Oregon Juniors Volleyball Academy (OJVA) club director and master coach Steve Suttich says that OJVA players are committed to using video and data not only for recruiting, but to develop skills and improve their volleyball IQ. This mentality is a key differentiator for college coaches who want to bring on talented, yet hungry players.

According to a recent blog published by YouTube, the world’s leading video platform has over a billion hours of video watched every day, and over 500 hours of video uploaded every minute.

That’s the value of video. It’s inescapable. Every one of us uses video for education, entertainment or exploration. It has become an integral part of our daily lives and is essential for modern volleyball. 65% of the global population identify as visual learners. Video takes a difficult concept and makes it simple.

It’s approachable. It’s inarguable. It’s evidence. Here’s the why and how your club can use it:

Video is the most trusted bridge between explanation and understanding

In OJVA’s pod-style training structure, coaches and players focus on refining technique and mechanics at a blazing pace so when players take the court they react instinctively and more under control. The club relies on Hudl’s coaching tools that are fast and adaptable, which compliments.

“OJVA is detail-oriented in fundamental skills. A lot of clubs just play, play, play. We are far more focused on fundamentals,” Suttich said. “If you can’t pass, if you can’t serve, you can’t set and you can’t hit? The games aren’t going to last very long.”

Hudl’s video review tools help coaches bridge the gap between fundamentals and performance. It reinforces their philosophy and gives athletes evidence of their motor skills.

OJVA 18s gold outside hitter Emily Warmenhoven says she and her teammates are more confident because of additional coaching through video.

“The team as a whole has improved because we can see specific skills, or exactly what we’re doing right and what we’re doing wrong to help our team build confidence,” Warmenhoven said.

Suttich said the adoption of video-centric coaching was quick. The value to his coaches was obvious: video help OJVA achieve its development goals. And with a little guidance, athletes in every age group have come to see the value of video.

Video can empower athletes and coaches to give and receive feedback

Mia Starr, a setter on OJVA 17s gold, enjoys watching film to uncover anything important that she couldn’t see for herself during matches.

“Being able to watch yourself is definitely a big tool. You kind of remember things, but being able to see the plays in itself rather than just remembering them is really useful. You can look back and critique things or see the things you really need to work on,” Starr said.

For guided film review, OJVA Coaches use Hudl to pinpoint key moments and add comments and drawings to give direct, individualized feedback.

“I’ve gotten a lot of feedback from my coaches,” said Sophie Scott, another outside hitter on the 18s gold team. “It definitely helps me see what I’m doing wrong visually, because when you’re on the court you can’t really tell. But when you go back you can definitely see it and make the change that your coaches are asking of you. It’s been super helpful.”

Statistics allow coaches to communicate difficult concepts in a way players can understand

OJVA uses Hudl Assist to get matches broken down with full team and player stats. Each stat is linked to the match film, helping coaches navigate the video quickly.

Rotation data and the attack tendencies report add numerical and visual representations of performance.

OJVA 15s coach Juno Cruz says having this information available any time—even in practices—enables coaches to communicate difficult concepts in a way that athletes can understand.

Together, video and data paint a comprehensive picture of where athletes are at and what they need to work on to reach their potential.

“I really like [the analytics] because I can go through and look at it and I can tell what I need to improve or what I’m doing well at and then I can implement that on the court,” said Tyra Schaub, an 18s gold outside hitter.

With Hudl, OJVA athletes have the tools to take ownership of their growth. Whether it’s on their own or with a coach or parent, watching video and reviewing stats helps players better understand the game from a holistic perspective.

Sophie Scott’s dad, Paul, actively uses Hudl to support his daughter and help her learn. He says Hudl has helped her improve and become more confident because she knows how to be her best self on the court.

“It really helped with her volleyball IQ, where she gets that feedback,” he said. “You don’t always see everything when you’re playing a game, you know? You just kind of move on to the next point and it’s over with. When you can relook at it in video that efficiently and that quickly, you learn where to spend your time working and getting better. So that’s been really helpful.”

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