April's Beach Volleyball Log

Chinese Beach Volleyball team coaching and training strategies to prep for Beijing Summer Games

Looking into the volleyball coaching and training strategies of the world's elite olympic beach volleyball team's can be very interesting. Especially if you have to play against them.

From the Australian Courier Mail

BEACH volleyballer Natalie Cook has seen how desperate China is to win gold at its Games, as players train with their partners on their shoulders. The women doing the carrying are in squat position, with their leg muscles burning as if they have been doused in acid.

"We see the Chinese players beside the courts doing exercises which are just unbelievable," said Cook, a Sydney 2000 beach volleyball gold medallist.

"Your volleyball season is about to start and I know you want to learn the secrets of how the pros play like they do.

Strengthen and improve your volleyball skills while playing for your high school and club team, now!

Learn early, what indoor and beach volleyball Olympians and professionals know about:

1. The importance of gaining muscle strength for injury prevention, gaining speed and increasing your vertical jump while training for volleyball,

2. Volleyball nutrition and

3. Mental conditioning and gaining confidence in yourself and your game, on and off the court."

Sign up for the FREE Volleyball Voices Newsletter Be the first person on your team to get the inside track on how to stay off the bench and gain more playing time by improving your volleyball skills, fast! Just fill out that box in the upper right hand corner to receive today's volleyball news you can use.

April Chapple is a columnist for USA Volleyball, the American Volleyball Coaches Association Coaching Volleyball magazine, a contributor to Active,.com/volleyball, and has authored numerous playing and coaching volleyball articles. Look for her upcoming ebook "How to Stop Serving Like a Wimp". She can be reached at april@volleyballvoices.com.

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Beach volleyball video:The Kinda Good Guys teach volleyball skills

I love these guys, they're hilarious. They are MYSPACE friends that I've yet to personally meet.

The Kinda Good guys partnered with my friend and former beach volleyball practice partner, Veronica Sanchez and the US Youth Volleyball League most notably during the Sacramento AVCA Convention where they promoted their latest videos at the USYVL booth. I unfortunately had to leave early so I missed a good chance to interview the fellas but...AVP Pro Player, Hans Stolfus got a great indepth report on who the Kinda Good guys really are and where they are headed in 2008.

Check out the latest on the Ultimate Beach Volleyball Workout volleyball video and then leave a comment letting us know what you think of their coaching style. Hilarious and they've got really cool tshirts. I just subscribed to their blog cuz these guys are pretty original and I don't want to miss what's next.

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Great Practice, today.

Had a great practice today. 

Kerastase BAIN RICH HI TOLERANCE 8.5OZ

Melody and I played games against Vladia and Dana.

Paul Mitchell straight works. 3.4 oz.

Dana and Vladia are playing together at Huntingdon and I needed to practice as well.

What Mark said yesterday really made alot of sense. We talked about the difficulty of putting a ball down against 6 people and how comfortable I am doing that as opposed to putting the ball down against two people and how the level of comfortability changes. And it really doesnt make sense but Im more comfortable doing the thing that is more difficulty because of the years that I did it.

I really changed my way of thinking and got more aggressive which always makes me more "comfortable". Less thoughts in my head and more focus. We did well.

AVEDA BLUE MALVA CONDITIONER 8.5oz.

Lost the first game 18, won the second game 14, third game 13, lost the fourth game 18...and then we ran out of gas the fifth game...but we were very happy.

Phyto, PhytoVolume Shampoo 6.7 oz

tags: vladia vignato dana kabashima melody khadavi april chapple mark barber womens beach volleyball AVP Crocs Huntingdon Beach coach

Vince Carter builds a HS Volleyball Gym

*IF YOU BUILD IT THEY WILL COME!*
If you build it they will come! If that statement is true, then Mainland can expect a flock of volleyball players. Construction is nearly complete for the new Mainland High School. Part of the new school will be the VINCE CARTER ATHLETIC COMPLEX. The athletic complex will be a state of the art facility which will be the home of , Vince's summer basketball camps. It is estimated that move in will occur June 2006.
The facility will be an excellent training facility with 4 full size basketball/volleyball courts, and a fitness center/weight room. Plans are in the making to have volleyball camps and volleyball tournaments in the new facility.
Check out the photos of the new construction in the photo link.

tags: high school volleyball mainland high school vince carter volleyball gym NBA basketball  daytona florida aprilsbeachvolleyballblog.com april chapple

I feel strong!

I feel strong. I didn't lift weights all last week because I was working so much.  I dont like to use this  as an excuse but last week it was true. I usually get up at 4am to be at Gold's Gym at 5am when they open so I can get and hour and half workout in before being onstage at 7. But last week I just didnt make it.

But this week I practiced on the beach all four days that we didn't film and quite frankly it felt good to get my butt kicked. I'm scrimmaging and practicing with different people-including guys which takes me out of my comfort zone which is very good. It challeneges me and forces me to work on my game. All aspects of it...regardless of who Im playing with and who Im playing against. Whether you have 5 other people on the court or just one-besides yourself  there comes a time when you realize how much control you and you alone have on the court.  You can determine whether you are going to be the spark plug that is going to make a difference...change the game.

It was great going to the juniors tournament and being surrounded by wall to wall competition. That was great to feel. One thing I thought was missing was alot more communication on the court. I felt that among the teams there could have been a lot more communication on the court-between players.

When players dont talk to each other - its just like putting a blindfold on an playing. The more a team talks the more everyone knows what's going on and who is thinking what and everyone knows that everyone else is o the same page. There are no secrets on the court...not among teammates. Communication is worth at least 5 points  every game. Ask Paula Weishoff!

tags: usa womens volleyball team womens  beach volleyball holly mcpeak avp tour aprilsbeach volleyball blog.com april chapple paula weishoff volleyball voices scva girls volleyball

What a Week!

Geeez what a week.

This week was the first CBVA tournament of the season. Some players who have been playing all winter participated in this tournament run by Danalee and Brian Corso. I got dumped at the last minute so I needed to find a new partner which was tough with only two days to search.

Found a partner through Cherry who knows everybody. We played. We looked like we should have played well but it took us a while to get into a groove.  At the tournament I I gathered alot of names  and numbers and found out where people are playing around town.

There are a lot of good players that get together in Huntingdon and San Diego so I will be making trips down there this Spring and Summer. Made some good future contacts which is necessary if Im going to reach my goal .

tags: womens beach volleyball team huntingdon beach mission beach san diego aprilsbeachvolleyball blog.com april chapple  avp tour cbva tour girls volleyball