Qualities of a Good Volleyball Coach

          Having a good coach can really affect the outcome of a team. I have had so many coaches so far in my volleyball career but the best coaches have common qualities. A coach that is positive, calm, determined, and a good communicator is key to having a successful team.

          Positivity is important because if a coach doesn’t have a positive mind set and outlook on the game your team won’t improve or be able to realize the ultimate goal for your season. Also having a coach that believes in your dreams and wants to help you reach your goals is very important. If you meet a coach that sees potential in you and tells you that, don’t take that for granted and continue to work hard until you reach your full potential. Last year I told my club coaches I wanted to play D1 college volleyball and they said I definitely could and they would help me get there. They also told me what they were going to help me improve on and what I needed to work on. The biggest thing they said to me was they see potential in me and they can’t wait to continue to work with me. I think when someone hears that from their coach they are motivated to work even harder because they realize that someone other than themselves wants to see them succeed. That is an awesome feeling.

          A determined coach is important because with the determination to win anything is possible. If you have a coach that wants to succeed as much as you do, great things will happen. A coach that remains calm in tight situation is also very important. If you are in a close match and you make a mistake most players don’t want a coach to yell at them and tell them what they just did wrong. Instead a coach that stays calm and tells you how you can improve what you just did wrong on the next play would be more helpful. Volleyball is a game of mistakes, who makes the least mistakes is who wins the game. Therefore, a coach should understand that everyone is going to make a mistake some time and getting mad at a player is not going to help the situation at all.

          Having a coach that communicates well is also important. Communication can range from letting you know ahead of time when practices are cancelled or there is a change in practice times, to choosing the right words to say in a team huddle just before your team is going to face a tough opponent.

          I have been blessed to be coached by the coaches I have had. I have learned so much not just about volleyball, but life in general from them. I can’t thank them enough for helping me continue to grow as a person and an athlete. I truly believe that with a great coach and players that strive to be successful an awesome team can be formed.

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