are tools. Tactical intelligence is what makes you a weapon. This phase is about reading the opponent and making decisions that put your team in a position to win the rally before the serve even crosses the net.

The Pre-Serve Checklist

Before every serve in practice AND in matches, run this 5-second mental checklist:

• Identify the weakest passer on the floor right now based on what you've seen in the match.
• Find the setter — can you serve directly at them or make them scramble?
• Look for seams — are two players positioned with a gap between them?
• Check the rotation — is the opponent's best hitter in the front row? If so, disrupt the pass to limit their offense.
• Commit to a target before you toss — never serve without a plan.

Serve-to-Win Tactical Rules

• Neutralize the offense: Serving away from the opponent's best outside hitter when they're in back row forces their weakest attacker to run the offense.
• Attack the rotation: Identify when the strongest passer rotates to Zone 5 (left back) and serve there aggressively.
• Ace-hunting is secondary: An ace is a bonus — your primary goal is to force a bad pass and let your blockers and defenders win the point.
• Self-scouting: After each serve, note: Did it land where I intended? Did it create a good situation for my team? This builds tactical memory.

Pressure Training Drills

• Consequence Drill: Miss a serve = 5 pushups or your partner earns a point. Low stakes, but simulates consequence.
• Streak Serving: Try to serve 10 in a row to a target zone. Reset on each error. Builds mental resilience and focus.
• Post-Match Serve Log: After every match or scrimmage, log: serves attempted, errors, aces, target hit rate. Patterns will guide your next training week.

The Mental Edge The server is the only player in volleyball with total control — no one can block your serve before it crosses the net. Develop a consistent pre-serve routine: bounce, breath, identify target, toss. Same routine every rep. If you miss a serve, reset mentally within 3 seconds. Focus on the next serve, not the last. The best servers look the same whether they're up 20–10 or down 14–20. Build that consistency in practice.

12-Week Training Schedule

Phase	Focus	Key Activities
Week 1–2	Float Serve Mechanics	50 reps/day — track in/out/net. Focus on flat contact and zero swing follow-through.
Week 3–4	Jump Float Mechanics	Add 3-step approach with consistent toss. 40 reps/day. Mix with float reps.
Week 5–6	Topspin / Jump Serve	Introduce wrist snap and toss height. 30 reps/day on jump serve + 20 float.
Week 7–8	Zone Targeting	Cone drills: 10 reps per zone (1, 5, seams). Track hit rate per zone.
Week 9–10	Tactical Reads	Pre-serve checklist in every rep. Serve to weak passer, setter, or seams.
Week 11–12	Pressure & Competition	Consequence drills. Streak serving (10 in a row). Post-match logs.

Weekly Practice Structure

Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Mechanics 50 serves	Zone Targeting cone drills	Mechanics 50 serves	Zone Targeting cone drills	Tactical reps scrimmage	Pressure drills	Rest + Video review

Progress Tracking

Use this log after every practice session to track growth over time. Consistent tracking reveals what's working and guides adjustments.

Date	Serve Type	Total Reps	Errors	Zone Hit %	Notes

A Final Note

Serving improvement is one of the fastest ways to increase your value to a high school volleyball team because it is 100% trainable with solo or partner practice. You do not need a full team. You do not need a coach watching every rep. What you need is consistent, intentional repetition with clear goals

Build Winning Habits

"Winners are trackers." Do the work. Track progress. Adjust. Repeat.

"Champions Do Extra"

Commit to priorities - family, school, other. This is not an 'afterthought'. How you do anything is how you do everything.

Work out with a partner. Two people get better. You develop teamwork and close personal relationships. 

Seek balance. "All work and no play makes 'Susie' a dull person." Work-life balance starts young. Take care of your physical and mental health. 

No Medals?

"The mailman doesn't get medals for delivering letters." 

Approach preparation, training, and games with the same purpose - having clear intent, total focus, and commitment to excellence. 

Jumping rope for five minutes - do it well. 

Studying 2026 club volleyball film - measure the details. Did you read the setter and the hitter allowing you to get to the ball a step quicker? After practice did you work your recovery - hydration, walking and or thermal contrast shower? 

Excellence is in the details. 

Moore's First Principle

Principle #1: Three strikes and you’re not out. 

"In the game of baseball, three strikes and you’re out. Not so in the game of life. Three strikes and you’re not out. There are two things a leader can do: he can either contaminate his environment (and his people) with his attitude and actions, or he can inspire confidence. A leader must be visible to the people he leads. He must be self-confident and always maintain a positive attitude. If a leader thinks he might lose in whatever crisis or situation; then he has already lost. He must exhibit a determination to prevail no matter what the odds or how difficult the situation. He must have and display the will to prevail by his actions, his words, his tone of voice, his appearance, his demeanor, his countenance, and the look in his eyes. He must never give off any hint or evidence that he is uncertain about a positive outcome." 

Hal Moore writes from experience, having "walked the walk" as an officer on the ground in Vietnam. 

What can we incorporate from his first principle and explanation.

1. Never quit. 

Volleyball is a game of momentum, of ebbs and flows. There's a difference between "running in mud" and feeling as though you are. The capacity to "recenter" or what you hear Coach Celli say often, "reset," separates the ability to stop the bleeding or need a transfusion. 

Being a worthy opponent means having the capacity to "stay in the fight" even when the play is not going as well as desired. 

2. Be visible.

One of the most famous examples of moral courage in defeat comes from the example of Spartan king Leonidas I at the famous Battle of Thermopylae. Outnumbered more than 10 to 1 (some say more), the Spartans used terrain and superior weaponry to hold off the attacking force for several days before they were betrayed and slaughtered. 

Leonidas earned legendary status as a "lead from the front" general in a battle taught in every War College. 

3. Bring positivity. 

"You cannot have a positive life with a negative attitude." Coaches express this in different ways, including Urban Meyer's "Above the Line" behavior. 

Positive attitude is intentional, purposeful, and reflects skill and belief. "Control what you can control" starts with attitude. 

4. Body language matters. 

Body language impacts your physiology. "Expansive power positions" have shown higher levels of 'strength hormones' and lower levels of 'stress hormones'. One former MVB player said that she always walked into the gym standing tall, head up. "Everyone in the gym should know that the best player here just walked in" (regardless of whether it's true). Confidence balances arrogance and doubt. Act that way. 

Lagniappe. Force errors and make fewer. 

Lagniappe 2. Consistently good passes are more helpful than occasional great ones. (Video tip: playback at 1.5 speed for efficiency).

Watching Volleyball Video

Most players don’t actually know how to watch film.

Teach them these 4 questions and film study changes completely.

This is the system we use.

Dropping the full version soon.
Been using it with my players for years. pic.twitter.com/RCyMfWX3db

— WinningSystem (@WinningSystemFB) March 5, 2026

Just as "everyone benefits from coaching," everyone benefits from clear video analysis. Many of you have cellphones...learn to watch your own video. 

What separates 'execution'? 

• Personnel (who's on the field or in the classroom?)
• Strategy (what's the intent?)
• Operations (results are in the details)

The author argues to study:

• Structure
• Concepts 
• Tendencies (do they attack middle, pins, setter dumps, pipe?)
• Anticipation (what comes next of what if?)

Decades ago Melrose headed into the the sectional final against a team that focused on tips and "irritation." Every point they scored they danced wildly in celebration. Melrose took away the tips, quieting the dancing and the crowd.

Lagniappe. Winning recommendations. 

KOBE BRYANT’S 10 RULES:

Get better every single day
Prove them wrong
Work on your weaknesses
Execute what you practiced
Learn from greatness
Learn from both wins and losses
Practice mindfulness
Be ambitious
Believe in your team/yourself
Learn storytelling pic.twitter.com/FyW09L7Hjl

— Vala Afshar (@ValaAfshar) February 22, 2026

Think Better with These Tools

Charlie Munger’s 5 Mental Models for Smarter Decisions:

1. Inversion⁰Flip the problem.
• Ask: “What would cause failure?”
• Make an “I Don’t Do List”
• Avoid mistakes first

2. Second-Order Thinking⁰See beyond the obvious.
• Ask: “And then what?”
• Anticipate… pic.twitter.com/HYfYfKbf7Z

— Steve Burns (@SJosephBurns) February 23, 2026

Charlie Munger had a couple of core principles:

"Don't reinvent the wheel." Use what is known to work.

"It is easier to avoid mistakes than be a genius."

Mental models are valuable tools which help decision-making. When you have a difficult decision to make, apply some of these mental models. Writing down your thought process and the eventual outcome help you with future decisions. 

Lagniappe. Tip tips...  

Your Volleyball Language

Derrick White’s advice to the next generation

“Believe in yourself, never stop working, and when you’re on this court, you have to be the hardest working player on the court.”

(Via @NoaDalzell 🎥)

pic.twitter.com/unsghNM2QZ

— Hoop Herald (@TheHoopHerald) November 10, 2025

Fill your volleyball lexicon with short phrases, excellence sound bytes. 

"Listen! Attention is the first price you pay." 

"We can do this."

"Focus." 

"Compete." 

"Push through this workout." 

"Keep going." 

"Next play." 

"We're here because Coach trusts us to make plays."  

"Make today a championship practice." 

Lagniappe. National Champion Coach Cignetti prioritizes improvement - starting with himself. 

This is 54 seconds of coaching gospel. If you want to be an elite coach, this is a must listen. pic.twitter.com/LcpovdrCAN

— Coach Vint (@coachvint) January 19, 2026

Winning Habits

Sean McVay said, “Winning is a habit; let’s make it ours.”

Winning is a lifestyle. It is how you do things.

What habits make winning possible?

Here are the 6 Habits of Winners. pic.twitter.com/UxtydYLJZW

— Greg Berge (@GregBerge) March 6, 2026

What habits increase process and performance?

1) Win the morning. Have a productive morning routine. 

2) Read. Yes, as student-athletes you have "required reading." What if you did an extra hour of reading daily for five years. You'd have an edge of over 1,800 hours versus fellow students. Readers are achievers. 

3) "It's different here," is a Boston Celtics motto. 

Bill Russell, winner of 14 championships (NCAA, Olympic, NBA) in 15 years said, "Imagination leads to innovation leading to differentiation." Be different. 

4) Exercise efficiently. Can you jump rope for five minutes? We used to start basketball practice in 1972 and 1973 with five minutes of jumping rope. 

Slant boards (less than $30) have a variety of benefits. 

5) Broken clock reminder. "Even a broken clock is right twice a day." 

• Work out with a partner! Friendship and competition.
• Mindfulness develops focus, improves sleep, and mental health. 

Lagniappe. Be unstoppable. 

Explosiveness Training

Use this 4-part workout to build better bounce & explosion ⬇️

1) Olympic Lifts
2) Squats
3) Resisted Jumps
4) Unresisted Jumps

This will cover all ends of the athletic spectrum to help you build a better bounce

No matter what sport you play pic.twitter.com/agl9vGb1z3

— Keith Ferrara (@keithjferrara) March 8, 2026

Award yourself commitment and work ethic and others will award you recognition. 

Reminder: The four legs of the development stool - 

• Skill (Technique)
• Strategy (Tactics/Sport-specific IQ)
• Physicality (Strength and Conditioning)
• Psychology (Resilience/Mental toughness)

Define Problems (or Limitations) and Leave Big Footprints

Dr. Fergus Connolly, Human Performance Expert, shares thoughts on problem definition. 

An excerpt: Problem definition matters more than solution sophistication.

Define the right problem first. Then solve it.  

Consider whether the problem is an individual or team issue. One size won't fit all. 

What 'subdivision' contains the need area?  

• Skill (including technique, e.g. attack footwork, armswing?)
• Strategy (reading/understanding where to be and what is needed?)
• Physicality (strength, conditioning, quickness)
• Psychology (resilience, mental toughness)

Young players with limited experience may not know or be unsure of their limitations. Ask your coaches, both locally and on club. "Mentoring is the only shortcut to excellence." With information available, there is no excuse to say, "I didn't know what to do."

When you have "diagnoses" write them down. Writing makes it clear. Writing makes it real.

Write out your proposed remedy for the issue. "I need to read the setter and get to the outside to close the block. Stop ball watching."

Track to get feedback. "I improve from two blocks per three sets to an average of four and a half. Use cellphone or tablet video. You're investing a lot of time and treasure so go the extra step. 

When you return in the summer for tryouts, have more in your toolbox. "Success leaves footprints." 

Lagniappe. Improving the setter dump.

 

What Are Your Core Volleyball Principles?

Consider and write out your core volleyball principles. Don't create an exhaustive list. Make it specific, succinct (e.g. five elements), and clear.

Address your core attitudes, beliefs, and values. Merit can arise in sharing lists as public declarations set a standard. For example, if one of your core principles is maximizing athleticism, sharing that you want to raise your vertical jump two inches sets the bar low. 

Use graphics when applicable. "I commit to winning at intangibles, to being a great teammate and elite competitor."

Graphic from ChatGPT Plus

Give yourself the best chance to succeed at home, in class, and in your extracurriculars.

- At home: Ask "How can I help?"

- In school: What are the teacher and the text telling me? 

- In sports: How can I impact winning, my teammates, and myself? 

Periodically, check in with your list and your questions. 

Your list, commitment, and monitoring reflect your ownership of volleyball education and training. 

Summary: 

Write down clear volleyball principles that capture your core beliefs and non-negotiable standards. Public commitments raise accountability: win the intangibles, be a great teammate, compete relentlessly, improve your athleticism. Then live them across environments - at home by asking “How can I help?”, in school by listening to teachers, and in sport by asking how you can impact winning, teammates, and your own growth. Revisit the list often; reflection signals owning development. Metrics like vertical jump, strength, and conditioning expose preparation and discipline and remind athletes that effort leaves evidence and that culture is built on measurable work.

Lagniappe. The late Carl Pierson included fitness testing during his tryouts. These provided objective measurements:

Vertical jump

• Proxy for explosion, lower-body power, and athletic ceiling

• Hard to fake; reveals who has trained

Bench press

• Upper-body strength and toughness
• A culture signal: who embraces the weight room

Timed mile run

• Conditioning, discipline, and willingness to suffer
• Separates “basketball shape” from résumé or reputation

I absolutely don't recommend fitness testing. Make fitness your standard. Carl included these because when a parent said, "why didn't my daughter make the basketball team?" he could say, "Susie struggled as an athlete among her peers. She was 40/40 in vertical jump, 38/40 in bench press, and didn't complete the mile run."  

Lagniappe 2. Sport rewards athletic explosiveness. Don't allow what you can't do to interfere with what you can.

Do an in-season speed day w/ us!

1. Extensive pogo x30 sec
2. Extensive SL pogo x30 sec
3. Intensive pogo x8 sec
4. Intensive SL pogo x8 sec
5. Sled push-sprint x10 yards
6. Band release sprint x1 each
7. Band resisted vert x4
8. Band resisted broad x3
9. Max vertical x4
10. Max… pic.twitter.com/9chjfgmWJY

— Gerry DeFilippo (@Challenger_ST) March 1, 2026

Which One Is You?

INTENTION changes everything!

Two athletes. Same starting point. Same exact program.⁰But one keeps improving… and the other stays stuck.
Why?

Athlete A is just going through the motions. Showing up because they have to. Checking the box.⁰
Athlete B shows UP. Every rep has… pic.twitter.com/PwNEvot4Q1

— Darren Hansen (@CoachDHansen) February 8, 2026

The "pursuit of happiness" in sport informs common features:

1. "Champions do extra."

2. Progress means putting in the work beyond putting in the time.

3. Leave your comfort zone. If it's easy, then it's probably not helping. 

4. Invest your time; don't spend it. 

5. The best motivation is internal...your character, your ownership.

6. Drive arises with autonomy, mastery, and purpose.

Demand more from yourself. Make every rep matter. 

Lagniappe. There's a saying that the price of an Olympic Gold Medal in figure skating is falling 20,000 times. 

Leadership and Mentoring

Jocko Willink explains the secret to building great relationships as a leader.

"If you want people to trust you, you have to trust them. If you want people to listen to you, you have to listen to them. If you want people to respect you, you have to respect them."

"And if you… https://t.co/OHjaLGjUyh pic.twitter.com/ueqZXm4vMx

— Coach AJ 🎯 Mental Fitness (@coachajkings) January 23, 2026

No magic formula or phrase exists that transforms student-athletes into leaders. Nobody knows for sure but there are thousands of leadership books published annually. 

There's no time to read all of them, even if you wanted to do so. Here are five suggestions for leadership. 

1) Make leadership a priority. 

Leaders "do things the right way." That means being positive, punctual, and people-oriented ("take care of your teammates"). 

2) Leadership is service. 

It's asking "how can I help?" That might be simple, boring, "unrewarding" tasks like setting up and breaking down equipment. "Leave the gym in better condition than you found it."

How Japan left their World Cup Locker Room.

3) Keep a leadership journal. 

Write down opportunities that you had to lead and how you responded. Sometimes that can mean noticing a player 'struggling' or 'off their game' and letting them know that you believe in them.  

4) Keep it simple.

• Be positive. 
• Be punctual. 
• Model excellence. 
• Treat everyone well. 
• Never "kiss up and kick down." 
• Strive to be the hardest worker, as in "don't cheat the drill."
• "Show up" every day. 

5) Be the standard.

Regardless of whether you're at the top of the food chain or at the bottom, be your best every day. Do what you're supposed to do when you don't feel like it. Avoid doing what you shouldn't do when others are or you want to. 

It's not rocket science. Take care of your business.

Lagniappe. Jordan rules. Pay the price.  

Michael Jordan literally explained why winning has a price most people refuse to pay: pic.twitter.com/WhvKmRylb8

— Jaynit (@jaynitx) January 20, 2026

Process Makes Progress

Coaches who obsess with:

- Details
- Innovation
- Simplicity
- Connection
- Learning

Are GUARANTEED to succeed.

Conversely, coaches who obsess with:

- Outcomes
- Appearance

Will ALWAYS have an excuse, be forced to make a change, or quit.

PROCESS > RESULTS

— Chris Steed (@steeder10) March 4, 2026

Tryouts reveal process. When players show skill, game understanding, physicality, and mental toughness, it reflects their process. 

Simple works. 

"Repetitions make reputations."  

Ownership

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

"Practicing hard is a choice. Watching extra film is a choice. Lifting weights, being coachable, and going to class are a choice. Your choices here are going to force me to either play you, or sit you on the bench. You’ll get exactly what you want." (Pat Summitt) pic.twitter.com/xHvmkWVqi3

— Jamy Bechler (@CoachBechler) March 3, 2026

"You own your paycheck." Your paycheck includes your minutes, your role, and your recognition. "Control what you can control" - attitude, choices, and effort. 

Long ago 12 year-old (future billionaire) Mark Cuban wanted a new pair of sneakers. A neighbor offered surplus boxes of trash bags that he would sell Mark for $3 dollars per box. Mark went door to door and sold them for $6. He earned the money and got the sneakers. The rest is history. 

“The only time you look into someone else’s cup is to check if they have enough. (not to check if yours is fuller).” - New York City therapist 

Some outstanding MVB players start out at one spot and relocate to another. Alyssa DiRaffaele moved from the front row to libero. She helped the 2011 team reach the State finals. Gia Vlakjovic moved from setter to outside hitter and helped MVB win a pair of sectionals. Sadie Jaggers moved from the middle to outside and had a memorable season as a "Triple Crown" winner. Be open to positional change for the good of the team if that arises. 

Take ownership of what matters - helping the team succeed, making everyone around you better, leading, and being your best version every day. 

Lagniappe. Study Alyssa DiRaffaele 

Lagniappe 2. Repost. The 'obvious' point about topspin is that you must 'hit' above the equator of the ball...also, you don't need a gym to practice your toss. 

Lagniappe 3. Quotes from "Extreme Ownership" by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin

"It’s not what you preach, it’s what you tolerate." At its core, leadership raises standards for both individuals and teams. 

"Discipline equals freedom." When we are disciplined in doing what we must do when it must be done, we earn more freedom from high performance. 

"The most fundamental and important truths at the heart of Extreme Ownership: there are no bad teams, only bad leaders." Good leadership helps teams perform to the best of their ability. Teams perform above the level of their "talent" when they embrace leadership, coachability, and teamwork. 

Get After It - A Top Skill to Bring Daily

keep showing up. pic.twitter.com/IqUqoSBIxB

— Reads with Ravi (@readswithravi) March 3, 2026

Nobody can be their best if they only put in the work when they feel like it.  

How Are You Going to Coach Your Team?

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

Steve Kerr Coaching Gold🥇

“How are you going to coach your team?”

The #1 job of a coach is to create and build culture.
Culture is:

1. What you allow
2. What you emphasize
3. Every Day!

Culture Wins!pic.twitter.com/iYLURXeZFH

— Greg Berge (@GregBerge) March 4, 2026

My opinion doesn't matter. Outsiders don't matter. Years ago, I had a chance to talk briefly with Coach Ed Beattie who led Winnacunnet to seven state basketball titles. Most impressive? He said, "The deal is between the players and me."

He meant that what matters most is "in house." You play for each other - not for a community, a school, or your family. Beattie acknowledged that New Hampshire allowed for coaching outside the season, which creates a different dynamic. 

In the video, Kerr emphasizes, "protect the team." What coaches and players do outside the practice facility and games matters. "Represent." 

Sport and life distill to "character and competence." Because of the intensity of competition in both sport and life, it's hard to be "low character, high competence." 

Here's Chat GPT Plus (AI) enhancement:

Character vs Competence Matrix

	High Competence	Low Competence
High Character	High Character / High Competence Reliable leaders who elevate teams. Examples often cited: • Tim Duncan • Drew Brees • Maya Moore	High Character / Low Competence Excellent teammates who work hard but may lack elite ability. Examples might include: • End-of-bench players known for culture and leadership • Walk-ons who become team captains despite limited playing time
Low Character	Low Character / High Competence Talented players whose behavior damages teams. Examples often debated: • Antonio Brown • Kyrie Irving (sometimes cited due to team disruption debates)	Low Character / Low Competence Players who neither help performance nor culture. Examples would include: • Fringe professional athletes later convicted of serious crimes • Players removed from teams for disciplinary issues

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Leadership Interpretation (How Coaches Think About It)

Coaches generally handle each quadrant differently.

High Character / High Competence

Build the program around them.

These athletes:

• set standards

• model behavior

• influence teammates

They become culture carriers.

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High Competence / Low Character

Short-term temptation, long-term risk.

Teams sometimes tolerate these players because of talent, but they can:

• fracture locker rooms

• undermine accountability

• destabilize leadership hierarchy

Many championship coaches eventually remove them.

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High Character / Low Competence

Culture builders.

These players often become:

• captains

• glue guys

• future coaches

They raise practice quality and team cohesion.

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Low Character / Low Competence

Easy decision.

These players rarely last long in strong programs.

As the saying goes:

“If someone hurts both the culture and the scoreboard, the decision makes itself.”

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A Simple Coaching Rule

Many successful coaches quietly follow this principle:

Category	Coaching Action
High Character + High Competence	Build around
High Competence + Low Character	Manage carefully
High Character + Low Competence	Develop and value
Low Character + Low Competence	Remove

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A Line That Fits Your Coaching Philosophy

You could summarize the matrix for athletes this way:

Talent may win games, but character determines how many you can win together.

Talent wins games, but character determines how many you can win together.