In my previous article, I wrote about the coaching philosophy and practices we prioritized in our daily training. In this article, I’d like to get more specific about the things we put into practice specifically for the tournament.
What We Put into Practice for the Tournament
1. We adapt Rotation System
As I mentioned in the last article, most tournaments for elementary school students in Japan use a special rule called the free position system.
Our team, however, chose to use the standard rotation system. While some might say rotations are too complex and difficult for elementary students, I believe this idea comes from the misconception that positions (like outside hitter or middle blocker) must be fixed, as they are in the top leagues, which then requires players to switch positions mid-rally.
Our team adopted a 6-6 rotation system, where every player is assigned a specific role in each of the six rotations. The primary roles are as follows:
- S1: Serve, dig (back right), reception, back attack (back right)
- S6: Dig (back center), reception, back attack (back center)
- S5: Dig (back left), reception, back attack (back left)
- S4: Block (front left), reception, front attack (front left)
- S3: Block (front center), setting
- S2: Block (front right), reception, front attack (front right)
The biggest advantage of this system is that it allows every player to experience every play and every position. We believe that, at the elementary school level, experiencing all aspects of volleyball is crucial for maximizing a player’s potential.
(I discussed the importance of using rotations for elementary students in an interview you can read here: [link to article in Japanese])
Our coach was once asked by another coach, “Why do you use rotation system?” I felt the underlying intent of that question was, “You could build a much stronger team if you didn’t rotate, so why would you bother?”
It’s true that if winning at the elementary level is the top priority, using this rotation system is an illogical choice. Perhaps coaches in youth categories need a more steadfast coaching philosophy than coaches at higher levels.
Do you prioritize player development over winning?
The other way around?
Or do you constantly seek a third path? Personally, I strive to be a coach who seeks that third path.
2. Everyone Plays on the Court
The elementary school category is one where differences in physical development and experience can be particularly wide. Because of this, it’s common for the same players to be on the court for the entire game, or for the number of players who actually get to touch the ball to be limited.
In addition to using rotation system, we made an effort to ensure that the time each registered player spent on the court was as equal as possible.
(Some tournaments have even adopted their own rules to ensure that every player gets to play.)
3. Players Make Their Own Decisions and Take Chances
Whether in practice or in a game, our coaching style is to avoid giving specific instructions and having players just follow them. Instead, we emphasized the importance of players making their own decisions and playing with a sense of challenge. Here are three examples of challenging plays that organically emerged during the tournament.
Spontaneous Short Serves
We had mini-games that focused on aiming for open spaces, but we never practiced tactical short serves. Yet, one of our players suddenly started hitting them. When asked about it later, the player simply said they saw a large open space in the front and decided to aim for it.
Back row Attacks During Transition
While we spend a lot of time in practice on back row attacks, we were surprised to see so many of them during a transition phase in the game. When a front-row side attacker was tied up, players in the back row would call for the ball and attack.
Forming a Triple Block
In the finals, we struggled against a tall, powerful attacker. Organically, and without any specific instruction, our players started forming a triple block. Our players who don’t have hands that extend above the net practice blocking, but we had never specifically practiced a triple block.
Balancing Winning and Development
For coaches in youth sports, the question of how to balance winning and player development is a constant one. I believe there is no single, clear answer. However, both are extremely important and neither should ever be abandoned.
Winning and development are often seen as a dichotomy, a zero-sum game where you have to sacrifice one for the other. But the first big step might be to break away from that notion.
I hope this article provides a starting point or a small help for those thinking about how to balance winning and development in youth sports.
