Great coaches begin by being great students, and they never stop seeking the advice of others who have studied and taught the game. That speaks to the heart of our mission here at Art of Coaching Volleyball. If we can help you be a better coach by passing along the philosophies, training habits and methods of outstanding volleyball mentors, we’ll have done our job.
To that end, here’s the first offering of “10 Things I've Learned,” a new series that you’ll find regularly on theartofcoachingvolleyball.com that features advice from some of the best coaches in our sport. This one is from Stanford’s John Dunning, whose Cardinal are currently the nation’s No. 1 ranked team. In his tenure as a collegiate coach, John has won four NCAA titles – two at the University of Pacific and two at Stanford.
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- Listen. Stop solving things. Just listen, and maybe ask questions. You will evolve.
- Hiring those who will work with you is even more important than recruiting.
- Never act in a way that makes someone you interact with doubt you care.
- One of the cornerstones of success is competing. Focus on it, practice it, recruit it. Find a way to put it at the center and make it grow.
- Be a visionary. Chart the path for your team and lead them there.
- Establish team boundaries, but let your players breathe. Decide when you need to enforce your rules and when to lighten up.
- Maintain life balance and enhance your chances of being great at anything.
- As soon as you’re sure you have found “The Way,” turn around and look back to find the place you went off the road, then go there and decide what’s next.
- The impact of technology has only begun. Use it, understand it, find out how to apply it in a way no one else has.
- We limit ourselves in so many ways. Set the bar high and then set it higher.
