Coaching Youth Volleyball: Growing the Game from the Ground Up

Boys’ and girls’ volleyball is now the fastest-growing team sport in the United States. Across the country, more young athletes than ever before are discovering the joy of volleyball, many starting at ages far younger than previous generations. This surge in participation has been thrilling to watch, but it also brings new challenges and opportunities for anyone passionate about coaching youth volleyball.

As more children step onto the court for the first time, the need for qualified, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic coaches has never been greater. Effective coaching in youth volleyball involves more than just teaching skills; it’s about creating an environment where players fall in love with the game. Coaches and clubs play a vital role in shaping that first experience, making volleyball fun, engaging, and rewarding for both athletes and their families.

Recently, we had the chance to spend time in the USA Volleyball gym with two of the sport’s most respected figures: five-time Olympic Coach and current USA Volleyball CEO John Speraw, and three-time Olympic Coach Mike Wall. Both have spent years leading some of the best teams and players in the world, yet both are also fathers of 10-year-old daughters who have just begun their own volleyball journeys.

In addition to their work with the USA National Teams, Coach Speraw and Coach Wall dedicate several hours each week to coaching youth volleyball as the head coaches of their daughters’ 10U club teams. Their unique perspective - balancing elite-level experience with grassroots development, offers invaluable insight for anyone interested in teaching the sport to beginners.

To share their expertise, John and Mike brought their 10U teams to Anaheim, where they demonstrated their favorite drills, games, and practice strategies designed specifically for young athletes. The result is a new video course on GMS+ called “Coaching Youth Volleyball.”

This educational resource features 28 video lessons where John and Mike work directly with their 10U teams, breaking down how to teach fundamental skills, build confidence, and foster a lifelong love for the game. The course also dives into broader topics surrounding youth volleyball, from player development and motivation to managing parent expectations and creating a positive team culture.

If you’re a coach, parent, or club director interested in coaching youth volleyball, this course offers practical tools and real-world examples from two of the most experienced coaches in the sport. Whether you’re new to coaching or looking to improve your approach with young players, “Coaching Youth Volleyball” is designed to help you make a lasting impact on the next generation of athletes.

In addition to some fun moments caught on camera, John and Mike share ideas about how to help beginners and new players most quickly pick up the most fundamental volleyball skills, explain their favorite individual and small group drills and games, and describe how to effectively run 6-on-6 drills during 10U practice sessions.

All 28 lessons in the video course are completely free on GMS+. To watch the course, sign up for a free GMS+ account by clicking here and then navigating to the "Coaching Youth Volleyball" video playlist. If you already have a GMS+ account, click here or the image below to go directly to the playlist.