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'My Players Don't Move Their Feet!'

By John Kessel, Team USA, 08/23/18, 12:00PM PDT

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No matter what less-effective training has happened in the gym, the reality of the game, referees and fans included, lets the athletes learn in a truly game-like way.

Perhaps the most discussed topic on the Facebook group “Volleyball Coaches and Trainers” is the exasperation of coaches who see their players, mostly younger ones, not “move their feet” on serve reception, defense or team systems in general. Why this happens is simple - what you see in the game is a product of your practices. Remember, the coach who knows why beats the coach who knows how.

The players are not sure where to move to meet the oncoming ball, in large part because too many coaches drill in ways to make practice “look good.” Instead, in practice coaches should play the imperfect realities that happen in competition at every level of the game. If our U.S. Women’s National Team is out of system 48 percent of the time in games, with as much experience and training as they have, what do you think the reality will be percentage wise for your 13U team?