51: Why His Athletes Choose Practice Every Day (Part 2)

What if practice was something your daughter actually wanted to show up for?

In Part 2 of her sit-down with University of Nevada head coach Jason Borchin, Susan goes deep into the coaching philosophy and practice model Jason has spent years refining, first at Cal Poly and now at Nevada. This one is a masterclass in what a healthy, high-performing college volleyball environment can actually look like.

Jason walks through how his team lifts for 30 to 40 minutes right before practice, why he ditched the traditional dynamic warmup and pepper drill in favor of letting his athletes self-direct their warmup, and why he refuses to run practices longer than two hours. He explains how giving athletes ownership over their own development, from what they choose to work on before practice, to what they stay after for, to what they eat, has become the center of his coaching philosophy. He also shares the simple challenge he gives every player: "Give me two days a week where you stay after 10 minutes and work on something."

Susan and Jason then get into the concept of "enough-ness" and why celebration motivation is more sustainable than pushing yourself from a place of lack. Jason shares how becoming a dad, working alongside Cal Poly head coach Caroline Walters, and lots of self-reflection shaped the kind of coach he wants to be, and the kind of coach he would want his own kids to one day play for. He closes with what drew him to Nevada, from Lake Tahoe and ski mountains 15 minutes from campus, to state-of-the-art facilities, to a tight-knit community he can't wait to build a program around.

If your daughter is trying to figure out what a healthy college volleyball environment actually looks like, this episode is a must-listen.

Chapters

00:00 – Welcome back to Part 2
01:00 – Practice as a choice, not a chore
02:30 – Ditching pepper and the dynamic warmup
06:30 – The 2-hour practice cap and why every rep matters
11:00 – "Give me 10 minutes after practice"
17:00 – Enough-ness: celebration over lack motivation
19:00 – Why he trusts his athletes with their nutrition
23:00 – How becoming a dad changed his coaching
27:30 – What drew him to Nevada
33:30 – Vibe attracts your tribe

About the Guest:

Jason Borchin is the head coach of the University of Nevada Women's Volleyball program, named to the role in December 2025 after helping lead Cal Poly to a historic Cinderella run to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. Over nine seasons at Cal Poly, he served as recruiting coordinator and associate head coach, helping the Mustangs win back-to-back Big West titles and earn multiple NCAA Tournament appearances. Prior to Cal Poly, Jason coached at Notre Dame and Sacramento State, and he brings 18+ years of coaching experience across the intercollegiate, high school, and club levels. He and his wife Jessie (who advises athletes at NXTVB) have three young children.

Connect with Jason:

Nevada Wolf Pack Volleyball: @nevadavolleyball
Coach page: Jason Borchin at Nevada

Connect with Susan:
Check out the website: www.nxtvb.com
Follow on Instagram + TikTok: @hey.susank