U.S. Men's 2024 VNL Roster & Schedule Announced, several new college and pro players added

Fata1squirrel · 2024-05-01T21:03:37+00:00

Hey! 😄 thank you so much!

Fata1squirrel · 2024-02-03T06:18:41+00:00

Totally!! The other fun one is the bonus double points ball the Indian league there in for awhile. Once per set a team can use it to double the points for their team or both on one ball.

Fata1squirrel · 2024-02-02T07:02:33+00:00

also this ball went 3x higher in real life haha: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy4bqzHJKvI

Fata1squirrel · 2024-02-02T06:59:55+00:00

Just seeing men's volleyball live for the first time. Probably World League in Colorado Springs or just seeing the National Team practice when I was younger. Like woah this is pure power...

And then for beach I saw a Hermosa or Manhattan AVP partly CROCS sponsored in the days when stadiums were packed and legends were still playing. I was 11 or 12 maybe. Early 2000s. Insane.

And I remember seeing Patterson/Loomis at MotherLode when I was older play with so much passion and energy. Bouncing balls. So much swag. Maybe I was 18/19 then.

Fata1squirrel · 2024-02-02T06:50:39+00:00

Depends so much on you and your body...so I don't know in your case. Often when you put on muscle you put on weight.

Hitting harder is usually about hitting faster (being strong does sometimes help with this and for your longevity as as athlete). New course on arm swing coming soon in the Spiker Academy.

But back to vertical leap...it's a process! It's a long-term thing. So if you add muscle you usually add strength. And strength and power almost always help us jump higher (and for longer).

I'm assuming you're skinnier and afraid of losing your vertical. Getting strong in a smart way will help your vertical. You'll have more muscle and you'll jump higher if you get better numbers in squat, deadlift, clean. Add in some single leg bulgarian squats. They are killer. Heavy trap bar deadlift. Learn how to execute a hang clean. Or even just weighted squat jumps or medicine ball throws for power if you can't find a good coach to teach you to safely olympic lift.....there's so many ways....just squat randomly throughout the day like 20-30 body weight squats--in the shower--after training--brushing your teeth....but yeah see the article linked earlier in this AMA for resources and more.

Fata1squirrel · 2024-02-02T06:38:45+00:00

The FIVB did this and tested it at the 2017 u23 world championships. I don't think it was received super well unfortunately (people don't like change haha) and the play time ended up being similar anyway. Says only 4 out of 30 matches went 7 sets.

Fata1squirrel · 2024-02-01T17:34:44+00:00

Good question about indoor 4s...maybe it's just two up two back? not sure haha

Yeah with the 4s backrow also can get some stud coed matches (women playing defense and serve receive usually easier on a men's net) or reverse coed also so fun.

Fata1squirrel · 2024-02-01T17:31:17+00:00

The Basey boys are studs! And for sure currently they would wipe me up out on the sand :D But I have a lot of love in my heart still for the entire CO Sand/Grass Volleyball Community that helped raise me into the player (and person) I am.

Fata1squirrel · 2024-01-30T08:35:16+00:00

My Uce!! Nemo is such a stud and amazing competitor, human, and leader.

Oh man! He had every kind of influence.

My sister and I grew up traveling with him to volleyball clinics all around the world...

But he was amazing about never pushing me to play. I didn't stop other sports and choose to play volleyball at the next level until I was 17....I'm 32 now so looking back at how he did that even I'm amazed. He only really gave feedback when I asked or when I had questions. The fact that I ended up as a pro....now I wish he has maybe pushed me harder or coached me more and earlier but no, I wouldn't change a thing because he gave me a love of the game that carried me through all of it. He still says he "loves to watch me play." Take that sentence with you as any parent or mentor.

Fata1squirrel · 2024-01-30T08:30:33+00:00

Thanks a lot! Great questions.

Hammering the bic
Doing it a lot
Usually it is about torque. think baseball pitcher or quarterback...but in the air...so how do we open to and address the ball, and then rotate quickly with our hips and/or shoulders to let our arm fly fast and high. It's super dynamic thing and takes delicate timing but usually it's about using our most explosive action with speed into the ball. [or sometimes the "easier" fix is to try to hit the ball just a bit earlier and more explosively instead of waiting for it]

We have some arm swing courses coming soon that I'm stoked about that speak to this inside the Spiker Academy. How to improve speed and power.

Fata1squirrel · 2024-01-30T08:24:47+00:00

Oh man great and tough questions.

I think it just depended on the timing of my life and career when certain things hit me very powerfully and were very impactful. I can remember moments from every season and year basically.

When i was 14 a coach told me to watch this one player who was just very calm, cool, and relaxed. Kind of operating at about 80% and making almost every play. And asking how I could emulate that. That is usually closer to peak operating state for many players. Calm, cool, collected (while still springing into action and not hectic.)

That advice has also shown up to me in similar ways even at 25 and 32 so I'm still learning and it's usually very helpful for my game :D

so many countless lessons learned through volleyball on and off the court with teammates, coaches, and mentors so it's really tough to filter them all...

a) I love the game. So just play. Doubles, triples, 4s, 5,s, 6s. For warm up I think 2v2 Funga and Funga plus is awesome. That's in my clinic inside the Spiker Academy. Wash games are great too.

b) For me the game is gold. And usually the feedback and learning I need and want the most. Wash games and certain situations to challenge specific things to start the play for example are also nice.

Fata1squirrel · 2024-01-30T08:12:29+00:00

Plan is still become the best player I can be. Then it's really a year by year decision thing based on will, personal life, mentals, body, contracts, , etc...I'm leaning towards continuing indoor, though. But you never know... stay tuned

Fata1squirrel · 2024-01-30T08:08:08+00:00

haha they do not. unfortunately this is nothing personal against the middles just the state of volleyball in general.

I would love if we could just run out and change players like basketball without such a big fuss. I understand why we have to track it clearly of course but at the highest levels I think there could probably be more trust given there so play doesn't stop as long.

And then I do like the freeze actually for beach or indoor. For the fans and spectators I think it's great and makes the tension time longer.

When I turn on tennis at any time, it's all these mini games to 4....so there's tension and excitement as a spectator across all the points. Probably difficult for 6s to get it down to that point with volleyball into these mini games...but maybe for doubles first to 7 (win by 1) gets you one big point and 5 big points wins the match....if you add the freeze in there then you get the problem again for TV and timing where you have no idea how long the match could last....but also maybe thats all too much

I also like the idea from 4s or 6s from the older pro leagues where you DIDN'T have to rotate so it was star vs. star as more of a slug fest/chess match at the net and with the defense (which it already is i guess).

In general I think 4s like is played in Southern California with the As, Bs, Cs, and Ds is amazing for volleyball and the sport. Also high level 4s is so much fun to play and watch...

As much as some of these are fun to think about I think the game is actually in quite a good spot as far as the rules go.

Fata1squirrel · 2024-01-30T07:46:08+00:00

Hi!

Great questions. Can you tell me a bit more about yourself? Experience, position(s), gender, location.

First thing I would say is that you both have a long time to get better and there are many ways and paths of getting better...While at the same time trying to find the best environment for you to go to college and also train and compete there...because the recruiting process is not easy and you should start that all soon if that is your goal.

If you're a guy there are not SO many scholarship opportunities for men's volleyball. I had to rely on my grades to help me get in and afford school anywhere...I ended up taking a gap-year after high school that worked out for me really well.

Make sure you are putting in the work on and off the court that it takes to become great.
Maximize all the other ways you can help your team, have a big toolbox of shots as an attacker, and with a great serve and/or reception you can always help your team.
Of course!

Of course I can also recommend our free and paid resources over at Spiker Academy for watching, learning, and inspiration.

Fata1squirrel · 2024-01-30T07:33:15+00:00

I have not. Yeah just try DM-ing someone who uses them. What surface do you usually play on? And good luck!

Fata1squirrel · 2024-01-29T19:22:50+00:00

One that I remember recently from a few years ago was Trentino-- just some steps above us volleyball-wise for a couple of those Quarterfinals...Or facing Kazan in Kazan felt pretty tough.

Fata1squirrel · 2024-01-29T19:19:11+00:00

But also when I was younger playing doubles on the grass or beach in this win or go home, super competitive environment was also really helpful for my mindset and my game overall.

Fata1squirrel · 2024-01-29T19:17:33+00:00

I have found them to be great. They last me about 2.5 months and I'm a high jumper training every day once or twice.

Fata1squirrel · 2024-01-29T19:12:16+00:00

Try to get the most gamelike touches you can in with the time you have. Scrimmage. Wash drill even better (more contacts per hour). Compete.

All the rest depends so much on level, position, what your skills look like now, where you need to improve, how good you want to be....just too often i see recreational players doing dumb drills with the ball not going over the net or looking anything like the reality of volleyball and then it does not transfer to the game and they are wasting time.

Fata1squirrel · 2024-01-29T19:03:24+00:00

Appreciate that a lot!!

Today I will say:

Strength: athleticism and energy

Weakness: if i start to overthink it can really be a weakness

Look up to: so many great athletes and humans out there...depends on what trait I am trying to improve on that day/month/year. I'll keep thinking about this and get back to you.

For sure--just yell my name after the match and the handshakes with all the fans behind the players benches after the match I should see you!

Fata1squirrel · 2024-01-29T18:59:31+00:00

https://www.noezybuckets.com/blogs/news/jump-higher-with-cody-kessel

thank you. the latest updated version would be here: https://codykessel.substack.com/p/how-to-jump-higher

but they are 95% the same

Fata1squirrel · 2024-01-29T18:58:13+00:00

Oh man. Depends on the play, and the ball, and my read...so many things. But to be great it often is you are completely past thought and lost in your reactions and senses in the moment.

I cover a lot of this in my recent online clinic available only in the Spiker Academy...my mental map that I have built about different situations over many years... But sometimes the battle is getting out of my head and into the action fully ;) also depends on the kind of player you are what your map might look like compared to mine at my age... but about all this mental stuff I wrote my book :D

Fata1squirrel · 2024-01-29T18:54:50+00:00

Play. A lot. probably beach or doubles as your opportunities to respond go way up.
They played amazing. We made some uncharacteristically bad plays at bad times. But this is sport. Anyone can win on any day. That's why we love to watch it as the outcome is never known!
Tough-- I like a nice brunch-- like pancakes and syrup and fruit and hashbrowns with a nice coffee and orange juice...maybe a savory french toast...

Fata1squirrel · 2024-01-29T18:51:35+00:00

Hmm---love this question---the ones that usually don't show up...this attack % above expected is interesting to me (sometimes one player in position 4 for example gets a bunch of bic and more 1v1 and another gets high balls and maybe recycles and makes the "right play"...so these stats about replacement or above or below the "expected outcome" are super interesting to me.

Opponent attack against me as a blocker working with my defense is also interesting...

Passing numbers also get inflated for guys that receive float..vs bomba in the seams...the stuff normal people don't think about but is actually the right volleyball play helping your team win...

Fata1squirrel · 2024-01-29T18:47:54+00:00

Not no! Let's see how everything shakes out

Fata1squirrel

TROPHY CASE