Kirsten Bernthal Booth: Teaching Defensive Systems & In-Game Adjustments

with Kirsten Bernthal Booth
Creighton University Head Coach (2003-2025);
2024 Elite Eight;
2024 Big East Coach of the Year;
2024 AVCA West Region Coach of the Year;
2024 Season: 32-3 overall, 18-0 conference;
11th consecutive year as Regular Season Champions (2024);
10x Big East Tournament Champions (Big East record);
14x NCAA appearances;
2016 Elite Eight;
2016 VolleyballMag.com National Coach of the Year;
3x National Coach of the Year;
6x Conference Coach of the Year;
5x AVCA East Region Coach of the Year;
613 career wins (233 losses);
All-time wins leader at Creighton (502 wins at Creighton)

Master the Art of Defensive Systems with One of Volleyball's Most Respected Coaches!

Longtime Creighton head coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth shares her blueprint for teaching foundational and advanced defensive strategies in this comprehensive coaching video.

Coach Booth covers everything from blocking basics to sophisticated defensive systems and match-time adjustments. Whether you're working with developing athletes or advanced players, you'll learn how to train your team to defend smarter and more effectively.

Starting with the front line, Coach Booth emphasizes blocker responsibilities, release blocking strategies, and adjusting to in-system or out-of-system offenses. She shows how to teach blockers to read attackers and work in sync with the team's serve strategy. You'll also learn drills that help blockers stay ready and connected throughout the match.

Moving to the back row, Booth breaks down three essential defensive systems rotation, perimeter, and man-up explaining when and why to use each. Her insights on situational defense, team terminology, and quick in-game adjustments will help you stay one step ahead of your opponents.

You'll also discover how to combine your blocking and floor defense to minimize kill percentage, confuse attackers, and give your team the edge in tight matches. Every drill, explanation, and tip is rooted in game-tested experience from a coach who built one of the nation's most successful and consistent programs.

Whether you're a new coach or a seasoned veteran, this video equips you with the defensive tools to make your team harder to score against and tougher to scout!

40 minutes. 2025.