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Our Region has been blessed to have such a close relationship with John over the years. John is a constant source of new ideas and inspiration with respect to the world of volleyball but, perhaps more importantly, when you interact with him, he reminds us that, regardless of our volleyball title, we play a critically important part both in promoting the sport and promoting the growth and development of young people. John can share an endless list of drills for coaches ranging from beginning to advanced, for players from toddlers to Olympians, for the indoor and outdoor game, for abled and disabled and every drill will sooner or later include the phrase "game-like" situations. And, like so many who have learned from John, he changed the way I coached and the way my players learned the game but that isn't what stands out at this point.
What makes time with John so valuable now is that he is such a big thinker. He soaks up information from a wide variety of sources and combines it with his desire to constantly grow the game. Yes, he certainly wants players to improve their skills but, as was emphasized at dinner, he sees his interaction with young people to have a higher, bigger purpose. He can coach a team to a winning record but using volleyball as a vehicle to help young men and women grow up to be critical thinkers, productive members of society and leaders is really what drives him. For anyone who has ever read a book by UCLA coach, John Wooden, the parallels are striking for those who had John as a coach. Let's face it, players may or may not remember the finer points of what they learned about volleyball but the lifelong lessons of how to lead a fulfilling and successful life are never forgotten.
Because of John's attitude and philosophy, you can engage him in a conversation that might be about coaching drills for 10 year olds, the scientific research to determine how much time a hitter's hand is actually in contact with a ball when it is hit, the current state of sport, how his ideas are relevant to other sports like pole vaulting or the fact that he wants to learn from you regarding what is working in your world. Is it any wonder with a mind that is interested in such diverse ideas that John receives invitations from around the world to share his wisdom?
While sitting with John at dinner, my thoughts went back to my first memory of him. I first encountered John when I was in Denver in the 1970's and had an opportunity to watch the Denver Comets of the IVA, the professional indoor league. At that time, there was little chance for someone from Arizona to encounter this level of volleyball and watching the game played with such power and passion was both exciting and inspiring. Some years later, I learned that my NAU coach, Bryce Corley, was acquainted with John and that provided the initial conversations with John at USA Volleyball meetings. After that, as I began to coach more, I attended John's clinics whenever possible. After comparing his "game-like" emphasis to the old method of coaching, I quickly understood why so many coaches loved his approach to teaching the game. Since then, there is no question that John has influenced literally thousands of coaches to rethink how they go about teaching and coaching volleyball. His methods and his emphasis teach the concepts and keep the game FUN and that is something we should never forget. At the end of the day, if we want to grow the game, it needs to be FUN.
So, if you were one of the coaches who made the decision to join John for dinner, I hope you had as much fun as I did. I came away appreciative of the opportunity and energized to do more for our young players, the Arizona Region and volleyball in general.
What makes time with John so valuable now is that he is such a big thinker. He soaks up information from a wide variety of sources and combines it with his desire to constantly grow the game. Yes, he certainly wants players to improve their skills but, as was emphasized at dinner, he sees his interaction with young people to have a higher, bigger purpose. He can coach a team to a winning record but using volleyball as a vehicle to help young men and women grow up to be critical thinkers, productive members of society and leaders is really what drives him. For anyone who has ever read a book by UCLA coach, John Wooden, the parallels are striking for those who had John as a coach. Let's face it, players may or may not remember the finer points of what they learned about volleyball but the lifelong lessons of how to lead a fulfilling and successful life are never forgotten.
Because of John's attitude and philosophy, you can engage him in a conversation that might be about coaching drills for 10 year olds, the scientific research to determine how much time a hitter's hand is actually in contact with a ball when it is hit, the current state of sport, how his ideas are relevant to other sports like pole vaulting or the fact that he wants to learn from you regarding what is working in your world. Is it any wonder with a mind that is interested in such diverse ideas that John receives invitations from around the world to share his wisdom?
While sitting with John at dinner, my thoughts went back to my first memory of him. I first encountered John when I was in Denver in the 1970's and had an opportunity to watch the Denver Comets of the IVA, the professional indoor league. At that time, there was little chance for someone from Arizona to encounter this level of volleyball and watching the game played with such power and passion was both exciting and inspiring. Some years later, I learned that my NAU coach, Bryce Corley, was acquainted with John and that provided the initial conversations with John at USA Volleyball meetings. After that, as I began to coach more, I attended John's clinics whenever possible. After comparing his "game-like" emphasis to the old method of coaching, I quickly understood why so many coaches loved his approach to teaching the game. Since then, there is no question that John has influenced literally thousands of coaches to rethink how they go about teaching and coaching volleyball. His methods and his emphasis teach the concepts and keep the game FUN and that is something we should never forget. At the end of the day, if we want to grow the game, it needs to be FUN.
So, if you were one of the coaches who made the decision to join John for dinner, I hope you had as much fun as I did. I came away appreciative of the opportunity and energized to do more for our young players, the Arizona Region and volleyball in general.
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