On this episode of the VBSC podcast, host Greg Herceg is joined by the full coaching team — Coach CeCe, Coach Gerry, Coach Dion, and Coach Sarah — for a deep dive into in-game volleyball strategy, shifting focus away from strength and conditioning to the tactical side of the sport. The team shares strategies pulled straight from their one-on-one coaching and film review sessions, including: Becoming a smarter hitter by using go-to shots and exploiting the block instead of relying purely on athleticism Identifying and attacking an opponent's weaknesses in serve receive and hitting Why you should repeat a serve that just scored an ace instead of second-guessing it Adjusting serve receive positioning against strong servers, and the psychology of when to make it obvious Pivoting strategy early instead of waiting several points to adjust Knowing your own strengths as a player and building your game around them rather than trying to imitate elite-level players The importance of patience and timing on beach volleyball approaches A hilarious (and painful) TikTok lowlight from Coach Dion's college days Closing thoughts on maintaining your individual volleyball identity and, above all, having fun with the game Whether you're prepping for a big tournament or just want to play smarter, this episode is packed with practical, real-world strategy from the VBSC coaching staff.
Episode Notes
Introduction. Host Greg Herceg welcomes the full VBSC coaching team — Coach CeCe, Coach Gerry, Coach Dion, and Coach Sarah — back for a full crew episode after a week off.
Setting up today's topic. With Greg, Dion, and Gerry playing Waupaca triples that weekend, CeCe suggested shifting the podcast's focus from strength and conditioning to in-game volleyball strategy, based on patterns the coaches see during film review with their one-on-one clients.
Becoming a smarter hitter. Greg shares how, as an undersized 6'4" attacker, he became one of the top pin hitters in Division 1 not through athleticism but by developing go-to shots (favoring a line shot or a high flat to the deep corner) and relentlessly tooling the block instead of trying to hit around it.
Exploiting weaknesses. Coach CeCe explains how she coaches high schoolers to identify and target what the other team can't do — like serving a struggling passer out of the lineup or forcing a one-dimensional hitter into a lower-percentage shot — rather than trying to overpower opponents.
Repeat the winning serve. The group discusses a common mistake seen in film review: switching up a serve right after it scores an ace instead of forcing the opponent to prove they can actually make the adjustment.
Adjusting to strengths. Coach Gerry shares a coed beach doubles example where pinching the middle to take away an opponent's best serve (while conceding the line) led to a straight-sets win, sparking a discussion on balancing exploiting weaknesses with respecting an opponent's strengths — including when it's worth tipping your hand in serve receive.
Pivot early. Coach Sarah emphasizes adjusting strategy immediately rather than waiting several points, plus using errors as quick, positive learning moments to make instant technical corrections.
Know who you are as a player. Coach Dion talks about leaning into your natural strengths (like jumping high and hitting hard) instead of trying to force shots that aren't part of your game, especially in the middle of a match.
Patience on the beach. Greg breaks down the most common issue he sees with beach clients: rushing the tempo. He explains why it's better to be slightly late and accelerate into an approach than to be early and have to slow down, since timing directly affects hitting power and vertical jump.
College lowlight. Coach Dion shares (and the group tries to watch) a viral TikTok lowlight of him attempting a sharp cut shot in college that goes hilariously wrong.
Volleyball identity. Coach CeCe closes out the strategy talk by encouraging players not to compare themselves to elite-level players, and instead to embrace their own individual game — since a point is a point no matter how it's scored.
Remember to have fun. Coach Sarah shares a client story about staying focused on enjoying the game even while chasing improvement, wrapping up with a reminder that having fun leads to more relaxed, better play.
Outro. Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform or YouTube, and drop episode topic suggestions in the comments.