The VolleyNerd Podcast

Davis Ransom

A Volley-talk show for anyone who loves volleyball! We talk culture and all things volley. We debate, go in-depth with unique perspectives, and get nerdy about our favorite sport: volleyball! Crushing over 30 years in the world of volleyball, host Davis Ransom takes listeners into the heart of and soul of the game we love so much: volleyball!

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67 episodes
Updated Aug 28, 2022

Episodes67

Newest first

Aug 28, 2022 · 1 hr 32 min
Myths About Club Volleyball That Players and Parents Believe
This is a group podcast with Andrew Clifton, Davis Ransom, and Sean Thomas, all experienced club coaches who provide their two cents about club volleyball from an insider's perspective!
Oct 30, 2021 · 57 min
Play Pain-Free Volleyball with Kha Tran from Athletic Truth Group and @painfreevolleyball
Kha Tran not only helps others to keep themselves playing harder and longer through joint health, he also has used the ideas he describes on this podcast to go from having painful, sore knees, to full, pain-free confidence. Many of the ideas Kha recommends on this pod are only now developing larger support in the volleyball community, but they should be in every “VolleyNerd’s” knowledge base. Check out this fascinating talk with Coach and Trainer Kha Tran from Athletic Truth Group and @painfreevolleyball !
Sep 5, 2021 · 1 hr 3 min
Get Fueled Up! Energy Management for Leaders with Dale Bacon
This episode is a bit of a different type of podcast for us! We go in detail with Pastor and Leadership Educator, Dale Bacon, in order to find out how to make the most out of our energy as leaders. This episode is so rich with great ways to think about how we can truly be at our best when our best is needed. Speaking with Dale Bacon was absolutely insightful and I know our listeners are going to get a lot out of it!
Jul 28, 2021 · 58 min
De-fense (Clap Clap) De-fense (Clap Clap) with TVNP Host Davis Ransom
Everyone that plays, coaches, or even watches volleyball knows the excitement of watching a stellar defensive team dig tons of balls. In this episode, TVNP Host Davis Ransom examines ideas about how to get your teams to play with relentless defensive intensity. There is so much to think about in this talk, that any VolleyNerd will hear it and leave with something to take action with in their gym.
Jul 9, 2021 · 46 min
How To Dominate the Net (Blocking is Hard) with UCSD Men’s Assistant Coach Jake Penolio
Loaded with blocking tips, fundamentals, and key principles, this episode features Jake Penolio, former pro middle blocker, and key figure of UCSD’s current success. He starts with fundamentals and goes all the way through tactics against some of the most difficult offenses. This talk was so rich, that it should be mandatory listening for any young middle!
Jun 8, 2021 · 46 min
The Vaue of Varied Experiences with Michael Bonner, Director of Saddleback Valley Volleyball Club
Michael Bonner has been all around the game of volleyball. He has been a highly successful coach, club director, referee, and more. Through his experience with some of the most successful clubs in Southern California, Coach Bonner has built up an incredible toolbox of information. He joins The VolleyNerd Podcast to discuss how having a wide range of experiences has helped take his coaching to the next level.
May 22, 2021 · 1 hr 3 min
Coaching Emotions with Doctoral Candidate Britney Oliver Sillas-Navarro
So often in coaching it is not the skills of the team that allow the team to win, but the strength of their will and how well the team control the state of their emotions. In this episode of The VolleyNerd Podcast we talk with Doctoral Candidate Britney Oliver Sillas-Navarro about how important emotions are to the learning process, some ways that coaches can help their teams learn to understand and manage their emotions, and ultimately how emotions can allow us all to get the most out of ourselves. She couples this with practical applications that any team can use to improve upon their emotional responses!
Mar 22, 2021 · 46 min
How To Win @ Serving with TVNP Host Davis Ransom
Serving is so, so crucial to success in volleyball. Analyzing, in detail, your own approach as a volleyball coach to serving, can really help you and your athletes. From fundamentals and tactics, to mindset and game management, this talk by TVNP host Davis Ransom discusses his manner of approaching serving with his teams and athletes, in hopes of stimulating conversation with others about what they believe about these cool, important questions.
Mar 17, 2021 · 57 min
Program Building with Nabil Mardini
How do you build a program from the ground up? Nabil Mardini has done it. As the head coach for L.A. Pierce College (CA) he won multiple state championships with a program that went 0-25 his first year there. Find out what he does to make his programs so successful! Not only is Mardini an experienced coach, he is also a successful businessman, and a beloved volleyball clinician. This candid talk goes into Mardini‘s philosophy and practical applications of how to build a volleyball program into a championship contender.
Mar 6, 2021 · 47 min
Physical and Mental Toughness with Luis Cuatok (Part 2)
This super practical episode gives coaches games, drills, and ways of thinking about how to train toughness that will make any team better! Many coaches hope for tougher players, and harp on their players to become tougher, and that may work well for some athletes, but highly successful youth coach Luis Cuatok offers a different way of helping our athletes to grow both mentally and physically tougher, and it involves no yelling and screaming or failure shaming. In fact, with these methods the athletes actually like getting tougher!
Feb 25, 2021 · 40 min
Physical and Mental Toughness with Luis Cuatok
Physical and mental toughness are often elusive. In this episode we go into what toughness looks like on the volleyball court and how we can start to develop it within our athletes. Luis Cuatok thinks deeply about this topic and shares a bunch of super interesting information about why toughness matters and why us coaches can do more to help our athletes become strong-willed in the best way possible.
Feb 20, 2021 · 43 min
Evoking Joy in Volleyball with Loren Anderson (Part 3)
Loren Anderson from Rise Volleyball Academy takes a different approach to club volleyball. In this episode we explore why volleyball should be viewed as a lifetime game, why adults sometimes need to allow children to learn lessons through experience (even when they know better), and why modeling and influence may be the best teachers for creating lifelong learners.
Feb 11, 2021 · 46 min
Evoking Joy in Volleyball with Loren Anderson (Part 2)
An important discussion challenging the status quo in youth volleyball. The owner of Rise Volleyball Academy discusses why we are often off-base with how we, as coaches, are handling numerous situations. This episode also had tons of awesome ideas for how to illicit and encourage athletes’ love for the game. One idea: stay out of their way and let them learn. So much more...
Feb 6, 2021 · 44 min
Evoking Joy in Volleyball with Loren Anderson (Part 1)
Loren Anderson is the Owner of Rise Volleyball Academy in Idaho and they do things differently out there! They pride themselves on evoking Joy through volleyball! This enlightening discussion makes me think about why we do things the way we do. Loren discusses the rationale and practical aspects of how Rise Volleyball Academy is so extremely successful in their unique way.
Jan 8, 2021 · 1 hr 7 min
Competing at the Highest Level of College Volleyball with UCLA Assistant Coach John Hawks
This episode focuses on UCLA Men’s Volleyball Assistant Coach John Hawks and how he helps his teams consistently compete at an extremely high level. Coach Hawks has had an amazing coaching career and on this episode of The VolleyNerd Podcast we talk about how he evaluates talent, how he has tremendous respect and rapport with the athletes he works with, how he seeks out highly motivated (often multi-sport) athletes, and so much more. A great conversation with a super-knowledgeable coach!
Jan 1, 2021 · 1 hr 8 min
Pro Beach Grind with Skylar del Sol
Dynamic, up and coming beach athlete Skylar del Sol talks with The VolleyNerd Podcast about “The Grind” of working your way up the ladder into the elite ranks of beach doubles volleyball. He drops some really cool Inside information about the challenges and joys of being a pro beach volleyball player while still “adulting”. He also shares some really great ideas for players who are trying to make their way to the top rung of beach volleyball, including how to use video, take care of your body, and how to make the best of the conditions and a lot more. Skylar shares how The Grind is tough, but it is also tremendously memorable and rewarding.
Dec 27, 2020 · 1 hr 13 min
Difference Makers in the Recruiting Process with Kara Hill from My Recruiting Solutions
Kara Hill is a leader in the juniors volleyball recruiting space. By connecting with coaches about what they wanted she crafted a business model that is a win-win for athletes AND coaches. This talk has AWESOME info for both coaches and players about what makes a difference in the recruiting process! Kara Hill knows the ins and outs of the business and expands on how running a campaign, considering yourself a brand, and opening up options for recruits is the way to go! She shares so much wisdom and so many practical applications!
Dec 18, 2020 · 47 min
Competitive Team Culture with One of the Nation’s Top Club Coaches, Luis Cuatok
Many coaches simply hope that their team’s culture will be championship level. Other coaches are more intentional about creating the culture that is necessary for their team’s goals. In this talk with one of the countries top youth club coaches, Luis Cuatok, we take a look at how to create a really powerful, high-level culture! Based on insights from Jeff Janssen, with actionable steps, this pod is a must for anyone who is interested in team building and the complex nature of group dynamics!
Dec 8, 2020 · 46 min
Ultimate Underdog Mentality with Gonzaga University’s Faith Smith
The ultimate underdog, 5’5” setter Faith Smith from Gonzaga University, has such an incredible mindset that has helped her to be so successful in her sports career. We talk about how relationships, confidence, and intentional training has affected her and allowed her to maintain such a positive, person-centered, leader. This talk is so fun and you can sense her enthusiasm through the mic! Plus, we reminisce about how we won a championship together!
Nov 29, 2020 · 1 hr 13 min
Learn Volleyball Faster with Alex Haapamaki
Great talk with Coach Alex Haapamaki from Sweden! He explains how a mentor can help athletes transfer skills from practice to the game and how to help athletes develop their own inner coach. Also we discuss why science is a great starting point, but not an end point when it comes to training in your particular environment. Such interesting views from a coach who is getting it done his own way!