Technical Training
Technical Skill Development
Nebraska Elite teams will play in the most challenging competition level in USA volleyball which is called OPEN. We do so because we can compete at that level.
A recent study was published that indicated that it takes approximately 3,000 consistent movement repetitions to develop a habit. Many programs focus solely on playing games with the hope that skill acquisition will occur. Playing games is an essential component to developing great volleyball players, but does not prepare them to make the leap to the next level. Simply scrimmaging in practices and playing hundreds of games over the course of a season generally results in inefficient habits. It is much more difficult to correct bad habits than develop great habits from the start.
Technical skills are the foundation to improving your daughter's level of play. Technical skills provide players with the tools to execute the physical requirements of the game. When a player has solid technical skills, they can focus on the other elements of the game (ie. how to score a point). These other elements are known as tactical skills. The skills are defined by a player's ability to make good decisions and utilize their volleyball IQ while playing the game. When both technical and tactical skills are executed together, players experience success.
The Nebraska Elite Pipeline process is focused on developing quality fundamental skills at all age levels. The difference between a successful skill executed and an error is generally due to inconsistent technical skill (ie. platform, poor timing, poor first step, hands, etc). Players that develop great technical skills at early ages improve quicker than those that do not!
It is our goal to progress every athlete towards the same techniques that our USA National Team and many of the top level college programs utilize. However, technical skill development is a progression. Our progression starts with training feet and pre-contact movement then advances towards tactical execution and body manipulation. For instance, we start by teaching passing on our midline of the body. We do a variety of exercise to improve movement to the ball. We believe that if a player learns how to move their feet first, it is much easier to teach platform adjustments later. On the same note, we spend hours over the course of a season training releases and approaches without a ball. Our goal is to create a habit so dominant that players don't have to think about how to get to the ball, they can think about what to do with the ball. In the Nebraska Elite gym, everything we do has a purpose!
With all of this being said, there is still a balance. Our gym culture embraces three key components of success. We believe that success occurs when players demonstrate purpose, hard work, and heart. The most important of all of these is heart. Players have to love what they do if they are going to invest hard work and focus (purpose). Therefore, playing games is also important. Playing the game successfully is the prize for the effort. However, playing the game should always require purpose. At Nebraska Elite, we prepare to play the game successfully through focused and proven training. When we play the game, those three components of success are fundamental. All of our programs challenge players to invest hard work, team work, purpose, and heart.
If you have a daughter that is just beginning volleyball is ages 8 to 13, our Youth Development Program (YDP) will help her build a foundation of fundamental volleyball skills. YDP is a proven training program led by experienced coaches. Sessions are focused on fundamental training and teaching the love of the game. We try to maintain a 6-to-1 coach to player ratio. Instruction is focused and progressive. It culminates in a program ending tournament and an awards ceremony at the ASICS President's Day Tournament. Read more.
Our National and Regional programs also emphasize player development through technical and tactical skill acquisition. Nebraska Elite has had the most success and consistent coaching staff in the area for the last ten years. Our club teams are staffed with experienced adult coaches. We have coaches with Division I and international experience. We also have coaches that currently coach in the USA Junior National Team pipeline, coached teams to National Championships in college, won national championships as players, and have accumulated multiple top 5 finishes at the National Championships. At Nebraska Elite there is a difference. Learn more about club volleyball.
