| Watching volleyball videos can seem like the most | | | | like a tape recorder in my mind. This is actually kind |
| boring aspect of pre game preparation but like most | | | | of easy because when you aren't performing a skill |
| things you just have to know how to MAKE it work | | | | correctly THAT IS when your coach starts yelling at |
| for you. | | | | you anyway, right? What they are yelling at the top |
| Usually there are two basic reasons why a coach has | | | | of their lungs already exists in your mind so you just |
| you watch volleyball videos...in preparation of an | | | | start playing that mental volleyball videotape, over |
| upcoming game or to get better at performing a | | | | and over. |
| particular volleyball fundamental. It's easy to get lulled | | | | Then little by little both what I SEE in my mind and |
| into or lost in the moment of the game on the small | | | | what I HEAR in my head start meshing together. |
| screen but instead of watching every play just for | | | | When I re-play this continuously in my mind these |
| the sake of saying "hey I finished watching the | | | | two things start coming together where I form a |
| video" pick a particular volleyball fundamental that you | | | | mental volleyball movie of my own. When this mental |
| need to improve and watch the best one or two | | | | movie starts playing then after awhile my body |
| players perform that fundamental over and over | | | | starts to respond to the mental voice I hear and the |
| again. | | | | mental picture I've been playing. |
| If you need to improve your volleyball serve receive | | | | My body starts doing the things that I have been |
| skill or "pass the ball" better then that's the part of | | | | rehearsing over and over again in my mind. I start |
| the game you need to focus on watching other | | | | seeing myself -take the place of that player and in |
| more experienced players do. Unless your volleyball | | | | my mind I see myself performing the pass correctly |
| coach has instructed you to watch something in | | | | over and over. |
| particular (like the way a team plays defense or the | | | | And the aspects of the game that I am playing over |
| way a player transitions off the net) focus on | | | | and over start to become automatic and I start |
| watching a better player perform the skill that you | | | | doing these things physically- not just mentally- but |
| need to work on the most. How does she do that? | | | | actually in real life. |
| What are they doing? How are they standing while | | | | That's how I make watching volleyball videos work |
| the server still has the volleyball? Do they have a | | | | for me. |
| stutter step or do they hop jump as the ball is | | | | It's great when you can hear a volleyball champion |
| crossing the net? Which foot is forward? Is their | | | | who has played for years commentate on the game. |
| upper body straight up or crouched over? Are they | | | | Singin Smith, Karch Kiraly, Mike Dodd and Holly |
| straight legged or are they in a slight squat position | | | | McPeak do the color commentary with Chris Marlowe |
| when they serve receive? | | | | for the AVP Beach Pro Volleyball Tour games on |
| This is what happens to me when I'm watching a | | | | television. All these volleyball Champions represent |
| volleyball video... | | | | some of the greatest players in the history of the |
| If I'm watching someone serve receive well....I watch | | | | AVP and all are past Olympians with multiple |
| this player execute the right volleyball skill or | | | | gold,silver and bronze medals in Indoor and Beach |
| technique over and over and over again. I want to | | | | Volleyball. Listening to them talk about the game is |
| take that "scene" and take that "visual" with me so I | | | | like going to volleyball school. The more you do it...the |
| start playing that scene repeatedly in my head. I | | | | better volleyball player you can become....and that's |
| start visualizing that player doing the same thing in | | | | one way to make volleyball videos improve your |
| my mind after I've stopped watching. When I go | | | | volleyball game. |
| home, when I go to bed, when I'm washing dishes, | | | | April Chapple is a former USA National Womens |
| before practice I get used to seeing this player do | | | | Volleyball Team member and Volleyball Professional |
| the serve receive correctly in my mind. | | | | who created Volleyball Voices the first virtual |
| Then... I start hearing my coach's words on how to | | | | volleyball mentoring community for girls volleyball |
| do this skill correctly. So then I hear my volleyball | | | | players and volleyball coaches with stories by |
| coach, I hear my coach say "step to the ball", | | | | champion women volleyball players and coaching |
| "present my platform", "use my legs", and I keep | | | | volleyball articles that break up volleyball skills so |
| hearing my volleyball coach's words over and over | | | | females learn how to play better volleyball. |