Triple Block Heads

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The podcast episode discusses the importance of volleyball training camps for young athletes, detailing the benefits and differences between camps and clinics. It covers personal experiences with various types of camps and highlights the evolving structure of modern volleyball camps. The conversation delves into the essential elements of running successful camps from both club and collegiate perspectives. Key points include the significance of a well-organized structure, tailored skill development, appropriate camp selection for athletes, effective use of court space, maintaining coach efficacy, and creating a supportive and engaging environment. The episode emphasizes that...

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The 'Triple Block Heads' podcast returns with hosts Makani, Marc, and Frank diving into the volleyball recruiting process—a highly requested topic. The discussion covers crucial aspects: the importance of proactivity in recruitment, the appropriate timeline for reaching out to schools, and essential rules and milestones like the significance of June 15th for communication with colleges. They emphasize the need for personalized, concise, and effective emails accompanied by impressive highlight videos to grab coaches' attention. The hosts also explore the role of recruiting services and assistants in aiding athletes, especially for those not in...

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In this episode of the 'Triple Block Heads' podcast, hosts Makani, Frank, and Marc discuss a variety of hypothetical rule changes for volleyball. They propose modifications such as eliminating the let serve, introducing professional sports-style trades and drafts in club volleyball, moving the antennas to the pole standards, and implementing international substitution limits. They also consider banning open-hand tips, introducing super points for high-stakes moments, and adding hockey-style power plays. The goal of these changes is to enhance the strategic complexity of the game, improve skill development, and increase the excitement for both...

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In this episode of 'Triple Blockheads,' hosts Makani, Frank, and Mark delve into the topic of positional specialization in volleyball. They explore when young athletes should focus on a specific role and the benefits of being versatile. The conversation covers multiple aspects such as developmental phases in club volleyball, coaching strategies, and how positional flexibility can impact a player's career from youth to collegiate levels. The hosts also discuss how clubs balance competitive success with comprehensive skill training, and offer insights for both athletes and club coaches on preparing...

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In this episode of the Triple Block Heads podcast, hosts Makani, Frank, and Mark discuss strategies for managing and overcoming the mid-season lull in volleyball. They cover the importance of keeping practices fresh and creative by introducing non-traditional activities, adjusting practice structures, and incorporating player-led drills. The conversation touches upon the nuances of goal setting and defining success, emphasizing the role of continuous skill development and player engagement. The hosts also highlight the differences in handling teams that qualify early for nationals versus those still striving for a bid. They offer practical advice...

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In this episode of Triple Blockheads, hosts Makani, Frank, and Mark discuss various volleyball training tools and techniques to enhance practice sessions. They cover tools like setter balls, noodles, dots, cones, tape, video replay, jump boxes, and more. Each item is evaluated based on its practical application, cost-effectiveness, and potential benefits. Additionally, they critique more expensive equipment like Solo Spike and Air Cat, suggesting cheaper and more efficient alternatives. The discussion emphasizes creativity and resourcefulness in using training aids to improve skill development and make practice sessions more engaging.

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This episode of the Triple Block Heads podcast, hosted by Makani, Mark, and Frank, focuses on the progression of volleyball setters. The discussion covers essential aspects of setter development from foundational skills to advanced techniques. Key talking points include the importance of proper posture, leg usage for power generation, and maintaining a neutral body position for consistency. The hosts emphasize the setter’s role as a leader, detailing the significance of communication, mental flexibility, and strategic decision-making. They highlight the necessity for setters to be both technically proficient and mentally tough, and also ad...

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In this episode of 'Triple Blockheads,' the hosts Makani, Marc, and Frank discuss the significance and application of statistics in the volleyball world. They explore how stats can help athletes differentiate themselves, improve their skills, and develop their game at various stages, from middle school to high school and beyond. The conversation covers key metrics like kill percentage, error percentage, and hitting efficiency. They also discuss the importance of setting realistic goals during practice and how conditional statistics can improve specific skills like serving and hitting. The role of advanced analytics and...

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In this episode of the Triple Block Heads Podcast, hosts Makani, Frank, and Mark delve into the hot topic of private volleyball lessons. The conversation revolves around the increase in private lessons, their benefits, drawbacks, and appropriate use cases. The hosts discuss the reasons athletes may pursue private lessons, how these lessons can help or hinder a player's development, and the possible hidden agendas behind them. They emphasize the importance of having clear expectations, proper communication between coaches and athletes, and the balance between technical skill development and game play scenarios. Opinions vary...

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Welcome to this episode of the Triple Blockheads Podcast where hosts Makani, Mark, and Frank discuss volleyball club tournament etiquette. They provide insights on proper behavior for players, teams, parents, and spectators from the beginning of team registration to post-match sportsmanship. The episode covers crucial topics like respecting tournament policies, appropriate team camp setup, on-court conduct, and the importance of maintaining a positive attitude. They also delve into effective warm-up routines, roles and responsibilities during matches, and the impact of parental conduct on the athletes and the team. Mark shares his views from...

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In this episode of Triple Blockheads, hosts Makani, Frank, and Mark discuss the intricacies of collegiate recruitment, focusing on the role and influence of parents in the process. They emphasize the importance of allowing athletes to advocate for themselves while providing tips for parents on how to support their children effectively without overstepping. The discussion covers proper etiquette at club tournaments, the significance of authentic communication during recruitment, and the impact of a parent's involvement in a child's journey from high school to college sports. The hosts highlight the need for independence, character...

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In this episode of the Triple Blockheads Podcast, Makani, Frank, and Mark discuss the fundamentals of effective volleyball passing. The conversation covers essential techniques, including the importance of high and playable passes, understanding angles, maintaining athletic posture, and mastering platform control. They emphasize training methods such as reps, experimenting with different passing scenarios, and integrating overhead passing. They also touch on the mental aspects of passing, offering strategies for players to regain confidence after mistakes. The discussion concludes with insights on system-level strategies to improve team passing and ultimately, offensive execution.

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In this episode of the Triple Blockheads Podcast, hosts Makani, Frank, and Mark delve into the topic of 'double contacts' in volleyball, specifically focusing on the new collegiate rules allowing double contacts when setting to a teammate but not over the net. The discussion covers the rule changes' impact on game flow, player confidence, and the development of setters and non-setters at both the collegiate and club levels. They explore how these changes could shift who gets trained as a setter, the potential impacts on the club system, and even speculate about future...

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In this episode of the Triple Blockheads Podcast, hosts Makani, Frank, and Mark delve into structuring effective volleyball practices. Key discussion points include essential elements like skill progression, individual versus team structures, and managing practice intensity based on season timing and workload. The group emphasizes the importance of minimizing downtime such as shagging and incorporating game-like drills to enhance readiness. The use of statistical analysis, both simple and complex, helps evaluate player performance and set realistic goals. Inclusivity, player empowerment, and creating a competitive yet supportive environment are also highlighted. The episode wraps...

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In the inaugural episode of 'Triple Blockheads,' hosts Makani Cantor, Marc Neef, and Frank Flanagan discuss their journeys into the world of volleyball, from their diverse backgrounds to their passion for the game. They provide insights into various phases of volleyball development, including club ball, collegiate sports, and coaching. The trio tackle topics such as the impact of early exposure, the importance of fostering love and passion for the game, and the significance of learning and growth over mere winning. They also highlight the challenges and rewards of transitioning from player to...

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In this episode of Triple Blockheads, hosts Makani Cantor, Frank, and Mark delve into the intricacies of serving in volleyball. They discuss the mechanics from initial development to collegiate levels, focusing on toss and hand contact. They stress the importance of simplifying movements and achieving repeatability. The episode highlights strategies for developing effective serving routines, mental aspects such as visualization and positive self-talk, and the importance of depth and location in serving. They also discuss evaluating serves, adjusting techniques based on situational contexts, and guiding athletes in their serving journeys.

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