Craig Skinner: High Energy, Competitive Team Practice, Game-Like Scenarios + Digging, Serving & Defense

with Craig Skinner, University of Kentucky Head Coach;
9 Consecutive SEC Regular Season Champions (2017 - 2025);
2025 Final Four;
2025 SEC Tournament Champions;
2020 NCAA National Champions;
2021 AVCA National Coach of the Year;
2021 Volleyball Magazine National Coach of the Year;
5x AVCA Southeast Region Coach of the Year ;
7x SEC Coach of the Year;
2006 USA Junior National Team Head Coach (won Gold Medal in the Under-20 NORCECA Championships);
Nebraska Assistant Coach from 2000 to 2004;
2000 NCAA Championship (with John Cook as head coach):
Wisconsin Assistant Coach from 1994 to 1998;
Muncie Burris High School (IN) Head Coach from 1988 to 1989;
Munciana Volleyball Club, Director and Coach in 1988 and 1989;
played college volleyball (Ball State University) for Don Shondell

Coach Craig Skinner and the University of Kentucky volleyball team highlight their ability to run a high-energy, productive practice that incorporates individual and team skills as well as a high level of competition throughout. Coach Skinner and his coaching staff work collaboratively to bring out the best in their players. The methods you see in this video contributed directly to Kentucky's 2020 National Championship!

Warm-Up & Drill Progression

Practice starts with a full 6v6 team controlled warm-up drill, followed by an individual hitting warm-up. Both warm-ups prepare players for the next set of team drills, which focus on back row hitting and defending, hitter vs. hitter competition, and defending different types of attacks. Athletes transition to improving individual digging technique, with progression to more game-like defense against attacks to the left, middle and right back. The team then works on aggressive jump float serving, down the line and cross court, to challenge passers.

Next, practice shifts its focus to faster transitioning of hitters off the net to counterattack effectively, followed by full-team drills to practice different types of attacks from each rotation after serve receive or down balls.

Coaching Style

During the practice session, Coach Skinner and his staff emphasize key principles about player and team expectations and positively reinforce technical skills to help them make game-changing plays. You'll see exactly how a championship-caliber staff instructs and critiques players to get the most out of every athlete on every rep.

This video demonstrates how the University of Kentucky maximizes practice time to refine their individual skills and improve team cohesion and effectiveness. Coach Skinner's practice approach integrates simple and complex drill progressions and creates a competitive, constructive training environment.

105 minutes. 2021.