Settling Conflicts on Your Volleyball Team

"Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results." - Andrew Carnegie

It's inconceivable that a group of people who spends as much time working together toward a common goal as a volleyball team does would get along all the time, but conflict among the members of your team not only destroys teamwork, it sets the stage for conflict out on the court. The ability of coaches, captains and teammates to work together to effectively solve conflicts before they have the opportunity to erode the quality of a team is vitally important.

Effective teamwork requires the input and effort of every member of a team, not just a select few; therefore, the most effective way to manage conflicts is head them off before they evolve. Involve the entire team in major team decisions, offering them the chance to participate when possible and offer their input and suggestions for making it work when it's not. We all know that sometimes decisions come down from on high and no one has a choice in the matter, but by offering your team the opportunity to feel as though they are helping to shape the form of those changes you're setting the stage open communication and, consequently, minimized conflict.

Encourage your team to keep their personal lives off the court, and address the issue quickly when personal problems pop up. I've noticed over the years that it's personal issues between individual players that often rips a team apart, because members end up either choosing sides or stepping away from the conflict in an effort to "stay out of it". Coaches should immediately step in to provide mediation and help players keep their minds on the game when they are on the court, and players should bring the problem to the coach's attention as soon as it begins to cause friction during play time.

Open communication and addressing problems before they have the opportunity to fester is the most effective way to eliminate conflict between members of a volleyball team and set the stage for success out on the court.

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Put the Punch in Your Volleyball Top Spin Serve

You probably already know this, but I'm going to say it because it bears repeating-as many times as possible! If you've got a power server on your side you've got one of the most vital ingredients you need to walk away from that volleyball court a winner. The server influences the outcome of the game with every move they make. A single strong volleyball serve can annihilate the competition before they ever have the chance to give you a run for your money.

How do you put that maximum impact into your volleyball serve? Everyone has a style that works for them, and it's going to be up to you to discover ways to influence your preferred style of serve. That said, there are some basics to cleaning up on the court. If you're electing to do a basic top-spin serve, gather momentum by first stepping forward with the right foot, then the left. When your left foot hits the ground the ball should be directly over your head and your left arm extended to square off your shoulders. When it impacts the ball your hand should be open with fingers slightly extended, and in order to get a good top spin your wrist should pull forward and down.

Most importantly, keep your eyes on the ball! Volleyball is just like baseball in that respect-if you take your eyes off the ball, even for a moment, you're setting yourself up for failure. Yes, you'll probably still be able to get the ball over the net, but it's not going to have the impetus it needs to really make a difference.

Remember, your serve is one of the most valuable ingredients in your game-especially if you're playing with a partner rather than a team. Get enough punch behind your serve and you're setting your opponent up for defeat from the very beginning. Not enough, however, and you've already lost your advantage.

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Don't Forget Our Paralympic Teams

I was sitting at my computer struggling with a bout of insomnia and surfing through the daily news when I came across an article at the USA volleyball official website that reminded me of a corner of volleyball that we don't talk about here very often. In fact, many people don't even know it exists. Sitting volleyball has earned a distinguished place in the Special Olympics, and the U.S. National Teams competed proudly at the 2008 Paralympic Games without enjoying most of the media coverage given to their Olympic counterparts.

I'd like to take a second today to commend the bravery and determination of the men and women of sitting volleyball teams around the world. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the sport, sitting volleyball, the game is exactly what it sounds like-volleyball competition played sitting down. Designed for locomotor-disabled individuals, the game is played on a smaller court with an 0.8 meter wide net set approximately one meter off the court.

Players are required to have one buttock or an extension of their torso on the floor when hitting or attacking the ball. Although designed for those individuals whose physical disabilities prevent them from standing competition, most club teams include non-disabled individuals who enjoy the variety and the fun atmosphere of the game.

The U.S. Women's Sitting Volleyball team won a Paralympic silver in Beijing, defeating the defending team from the Netherlands before falling to top ranked China. USA volleyball has officially announced that the U.S. Women's Sitting Volleyball Team has been named the Paralympic Team of the Year for 2008.

The men and women of the national and club sitting volleyball teams show great determination and fortitude when they're out on the court, leaving behind their disabilities to become something I think we can all relate to-die hard volleyball players. Let's remember them the next we're out on the court feeling as though we're too tired to go on and let their shining example be the guideline by which we measure ourselves.

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The 411 on Volleyball Communication

It happens over, and over, and over again-the ball hits the court as two players stand there staring at each other going, "I thought you had it!"

If you're a competitive volleyball player you know EXACTLY what I'm talking about. Somehow a group of people with perfectly normal communication skills off the court lose their ability to communicate their intent and organize their actions the minute they step out on the courts. Volleyball is a team sport, ladies and gentlemen, and if you can't communicate with your teammates your game is going to fall apart faster than an ice cream cone in Mississippi in late July.

Simple phrases like, "I got it!" or "Heads up" or even "Mine" will go a long way toward rehabilitating your game. When everyone knows who has control of the ball they can set themselves up to take on a defensive position rather than diving for a ball that they aren't in an optimum position to get anyway. The same principle applies if you happen to see an area of uncovered space while you're out on the court…yelling out to your teammate (politely) to cover a hole before the serve is better for your game and your interpersonal relations than yelling at them after the other team has already scored.

There are numerous ways that teammates communicate, and in time your team will develop a rhythm that works for you. Don't be afraid to encourage your teammates! Letting your team know you support them will go a long way toward improving your team dynamic and keeping everyone working together…and when you're exhausted at the end of a long, hard game sometimes an encouraging word is exactly what you need to go just that little bit further.

Your communication skills are as vital a part of your volleyball game as they are other aspects of your life. Find other great training tips and resources at http://www.volleyballproshop.com/.

Choosing Your Team's Volleyball Jerseys

Every team has something that ties them together. Over time that something often becomes something intangible, the desire to win and to help your team move on to victory. In the beginning, however, until you get to know each other and develop the personal relationship that makes players into teammates, the only thing binding you together is going to be the color and style of the jersey you all wear when you walk out onto the court.

Your team jersey symbolizes the fact that whether you know each other or not, whether you respect each other or not, you and the people who wear that jersey are out on the courts fighting for a common cause. It sets you apart from the people in the stands and the men and women on the other side of that net. When you're on the court that jersey shows you who your friends are.

Sometimes you won't be given a choice, and tradition will dictate what shirt you wear out on the court. Every once in a while a team will decide to toss the old away and usher in the new, however, and when that happens you and your teammates may find yourselves in the unique position of being able to choose your own team jerseys. Because your jersey is so much more than a shirt, it's important that you choose that jersey with care.

There are some things that are a given when you're choosing your team's volleyball jerseys. For example, you want a shirt in a lightweight material that's going to allow your skin to breathe and won't irritate it when things start to get hot under the collar. Things like color and design, on the other hand, are slightly more negotiable.

When you're choosing the jersey that's going to represent your team it's important to choose a color and design that will make it uniquely your own. Let the entire team give their input. Although you aren't going to be able to make everyone happy, your team might surprise you by how easily they come to an agreement. If no one can agree, narrow the color and design down to the top three and toss them in a hat. Not everyone will be happy, but at least it will be fair.

Remember, your team volleyball jersey isn't just a shirt. It's a symbol of everything that your team stands for. The jersey your team chooses is going to impact the way others see you for the entire season, so it's important to choose with care.

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