with Marci Allison,
University of Texas at Dallas;
3x American Southwest Conference Tournament Champions, seven straight ASC East Division titles (2006-12); five straight ASC East Division Coach of the Year awards (2006-10);
Launched the UT Dallas volleyball program as their inaugural coach in 2004;
3x selection as an assistant coach with the U.S. Collegiate National Team (USVBA);
Over 230 wins and 3 NCAA Division III National Tournament Bids
Since most athletes today are visual learners, Marci Allison uses a unique way of teaching that raises players' sense of self-awareness. She shows how teaching players the wrong way to do things lets them see the mistakes they're making and helps them to learn more quickly.
Coach Allison explains everything you need to know about taking a player's weakness and allowing them to self-correct it. You will learn how to take common mistakes that are made with each skill and turn them around to become a strength.
Fundamental Progressions
Coach Allison begins by identifying common errors within the basic fundamental skills. She then moves into eye sequencing and movement patterns, using the same concept, so that players can learn to "READ" what is about to happen within a rally. She covers:
- Fixing the Platform - Through a progression of passing drills, learn how to take the mistakes of your players and put extra emphasis on them so they can self-correct and see what they're doing wrong.
- Setting Work - Coach Allison walks you through the different tempos of sets and has players run the triangle drill to get them to communicate with each other and problem-solve.
- Blocking Hand Location - Watch players run through a blocking drill while Coach Allison changes the drill to get them to focus on some common mistakes and work on correcting them.
Competitive Drills
Coach Allison moves to the half court to apply what she has previously taught. Drills include:
- Bunch vs Spread Drill - The cues to the athlete are simply to "go where the ball is set" or "go away from the ball where it is being set" and the end-result is athletes going to the places Coach Allison wanted them to go, naturally.
- Let Serve Competition - Focuses on the players having to hit the net and get the ball to come over and in. The first team to get every player on their side to complete a let serve, wins.
- 3-on-3 Tempo Drill - Players set up with three people on each side and play a competitive game, but have to focus on what tempo each touch should be played.
This video from Coach Allison will have your athletes perform a skill the wrong way (the way they are doing it), and then re-teach the skill the correct way to help in correcting skill development.
Produced at the 2016 AVCA Annual Convention in Columbus, OH.
61 minutes. 2017.