About John Crutchfield Expertise 15 years coaching experience: United States National Team and High Performance National Team; high school (men`s and women`s); Club (Belmont Shore and Asics/Nova: boys` 16s and 18). Played volleyball competitively since 1970 including Junior Olympics; University of Southern California; Beach; U.S. Nationals (40 and over) and Long Beach recreational adult leagues (8 time city champions)I have joined the staff as an assistant coach for the men`s
volleyball program at California State University at Long Beach and am now
entering my second season with the program. In addition I am one of the
original coaches of the newly formed LBC Volleyball Club for the last two
years. I have coached 12, 13, 16 and 18 year old teams and coached our 13
year olds to the National Championship at the Junior Olympics in July, 2002
at Louisville, Kentucky.
Experience I've played volleyball all my life (since the age of 13 and before most people even knew it was a sport). I've been coaching for the last 18 years, even while I was practicing law full time. Recently I have changed to an education career partly to allow me more time to coach and to coach at a higher level.
Expert: John Crutchfield Date: 5/21/2001 Subject: Talent identification?
Question hi,
im a sports science student at the University of Bath, England, and have been set a research project investigating the main characteristics that a coach would identify in the process of identifying elite volleyball players. We also have to explain why certain characteristics are important. I had naively assummed that being tall was enough, but my background research to date have proved otherwise.
if you could help me in anyway with this project, or refer me to any other websites it would be much appreciated.
thanks alot
kelly x
Answer Kelly:
As your research has shown, elite volleyball players require several and varied physical and mental characteristics. You have intuitively pointed to height, which remains an increasingly important factor, especially for front row players. Twenty years ago even top level volleyball players probably averaged about 6'3" or so. Today the setter, traditionally the shortest player on the court, of the US National Team, Lloy Ball, is 6'9"! The Swedish Olympic Team put a team on the court that averaged 7'0". As the coaching expression goes: "You can't coach height"
However, there are several other physical characteristics that a coach looks for to identify or predict elite, or at least potentially successful, volleyball players:
-Jumping Ability: Critical for attacking and blocking, especially in the shorter players
-Lateral Movement: Important for blocking adjustments, passing and defense
-Arm, Wrist and Hand Strength: Essential for powerful hitting and blocking
-Upper Leg and Lower Back Strength: Usually the first to go, it is essential for the grueling task of back row defense and passing as well as helpful in front row blocking and attacking
-Quickness: For front row middle and shoot attacks and blocking the quick offense as well as back row defense and passing
-Conditioning: Volleyball is a grueling and physically demanding game at the upper levels (although arguably less so with the advent of rally scoring and the resulting shorter matches and games)
In addition to the aforementioned physical characteristics, elite players require several mental and emotional strengths:
-Intelligence and Experience: There is simply no substitute for a player who has played at a high level under good coaching, especially at the setter position
-Competitiveness: The elite player must refuse to be beaten or bested
-Discipline, Drive and Determination: The "three Ds" are a prerequisite to the training and work required
-Aggressiveness: Especially important on defense . .you have to want the ball, anticipate the ball and take it as a personal insult when the ball hits the floor
-"Coachability": If it's not a real word, it definitely is a real and crucial attribute of any elite player . . he or she must be able to absorb, adapt and implement new coaching strategies, techniques and methods
While this list is by no means exhaustive, I hope it has been a helpful start for your paper. Please feel free to e-mail me directly if you have any questions or would like to discuss it further.
All my best . . .Crutch (Crutch819@aol.com)
