1. Define a clear vision for your beach program
Why it’s important:
Establishing a clear vision creates a consistent culture that attracts like-minded athletes and families. Our core values – commitment, teamwork, positive attitude and respect – guide every decision, from recruitment to training sessions, and lay the foundation for a thriving club environment.
Action steps:
- Identify values that align with your club’s mission and vision.
- Communicate these values clearly to coaches, players and parents.
- Integrate values into training, team activities and clear communication.
2. Create a personalized framework for player development
Our approach:
We focus on individualized training that builds each player’s strengths, confidence and volleyball IQ. Our athletes have defined growth paths, from beginners to college players, and a system for tracking continued progress and growth.
Action steps:
- Customized Training Levels: Organize programs for different skill levels to provide customized challenges at each stage.
- Player Profiles: Share monthly technical progress reports with players, highlight achievements and set goals for a clear technical growth path.
- Emphasize the core skills for beach volleyball: Focus on essential skills such as punch and hand placement, attacking from both sides and at different speeds, and controlling the ball for team success.
- Encourage a winning mentality: build game strategy IQ, teamwork with different personalities and resilience in dealing with external factors such as wind, weather and leadership.
3. Constant self-study and adaptation to changes in our sport
Staying informed in a rapidly evolving sport:
Consistently learning and adapting to new trends, coaching methods and player development strategies has kept us competitive. By staying abreast of changes in techniques, training approaches and recruiting expectations, we prepare our athletes for the future.
Action steps:
- Attend coaching clinics and conferences: Gain insights from industry leaders to bring fresh ideas back to your club.
- Keep up with national and local trends: Attend college and professional beach tournaments to observe new techniques and rule changes.
- Network with other coaches: Work with coaches from other regions to share insights and learn more about different approaches, training styles and strategies.
4. Travel to out-of-state tournaments
Expand experience beyond local competition:
By participating in tournaments outside our region, we expose athletes to diverse styles of competition and a higher level of play. These experiences build confidence, refine skills and showcase our club on a bigger stage.
Action steps:
- Target Key Tournaments: Choose out-of-state tournaments with high visibility and competitive brackets for maximum experience and exposure.
- Use travel as a team bonding opportunity: Traveling and staying together strengthens team connections, making athletes feel part of a larger family.
- Support athletes at recruiting showcases: Select tournaments that attract college recruiters, increasing awareness of players with college aspirations. Let players record their games and send footage to schools of interest.
5. Offer beach volleyball opportunities for younger players
Creating paths from a young age:
Beginner beach volleyball players promote excitement, build fundamental skills, and support long-term interest in the sport. Younger athletes are often eager to try new things, making this an ideal time to introduce them to beach volleyball.
Action steps:
- Introduce beach clinics for youth players: Offer accessible, fun clinics that introduce beach volleyball in a supportive environment.
- Promote beach as a complement to indoor training: Position beach volleyball as a skill-enhancing, complementary option for younger and older indoor players.
- Emphasize fun and discovery: design exercises that combine learning with fun and arouse curiosity and interest. Avoid using indoor sand exercises as this can lead to boredom.
6. Promote player success and support college recruiting
Highlighting your athletes’ performance:
With over 41 recruited college players, our club’s reputation for producing college athletes is a major draw. We emphasize player growth, and our recruitment support attracts competitive players.
Action steps:
- Build relationships with college coaches: Stay connected to the college recruiting network by attending showcases and maintaining communication with coaches.
- Showcase Opportunities: Support players attending camps or clinics, such as college-sponsored beach camps, to build their profiles and network.
- Develop Athlete Profiles: Create highlights, skill videos, and comprehensive player profiles for each athlete, showcasing their skills, awards, and growth.
7. Create a unique club culture focused on personal growth
We are more than just a volleyball club:
We believe in building not only athletes, but resilient, confident young adults, both on and off the field. Our focus on leadership, teamwork and a growth mindset have made our club more than just a training center. By training holistically, we offer more than just technical development.
Action steps:
- Integrate Life Skills Training: Offer sessions on resilience, mental toughness, teamwork and responsibility, and show short videos on each topic.
- Nourishing the body, nutrition and hydration: Educate your athletes about balanced nutrition. A balanced diet and good hydration improve performance and recovery.
- Celebrate individual journeys: recognize personal growth and improvement as much as competitive victories. This increases player confidence and loyalty to the club.
- Team bonding activities: Encourage team building exercises, off-field events and community service initiatives to promote a supportive, cohesive team environment. Make the club feel like a second family.
8. Manage resources wisely as a smaller club
Navigate Restrictions:
As a smaller club, we have learned to prioritize initiatives that have a direct impact on players. Strategic investments make it possible to offer high-quality programs without a large budget.
Action steps:
- Focus on high-impact activities: Focus resources on quality tournaments, training sessions/tools, and passionate coaches that will support program growth.
- Leverage volunteer and intern support: Involve parents, local students or former players for administrative tasks, event set-up or media support.
- Invest in portable, versatile equipment: Use portable nets, pop-up tents and durable sand training equipment for flexibility and to keep costs down.
Our growth from a small club to a recognized name in beach volleyball is the result of continued dedication, a clear mission and focused community involvement. With these strategies, every smaller club can make meaningful steps in the beach volleyball world.
View more corporate training courses for beach volleyball directors.
About the author
Taye Im led Team one volleyball (Chicago, IL), a JVA member club, serving as both owner and club director for the past 14 years. Nestled between Naperville and Aurora, Illinois, Team One Volleyball operates from a new 20,000-square-foot facility, featuring three athletic fields and two indoor sand courts.
Their approach is refreshingly simple: provide a year-round hybrid program that suits both indoor and beach players. With a focus on inclusivity and opportunity, Team One Volleyball aims to support volleyball athletes in the pursuit of their dreams, whether in the indoor arena or on the sandy shores of collegiate beach volleyball.
Under Taye’s leadership, Team One Volleyball has had the privilege of helping more than 40 athletes secure spots on collegiate beach volleyball teams across the country. Taye attributes their success to cultivating a supportive and nurturing environment, which allows athletes to thrive and reach their full potential.
Taye Im’s journey with Team One Volleyball is a humbling testament to the power of passion, dedication and community in shaping the dreams of aspiring athletes.
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