Michael Gomez joins us for volleyball, sports and life from another perspective. After a 20 year jaunt in the corporate world at Bose and Sony Electronics, Michael shifted his focus. He discovered photography at Sony and spent his free time shooting anyone willing to be photographed. That led him to explore everything from weddings to portraits to family photos. But there’s another dynamic, his volleyball life from high school to college and the pros. BJ met Michael where his volleyball and photography passions meet…on the sand and on the court. We’ll talk about that and Michael’s upcoming work at the Paris Olympics. It’s a fascinating look at passion and work life.

Our “Beach Legends” series continues. In this episode, Adam Johnson joins us to talk about his volleyball journey. We start with a little history. Adam shares how he started playing at the Laguna Beach Volleyball Club and about the value of being a multi-sport athlete. He talks about the AVP grind, missing the sport and playing some 4-man. Then we move on to the synergies between beach and indoor, how he teaches, and where he, and the sport, are headed these days. So, listen in for a great discussion.

More breaking news in this episode. Accomplished player, coach and author of Coach Your Brains Out and host of the podcast of the same name, Billy Allen’s volleyball life is fascinating. An AVP Tour regular since 2004, Billy finds ways to grow the game for himself and those he coaches. And Billy also writes. In addition to his “Coach Your Brains Out” guide, he has authored The Inner Knight about training and competing and other fictional works including his “Blood” trilogy, with the latest installment in progress. Billy has some great news about his next  challenge, so take a listen.

We’ve had a few “breaking news” items with a few of our recent guests. In our session today, we talk with Deitre Collins-Parker. From last person chosen for her high school team, to college standout, to Olympian, to a college and club coaching career, and now…well, you’ll need to listen to hear about her move to the Pro Volleyball Federation. Enjoy!

This is an extra treat for the holidays at a different hour for us. John Kessel joined us to talk all things volleyball and his latest labor of love, Puma Hills Mountain Retreat. You’ll be interested in all the work that John does and he has a request for us all to find ways to grow the game in our own way. We worked out the logistics to get John with us and had a great conversation with Cody’s dad. 

Nick Toth, Assistant Coach at Kings High School joins us to talk about their championship run and his coaching journey. We learn about how to keep the coaching fire burning and how coaches learn from each other and support their teams. There's a lot more to Nick's journey, so check out our conversation.

Dan Mickle, head women’s coach at York College (DIII) and lead coach of the USA Volleyball ParaBeach program joins us to talk about tryouts. Dan’s experience in performance psychology and mental skills training gives him a unique perspective. We talk about some of the challenges of tryouts at college, high school and club levels. What opportunities are we missing when we cut an athlete? How might we help them with ongoing roles in the support of the sport? How can better communication make the process better for all? See if you can find something to help with your program.

Coach Craig Friedrichsen joins us for a second visit. Last time we talked about competition with and among our least experienced players. Craig shares a revelation from his recent work helping his U10 players hit the ball harder. We also cover some of his learning from other podcasts and videos and his recent addition of journaling for his team. Maybe we will spark some new thinking for you. Have a listen.