with Ryan Theis,
Marquette University Head Coach;
highest winning percentage (2014 through 2021) in school history (73.4%);
7 out of past 8 years has taken Marquette to the NCAA Tournament;
led Marquette to the school's first Sweet Sixteen appearance in 2018;
2017 Big East Coach of the Year;
former Ohio University Head Coach;
2x MAC Coach of the Year
Marquette University head coach Ryan Theis lets you inside the doors of a practice with his women's volleyball team. In this video, Coach Theis' focus is on defensive drills and building the skills that will help players find more consistent success.
Defensive & Multi-Skill Drills
Coach Theis shows how he creates drills that focus on a particular skill or system via a high amount of reps. You'll see a drill to defend a back row attack and transition to a second tempo outside or right side hit. Theis runs his players through drills for serve receive, floor defense and defending back row hitters.
You'll get multiple drills that have a defensive goal, but Coach Theis often initiates each repetition with an easy toss to the offensive side of the court to provide those players with a couple of attack options. This allows players to work on a particular defensive skill or strategy, but the first ball they see is "in play" as it would be in a game, which makes each drill more dynamic and realistic.
Structuring Practice
Theis builds practices with a specific goal in mind. He demonstrates ways to create drills that cover related themes and work on different aspects of those skills throughout the session. You will observe a variety of passing techniques, including serve receive, defending multiple hitters, and back row defense.
This video from Coach Theis demonstrates how to make drills game-like and help your athletes develop particular skills with a goal in mind. A high amount of repetitions in each drill will mean rapid improvement for your players and more tallies in the win column for your team!
104 minutes. 2022.