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BIP/USA Development Team
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Coach’s Wrap-Up
By BIP/USA Head Coach, Tom Hilbert |
As we wrap up this year’s Bring it Promotions Global Challenge there are a number of things that could be discussed. I could talk about our BIP team winning the 12 team competition. I could compare the different styles of volleyball we witnessed from not only the six USA teams but the six European teams. I could share what it was like to see different parts of Europe. I’ve decided, however, to answer a simple question that many who view the “Bring it” programs ask. What do the participants really get out of the experience? Undoubtedly the answer is different for every player and coach who participates but here is my take.
The coaching challenge is to take a mish mash of players who have trained under different coaches and systems and in four days of training make them functional as a team and allow each player to grow from the experience. You don’t have time to teach technique or a complex system. It is more about creating an environment that allows the players to work effectively with each other. Our four days in Switzerland helped us accomplish this and the two matches we played against the Swiss National team might have been the toughest matches of the trip.
The players are put in a position where they must learn to play “off the cuff” with completely new teammates. This is the greatest benefit they will get out of the trip. They must develop trust, get to know each other quickly on and off the court and make things click between them as setters, hitters, defenders, blockers etc. Things are not as structured or defined as they are in their college program and the players must “figure it out” by necessity together. For example, on this year’s team about half the players were swing blocking and the other half did not… and guess what… Blocking was their strong suit and they did just fine integrating the two.
As a result of this environment certain players emerge as stars that were never expected to do so. There were players who served and passed when they had never done it before. They were playing new positions like they had done it their entire careers. With no pre-disposed ideas of what players can do, the coaches give everyone a shot and players really flourish.
All of this occurs with a backdrop of an international cultural experience. Switzerland, Croatia and Italy are all incredible countries with wonderful people. The players meet athletes who don’t speak the same language or eat the same food but share the same passion for volley. They see a different culture of sport that produces the same result. They witness good and poor competing and get to see there are many different ways to score 25 points. They also get to know each other. New teammates will now be friends for life because they discovered all this together.
Winning the competition was great, but perhaps the best part is seeing all these young players conquer these challenges and discover something new about themselves as players. I would do it again and I would recommend the trip to anyone without hesitation. |
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