Are your tryouts actually helping you select the right players, or are you just running traditional drills that mask an athlete's true capability?

In this episode of Block & Talk, we dive deep into the science and art of the tryout environment. We move past the surface-level evaluations of isolated drills and explore how to design high-information settings that reveal technical, tactical, and psychological traits.

Key topics we cover include:

• Drill Design: Why moving away from isolated skills toward game-like environments helps you see the "real" player.
• The Projection Problem: How to balance evaluating an athlete’s current performance versus their future physical and developmental upside.
• Beyond the Ball: Why the most valuable information is often found in the space between reps—how an athlete responds to errors, communicates with teammates, and manages their competitive intensity.
• Athlete Perspective: Actionable advice for players on how to get noticed by making teammates better rather than just chasing highlight-reel plays.
• Building the Ideal Tryout: We design a model 2-hour session from scratch, identifying the activities that provide the most accurate data for your program.

Whether you are a coach looking to refine your selection process or an athlete trying to stand out, this episode provides a blueprint for making better decisions on the court.

Listen in as we break down how to stop simply "testing" athletes and start truly evaluating them.

We are back on the court to finish what we started! On this episode of Block & Talk, we are diving into Part 2 of our deep-dive analysis into Parker’s comprehensive practice plan.

If Part 1 laid the foundation for warm-ups and early skill acquisition, this episode takes you through the back half of the session. We are breaking down how to transition from individual drills into high-intensity, game-like scenarios that test your team's mental and physical endurance.

Ready to take your team's training to the next level? On this episode of Block & Talk, we’re pulling back the curtain on structure and organization. We are diving into Part 1 of our comprehensive practice plan, breaking down how to build a session that is both high-energy and technically focused.

Whether you're struggling to balance skill development with game-like intensity, or you're just looking for a fresh way to organize your court time, this episode provides a clear roadmap for effective coaching.

What We’re Covering:

• The Warm-Up Phase: Why your opening 15 minutes set the tone for the entire practice and how to incorporate dynamic, volleyball-specific movements.
• Skill Acquisition vs. Game-Play: How to balance technical breakdown drills with competitive environments to ensure your athletes can apply what they learn.
• The "Why" Behind the Drill: We discuss the intent behind our early-session drills, focusing on efficiency and athlete engagement.
• Coaching Cues that Stick: We share the specific language and feedback loops we use to ensure athletes understand their mechanics during the early stages of practice.

Join us as we analyze the foundation of a successful practice session. This is the first half of a two-part series designed to help you streamline your planning and maximize every minute on the court.