Lessons from the 1st Year of Coaching D2

It is interesting being a ‘first year coach’ after being in a sport for 30+ years across most levels. Usually you are new when you are inexperienced, so the differences are simultaneously odd and exhilarating since I love learning new things, making new observations, etc. This is just a list of observations rather than something in a more formal format.

• I made assumptions about skill quality–not that D2 was bad or anything, but I believed a majority of D1/D2 NJCAA athletes could come in and compete if given the chance. I’ve changed my mind on this. Far fewer are able to.

• D2 volleyball is about spreadsheet management. If you like playing GM mode on Madden or Out of the Park Baseball, D2 is the level to coach for you (and fits NAIA as well, I reckon)–since programs are limited to 8-or-fewer scholarships to offer. D2 sports are about salary caps!!

• HS/Club/NJCAA, you can overpower a team with serving. That is substantially more difficult with D2. I suspect some of this is the change in ball-handling in general, but I also think athletes are used to hard serves–much like baseball hitters are now used to 96mph fastballs rather than the 91s of twenty years ago.

• Success requires two pin hitters at a minimum. Without that, you’re going to be middlin’, no matter what. One great hitter will not carry you.

• The difference between #20 and #120 in the country is not that far. The balance in D2 is pretty good–if you don’t show up on a given night, you’ll lose.

• I’ve been uncomfortable this year–don’t read anything into that. As a juco coach, I was the strength trainer, the fundraiser, wrote my web stories/reported results to media, did all the game day prep, took photos, placed kids with 4-yr schools, not to mention doing all the recruiting myself. As a D2 coach, there’s a strength coach, an SID, a facilities director, and staff who handle fundraising as well as a photographer/videographer. Almost every team has 1-2 grad assistants OR a full-time assistant.

• As a juco coach, I ALWAYS (literally, not hyperbole) replied to anyone who reached out as a recruit. I wanted to do that here but I’ve failed. It’s not possible. In the first three months, I received inquiries from 147 different liberos alone. I mean…that’s one a day and it doesn’t include the other positions OR outsides who really OUGHT to be liberos. It’s impossible to respond to everyone. Also–it is FAR easier now for a recruit to send a generic contact to coaches than even five years ago.

• Just as I didn’t ‘get’ D2, clubs and recruits don’t ‘get’ D2 either. It’s like living in the Midwest–people on the coasts think America goes WEST COAST_________________________________EAST COAST with nothing in between other area to fly over. This feels the same. You’ve got Big 10/Texas and then you skip down to D3 (used as an insult since D3 has no athletic aid). Criticism, sure, but as I noted earlier, I was guilty of assumptions as well…the question then becomes how to show the massive advantages of playing D2 to prospective athletes?? –Is this my responsibility, the NCAA’s, or should club directors be doing the heavy lifting here?

• Hitters are all capable of multiple different shots. Setters are good at accurate backsets of 20-25ft even on the run and they get two options out of more than you’d think possible.

• I never really thought about it, but I’m seriously privileged to do this–there are only 200 or so D2 head coaches in the US. I get to be one of them. I never really thought about that before.

• I appreciate the people who want my job, even if it means getting rid of me (hah!). It doesn’t change the fact that part of my job STILL is preparing younger coaches for the day I actually, seriously this time I mean it, no takebacks, finally retire.

• The emphasis of D2 is different than D1 or D3. It’s a unique mix of high-level athletics without compromising an athlete’s time as a regular college student. Opinion only, I think it’s great.

• I think many D2 athletes are capable of playing at a D1 school somewhere–but D2’s balanced lifestyle (noted above) plays a big part in their choice–once they ‘get’ what D2 is.

• I’ve crunched numbers for 20+ years, having to rely on stats by hand and what people voluntarily sent me. Having access to Volleymetrics now…wow, I was putting a ton of sweat-equity in that other people with resources of any sort weren’t having to do.

• Like juco, it all comes down to recruiting and maximizing athleticism and talent.

• The cost of travel/charter buses is outrageous.

• Officiating is consistent and almost always correct. The R1/R2s we had this year missed maybe a dozen calls total–regardless of replay. (Line judging was erratic but replay makes up for this…maybe)

• My dislike for replay has intensified–I use it, but I wish we’d eliminate it in all sports. For the time it takes to check, it just isn’t worth it. (If it was the system used in the Olympics–I’d withdraw this comment)

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