Volleyball Podcasting

Once again I am trying something new for a class assignment.  This time it is a short podcast regarding any topic of my choosing.  A podcast is an audio recording that people can listen to online.  An RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed is typically burned so people can listen to the episode most recently posted. 

For this project, I decided to focus on volleyball and the impact it has had on my life.  Volleyball has played a large role in the life of my family for numerous years.  During grade school and high school, I played competitively at numerous positions on the court.  Even though I enjoy playing the sport, I also like to pass on the knowledge to upcoming players.  This is where coaching came into the future for my family.  My parents and I completed our certifications for coaching and had a great time with the girls.  I had a short interview with my dad and coach regarding the experience.  Below are the questions that were phrased, as well as a short synopsis of the answers. 

So, what made you want to coach a group of girls from the 4^th-grade until 8^th-grade level?

Well, he had coached volleyball with my team previously and enjoyed the experience.  Having numerous coaches would allow the fundamentals of volleyball to be taught.

What was the most frustrating part of coaching girls at a fairly young age?

The most frustrating part would have to be when you try to correct a mistake or give constructive criticism.  He talked on how the players sometimes forgot that they were still learning and needed to be open to trying new things. 

On the flip side, what was your favorite part of coaching?

He loved coaching the sport.  Practices were fun because he could interact with the players, while watching them have fun.  In addition, the team was undefeated for numerous seasons and won many tournament trophies. 

You said the team was fairly successful, so what is the key to this success?

In order to be successful, you need to be very patient with the players.  Each one is unique and you have to learn the habits and personality of each individual player.  In addition, organization is needed to have a successful team.  For instance, you need to have a small outline of what drills you want to try in practice so the time flows appropriately.  Also, paperwork should be filled out ahead of time.  By filling it our ahead of time, you can eliminate that stress before a game and can focus on the warm ups and coaching the game that will be starting very soon. 

Finally, what is it like seeing some of the girls you coached, play at a competitive high school level?

He thoroughly enjoyed coaching volleyball.  Our family has always watched and supported volleyball, so to see them play and improve is a great feeling.  After many of the high school games, the players will come over and ask how they played.  This just shows that we impacted their career, and they value our opinion. 

Personally, I love coaching volleyball and miss the interactions with the girls.  They looked up to me and never hesitated to ask questions.  These girls are currently in high school, and I wish I had the opportunity to see them play more often.  Coaching with my parents was a great experience.  I learned a great deal of information about myself and the importance of working together and communicating.  Feel free to check out my Podcast for more detailed answers to the above questions, as well as my insight into coaching.  There is a link on the side of my blog as well.  Let me know what you think!