The true story of how a group of talented volleyball players learned to put their egos aside, became a team, and changed the sport of volleyball forever. In the early 1980s, a golden generation of volleyball players joined the U.S. men's national team. With the Olympics coming to Los Angeles in 1984, the pressure was on to build a winning program around these exceptional athletes. But could a group of individuals put aside their egos and play as a true team to achieve Olympic gold in their home country? In If Gold Is Our Destiny: How a Team of Mavericks Came Together for Olympic Glory, Sean P. Murray shares the incredible story of how a group of free-spirited players and their demanding coach captured the heart of a nation and became one of the greatest indoor volleyball teams of all time. As the team struggled leading up to the Olympics, head coach Doug Beal mandated a highly controversial three-week Outward Bound hike across one hundred miles in the Canyonlands and Abajo Mountains in Utah. Murray details all the internal strife and heartwarming triumphs from this unprecedented trip, as players and coaches learned to cooperate and trust one another. He reveals how the team used this newfound trust to implement an innovative approach to volleyball that changed not only their success on the court but the sport itself on a global scale. Featuring original interviews with players, coaches, and staff, along with a foreword by three-time gold medal champion Karch Kiraly, If Gold Is Our Destiny delivers an inside look at what it takes for a group of talented individuals to overcome their differences, build a culture of excellence, and become the best in the world.

The first European Championship in men s volleyball was contested in 1948 by just six teams, and the inaugural women s tournament took place in 1949. As the sport spread in popularity throughout the continent, so did the number of teams participating. Today, the European Championship is played under the auspices of the European Volleyball Confederation (CEV), of which 55 nations are members; 16 of these 55 teams are able to play for the gold in the championships. In European Volleyball Championship Results: Since 1948, Tomasz Malolepszy charts the growth and expansion of this sport in Europe with a complete statistical history of both the men s and women s competition. For the first time ever, volleyball fans can find detailed results, rosters, medalists, and standings for the European Championships all in a single volume. In addition, this book contains a list of interesting records, many of which have never before been published. European Volleyball Championship Results is a valuable resource for any volleyball fan, journalist, or researcher. Companion volumes to this book include European Soccer Championship Results: Since 1958, European Ice Hockey Championship Results: Since 1910, and European Basketball Championship Results: Since 1935."

The author presents a general view on sports training, its eriodization and the role of coordination in the initial stages of preparation in volleyball. He also deals with inter-gender differences in levels of such abilities, describing motor tests for the assessment of coordination potential and providing the reader with standards for the development of talented players. Based on the nature of volleyball, the author analyses key features of sports performance. Coordination abilities, especially in the period of puberty, play an important role in the creation of coordination basis - prerequisites for the development of physical fitness and acquisition of motor skills. Based on the results of his own research, as well as studies conducted by international sports scientists, he offers a model for the development of coordination abilities in volleyball. This method is recommended for coaches to improve their professional work in volleyball classes and schools, and in sports clubs. In the long-term, application of the proposed model should contribute to the improvement of players' performance in competition.

This book is part of the Teach, Coach, Play series, emphasizing a systematic learning approach to sports and activities. Both visual and verbal information are presented so that readers can easily understand the material and improve performance. Built-in learning aids help readers master each skill in a step-by-step manner. Using the cues, summaries, skills, drills, and illustrations will help build a solid foundation for safe and effective participation now and in the future. The basic approach in all of the Teach, Coach, Play activity titles is to help readers improve their skills and performance by building mastery from simple to increasingly complex levels. The books strive to illustrate correct techniques and demonstrate how to achieve optimal results. The basic organization in each book is as follows: Section 1 overviews history, organizations and publications, conditioning activities, safety, warm up suggestions, and equipment. Section 2 covers exercise or skills, participants, action involved, rules, facility or field, scoring, and etiquette. Section 3 focuses on skills and drills or program design. Section 4 addresses a broad range of strategies specifically designed to improve performance now and in the future. Section 5 provides a convenient glossary of terms.

Your hands-on guide to coaching youth volleyball

Have you been asked to coach a youth volleyball team? This friendly, practical guide helps you grasp the basics and take charge on the court. You get expert advice on teaching key skills to different age groups, running safe and effective practices, helping struggling players, encouraging good sportsmanship, and leading your team with confidence during a match.

Lay the groundwork for a great season -- develop your coaching philosophy, run an effective preseason meeting, and get up to speed on the rules and terminology of the sport

Build your team -- size up the players, find roles for everyone to succeed in, and coach all different types of kids

Teach the basics of volleyball -- from serving and passing to setting, attacking, and blocking, instruct your players successfully in all the key elements

Raise the level of play -- teach more advanced offensive and defensive skills and keep your kids' interest in volleyball going strong

Make the moms and dads happy -- work with parents to ensure a successful and fun season

Score extra points -- keep your players healthy and injury free, resolve conflicts, and coach a volleyball club team

Open the book and find:

Clear explanations of the game's fundamentals

An assortment of the sport's best drills

The equipment your team needs

Player positions and their responsibilities

Tips for running fun-filled practices

Refinements for your coaching strategies

How to meet players' special needs

Ten ways to make the season memorable

Play Your Best, On and Off the Beach.

In the volleyball world, the name Karch Kiraly is synonymous with excellence, whether it be in the U.S.A. or abroad, in the gym or on the beach. This revised edition of Karch Kiraly's Championship Volleyball provides a complete course in volleyball skills, including:

• Serving

• Bumping

• Setting

• Hitting

• Blocking

• Basic and Advanced Team Defense and Offense Strategies

Combine all of this with the expanded chapter on the beach game, and you have the most complete volleyball instructional available.

So, whether you're a beginner just learning the basics or an advanced player looking for the strategy that will blow your opponents off the court, Karch Kiraly's Championship Volleyball will give you the skills to do it.

In his book, Chris Kroeger has compiled the most effective volleyball drills. Packed with numerous illustrations this working manual will help you to improve your fundamental volleyball skills. Volleyball Drills features 97 basic drills & 19 basic games designed to help players improve their serving, passing, setting, attacking, blocking, and defending skills. This book is a working manual of organized and demanding drills from which practice lessons may be created. Each drill includes a detailed explanation of the purpose, setup, and execution, as well as variations and teaching points. With simple instructions and accompanying graphics it is easy to teach and coach kids to play volleyball quickly and simply. This is a book for teachers and coaches of beginning to intermediate players of all ages.

Coaching Volleyball Beginners is a step-by-step guide for coaches that helps them teach youth beginner players how to play volleyball. With the various games, the coach can keep practice interesting for the players as they develop basic playing skills. The book includes ideas for easy, introductory, mini volleyball games for young players (ages 6-10). These games are both entertaining and instructive, teaching the young players the volleyball basics. Next the book explains how to use small-group games, such as 6 vs. 6, to teach more advanced volleyball methods and skills to older players (ages 13 and up). The various drills and games are explained in detail, often with accompanying photos and illustrations, so coaches of any level, from beginner to more advanced players, can easily implement them into practice sessions. A short introduction to beach volleyball is also included to round out the information, making this a book all youth volleyball coaches need on their shelves!