Coach Your Brains Out COACHING THE 99% with John Kessel (2 of 2)
Aug 14, 2025
John Kessel, a renowned volleyball coach and educator, advocates for youth development and impactful coaching practices. He discusses the importance of mentorship and collaboration in sports, emphasizing knowledge sharing to enhance athlete growth. Kessel explores innovative techniques in volleyball training, promoting versatile skills and player enjoyment over rigid specialization. He also highlights successful practices in youth coaching from Japan and Thailand, focusing on creating fun environments to retain young athletes and foster their love for the game.
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Hosting Lang Ping To Learn And Connect
- Kessel hosted Chinese gold medalist Lang Ping in his home after she beat the U.S. in 1984 and wanted to learn English and American volleyball.
- He used the experience to prove winning is temporary but friendships and cross-cultural exchange last.
Teach Spiking First
- Teach spiking early to keep the game joyful and motivating for beginners.
- Focus on serve-receive skills rather than pure passing technique to make volleyball engaging from the start.
Practice For Performance
- Train reading, anticipation, and timing by practicing with the net in play and realistic game situations.
- Avoid aesthetic drills that look good but don't transfer to performance under net pressure.