The Volleyball By Design Podcast

More and more coaches are leaving the game for one reason: they’re done dealing with parents. So I’m going back to the vault to re-air one of my most requested episodes, on five strategies to prevent parent issues before they ever start.

Before we dive in, I added a new intro on something I didn’t cover the first time: no-cut policies. If you can’t remove a player who’s poisoning your culture, you don’t control your team. Your team controls you.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The tryout presentation
• The parents meeting
• The player-coach contract
• The 24-hour rule
• Defining the role of the parent
• Doing your job

I also share the year 1, 2, 3 pattern I see in parents, and how to address it right away when a parent crosses the line.

👉 DVA members: my player-coach contract and tryout presentation templates are inside DVA, ready for you to adapt. Not a member yet? Apply at http://www.digitalvolleyballacademy.com

Join my workshop - http://volleyballworkshop.com

Reach out via Instagram @BrianSingh_CoachB

Designing your offensive systems is one thing. Training them so your players know exactly where to be and get the most quality reps is another.

In this episode, I break down how to train your team’s systems in practice. That starts with knowing every scenario your players need to recognize: in-system, out-of-system, medium pass at 8 and 12 feet, sideline, the 3–4 zone, and the corners.

You’ll learn:

• Why high level coaches use one “skeleton” 6-on-6.
• Alan Knipe’s rotation order (1-4-2-5-6-3).
• How to set the variables.
• How the way you enter the ball decides what you train
• My favourite systems drill, Offense vs. Defense.
• How to run it with only 9 or 10 players.

If your team looks lost the moment the pass isn’t perfect, this episode gives you a plan to fix it.

Want the full training, including Alan Knipe’s transition multi-ball drill?

Apply to join DVA at http://www.digitalvolleyballacademy.com

Join my free workshop on the top 3 things that helped my team win a championship at http://volleyballworkshop.com

Reach out via Instagram @BrianSingh_CoachB

Every coach eventually faces it: a player who’s talented, maybe even your best, but is quietly dragging the whole team down. In this episode, I share the story of cutting my best player at Seneca, the step-by-step process I use when a player’s behaviour starts damaging team culture, and what to do when cutting isn’t an option. We dive into:

• Why one player can derail a volleyball team faster than in almost any other sport
• The difference between an unhappy player and a toxic one, and why coaches mix them up
• The warning signs that teammates are playing scared
• How to run a players-only meeting, including the questions to coach your captains to ask
• Why “hoping it goes away” makes it worse
• What to do when you can’t cut a player: playing time, practice suspensions and clear consequences
• What happened to our program the season after we made the call

Click here to join Digital Volleyball Academy - http://www.digitalvolleyballacademy.com/
Click here to join my workshop - http://volleyballworkshop.com/
Reach out via Instagram @BrianSingh_CoachB

In this episode, we go back into the vault. In 2021, I sat down with John Speraw, former head coach of the U.S. Men’s National Team and UCLA, and now President and CEO of USA Volleyball. Recorded around the Tokyo Olympics, this conversation is packed with lessons from one of the best minds in the game that hold up just as well today.

In this episode:

• Behind the scenes of the Tokyo Olympics
• How John approaches seasonal planning
• Practice structure and planning at the highest level
• Why fundamentals still matter at every level
• Game day preparation and approach
• And much more

Click here to join Digital Volleyball Academy - http://www.digitalvolleyballacademy.com

Click here to join my workshop - http://volleyballworkshop.com

Reach out via Instagram @BrianSingh_CoachB

Most players think showing up to practice is the sacrifice. It's not. In this episode, I show coaches how to teach their athletes what a serious competitor actually looks like.

In this episode:

• The line in the volleyball manual that every player signs, and why most don't understand it
• Why showing up is the floor, not the ceiling
• The ladder every athlete has to climb
• How Daenan went from club to one of the best middles in the world
• The honest truth: some gifted kids make it on talent, and some hard workers won't make it at all
• The player who never made the roster but changed the whole program
• How to teach this to every kid in your gym, even the ones who won't make it

Click here to join Digital Volleyball Academy - http://www.digitalvolleyballacademy.com

Click here to join my workshop - http://volleyballworkshop.com

Reach out via Instagram @BrianSingh_CoachB

Most coaches pick their starting rotation the same way every match: setter serves first, best hitter up front, and go. But your starting rotation quietly decides which rotations get extra turns in close sets, and that can be the difference between winning and losing.

In this episode, I break down how to analyze your rotation data and build a strategy to improve your sideout and breakpoint percentages. We dive into:

• The three default rotation strategies most coaches use, and why they might be costing you points
• The surprising research on how often each server comes up for a third serve in a close set
• A simple formula to measure your rotation efficiency, and what the number tells you
• What to do if you don't have any data yet (three quick strategies you can use tonight)
• How to match your best rotations against your opponent's best server
• Why so many top teams choose to receive first, and the one situation where serving first makes sense

If you want the full system, including how to place your players inside each rotation, join me for the live training inside DVA.

Click here to join Digital Volleyball Academy - http://www.digitalvolleyballacademy.com

Click here to join my workshop - http://volleyballworkshop.com

Reach out via Instagram @BrianSingh_CoachB

Every parent knows Lego instructions are so clear a five-year-old can build the set on the box without help. What if you taught your athletes the same way? In this episode, I break down the exact method I use to teach skills so clearly that any athlete on your team, at any level, can pick them up faster, using passing as the live example so you can apply it in your gym this week.

• Why most coaches unintentionally slow down their own athletes' skill acquisition without realizing it
• The 3-part framework you can use to break any skill into "Lego pieces" your players can actually follow
• The one detail in a passing platform almost every coach fails to correct
• Why teaching movement before mechanics changes how fast your athletes improve
• How to apply this method to any skill you teach, not just passing

Click here to join Digital Volleyball Academy - http://www.digitalvolleyballacademy.com

Click here to join my workshop - http://volleyballworkshop.com

Reach out via Instagram @BrianSingh_CoachB

Your practice plan has drills, reps, and systems on it. But there's a second curriculum running underneath your entire season that no one writes down and it might be shaping your team more than anything you actually drew up.

In this episode, I break down 5 unwritten lessons every coach is teaching whether they mean to or not, and the exact moments in practice where you're either building your culture or quietly letting it slip.

These aren't drills. They're moments. And how you respond to them is the real program you're building. In this episode we dive into:

• The customer service idea
• Culture
• Standard of excellence
• Getting pixie dusted
• Response to pressure/adversity
• Team first mentality
• Coachability
• Modelling
• And a few more key concepts

Click here to join Digital Volleyball Academy - http://www.digitalvolleyballacademy.com

Click here for my workshop - http://volleyballworkshop.com

Reach out via Instagram @BrianSingh_CoachB

In this episode, I share my journey from knowing very little about volleyball to building a career coaching at the high school, club, and college as well as eventually working alongside some of the best coaches and athletes in the game.

Along the way, I share some of the biggest lessons I’ve learned about becoming a better coach and building a successful volleyball program.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How I went from basketball player to volleyball coach
• The biggest mistakes I made early in my coaching career
• Why finding a mentor can accelerate your development
• The importance of having a plan for your volleyball program
• Why coaches need to be lifelong learners
• Building culture, identity, and systems within a program
• What I learned from working with elite coaches
• Why player development should go beyond simply teaching positions
• How to build a championship-level volleyball program
• Why coaching education is so important for the future of volleyball

If you're interested in growing as a volleyball coach, I'd love to have you in my community - http://www.digitalvolleyballacademy.com

Click here for my workshop - http://volleyballworkshop.com

Reach out via Instagram @BrianSingh_CoachB

In this episode, I share part of a presentation from Canadian National Team and professional volleyball player Daenan Gyimah, as he gives coaches an inside look at what happens at the highest levels of the game.

We discuss:

• Building strong team pillars and mental performance
• Helping athletes reset and “snap back” after mistakes
• Developing leadership and accountability within your team
• Creating stronger team culture and chemistry
• Why elite teams need clear systems and expectations
• How high-performance teams structure their practices
• What makes teams like Japan so effective

Click here to join Digital Volleyball Academy - http://www.digitalvolleyballacademy.com

Click here to join my free workshop - http://volleyballworkshop.com

Reach out via Instagram @BrianSingh_CoachB

This past week I had the privilege spending a week training with the Canadian Senior Men’s National Team and came away with a ton of lessons that coaches at any level can apply to their own gym.

In this episode, I share:

• How the head coach planned each practice around player availability, injuries, load management, and practice goals
• How they designed drills to maximize volume, efficiency, and game-like reps
• Specific training ideas for serve receive, middle attacks, blocking, and 6-on-6
• How they used competition and scoring systems to increase intensity
• How technology and a serving machine were used to replicate game speed
• The importance of players being prepared and warmed up well before practice
• What stood out most about the mindset and competitiveness of the players
• Practical lessons you can take from Team Canada and apply in your own gym immediately

Click Here to join Digital Volleyball Academy - http://www.digitalvolleyballacademy.com

Join my workshop at http://volleyballworkshop.com

Reach out via Instagram @BrianSingh_CoachB

In this episode, you will hear from mental skills coach Paige Tonz as she shares two practical mental-performance tools from her presentation at DVA LIVE 2026.

First, Paige breaks down the pre-serve routine—a simple way to add a mental component to an athlete’s existing physical routine so they can manage pressure, reduce overthinking, and step into each serve with greater confidence.

Then, she introduces the Bounce Back Tracker, a simple way for coaches to stop focusing only on mistakes and start measuring resilience. Instead of asking how often an athlete makes an error, coaches can track how quickly they respond and get back on track.

Two simple tools that can help athletes become more confident, composed, and resilient under pressure.

You can watch this training and all the other trainings at DVA LIVE 2026 by clicking here - http://volleyballworkshop.com/dvalive2026

Join Digital Volleyball Academy by clicking here - http://www.digitalvolleyballacademy.com

Reach out via Instagram @BrianSingh_CoachB

In this episode, I share a part of a live training that Dan did with our coaches about drill design. You can see what his thought process is and how efficient his drill designs are based on fundamental principles. He dives into:

• RTG
• How to incorporate training the mechanics
• Phases of the game and how to train them
• The importance of inputing the ball
• And a few more key concepts

Click here to purchase DVA LIVE 2026 - http://volleyballworkshop.com/dvalive2026

Click here to join Digital Volleyball Academy - http://www.digitalvolleyballacademy.com

Reach out via instagram @BrianSingh_CoachB

In this episode, I share some of my favourite volleyball games I've picked up while coaching with Nike Volleyball. These games keep players engaged, create healthy competition, and still reinforce important volleyball skills but more importantly, they're fun.

If you're looking for fresh ideas to bring energy into your gym, this episode is packed with games you can start using at your very next practice.

Click here to join Digital Volleyball Academy - http://www.digitalvolleyballacademy.com

Click here to join my workshop - http://www.volleyballworkshop.com/dvalive

Reach out via Instagram @BrianSingh_CoachB

What if your offense could consistently create 1 on 0's without relying on predetermined play calls?

In this episode, I break down the Motion Offense, an advanced offensive system that has been used successfully for over 15 years at the collegiate level. Rather than relying on called plays, this system teaches players to read, react, and create offensive advantages based on pass location, spacing, and timing.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How the Motion Offense creates 1 on 0's opportunities without a play call.
• The three base positions that form the foundation of the offense.
• How middles, pipe hitters, and setters work together to create offensive advantages.
• Why spacing and "gap control" are critical to the system's success.
• The importance of reading pass location instead of memorizing set calls.
• The biggest challenges coaches face when implementing this offense.
• Why player development and organization are essential for executing the system at a high level.

Whether you coach high school, club, college, or university volleyball, this episode will challenge the way you think about offensive systems and give you practical ideas for building a faster, more dynamic attack.

Click here to join DVA and see this training live with video - http://www.digitalvolleyballacademy.com

Click here to join DVA LIVE - http://www.volleyballworkshop.com

Reach out via Instagram @BrianSingh_CoachB

I recently joined another volleyball podcast called the Win By Two podcast for one of my favorite coaching conversations I've had in a long time. We dive into building championship culture, developing players, creating standards of excellence, why mentorship matters, and the biggest mistakes youth coaches make. If you're serious about becoming a better coach, this episode is for you.

We dive into:

• Building championship culture
• The biggest coaching mistakes to avoid
• Why mentorship changes everything
• Developing players the right way
• Planning practices with purpose
• Creating standards that drive success
• Coaching beyond drills and systems
• Lessons from 20 years on the court

Click here to join Digital Volleyball Academy - http://www.volleyballacademy.com

Join my workshop - volleyballworkshop.com

Reach out via Instagram @BrianSingh_CoachB

On this episode, we have former Ukrainian National Team libero Pylyp Harmash joins the podcast to break down what separates great passers and defenders from everyone else.

In this conversation, we dive into the modern techniques being taught at the highest levels of volleyball, why passing should be coached differently than serving, and how movement—not platform—is often the missing piece for most athletes.

We also discuss the differences between European and North American training environments and what coaches can do to better prepare their players.

In this episode we cover:

• The difference between closed skills and open skills—and why it matters for coaching.
• How to handle float serves using your feet instead of your hands.
• Why distance from the net changes everything in serve receive.
• Proper body positioning, hip rotation, and angle creation for consistent passing.
• The 3-step movement pattern elite passers use.
• How to pass topspin serves more effectively.
• Why the traditional split step may be hurting modern defenders.
• Key differences between volleyball development in Ukraine and North America.
• Why more quality repetitions still matter in player development.

Whether you coach youth, high school, college, or club volleyball, this episode is packed with practical concepts you can immediately apply in your own gym.

Click here to join Digital Volleyball Academy - http://www.digitalvolleyballacademy.com

Click here to join my workshop - www.volleyballworkshop.com

Reach out via Instagram @BrianSingh_CoachB

In this episode, US Men's National Team libero Erik Shoji did a presentation for our coaches where he shares the 8 key characteristics of successful volleyball programs from a player's perspective. We dive into:

• Practice
• Match Prep
• Communication
• Standards
• Relationships
• Competition
• Passing Fundamentals
• Reading
• Culture
• And a few more key concepts

Click here to join Digital Volleyball Academy - http://www.digitalvolleyballacademy.com

Join my workshop at http://www.volleyballworkshop.com

Reach out via Instagram @BrianSingh_CoachB

In this episode, I share my experience attending a professional team practice and the coaching lessons that stood out most.

From maximizing athlete reps and minimizing downtime to creative drill design and skill development, you'll get an inside look at how elite teams structure training for efficiency and impact.

Whether you're coaching youth, club, high school, or college volleyball, you'll come away with practical ideas you can apply to your own practices right away.

Click here to join Digital Volleyball Academy - http://www.digitalvolleyballacademy.com

Click here to join my workshop - volleyballworkshop.com

Reach out via Instagram @BrianSingh_CoachB

In this episode, I sit down with former Canadian National Team setter and Olympian Brett Walsh (@Brettjwalsh) to break down the key skills that separate good setters from great ones.

We dive into setter footwork, hand positioning, jump setting, and the importance of transferring energy efficiently through the body. Brett also shares his thoughts on developing decision-making, reading the game, creating offensive advantages, and helping setters become more than just ball distributors.

Topics in this episode include:

• One-foot vs. two-foot setter footwork
• Hand positioning and ball contact
• Jump setting mechanics
• Setter decision-making
• Training the setter position
• Vision and reading the game
• How setters can dictate the flow of a match rather than simply set the ball

Check out his setter academy on IG @precisionvolleyballacademy

Click here to join Digital Volleyball Academy - http://www.digitalvolleyballacademy.com

Click here to join my workshop - volleyballworkshop.com

Reach out via Instagram @BrianSingh_CoachB