“The person who knows how will always have a job. The person who knows why will always be the boss. As to methods, there may be a million and then some, but principles are few. The person who grasps principles can successfully select his [or her] own methods. The person who tries methods, ignoring principles, is sure to have trouble.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
United teaches volleyball techniques and general sport movements (running, jumping, throwing, catching) based on sound biomechanical principles. We utilize the laws of learning as our basis for the learning process.
Athlete Development
The whole athlete and their long-term development is the central focus at United. We use the following components to ensure the process is as efficient as possible.
Nutrition
How we fuel and maintain the well-being of our bodies is necessary to reap all of the benefits of our training.
Physical Training
Beginning with and maintaining a solid physical foundation is key to an efficient learning process. Attempting to learn technique mechanics, general body control, and fundamentals without a solid physical base, chances are likely the athlete will develop bad habits and major flaws which will require much more effort in the future to correct. Physical training also offers the opportunity to prepare for higher levels by improving key volleyball skills such as: speed, strength, core stability, agility and jumping ability.
Mental Training
Often an overlooked aspect of training, mental training affords the stability and proper state of mind to get the most of the learning process. At United it is important athletes know the why as much as they know the how. This allows for a greater understanding of each skill and proper execution in the right situations.
Volleyball Training
As the best-selling author and sociologist, Malcolm Gladwell, explains in his book, ‘Outliers’, approximately 10,000 hours of deliberate and focused training are necessary to become an “expert” in any given field. This is evident in some of today’s top sports figures such as the Williams sisters and Tiger Woods, who each started training with their sports at a very young age. An indication this “rule” is also true in the sport of volleyball is seen in the many top collegiate athletes who started their training between the ages of 8-12.
It is important to note that just putting in hours on the clock is not enough to establish expertise. All athletes do not train equally, therefore all results are not equal. It is the special athlete who makes a conscious effort to train deliberately, getting better with each contact and each repetition who will achieve the most progress the quickest. Success demands constant self-improvement which is limited only by self motivation, a focused mindset to get the most of each repetition, a long-term vision to not get discouraged with immediate desires, perseverance to get through the many training hours, and belief that the pursuit of personal achievement is more important than the destination.
Competition
Another important aspect of our training schedule at United is a proper balance between training and competition, as each age level and each commitment level demands a different balance between the two. Too often we see professional and adult competition schedules imposed upon junior athletes which could have negative effects in the long run. Competition is an important opportunity to implement the skills acquired through training and should be treated as part of the learning process.
Sports Science
The latest developments and discoveries in the area of sports science will be embraced and implemented. We look to take full advantage of the many brilliant minds throughout the world looking to enhance and better the sporting experience as it is an important characteristic of our club personality to welcome any knowledge to help us progress towards excellence.
Coaching Development
Our philosophy and training systems are only as good as the people teaching them. We take great pride in each one of our coaches and understand that we must commit to their continued development if we expect to see the same in our athletes.
Parent Participation
It is only through the partnership between United and parents that we unlock the full potential of the athlete. This partnership is founded on the fact that we ultimately both want what is best in the long-term for the athlete. Parents must understand that their role in this partnership is vital for their child’s development and continued success.