Bump, Set, Mic...The TNT Volleyball Podcast

In episode 18, Chuck and Brian caught up with TNT Coach Randy Syracuse. Randy recently joined TNT to continue his volleyball journey with our club, and we couldn't be happier that he's now with us. Randy's journey includes expereince as both a professional player and a NCAA Division 1 coach. He also has a long track record of recruiting and training talented academic and athletic students. Randy has achieved multiple championships and medals as a player in various countries along the way, and he has quite a bit of experience in club volleyball, too. On this episode, Randy talks about his life in volleyball, sharing knowledge gained from some of those experiences. He talks about ways in which he plans to help TNT to move forward as a club, from coaching his 17 Platinum team this coming season as well as helping girls get recruited. Timeline:  0:51 Meet Coach Randy 2:25 How Randy Got His Start in Volleyball 9:22 When He Knew He'd Be Able to Compete as a Player at a High Level 13:07 Randy's Overseas Playing Experiences 19:19 Comparing Volleyball in Europe to the United States 24:37 When/How He Decided to Get Into Coaching 26:29 Favorite Coaching Memories Over the Years 34:51 The Value of Club for Players Wanting to Maximize Their Potential 40:58 How Coach Randy Came to TNT and the Appeal of TNT 48:30 Randy's Goals for the 2024-2025 17 Platinum Team and Coaching with Former Players 53:07 How Randy Envisions His Role at TNT 55:06 Randy's Advice to Players Who Want to Play at the Next Level 57:48 Volleyball Moms' Question for Randy About Playing Club Overseas 64:44 Volleyball Mom's Question #2 for Randy About Development of Younger Players 66:30 Wrap-Up                  

In Episode 17, Chuck and Brian got together a few days after the recent tryouts for the remaining 15-18U teams to discuss TNT's approach to the tryout process. Tryouts are stressful for Players, Parents and Coaches alike.  This episode takes listeners behind the scenes of the process that takes place from the time the tryout is completed until the teams are fomed. In segment one, Chuck and Brian talk about the steps that are taken by the club before, during and after a tryout. We learn how TNT schedules and conducts their tryouts, and how no positions are offered before the tryout.  How are players rated?  How do coaches evaluate players?  How are team rosters built?  What if players want to compare offers?  Can players 'Move Up'?  Why does it take so long?  All of these questions are discussed during Segment 2.  The segment ends with discussion on the dilemma of not having enough spots for all who wish to play, and ways TNT tries to find homes for as many players as possible. Segment two answers specific questions sent by TNT parents and players immediately after tryouts were conducted.  What does loyalty mean to a club?  Why do players get moved  to lower teams?  Chuck and Brian go though some data that explains why some positions (OH, DSL) become more competitive as players get older. We answer the common question about why a player didn't make a team and where she "fell short".  A recommendation made for those looking for in-depth feedback about a player's performance and what they need to improve in order to make a team.  The segment concludes with advice for families about what to do if an offer is not received.  As always, we finish by answering some great Volleyball Moms questions about tryouts. Timeline: 2:11 TNT's approach to the process to conducting the tryout itself 9:11 The decision on how many teams to fill prior to TNT conducting a callback session 10:30 The process of extending offers 12:00 Challenges the club faces in extending offers, having to wait for responses, and having to start the process all over again for each offer that's not accepted 14:56 Clubs who do not allow for wait time, extend offers right after tryouts expecting immediate response, and how some even fill teams before tryouts 18:09 The current reality of more players trying out than we can extend offers to at TNT 20:24 How the club determines the number of teams to offer at each age group 24:21 The importance of loyalty to the club and the role it plays in the process of filling teams at TNT 26:27 Addressing concerns brought up about players who are no longer on the same level of team as in past years --- or recevied no offer at all 28:42 How the game changes as the players get older and its impact on tryouts with some postiions that become even more competitive as a result 32:20  Discussion about why the evaluation of a player at tryouts is not one that will give the in-depth feedback about a player's performance that some parents desire if an offer is not received 34:16 Explaining why private lessons are the route to go for in-depth feedback about player performance if tryouts don't go a players' way 36:10 What families should and should not do after tryouts if an offer is not received 38:45 Reasons for the decision to forego the 15-18U callbacks at TNT after tryouts were held 40:32 The unpredicable nature of the older age groups (17 and 18U) when it comes to tryouts from year to year 45:08 Volleyball Moms question #1 - a parent venting about a player who didn't receive an offer  48:11 Volleyball Mom's question #2 - is an in-house league just a money grab?  50:00 Wrap-up        

In Episode 16, TNT is pleased and honored to be able to present a volleyball dicussion with legendary Penn State Coach Russ Rose from a recent chat with TNT Director of Operations Leon Kasperski. The chat occurred in advance of Coach Rose's 11/10/24 visit to TNT to conduct both coach and player clinics. This special episode features numerous clips taken from that chat, each one followed by a discussion between Chuck and Brian about the topics just mentioned. In segment one, Russ shares his thoughts about club philosophy, skill acquisition at the younger age groups, and overall player development. Leon and Russ also talk about putting teams together for success as well as Russ's approach to communicating with the players and parents. Segment two includes additional talk about club culture along with player expectations,  selection, and development.  Russ shares his thoughts on roster formation for winning teams. The discussion then focuses on reasons for TNT's growth and the club's approach to the coming season. Leon and Russ talk about TNT's goal of trying to develop players, while also providing a great experience.  Finally, the group discusses the value of learning life lessons while participing in youth sports. In segment three, Russ gives his thoughts on volleyball statistics that corellate to winning. Russ gives advice on the approach that clubs such as TNT should be taking to continue to build and be successful against some of the nation's premier programs. The segment ends with the Russ' thoughts on the  importance of having players that are willing to work in order to be successful.  The episode ends with a brief update on upcoming events at TNT. Timeline: 2:43 Clip 1 (Club Philosophy, Skill Acquisition, and Overall Player Development) 16:23 Clip 2 (How to Put Successful Teams Together, Russ's Approach to Communicating with Players and Parents) 25:47 Clip 3 (More on Successful Club Culture, Player Expectations, Selection, and Development along with Roster Formation for Winning Teams) 45:35 Clip 4 (Reasons for TNT's growth, our approach to the coming season while trying to balance player development with the best experience, and the life lessons that experiences in sports can provide) 61:27 Clip 5 (Problems Clubs Can Experience, Stats that Corellate Most to Winning, How to Be Most Successful Against Top Competition, Players Working Hard vs. Players Hardly Working) 78:14 Final Thoughts and Upcoming Events at TNT

In Episode 15, Chuck invites Brian and TNT 15U Platinum Head Coach Rob Reifsteck and 15U National Head Coach LJ Brothers to his home to discuss volleyball from their perspectives as younger male coaches. They discuss their beginnings in volleyball, how they got started coaching teenage girls.  We hear their thoughts about the upcoming club season and goals for their 15U teams.  They discuss the differences in coaching boys vs. girls, and how they go about translating knowledge they gained as players to the next generation of players now that they are coaches themselves.  We also discuss the challenges that young coaches face from social media to  interacting with parents that may have children older than the coaches themselves. In segment one, we are introduced to Rob and LJ, hear about their careers as school teachers and their family influence that led them to coaching.  They tell us about their background in the sport, and talk about some of their coaching experiences with various age groups.  We finish the segment discussing their friendly rivalry as they evaluate players to form their club teams. For segment two, Rob and LJ give their thoughts on differences in the boys' vs. girls' game with regard to technique.  The talk about challenges they have faced as younger coaches, and how more experienced coaches have helped them along their coaching journey. This segment also includes discussion among the group about guidelines for appropriate communication from a club perspective, especially younger male coaches.  We hear about how Rob and LJ interact with their players and parents, and how they, as younger coaches, go about translating knowledge they gained as players to those they now coach.  Segment three features some questions from our friends at Volleyball Moms for the group to respond to and ends with an updated on current TNT happenings, inlcuiding the ongoing tryout process, status of Bunker 2.0, and other programs TNT has planned including the upcoming Russ Rose clinic in November for players and coaches.  Timeline: 0:30 Meet Rob and LJ 6:43 How Rob, LJ and Brian found their way to TNT 15:24 How to coah 15U players versus High School players 27:15 Difference between coaching boys and girls techniques 30:44 Challenges of being a young coach when dealing with parents and players 37:37 Biggest need from club to support young coaches 41:30 Safeguards when communicating with players and social media pitfalls to avoid 51:00 Volleyball Moms questions of the episode