Little Things.....

It’s the ceremonial half way point of the season. Many teams are getting ready to travel to Colorado or Southern California in the coming weeks and it’s a good time to run through a quick check list.

[   ]      Seems like a silly one, but are your volleyballs properly inflated? They have been in and out of cold trunks and gym closets and they are apt to lose air along the way. Complacency kicks in and we forget our pumps and will “worry about it next time, use the other ones.” But serving a ball not inflated properly can disrupt service motions and patterns, setting, attacking, etc. Take a few minutes before practice today and pump ‘em up!

[   ]      No doubt that the roles on your team have changed since those first weeks in practice. Have you communicated this to those players? Have you talked to them about what their new roles might be, what is expected of them, how you can help them? Again, often times we are forced into changes because of injuries or players quitting but don’t convey our reasoning to those directly involved. Take a few minutes and make sure your athletes know their roles on the team.

[   ]      When was the last time you looked at your Coaching Philosophy? That document a coach should jot down before the season that is a set of guiding principles for the season(s) ahead. If you have written one, are the decisions you are making through this season in union with your philosophy or are you turning your back on your self stated values at the expense of winning? Take a look at your philosophy and remember why you wrote this in the beginning.

[   ]      Is your first aid kit restocked?

[   ]      If your ball cart missing a wheel or do those rollers need to be tightened or oiled up?

[   ]      Is your practice environment still safe? Complacency can cause us to overlook things. Are the pads at your practice site going up every practice? Are the tables and chairs in your gym or cafeteria where you are practicing at a safe distance away?

[   ]      Do you have your medical release forms with you whenever and where ever your athletes are with you?

Every club has different set of details to follow up on but these things are some things to look at as your season goes into its second half. Stay mindful of the details because as former Women’s National Team Coach Hugh McCutcheon is fond of saying, “The thing about little things is there are no little things.”