Mike Lingenfelter's Volleyball Series

with Mike Lingenfelter,
Co-Director of the Asics Munciana Volleyball Club and Munciana Samurai Head Coach;
2024 Triple Crown Volleyball 'Heart of Sport' Award;
2021 AVCA Club Coach of the Year;
2023: AAU Open Championship (18s);
2022: AAU Open Championship (18s);
2021: AAU Open Championship (18s);
2017: AAU Open Championship (18s);
2011: AAU Open Championship (18s);
2009: AAU Open and JVA National titles (18s);
Coached HS volleyball at Wapahani HS in Selma, IN;
3x Indiana State High School Champions;
3x Indiana State Coach of the Year;
Coaching at the college level (Cincinnati Head Coach - 5 years, Memphis Head Coach - 2 years);
played college volleyball at Ball State University

Mike Lingenfelter brings his unique insights and perspectives to deliver a presentation about mental toughness in today's athletes. The higher the level of volleyball, the more mental toughness it takes to be successful. This video uses a combination of classroom discussion and on-court demonstration to help develop mental toughness in your athletes. Coach Lingenfelter explains how to 'fail forward' and the critical role that failure plays in success. You'll also see him discuss what it means to have players be 'bulletproof' by presenting them with constant challenges and pressure situations.

'Practice the Match'

Lingenfelter explains how the demands placed on players in practice should match those placed on them during games. He walks you through the process of 'being a thermostat' to set the 'temperature' of practice. The role the coach plays in developing consistently competitive athletes is critical, and it starts with not being afraid to challenge players to be their best, while allowing them to fail. Lingenfelter stresses the importance of scoring drills and measuring performance to instill a competitive mindset. He explains how to "win you" before you can win against the team across the net.

Drills to Create a Competitive Culture

The second segment of the video features Coach Lingenfelter on the court, demonstrating drills that help build mentally tough athletes. He walks through seven drills that can be modified to work with a variety of levels. You'll see how to:

• Establish the standard for the practice through drills designed to emphasize starting fast.
• Stress the importance of finishing strong though competition that focuses on playing to your strengths once you get to 20.
• Focus on the role that runs play in a team's success.
• Develop a retaliatory mindset to score quickly in transition.
• Create in-game milestones, like being the first to 10 and 20, to enhance your chances for success.
• Learn drills that will challenge players mentally and physically, to prepare them for the challenges of matches.

Coach Lingenfelter fills his presentations with personal stories and examples that bring his philosophies to light. His passion and personality come to life, and the result is an engaging, well-articulated, informative and useful video that will help every player in your program.

114 minutes. 2020.

with Mike Lingenfelter,
Co-Director of the Asics Munciana Volleyball Club and Munciana Samurai Head Coach;
2024 Triple Crown Volleyball 'Heart of Sport' Award;
2021 AVCA Club Coach of the Year;
2023: AAU Open Championship (18s);
2022: AAU Open Championship (18s);
2021: AAU Open Championship (18s);
2017: AAU Open Championship (18s);
2011: AAU Open Championship (18s);
2009: AAU Open and JVA National titles (18s);
Coached HS volleyball at Wapahani HS in Selma, IN;
3x Indiana State High School Champions;
3x Indiana State Coach of the Year;
Coaching at the college level (Cincinnati Head Coach - 5 years, Memphis Head Coach - 2 years);
played college volleyball at Ball State University

Mike Lingenfelter has earned his reputation as a great teacher of the game of volleyball. He's found success through the use of competition drills, which are the cornerstone to his coaching mastery. In this video, Coach Lingenfelter displays shares a collection of some of the key drills he uses with his own program so you can take them and implement them in your own practices.

Competitive Drills

Understand how culture is born of consistency! Lingenfelter showcases seven competitive drills that will allow your players to perfect their skills in a pressurized game environment.

Team drill '32' forces your players to think about attacking the ball with every play. The goal of the drill is to cut down on free balls, which make it too easy for the opposing team to score points. The 'Prove It' drill requires athletes to show they can complete actions right more than once. The game escalates and your team will learn to say what they see and what they're going to do as they complete the drill.

'Low Ball' is a game that will add to your players' speed and retaliation rate. This game is especially great for teams that don't have many players at practice. Every rally requires the ball be kept below the height of the antennas. The ability to think and move fast in this competitive drill is essential!

If you really want your players to improve, they need to be taught to chase the ball with urgency. The competitive game 'Wipe Out' will help you find out which of your athletes will hit the floor when it matters. This drill encourages extra effort by resetting the team's score to zero if the ball lands on a side of the net without touching the floor.

Cooperative Drills

The 'Setter Go' game requires small teams to keep the ball going as long as possible. Your players will learn to communicate with each other as they work toward reaching a shared goal. Another competitive drill that Lingenfelter shows forces teams of three athletes to work together to complete a bump, set, and gentle attack going side-to-side in unity.

Coach Lingenfelter is a master of the game of volleyball, and in this video, he shows you how to create competition and a sense of urgency in your athletes at practice. This approach will transfer into live matches, translate to wins, and turn your athletes into relentless competitors!

57 minutes. 2020.