Every Club Director understands that recruiting, developing, and retaining quality coaches is an ongoing challenge. Yet few investments have a greater impact on the long-term success of a volleyball club than its coaching staff.

Your coaches are the face of your organization. They shape the experience of every athlete and family while serving as your club’s most direct connection to its members. For many players, the first coach they meet in a beginner or developmental program will influence whether they continue playing the sport—and whether they remain with your club for years to come.

A seven-year-old who enrolls in your first youth program could become a member of your club for the next decade. That’s why it’s essential to invest in coaches who not only teach the game well, but also embody your club’s culture, communicate effectively, and create a positive, welcoming environment for every athlete and family. From technical instruction to verbal and nonverbal communication, every interaction helps define the experience your club delivers.

Here are 6 Ways to Train and Develop Your New Coaches this Season:

Establish a Coach Orientation Program

Whether a coach is joining your staff from another club or stepping onto the court for the first time, every new hire should go through the same onboarding process. A structured coach orientation helps create consistency, sets clear expectations, and ensures every coach begins the season aligned with your club’s mission, values, and operating procedures.

Whenever possible, hold your orientation in person. In addition to introducing coaches to the club’s leadership team and explaining your organizational structure, an in-person meeting provides an opportunity to build relationships and foster a sense of community before the season begins.

A comprehensive coach orientation should also address the administrative tasks that are essential to a successful season, including:

  • Club mission, culture, and coaching philosophy
  • Coaching expectations and communication standards
  • Player development objectives
  • Parent communication guidelines
  • Practice and tournament procedures
  • Payroll and employment paperwork
  • Background screenings and required certifications
  • Contract review and signing
  • Coach apparel and equipment distribution
  • Technology platforms and club communication tools

Investing time in a thorough orientation not only prepares coaches for success but also demonstrates your commitment to supporting them. Coaches who understand the club’s expectations and feel connected to its leadership are more confident, more engaged, and better equipped to provide a consistent experience for every athlete and family.

Create a Coaches Resource Hub

One of the simplest ways to support your coaching staff—and reduce repetitive emails, texts, and phone calls—is to create a password-protected Coaches Resource Hub on your club’s website or internal platform.

A centralized resource gives coaches quick access to the information they need throughout the season, allowing them to find answers independently while ensuring everyone is working from the same set of expectations and procedures.

Consider including resources such as:

  • Club policies and coaching handbook
  • Practice plans and training resources
  • Season calendar and important dates
  • Coach directory and staff contact information
  • Facility schedules and court assignments
  • Tournament schedules and event details
  • Travel policies and logistics
  • Parent communication templates
  • Emergency procedures
  • Required forms and certifications
  • Technology platforms and instructional videos
  • Weekly announcements and reminders

A well-organized resource hub not only saves time for club leadership but also helps coaches feel informed, prepared, and supported throughout the season. When important information is easy to access, coaches can spend less time searching for answers and more time focused on developing athletes and creating a positive club experience.

Introduce New Coaches Through Fall Programming

One of the best ways to prepare new coaches for the club season is to get them on the court well before tryouts begin. Fall clinics, leagues, academies, and developmental programs provide an ideal environment for coaches to become familiar with your club’s culture, coaching philosophy, and expectations.

These programs also give prospective athletes and families an opportunity to meet new coaches before the season starts. Since many participants will attend club tryouts, early interactions help build familiarity and trust while reinforcing your club’s commitment to quality coaching.

For club leadership, fall programming serves as a valuable training and evaluation period. It allows you to observe coaches in a live gym setting and provide meaningful feedback before the competitive season begins. New coaches can develop essential skills such as leading drills, teaching fundamentals, managing groups, communicating effectively with athletes, and running an efficient practice—all while receiving guidance from experienced staff.

Early observations also help identify each coach’s strengths and areas for growth. You may find that some coaches excel with younger athletes who are learning the fundamentals, while others are better suited to older players or more competitive teams. Understanding these strengths before the season begins allows you to make more informed coaching assignments and better position every coach—and every team—for success.

When approached intentionally, fall programming becomes more than preseason preparation; it becomes the foundation of an ongoing coach development program that benefits your staff, your athletes, and your club as a whole.

Develop a Comprehensive Coach Handbook

Even experienced coaches can benefit from having a reliable resource to reference throughout the season. For newer coaches, a well-organized coach handbook can be invaluable, providing guidance, building confidence, and helping them navigate situations they may be encountering for the first time.

Your handbook should go beyond administrative policies and serve as a practical coaching resource. Consider including:

  • Club mission, values, and coaching philosophy
  • Practice planning templates
  • Sample practice plans by age group
  • Lineup options and rotational strategies
  • Serve receive formations
  • Drill library with diagrams and coaching cues
  • Match day procedures and checklists
  • Parent and athlete communication templates
  • Tournament expectations and travel guidelines
  • Emergency procedures and club policies

Make the handbook easily accessible by storing it electronically in a shared drive, club management platform, or password-protected Coaches Resource Hub so coaches always have the most up-to-date information.

Once coaching assignments are finalized, provide each coach with your club’s age-specific training curriculum. A structured curriculum establishes clear developmental goals and outlines the technical skills, tactical concepts, and team systems athletes should master at each age level.

When every coach is working from the same developmental roadmap, athletes receive a more consistent experience regardless of team or coach. It also helps ensure that each age group builds upon the previous one, creating a cohesive player development pathway throughout your club.

A comprehensive coach handbook paired with a clearly defined training curriculum not only supports your coaches—it strengthens your club’s culture, promotes consistency, and enhances the overall experience for athletes and families.

Prioritize Consistent Internal Communication

Clear, consistent communication is one of the most effective ways to support your coaching staff and reinforce your club’s culture. Rather than assuming coaches know what is expected of them, communicate early, communicate often, and provide regular updates throughout the season.

Establish a communication plan that works for your club, whether it’s a weekly email, GroupMe or Slack channel, text messaging platform, monthly Zoom meetings, or a combination of communication tools. Once new coaches complete onboarding, immediately integrate them into your regular communication channels so they stay informed and connected from day one.

Use these communications to share more than just schedules and reminders. Reinforce your club’s mission, celebrate coaching successes, recognize milestones, provide teaching tips, highlight upcoming events, and communicate operational updates. Regular communication helps coaches understand not only what is happening, but why it matters.

Most importantly, make every coach feel like a valued member of your organization. Coaches who feel informed, included, and supported are more likely to be engaged, embrace your club’s vision, and remain with your organization long-term. That enthusiasm naturally extends to the athletes and families they coach, creating stronger relationships and helping grow your club through positive word-of-mouth and referrals.

Empower Master Coaches Through Shared Leadership

As your club grows, it becomes increasingly difficult for a Club Director to personally oversee every practice, coach, and team—especially if you’re also coaching one or more teams yourself. That’s why developing leadership within your coaching staff is essential.

Identify experienced coaches who consistently demonstrate strong teaching skills, leadership, and a commitment to your club’s culture, and empower them to serve as Master Coaches or Lead Coaches. Rather than relying solely on the Club Director for guidance, these leaders become trusted mentors who help support and develop other coaches throughout the season.

Assign each Master Coach responsibility for a specific age group or group of teams, and meet with them before the season begins to establish clear expectations for mentoring, communication, and coach development. They can serve as the first point of contact for questions, provide regular feedback following practices and tournaments, and help reinforce your club’s coaching philosophy.

Master Coaches can also play an important role in creating age-specific training plans and practice templates. Providing coaches with consistent practice objectives, drills, and teaching progressions helps ensure that athletes throughout the club are developing the same skills and concepts, regardless of which team they play on. This not only supports newer coaches but also creates a cohesive player development pathway across your entire program.

Perhaps most importantly, empowering experienced coaches creates a culture of collaboration rather than hierarchy. Coaches learn from one another, share ideas, and feel invested in the success of the entire club—not just their own team. At the same time, the Club Director can focus on strategic leadership, knowing that coaches are being supported by trusted mentors who understand and reinforce the club’s mission.

Build Coaches for the Future

A thriving club isn’t measured solely by the number of teams it fields—it’s measured by the strength of the people who lead them.

Investing in coach recruitment, onboarding, mentorship, and professional development creates a sustainable coaching pipeline that benefits your club for years to come. When coaches feel prepared, supported, and connected to your organization’s mission, they are more likely to stay, grow into leadership roles, and inspire the next generation of athletes.

After all, today’s seven-year-old attending her first beginner volleyball class could become tomorrow’s elite player—and eventually return as a coach who helps shape the next generation. By intentionally developing your coaches, you’re not just strengthening your staff; you’re building a culture that will sustain your club for years to come.

View additional resources on running a volleyball club.

This article is written by Briana Schunzel, JVA Director of Education and Partner Development, in collaboration with several JVA Club Directors across the country.

Revised 7.20.2026