From The First Chair Podcast

In this episode, Frank & Thierry welcome Volleyball Canada Director of Sport Science, Medicine and Innovation Kerry MacDonald to discuss serving velocity, preventing injuries through load management, developing concussion prevention strategies and much more.    (1:18) - How did Kerry's passion for numbers and for volleyball originally begin?   (3:22) - How did coach MacDonald progress from a 13U team to a university program?   (5:34) - How does coach MacDonald achieve outstanding team success in such a short period of time with various teams?   (6:20) - Why did coach MacDonald make the decision to leave the UBC program immediately after winning a USports title in only a second year of head coaching?   (7:55) - What were the biggest lessons learned from his position at UBC?   (9:05) - What motivated Kerry to try such a radical serving approach with the men's team at UBC? Big Data Baseball by Travis Shawchik   (12:10) - What metrics did coach MacDonald utilize in regards to serving?   (15:35) - How could a

In this episode, Frank & Thierry welcome Team Germany's Head Coach Andrea Giani to discuss his legendary career,  transitioning from middle blocker to wing spiker, sideout offense and much more.    (1:33) - Please share any volleyball resources you like on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram @FTFCpodcast or via email ftfc@maverickvolleyball.ca   (2:51) - Andrea's bio   (6:36) - According to John Barrett, why is Andrea's character such an integral part to his success as an athlete and a coach?   (8:18) - How did Andrea successfully transition from middle blocker to left side at the highest level?   (12:19) - Did Andrea prefer playing middle blocker or left side?   (13:39) - Does coach Giani believe it would still be possible to switch position at the international level today given the more specialized nature of the game?   (14:52) - Why was Andrea so effective at siding out as a wing spiker?   (19:57) - What kind of goals in regards to sideout does coach Giani set for his team? Germany-Serbia Match Statistics 

In this episode, Frank & Thierry welcome Men's National Team Head Coach Glenn Hoag to discuss his illustrious career, building a successful program, the secrets to better planning, analyzing the game and much more.    (1:10) - Glenn's bio   (2:11) - What was Glenn's favorite moment as an athlete?   (4:27) - What is coach Hoag's most memorable moment as a professional coach?   (5:40) - Where did coach Hoag's trust come from to take the risk of subbing in Gino Brousseau who had not set all year in a critical pro playoff match?   (7:33) - What is Glenn's proudest moment as Head Coach of Team Canada?   (12:45) - Why is Glenn Hoag a great program builder?   (17:57) - What does coach Hoag look for when recruiting individuals (i.e.: coaches, trainers, etc.) to help him build a program?   (19:40) - Why is it important for the national program to have as many athletes playing professional overseas as possible?   (22:00) - Why are measures so critical to the success of a program?   (25:30) - Is load management as t

In this episode, Frank & Thierry welcome former Team Canada and Team France Assistant Coach Vincent Pichette to discuss his coaching path to international volleyball, developing a collegiate program, the value of a full-time training centre, how Canada's volleyball structure compares with the rest of the world and much more. (0:05) - Dual episode that contains Vincent Pichette's bio in both English and French interviews but different discussion topics in the second part of each podcast. (0:35) - Épisode double qui présente la bio de Vincent Pichette dans les deux langues suivi de thèmes différents. (1:48) - Why Frank has very high expectations about Vincent Pichette's interview? The Simple Phrase that Increases Effort 40% by Dan Coyle (2:15) - Vincent Pichette's bio (2:43) - With a multi-sports background, why did Vincent choose volleyball over the other ones as his primary sport? (3:45) - Was coaching always in coach Pichette's blood? (5:30) - What position did Vincent play through his volleyball

Dans cet épisode, Frank et Thierry accueillent l'ancien entraîneur adjoint des équipes nationales de la France et du Canada Vincent Pichette pour discuter de son cheminement vers les équipes nationales, de l'importance du centre d'entraînement à temps plein, d'apprendre en côtoyant des entraîneurs légendaires et encore plus. (0:05) - Dual episode that contains Vincent Pichette's bio in both English and French interviews but different discussion topics in the second part of each podcast.   (0:35) - Épisode double qui présente la bio de Vincent Pichette dans les deux langues suivi de thèmes différents.   (2:00) - Bio de Vincent Pichette   (2:29) - Qu'est-ce qui a attiré Vincent vers le volleyball?   (3:10) - Comment est-ce que Vincent a dirigé sa première sélection au secondaire?   (4:45) - Quel a été le meilleur moment de sa carrière universitaire?   (5:55) - Est-ce que le coaching intéressait déjà Vincent au niveau universitaire?   (7:10) - Comment est-ce qu'un centre d'entraînement à temps plein aurait été

In this episode, Frank & Thierry welcome Capital Strength Training Systems Strength Coach Ian Perry to discuss how developing an athlete physically is a long term process, to explain the philosophy of the MVC conditioning program, to elaborate on the various summer programs and much more.   (1:01) - Episode 5 - Physical Preparation with Nick Haince   (2:10) - Ian's bio   (2:26) - Why did Ian practice volleyball, lacrosse and basketball?   (5:18) - Why is volleyball Ian's favorite sport?   (6:16) - What books and podcasts does coach Perry recommend? Atomic Habits by James Clear The 5 AM Club by Robin Sharma The Physical Preparation Podcast by Mike Robertson   (7:47) - What is the common denominator with high level athletes?   (10:40) - What is Ian's coaching philosophy?   (12:55) - What are the primary physical requirements for a volleyball player?   (14:45) - How can physical training be fun for a 14U athlete?   (17:00) - What are the differences and the value of the squat and the hinge movements for vo

In this episode, Frank & Thierry welcome 2019 Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame Inductee in the builder category Rick Desclouds to discuss how he built a legendary program at Glashan Public School, why developing great human beings is the primary goal and much more.   (0:49) - Rick's bio   (1:30) - Why did coach Desclouds particularly enjoy teaching at Glashan Public School (GPS)?   (3:15) - Why did Rick gravitate particularly to volleyball, cross country and track & field?   (4:38) - How did coach Desclouds, a multisport athlete (excluding volleyball), become an iconic volleyball coach in Ottawa?   (8:20) - Why being humble and vunerable as a rookie coach are great learning traits?   (12:10) - Why is "open gym" such a big piece in the Glashan Spikers success?   (13:37) - Why are no students cut from the competitive teams at GPS?   (19:10) - What is the common denominator amongst the greatist athletes Rick has coached?   (23:17) - Volleyball Canada's Athlete Development Framework   (26:24) - How did coach De

In this episode, Frank & Thierry welcome Brock University women's volleyball Head Coach Steve Delaney to discuss his rookie season in the OUA, growth mindset, serving & hitting philosophies and much more.   (2:07) - Steve's bio   (2:40) - How did Steve begin his club volleyball career?   (3:48) - What memorable moment does Steve have to share about playing alongside Dan Lewis?   (6:09) - Why was Steve's beach nick name Stone Cold Steve Delaney?   (7:08) - Which wrestler's autobiography does coach Delaney recommend? The Rock Says, Dwayne Johnson My Life Outside the Ring, Hulk Hogan Joe Rogan Experience #1205 - Jake "The Snake" Roberts   (8:35) - What is the game plan when Steve and his beach partner face off versus Karch Kiraly on the AVP beach tour?   (9:50) - What has his time on the AVP tour taught Steve?   (10:30) - How Not to Do It, originally published in True North Volleyball   (12:48) - Why did coach Delaney get into coaching?   (14:00) - What is Steve's proudest moment and something he would d

In this episode, Frank & Thierry welcome back Mental Performance Coach Jelle Kooijman to discuss lessons learned from the Maverick Mental Training Program, self-talk and mental performance during championship season.   (0:45) - Jelle is our first recurring guest that was also on Episode 22 on Mental Training   (0:53) - How is the Maverick Mental Training Program going?   (1:18) - Why is self talk such a popular mental skill with the athletes?   (2:00) - What is the difference between planned self-talk and automatic self talk?   (5:33) - Myth or reality: Sports are 90% mental?   (9:00) - Myth or reality: Mental preparation is for mentally weak athletes?   (10:21) - Myth or reality: Mental preparation is only for elite athletes?   (11:44) - Myth or reality: Mental training requires long hours of training to see positive effects?   (13:32) - Myth or reality: All mental skills work equally well for all athletes?   (14:31) - Myth or reality: The core of mental preparation is visualization et positive thinking?

Dans cet épisode, Frank et Thierry accueillent Jocelyn Trillon, un des entraîneurs du Centre National de Volley-ball (C.N.V.B.) à Montpellier en France pour discuter de la structure de développement des athlètes français.   (1:24) - Bio de Jocelyn Trillon    (2:00) - Est-ce que Jocelyn a toujours eu comme objectif de devenir entraîneur de haut niveau?   (2:55) - Qu'est-ce que le parcours athlétique de Jocelyn?   (4:30) - Quel est le système de développement des volleyeurs en France?   (7:25) - Depuis quand est-ce que la structure des Pôles existe-t-elle?   (10:46) - Est-ce que la spécialisation de l'athlète en volleyball dès l'âge de 15 ans est préférable?   (14:30) - Comment est-ce que les jeunes athlètes de haut niveau actuels diffèrent de la génération précédente?   (15:50) - Quel est l'horaire d'entraînement type d'un athlète dans un Pôle Espoir?   (17:24) - Est-ce qu'il y a des compétitions inter-pôles?   (18:30) - Comment est-ce que la collaboration entre l'entraîneur club et l'entraîneur du Pôle a lie

In this guestless episode, Frank & Thierry tackle two different topics: training the skill of blocking and how data can help a coach make more educated decisions.   (0:50) - Guestless episodes cover various topics including a technical skill Episode 4 - Serving Episode 8 - Passing Episode 9 - Symposium Lessons Episode 15 - Summer Lessons Episode 21 - Attacking   (2:15) - Resource: Read the Game from Karch Kiraly (Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)   (3:38) - Resource: Tested to the Limit with Ronaldo (15:58 on eye tracking, 20:18 on cue reading)   (4:05) - Resource: Integrating Cue Reading and Decision-Making into Skill Development from Volleyball Canada   (4:40) - Why is blocking often a skill that is neglected by coaches?   (6:48) - How early should coaches focus on the skill of blocking? Critical Analysis of Blocking by Art of Coaching Volleyball   (10:35) - How important is it to teach proper footwork for efficient blocking?   (11:10) - How can blocked training be minimalized with the training of blockin

Dans cet épisode sans invité, François et Thierry présente deux capsules : des concepts au sujet de la technique du contre sont discutés et la prise de décision fondée l'analyse de données est présentée.   (1:00) - Les épisodes sans invité touchent à divers thèmes dont un élément technique Épisode 4 - service Épisode 8 - réception de service Épisode 9 - apprentissages du symposium Épisode 15 - apprentissages de l'été Épisode 21 - attaque   (2:55) - Ressource: Read the Game de Karch Kiraly (Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)   (4:05) - Ressource: Integrating Cue Reading and Decision-Making into Skill Development from Volleyball Canada   (4:35) - Ressource: Tested to the Limit with Ronaldo (15:58 sur le suivi du regard, 20:18 sur la lecture du jeu)   (5:33) - Pourquoi est-ce que la technique du contre est négligée par les entraîneurs? Critical Analysis of Blocking by Art of Coaching Volleyball   (7:26) - À quel âge est-ce que le contre devrait être introduit en entraînement?   (10:37) - Est-ce que le contre est la

In this episode, Frank & Thierry welcome former University of Waterloo  Men's Volleyball Head Coach Chris Lawson to discuss becoming a seasoned coach, practice planning, centre approach coaching and much more.   (0:27) - Check out our Twitter account @ftfcpodcast to obtain all resources from previous episodes. Don't hesitate to rate, review and subscribe on any podcast platform (Podbean, Stitcher, iTunes, PlayerFM) to help us tailor our product better to your needs.   (1:23) - How is the volleyball coaching life treating Chris after retirement from the Waterloo Head Coach position?   (2:14) - Chris' bio   (3:55) - How do football skills transfer to volleyball?   (8:26) - Why did coach Lawson initially start to coach volleyball?   (9:07) - What particular characteristics of the game did Chris enjoy early on?   (10:30) - Why Bill Belichick is an excellent football coach to observe even for volleyball coaches?   (11:57) - What does coach Lawson's Pathway Coordinator role with London Volleyball Club entail?  

In this episode, Frank & Thierry welcome OVA High Performance Director LP Mainville to discuss his illustrious career, developing inner drive, improving the arm swing, coaching peeves and much more.   (1:02) - How are LP's and Thierry's past linked?   (2:54) - Resources: Jump Volleyball YouTube Channel, Technical Timeout Podcast   (5:57) - Why was Technical Timeout the inspiration behind the FTFC podcast?   (10:30) - What is LP's favorite Technical Timeout moment? Grow the Game Blog - John Kessel FTFC Episode 9 - Thoughts on the International Coaching Symposium   (13:38) - LP's bio   (18:53) -  What is LP's most memorable moment of his playing career?   (26:13) - Why did LP start coaching at such a young age?    (29:25) - Who are LP's mentors?   (30:08) - What is LP's coaching philosophy?   (32:36) - Where did LP develop his inner drive? Who influenced him to become this way?   (35:00) - Resource: The Secret to Raising Smart Kids   (37:13) - How do you teach an athlete to develop his or her inner drive in

In this episode, Frank & Thierry welcome McMaster Marauders Women's Volleyball Assistant Coach Nathan Janzen to discuss statistics: what they mean, how to gather them and how to use them.   (0:40) - Why are statistics so meaningful to Frank?   (1:35) - Resource: Statistics Forms on Coaches Corner   (3:20) - Resource: Statistics Apps iStat Vball 2 Solostats 123   (5:10) - What is Frank's system to gather and use statistics?   (7:29) - How is the season going so far for the Marauders?   (7:55) - What does learning how to win mean?   (8:50) - What is the mindset for the coaching staff with varsity athletes coming back from the exam and holiday break?   (10:35) - How does monitoring jumping volume impact practice planning?   (13:10) - How is coach Janzen adapting to and enjoying being a full time assistant coach?   (14:50) - Nathan's bio   (15:08) - How does baseball relate to volleyball?   (16:50) - Did Nathan coach baseball? And why did he choose volleyball over baseball as a coach?   (21:36) - Who are Nath

In this episode, Frank & Thierry welcome retired International Referee Malcolm Mousseau to discuss intervening with the official and the rules of the game.   (0:55) - What are Thierry's and Frank's coaching highlight of 2018?   (6:25) - What are Thierry's and Frank's New Year's coaching resolutions? Episode 22 - Mental Training with Mental Performance Consultant Jelle Kooijman Episode 17 - Transformational Coaching with Jordan Chen   (9:25) - What are your highlights from the previous year? What are your New Year's coaching resolutions?   (10:00) - Resource: Volleyball Canada: Referre Rules & Guidelines Official Volleyball Rules 2018-19 Indoor Rules & Policies Update Volleyball Canada Scoresheet Presentation Indoor Officials Frequently Asked Questions   (13:32) - Can a team keep playing if their coach is disqualified?    (14:40) - Can a libero do a beach dig, a pokie or a tomahawk to set inside the attack zone?   (15:38) - When must the lineup be submitted to the referee between sets?   (17:10) -

Dans cet épisode, Thierry accueille l'assistante-entraîneure de l'équipe masculine des Carabins de l'Université de Montréal Mélanie Desrochers pour discuter du rôle de l'adjoint, de l'importance de s'investir dans divers programmes et de quelques conseils découlant de son engagement avec l'équipe nationale.   (1:45) - Bio de Mélanie Desrochers   (2:50) - Pourquoi est-ce que Mel est devenue passeuse très tard dans sa carrière d'athlète?   (4:25) - Qu'est-ce qui motive coach Desrochers à être encore active comme athlète avec le club Celtique de Montréal?   (5:20) - Est-ce que de jouer au niveau compétitif permet à Mel de parfaire son coaching?   (6:55) - Qu'est-ce qui a poussé coach Desrochers à commencer sa carrière d'entraîneur si jeune?   (7:58) - Qui ont été les mentors de Mel?   (10:08) - Pourquoi est-ce que coach Desrochers entraîne davantage du côté masculin?   (13:15) - Pourquoi est-ce que Mel apprécie particulièrement le rôle d'adjointe?   (14:50) - Quels sont les conseils de Mel pour être un entraîneu

In this episode, Frank & Thierry welcome 16U Longhorns Associate Coach and Capital Athletic Therapy & Rehab Mental Performance Consultant Jelle Kooijman to discuss mental preparation, the implementation of mental skills and the Maverick Mental Training Program.   (1:45) - Why is mental training so important to Frank?   (5:06) - Resource: Mental Fitness for LTAD   (6:40) - How can a coach start implementing a mental skill in a simple way?   (8:48) - Jelle's bio   (9:49) - How big is volleyball in the Netherlands?   (10:30) - How did Jelle initially become interested in the mental aspect of sports?   (12:58) - What did Jelle discover while completing a thesis on self-talk?   (15:17) - What brought Jelle to Ottawa, Canada?   (16:30) - What did coach Kooijman learn through an internship with Carleton University Women's Soccer team?   (21:05) - What is Jelle's coaching philosophy as a Mental Performance Consultant?   (25:35) - How important is mental training according to coach Kooijman's and how does he s

In this guestless episode, Frank & Thierry tackle three different topics: training the skill of attacking, the importance of developing sound relationships with other coaches and some or our favourite warm up games.   (2:50) - Erratum: Apologies to John Forman and Mark Lebedew which we highlighted in Episode 15. John is an American and not an Englishman as originally mentioned and Mark's last name was mispronounced. Congratulation to John who was recently appointed as Technical Director of Charleston Academy.   (4:15) - Resource: Volleyball Explained (YouTube channel, Facebook page)   (6:05) - Why is attacking so important to athletes and coaches?   (7:00) - How did Thierry's experiment with his school athletes on hitting velocity turn out?   (15:50) - What does Frank value in regards to hitting?   (19:00) - How do you train an attacker to recognize the hitting situation better and make a better decision in regards to being aggressive or conservative?   (22:00) - How can a coach challenge an athlete to de

Dans cet épisode sans invité, François et Thierry présentent trois capsules : des concepts au sujet de la technique de l'attaque sont discutés, des conseils au sujet des relations d'entraîneurs sont proposés et quelques uns des jeux d'échauffement préférés de François et Thierry sont expliqués.   (2:50) - Erratum: Nous désirons nous excuser auprès de John Forman et Mark Lebedew qui ont été présentés dans l'épisode 15. John est un Américain et non un Anglais tel qu'initialement mentionné et le nom de famille de Mark avait été mal prononcé. Félicitation à John qui a récemment été nommé comme Directeur technique du Charleston Academy.   (5:15) - Ressource: Volleyball Explained (chaîne YouTube, page Facebook)   (6:40) - Pourquoi est-ce que l'attaque est si importante pour les athlètes et les entraîneurs?   (8:05) - Comment est-ce que l'expérience de Thierry avec ses athlètes scolaires au niveau de la vélocité d'attaque s'est conclue?   (18:10) - Qu'est-ce que François valorise davantage relativement à l'attaque?