Check out my interviews and articles with and about college and national team coaches, find out their philosophies on teaching the game and the way they approach the seasons and quads ahead. The mindsets of winning coaches tend to have certain similarities and there is something to be learned from their thoughts on the game. Listen as the top coaches discuss their teams and their future plans.
1. Q & A with John Speraw
An interview with volleyball coach John Speraw when he was the head men's volleyball coach at UC Irvine. Speraw would go on to become UCI's most successful coach ever, leading the team to four national titles in seven years. While he was head coaching the Anteaters, Speraw also served as an assistant coach for the men's national team for the 2012 London Olympics. At the conclusion of the Games, Speraw left UCI as he was lured back to his alma mater and is now serving as head coach at UCLA. He's once again doing double duty as he was also named head coach of the USA men's national team for 2016. In this interview, Speraw talks about coaching at UCI and his philosophy on leading a team.More »2. Q & A with Alan Knipe
An interview with 2012 USA Men's Volleyball Head Coach Alan Knipe on getting the job as the national team head coach for the London Olympics. In this interview, Knipe talks about the transition from college to the international game and how difficult the job is due to player's schedules with professional leagues overseas. He also discusses the setter battle, his decision to keep the starting job open until just before the Olympic Games and his outlook on international volleyball. The USA men won their pool at the Olympics and were undefeated in pool play. But they met a tough opponent in Italy in the quarterfinals and were eliminated before the medal round. Knipe, who was on hiatus from his position as head coach at Long Beach State, returned to the 49ers after the conclusion of the Olympic Games. He was replaced by UCLA head coach John Speraw, who was chosen to lead the men's team through 2016.More »3. David Kniffin Takes the Reigns in Irvine
David Kniffin took over the head coaching job from his very successful predecessor John Speraw who went on to coach at UCLA. For UCI, the best replacement for the coach that put the program on the map was all about fit.More »4. Q & A with Cal Baptist Coach Wes Schneider
Wes Schneider took over the Cal Baptist volleyball team in its first year as a member of the MPSF, volleyball's strongest conference. No one expected the Lancers to be such a force, but by week 12, they found themselves ranked among the top ten in the nation. Though they were ineligible for the playoffs due to their status as a first year Division I team, Schneider talks about how he got his guys motivated to beat the top teams even without a hope for the post-season.More »5. Q & A with Head Coach David Kniffin
David Kniffin took over at UCI following the most successful coach in the school's history. His predecessor, John Speraw, led the team to four national titles in seven years. In this Q & A, I asked Kniffin what it felt like to follow in those footsteps. He talks about how he was chosen for the position and how he handles the pressure of leading a team that was the defending national champion. Kniffin would go on to take the Anteaters to the national championship in just his first year at the helm, which is just the second time in history that has been accomplished.More »
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