The Biggest Moments of 2008

With the New Year Right around the corner, I thought it might be nice to take a quick look back at the bumps and bruises (and highlights, of course!) of 2008, both on and off the courts. Most of us remember when:

Barack Obama won the presidential election, and President-Elect Obama will become the first African-American president in U.S. history on January 20, 2009.

Popular comedian Bernie Mac passed away August 9th as a result of complications from sarcoidosis, leaving his legacy behind.

U.S. Olympic gold medalist Karri Walsh announced she was pregnant with her first child, a little boy or girl who at 16 weeks gestation has already won its first international beach volleyball championship.

The writer's guild strike ended in February 2008, but the effect continued to be felt throughout television for the rest of the year in shortened seasons, lower viewership and a huge cut on new shows for the 2008-2009 season.

U.S. beach volleyball player and two-time Olympic gold medalist Misty May-Treanor earned the title of FIVB's top player of 2008, along with China's Xi Zhang.

The U.S. women's team brought home both a gold and a bronze in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

The price of petroleum hit record highs of over $100 per barrel, resulting in a cross-country rise in gas prices that left many drivers parked in their front lawn.

U.S. Men's Volleyball Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon's father in law was killed just one day into the Beijing games, but the men's team pulled together to win the gold against Brazil without a single match loss for their first gold medal since 1988.

A total lunar eclipse could be seen around the world on February 20.

Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor were recognized by Universal Sports for their remarkable winning streak in 2008, earning them the title of "Beach Volleyball's Dynamic Duo." The men's volleyball team was also recognized by Universal Sports for the Most Inspirational Performance of the 2008 season.

For more information on the biggest volleyball events of 2008, visit http://www.volleyballproshop.com/.

What's in Your Duffle? Packing Up to Hit the Road

Do you ever feel like you're living out of your car? How about your locker? What about-your volleyball duffel? Whether you're hitting the road with a traveling team or just floating back and forth from practice to game to practice again, most of your life is going to be tucked inside that duffel. Most professional athletes keep their sport bags packed with enough paraphernalia to support a small country during the season.

So what's in your bag?

Everyone's different, so while your neighbor down the way might never leave home without her lucky rabbit's foot the person standing next to you might insist on having his favorite game socks along-whether they've been washed or not! Whatever your game day preferences are, here are some must-haves you should never leave home without:

Practice clothes (2 sets). You never know when something disgusting is going to happen to your favorite practice shorts when you're crawling under a bench in the locker room to find something you dropped, so it's always smart to have a second set on hand. Don’t forget your socks!

Volleyball shoes. The last thing you want is to find yourself practicing in bare feet because youforgot your court shoes and the only other pair you have come with stilettos attached.

Knee pads, ankle braces, wrist guards and anything else you wear out on the court.Uniform. Your uniform shirt, socks and game shorts should take up residence in a clean compartment in your bag so you always have them on hand rather than having to search for them minutes before you have to leave for a game.

**A word to the wise-practice clothes and uniforms are easier to find if they go from the bag to the washer to the bag again. They have a mysterious habit of wandering off if they detour past your dresser or hamper in between, making them impossible to find.**

Deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, body wash (or soap if you have a safe place to stow it) and any other toiletries you like to have on hand. If you have a locker to stow these in, great, but keeping a little travel set on hand for game days when you're in someone else's dirty locker room is never a bad idea.

Hairspray, hair gel, make-up, hairbrush, extra hair ties and anything else you like to have on hand before stepping back out on the city streets after getting hot and sweaty on the court.

Safety pins. Hey, you never know!

A first aid kit. Ideally, wherever you happen to be playing will have one on hand. Even more ideally, you'll never need to use one! Because reality isn't always that easy, keeping a First-Aid kit on hand with Band-Aids, bandages, Neosporin, burn cream, portable ice packs and some Tylenol will ensure that no matter what happens, you're ready.

A ball, preferably with your name on it. Speaking of putting your name on things, always make sure your name is prominently displayed on your volleyball bag. That goes double if you've decided to skip over the fluorescent green model and go for something more traditional. There have been hundreds of occasions where players have found themselves without their car keys because a team mate picked up the wrong bag. Don't let that happen to you!

Change for vending machines and a book, GameBoy or other activity for when you're sitting around waiting. Stashing a bottle of water and a high energy snack for an emergency or post-game pick me up isn't a bad idea either. Just remember to keep them sealed in a Ziploc bag to keep drips and spills contained.

During volleyball season your sports duffel's bound to feel more like home than your home does. Make sure your home is well stocked with everything you need both on and off the courts before you step out your front door.

Check out our selection of top of the line, quality duffels at http://www.volleyballproshop.com/.

Did You Know...?

After the stress of the Christmas season I thought it was time for something a little lighter, so I did some searching into the history and trivia of volleyball. Sure, you know the ins and outs of your favorite sport, but did you know these fun volleyball facts?

· Volleyball was first invented in Holyoke, Massachusetts, in 1895 by Dr. William Morgan, and was originally a combination of basketball, baseball, tennis and handball.

· The largest beach volleyball tournament was for the Usedom BeachCup 2007. It was held in Karlshagen, Insel Usedom, Germany, in July 2007, and featured 890 players.

· The sport wasn’t called volleyball at first. It was called mintonette, and it was meant to be a gentler sport for the older members of the YMCA. It became volleyball in 1896.

· The longest recorded volleyball marathon by two teams of six is 75 hours and thirty minutes, played in Kingston, NC in 1980.

· Most volleyball players jump an average of 300 times in a single match.

· The longest single game of volleyball was 51 hours long in Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia in November of 2005. (And for the record, the Guinness Book of World Records is the single most stolen book from public libraries.)

· The first volleyball net was only 6’6” high. (In the 19th century the average height of a volleyball player actually shrank according to the economic conditions they were living in.)

· 998 million people play volleyball around the world.

· Offensive spiking and setting first emerged in the Philippines in 1916.

· A volleyball designed especially for the sport was first created in 1900.

· Volleyball celebrated its first centennial in 1995.

· The Volleyball Hall of Fame can be found in Holyoke, Massachusetts.

· Beach volleyball first became an Olympic event at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.

For more information on the ins, outs and history of this cool sport, visit http://www.volleyballproshop.com/.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas! Did Santa bring you everything you wanted this year? More importantly, were you ready for the holiday swing or did you realize halfway through the day that you'd forgotten a present for Aunt Ruth-or her volleyball playing cousin from Deluth that just happened to fly in for the day? There's nothing more awkward than finding yourself promising to pick up a gift after Christmas because someone got forgotten, unless it's not having a clue what to buy next year!

Whether you're looking for a belated Christmas gift, taking notes for next year or snooping through this season's hottest sales for birthday ideas, here are some great gift suggestions for the volleyball player in your life:

1) A ball. If you're an athlete yourself you know how quickly and easily favorite practice balls wear out. If you're not an athlete-take my word for it. Most sporting goods stores carry high quality volleyballs, and numerous stores online carry fun, quirky balls if you simply can't stand the idea of "buying a boring old volleyball for Christmas".

2) Warm-ups. This can be tricky if you're shopping for someone you don't know well, and if you don't have a clue what size they wear it's usually prudent to pick a well known retailer and purchase a gift card. If you know what size you need, however, warm-up suits and tops are a great addition to the wardrobe of any volleyball player.

3) Videos. Whether you're talking about the Olympics or a training video, videos featuring their favorite sport make a great gift for volleyball fanatics.

4) Novelties. Volleyball players love to show off their favorite sport, and they'll have a great time displaying their volleyball-themed tee-shirts, jackets, hoodies, keychains, notebooks and other paraphernalia.

If you're looking for a way to bring a smile to the volleyball fan in your life, there's nothing like a gift that features their favorite sport. Come check out our collection of volleyball equipment and novelties at http://www.volleyballproshop.com/. We might have exactly what you've been looking for-and if we don't, you're bound to get some great ideas!

Festive Fun for Holiday Training

With Christmas right around the corner most of us are thinking of family-and holiday fudge! It's easy to let training slide in the chaos and excitement on the holidays, with vacations upon you and what feels like hundreds of people clamoring for your attention virtually around the clock. Even two or three weeks off can have a huge impact on your game, however. Here are some fun ideas for staying in shape while still keeping your holiday spirit:

1) Pull together a family volleyball game. Even when it's cold outside it's never too nasty to blow up three or four balloons, post a pillow net in the living room and get a fun, festive game of holiday ball going with your little cousins. For older relatives, set two couches on either side. This might not give you the full body workout you'd get out on the court, but diving for those wild shots will do amazing things for your reflexes.

2) Volunteer to take on some extra household chores (if you aren't already the one stuck doing laundry every day of the week). Hauling laundry baskets up and down the stairs or trash cans to the curb is great exercise for those muscles you don't use very often, and the other members of your family will be thrilled to be able to turn their attention to more festive events-and might even put in a good word for you with Santa!

3) In a season dominated by rich gravies and sugar cookies it can be hard to stick to a diet that will keep you lean and mean. Try out some new recipes at Christmas dinner this year and try to find plenty of ways to incorporate veggies, fruits and whole grains into your holiday festivities.

4) Christmas shopping counts! Hopefully by this point you've already finished your Christmas shopping; however, for future reference, walking the malls and the department stores (especially if you happen to be pushing a cart) has been proven to be a great cardiovascular workout. Just think-now you have a great reason to indulge your love of a little retail therapy!

Christmas is the happiest time of the year, but that doesn't mean you should let your training schedule slide. These fun, festive workouts will help you keep in the holiday spirit while keeping your body ready to hit the courts this January.

Come find all the holiday gifts you need for the volleyball fan in your life at http://www.volleyballproshop.com/.

Protecting Your Knees On and Off the Court

Athletes have among the highest incidence of knee injuries in the world because of the constant strain they place on their joints. For volleyball players, especially the ones that are all over the court, knee protection is vital. Are you protecting your knees properly?

There are three elements to protecting your knees while playing competitively. The first is to care for your joints off the court. Never work out cold, even in the off-season. Cold muscles lead to muscle strain and potential ligament damage, which can lead to permanent knee damage if you’re not careful. Wear good shoes that support your legs properly, and change up your off-court exercise routine to throw in plenty of low-impact strengtheners that will protect your knees.

Running on cement is terrible for your knees, although most athletes don’t feel the effects until they’re much older. Mixing up your exercise routine and running on grass or sand whenever possible will do wonders for the lifespan of your joints and provide your muscles with a more diverse workout than you'll find hitting the streets every day.

The second element of caring for your knees is to protect them during training, and the third is to ensure they’re properly padded and protected when you hit the court. These two usually tie together. As with your off-court exercise routine, always make sure you’re warmed up before playing, running or doing anything that’s going to place strain on your knees.

Be sure there are some basic joint strengtheners like squats or plies in your training regimen. If there aren’t, now is the time to add them. Strong muscles injure much less frequently.

Always have your knee pads on when you hit the court. There are hundreds of options out there for knee pads for volleyball players, but the most important thing to remember when making your choice is protection. If you’re constantly hitting the court with bare knees it’s not going to be too long before they start to feel the strain-a strain that could take you off the court permanently.

Check out our huge supply of protective gear for game time at http://www.volleyballproshop.com/.

Smells Like Team Spirit!

There is no “I” in team, but it can sure feel like it when you’re the only one hitting the court with any enthusiasm. Team spirit is the key component in any victory, and if your team doesn’t have it-well, then you don’t have it!

Keeping your team pumped up, excited and working as a team can be hard, especially when you consider the fact that you’re basically working against human nature. There’s only so long that a group of people can be together and doing the same activity before competition, petty complaints and boredom breaks up your commitment to a single goal.

The question is, how do you keep that commitment going when all you want to do is throw in the towel? Here are some fun team building exercises to keep your team working together both on and off the court:

1) Plan a team night away from anything even resembling volleyball and let your team get to know each other off the court. This is especially important when you have new players. Building relationships between your players will help stop the sniping and power struggles that can be devastating to your team spirit.

2) Build trust building exercises into your daily routine. If your players can’t trust each other, they can’t effectively communicate with each other on and off the court. Toes will be stepped on, and team spirit will be in shambles.

3) Be sure no one is playing favorites. Do you really have players that aren’t getting much court time? Is one player constantly getting lauded while the others stand by and watch? There is no “I” in team, and putting one there is going to annihilate your team spirit.

4) Get silly! Doing something ridiculous, like jumping on a trampoline or bouncing on exercise balls, builds fun memories and brings teams together at the same time. If it works for Fortune 500 companies, it can work for you!

5) Practice as a team, and rotate regularly. Shifting players around on the court is not only going to make them better players, it’s also going to give them a chance to show off their weak spots-and ask each other for help.

There are plenty of ways to foster team spirit in your team, so give me a
V-O-L-L-E-Y-B-A-L-L and go out there and make it happen!

Every great team needs great equipment. Visit our website at http://www.volleyballproshop.com/ to view our top of the line uniforms, coaches’ corner packed with great equipment and awesome educational tools.

Off season training

If you spend most of your winter on the volleyball court, keeping fit during the holiday season probably isn’t a big concern-even if Aunt Helen does try to feed you way too many Christmas cookies! It’s never too early to start thinking about off season training, however. Keeping in top form takes a lot of the sting out of stepping back into the competitive season and helps you get back to the top of your game as quickly as possible.

Because you’re a volleyball player, just hitting the road for a run or the gym for aerobics class isn’t enough off season training to keep you in competitive form. You need a clear combination of cardiovascular and strength training to help you build both muscle and endurance.

Feel free to pick your favorite cardiovascular activity. Running, swimming, dancing and aerobics are great cardiovascular workouts during the off season, especially when the weather gets warmer and hitting the street (or the swimming pool) doesn’t sound quite so unappealing. Swimming also provides you with a full body workout, which means that you’ll be pumping up your spiking muscles at the same time!

If you have access to a gym during the off season your strength training is going to be simple. If you don’t, you might have to get a little more creative. Purchasing a small set of free weights for your house is an easy way to build muscle without having to pay a fortune for a gym membership. Squats (especially with those free weights), push-ups and crunches are other great methods of strength training to help you build muscle, get in shape and say in shape during your off season training.

For training aids, check out the equipment on our website, www.volleyballproshop.com

Motivating Your Volleyball Team to Do Better Than Their Best

When you step out onto a court, the most important thing your volleyball team brings with them isn’t the ball, their jerseys or their shoes. It’s something much more intangible than that, but that will make all the difference when it comes to your game. It’s the dedication, determination and willpower to push past their personal limitations and make it their goal to make their game everything it can be. It's all a matter of motivation

Is your volleyball team motivated? Or do you walk out onto the court counting down the minutes until you can go home? Motivation is the single most important factor in the success of your volleyball team, and as a driving force standing in the middle of that team you play a vital part in making that happen. That’s true whether you’re a coach, a player, a parent, a friend or just a dedicated fan.

The question is, how can you take your volleyball team beyond their best? How do you give them the motivation they need to succeed? In order for a team to push past their limits every player has to act not only as a player but also as the member of a team. If your volleyball team is playing as a set of players rather than a team it’s time to reevaluate the relationship among your players. Do you have a bad egg? Or is it just not coming together?

The most important thing you can do to help your volleyball team succeed is throw your support behind them 100%, encourage them to play as a team and let them know that their success matters past that final point.

It all comes down to motivation.

For great equipment and novelties to help motivate your team, visit our website at http://www.volleyballproshop.com/.

Choosing the Right Jersey

Choosing the right volleyball jersey can be difficult, especially when you are presented with so many choices. The New National IV Jerseys are among the best in quality and functionality and should definitely be considered. Here are some of the features that may be important to you when choosing your next jersey.

As with any sport, volleyball requires a lot of movement. This means you will need to be free to move in any direction at any given time. You will want a jersey that allows you to do this. This means choosing one with stretchy fabric that facilitates such movement. The arm cut is also important, since you will use your arms to serve and perform other tasks. The wider range of motion you have, the easier it will be to move about in comfort.

When choosing your next jersey, you might also want to consider moisture retention. When playing volleyball, you are likely to build up moisture, so you want a jersey that will allow it to evaporate as quickly as possible. This is important when you are playing any sport that will keep you constantly on the move like volleyball is sure to do.

There are several New National IV Jerseys from which to choose, so it won’t be difficult to find one that will best fit your needs. You want to be comfortable both in practice and during games, so when choosing a jersey, be sure to make your selection carefully.

check out our website to order your New National IV Jersey: http://www.volleyballproshop.com/m7_view_item.html?m7:item=440225-1000

Choosing Officials Gear

There are many items you may need when choosing officials gear. This blog will list several, and explain what they are and why they are important.

The first piece of equipment is a dual rotation locator. This allows you, the official, to simultaneously track rotation of two teams. Track your players, substitutions, and timeouts quickly and easily.

The next useful item is the linesman flag. You will need more than one of these, but they are very affordable. You can buy them in sets, or even purchase kits if this is more convenient. The kits can include carrying cases, which allow you to carry and organize them easily.

The net setter is the next important item. It measures the correct height of the volleyball net, and enables you to change the height quickly and easily when necessary.

You can also purchase kits that include linesman flags, penalty cards, and a whistle with a lanyard. Depending on the items you need to purchase, the kit may be a great way to organize some, if not all of your necessary items. Keep the kit intact and the other items in carrying cases so they are available when you need them. Purchase an array of products as needed, and take advantage of the great prices you will receive. The gear mentioned in this blog is just a sample of what you will find.

Whether you are a first time official or a veteran, you will find the right equipment sure to
fit any need. You can find all your officials gear right here at Volleyball Pro Shop: http://www.volleyballproshop.com/m7_view_item.html?m7:item=J41-LINESMAN

Combining Fun with Funkadelic.

When choosing volleyball shorts, you will want to consider several factors. Among them are comfort, color, material, and durability. You want to make sure your shorts are comfortable while you are playing, both in practice and in games. If you are fashion conscious, color can also be a factor. You may want certain colors to use for practice shorts, and others for games. Either way, the possibilities are endless. The material you choose matters as well, since you will be wearing the shorts often and for a sporting event. Lastly, durability is an important factor. The fact that you are playing sports alone means you will want to wear shorts that will last through many wearings and washings. Ideally, you want shorts that combine all these factors into one product you can use over and over again. That is where Funkadelic Sport Shorts can help.

You want your shorts to be comfortable. After all, you will be playing volleyball in them. This is important in both practice and the game itself, so consider this as one of the most important factors. Funkadelic Sport Shorts are known for their comfort.

The next factor is color. Whether you are a fan of crazy prints, bright colors, or fun looks, Funkadelic Sport Shorts has what you need. This allows you to pick and choose shorts for every mood and situation.

Funkadelic Sport Shorts are also made from high quality spandex material made to last through many practices and games. This allows you to play in comfort as they will stretch when you move. Order several pairs and wear them as you like.

The fourth factor is durability. When you purchase these shorts, you can know they will last a long time. Wear them through many practices and games without having to worry about replacing them.

For more information or to view the products go to http://www.volleyballproshop.com/m7_view_item.html?m7:item=FUTI

How to Have the Dream Club Season

How did your last volleyball season end? Did you end up where you wanted to be? Most of you probably are saying no and I can relate through my years in the sport as well. Any volleyball coach will probably emphasize that success will come down to three factors: goals, effort, and preparation.

Goals-The most successful teams set goals for themselves. When the going gets tough, how will you push yourself to succeed at a higher level? There will probably be many days you do not want to get out of bed but those goals can be the bigger reason why you push through any disinterest or apathy. Having a common goal with your teammates helps unite the team as well. This makes everyone accountable to everyone so that you can push yourself and others and the same will be done for you.

Effort is pretty easy to understand. You may have a good team which can win most matches very easily. What happens when you get to States and meet an equally talented team? The prepared team will likely win because of the effort it put forth in practices and earlier matches. Effort moves beyond practices to how hard you play in games.

Whenever you are competing against other teams, the more prepared team will win the majority of the time. If you have prepared accordingly, you will not be surprised by anything that the other team does and probably have practiced against different tactics they may utilize in practice. This comes down to how you prepare in practice. If you watch any elite athlete or talk with any elite athlete, many will talk about how important practice is. It is simply a preparation for the game. Do you think that your body will be able to produce at a higher level simply because it is a game? If you have not exerted yourself in practice, how can you expect your body to work at a higher level than it is used to?

This also involves a good game day routine. There is a great book you can buy and the following is an excerpt of some of the different things you need to do to succeed. I won’t get into that since you can follow the link but this will help you with preparation on game day. A proper game day routine will involve certain key elements so make sure that your team is following these rigorously. It could be the small difference between a win and a loss.

Success can be determined many times by the will of the winning team. This can come from the effort, preparation, and goals the team members have in place. Think about how you want your volleyball season to turn out and how you can make that happen.

For any product-related need, visit http://www.volleyballproshop.com/.

Indoor and Olympic Success

The United States has had very good success within these Olympics. Some of the success was expected, especially when you look at beach volleyball. Misty May and Kerri Walsh were expected to defend their Olympic gold title, given that they were ranked number one in the world and have not lost for so long. The number one men's volleyball team of Dallhauser/Rogers won gold, matching the team of May and Walsh.

What was not expected was the strength of the Americans and indoor volleyball. The women's Olympic indoor volleyball team defeated the Cubans in a three set sweep and moved on to the gold-medal game. This ensured the Americans they would have the best Olympic tournament finish since 1984. The women have played a particularly strong tournament considering their overall record of 6-1. The lone loss came at the hands of the Cuban team the US just beat. This explained why their recent win against Cuba was so satisfying. The US won rather handily in this game, finishing the three sets with the following scores: 25-20, 25-16, 25-17. The women had previously beaten China to set up the match against Cuba in the quarterfinals. That meant added drama due to the fact that the US is coached by one of the Chinese legends, Lang. To finish the tournament, the US lost to Brazil, which did not diminish the overall results.

The men's indoor volleyball team was up to the task as well. They had not finished with the medals since 1992 and are presently working to end that 16 year drought. The men were undefeated and had to charge back from a deficit to beat Serbia in five sets in a match which lasted a whopping two hours. The United States beat Russia and finally Brazil to win the gold medal.

From watching the United States play, it was very easy to see the kind of heart that they are playing with in every match. If you did not keep up with volleyball throughout the Olympics, the head coach left the team to be with his wife because her parents were both stabbed in Beijing. The father subsequently died and the mother’s condition stabilized and then upgraded to good condition. When unfortunate incidents happen like this, it often will inspire team to circle the wagons and push harder to reach a level of success it might not have expected before. This seems that it happened with the United States men’s team so far.

If you have any equipment needs like the Olympians did, Mizuno filled those needs. When you need equipment in the future, look towards http://www.volleyballproshop.com/.

New and Great 2008 Volleyball Products

Here are a few of the new and great 2008 volleyball products. With the overload of information you probably receive about volleyball, it can be pretty hard to keep up with some of the new products out there. For all that changes out there, much of it will remain the same.

I will include a link here along with a brief synopsis of an article so you can decide to read the full article. If you have been coaching volleyball for a long time, you have undoubtedly seen your share of ankle injuries. There was actually a study completed just recently. To start off the discussion, it is estimated that 36% of injuries in volleyball are ankle injuries. At the University of Pennsylvania, it became a requirement to wear padded ankle braces on both ankles in practices and matches. As a result, the University of Pennsylvania players only had one ankle injury over seven seasons. Compared with results compiled over the NCAA, the number of ankle injuries decreased significantly. If your team has been struggling with ankle injuries, this may be a good way to go. The end of the article does link you to a website where you can check out ankle braces and see if this may be worth an investment of time and money on your part.

If you are a fan of Mizuno, there were new shoes that were sent out around April 1st of this year. It is the Mizuno Wave Tornado for both men and women. Here is a picture of the shoe. If you are unclear on what volleyball shoes you want to get, look into Mizuno as it is one of the best producers of volleyball products you can think of. You can seldom go wrong with Mizuno and if you talk with friends who are knowledgeable about volleyball, they will probably steer you in the same direction.

The new product that everyone is raving about is the Funkadelic Sports Shorts. The basic black, red or navy spandex are a thing of the past, you can now get spandex with zebra print, tye dye and many other combinations. These are the new craze in our volleyball world. Show your style at practice or in a team uniform.

If you want to buy volleyball products, visit my online volleyball pro shop, http://www.volleyballproshop.com/.

The Latest and Greatest

The Latest and Greatest: Product Reviews

Here are a few different brands that you can read about to help you find the best volleyball gear. Because being the best means having the best.....

One company you can never go wrong with is Mizuno. Just follow this link to see what they have available for you in 2008. If you look along the right side of the page, there are different articles which talk about some of the recognition Mizuno has received from different companies evaluating their products (such as Volleyball Magazine). One of the neat things when you look at their website is that you can play around online to find a uniform that your team will like. As with many high school teams, there is a budget in place ahead of time but this may be a fun way for your team to bond. If they can design their own uniforms and allow you to order this from a local store, this can be the best of all worlds, especially if you have old outdated uniforms.

Here is something a little outside the realm of products but along the same tangent. If you are looking for new ways to condition yourself or your athletes, train the LIBERO, or practice planning, check out the following website. Here will will find a video (DVD) for every aspect of the volleyball game from on the court training to practice planning.

If your team is in need of volleyballs, Mikasa has been one of the leading manufactures in the volleyball word, as seen at the Beijing Olympics. The FIVB (Fédération Internationale de Volleyball) decided at its World Congress held on June 16 -17, 2008 that the new MIKASA MVA200 volleyballs with unique cover materials will be used as the official game balls at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The 24 qualified teams (12 Men and 12 Women teams) are already practicing with this revolutionary new volleyball. MIKASA volleyballs have been used as the official Olympic volleyballs for eight out of ten. If it is the best in the nation is using Mikasa why aren't you.

The best volleyball equipment can be found at the one stop shop VolleyballProShop. I hope this helps in your quest for the best equipment.

Team Success for your 2008 season

Now you want your team to succeed. This goes without question and this particular blog post is going to talk about 2008 high school volleyball products which can help your team. We will get into products a little bit but this will focus primarily on videos and training.

The first is to know your rules. Some of the rules have changed for the 2008-2009 season and if you contact your states high school association you can obtain your states rulebook. You may want to check this out or bookmark to this link if you need this. If you need to challenge a referee, it is always better to know the rules pretty well and the updated rules at that!

Here is a great article about why you will want to use video for your training sessions with your team. In the article, the author explains that it can help in scouting matches. This can be especially important when you get to the states or districts near the end of a season. You can have a chance to understand the other team’s tendencies.

You can pick up videos that show your team particular techniques that they are struggling with. As a coach you need to have continuing education because the game is ever changing. This link will give you many videos/books that will focus on every aspect of the game. To be the best coach for your players continue to grow thru education.

A video that will focus on the basic fundamental of the game is "Coaching Volleyball Skills and Techniques". This is not a new product as goes with the theme of the post but it does have great skills you may want to work on with your team. You can find the video here. It can be good to find videos like this to include in your repertoire of different drills and trainings. You can use this video in practice for the same reasons argued in the article from the paragraph above.

Hopefully this has provided some benefit to you. Having the right equipment and products is always important. Taking the time to critique and improve upon the coaching and training regimen can have a profound effect on your high school program.

Products (and bookmarks) for the Coaches!

Here is a great website with which you are able to view a strong variety of different products for your volleyball team. This can allow you to do most of your shopping from one main website so that you don't have the jump from website to website depending on what your team needs. Having a consistent source for your apparel, coaching needs and officialiating needs means you will be very good and efficient in your shopping needs: http://www.volleyballproshop.com/

You probably used this particular website before. If you haven't visited it, make that one of your actions for today. There are so many articles of information about volleyball in general. There is information about how the Olympics have been going and there are even different blogs from some of the actual beach volleyball teams.

If you want to catch up on some great material, you may want to look at some of the back issues of Volleyball Magazine. Here is a link to the different back issues you can find: http://www.volleyballmag.com/archive/. You will have to pay for the issues but if you need some up to date information, you will likely want to look here. They have great articles on many drills you can incorporate into practices for your girls’ or guys’ team.

Here is another good website if you want to work on preventing injuries to your team as well. This particular website speaks specifically about hand injuries: one of the more common injuries within the sport: http://volleyball.about.com/od/commoninjuries/.htm.

I hope that you enjoy some of these different websites that I've just given you. You can use these for product reviews, information as far as what is hot for the year, and just a general understanding and enjoyment of the sport. Hopefully you can bookmark one or two of these and visit them again.

Fashion, Fit and Function

As quoted in "Sporting Goods Dealer"..... Trends in volleyball apparel and footwear target performance and style. It's a category with skyrocketing participation and a consumer base filled with players and parents willing to purchase the best for volleyball.

Trends in volleyball are moving toward tight-fitting uniform tops and short spandex. Performance fabrics and more fashionable silhouettes and colors are also driving the market. In warm-ups, styles with hoods, iPod pockets and Capri pants are also entering the mix. "Players want to look good" They want to look stylish and fashionable and the fabric story is about comfort and moisture wicking. This is noticeable with the Mizuno Techno Volley II. The tops are spandex- the tighter the better. Jersey styles have gone from a boxy fit a few years ago to a streamline and fitted look. "Teams are looking to set themselves apart".

The fashion and performance fusion is also evident in the volleyball footwear category. Players have tended in the past to wear running shoes on the court, and volleyball vendors responded by creating volleyball shoes with style that incorporated running shoe features, while also offering stability and lateral support. Mizuno's Tornado and Wave Lightening volleyball shoes reflect this trend. The shoes offer support and durability, yet also feature visible technology and a running silhouette.

In addition to apparel and footwear, accessories are an important volleyball category. Knee pads are a necessity and ankle braces are worn by the majority of the players on the court, as well. Many players have taken to rolling or pushing down their knee pads to improve leg movement and Mizuno has designed a knee pad, called the LR6, that can be worn just below the knee cap, to mirror this trend. The padding is at the top of the knee pad.

(Sporting Goods Dealer - Oct/Nov 2007)

If you are looking to find Fashion, Fit and Functional volleyball gear then Mizuno brand is for you. Be the best while wearing the Best......

Mizuno and its Volleyball Competitors

This blog will look at some of the different shoes you can use for your 2008 volleyball season. This will be one of the most, if not the most, critical piece of equipment you can possibly have. With the constant movement on the court, you want your equipment to respond the way your body responds and in a comfortable fashion as well. When you are looking for what is important in a volleyball shoe, there are several factors. I don’t want to take a whole blog post to write about this so I found this helpful article which explains what you should look for in a shoe.

Mizuno has always been known for making great volleyball shoes. This reputation continues to stand up for 2008 from the different reviewers at Volleyball Magazine. You will probably be going with the latest edition of the Mizuno Wave Spike 11 or Tornado 3 if you are looking for high quality Mizuno shoes. Here is a link for the Mizuno Wave Spike 11.

The 2007 Volleyball Magazine Shoe Review was conducted in the October issue of Volleyball Magazine, and for the second consecutive year, and the third time in a four year span, a high performance Mizuno volleyball shoe has earned the prestigious "Editor's Choice" award.

In 2007 the Mizuno Wave Tornado 2 was chosen as the best of the best in volleyball shoes. The previous Mizuno winners of Volleyball Magazine's "Editor's Choice" award were the Mizuno Wave Lightning (2004), and the Mizuno Wave Lightning 3 (2006).

Asics is not as well known within the volleyball world as say a Mizuno but this is a company with a very strong reputation for quality shoe wear. If you are struggling to find Mizuno shoes which are comfortable for you, take a chance on Asics.

This should have given you a good idea what type of shoe wear you may want for your 2008 season. It is probably better to get this done now when you can start breaking it in when the preseason starts instead of halfway through the season when you're used to a different company's product. Prices can vary on this page anywhere between $52.99 to over $100 depending upon your budget.