I hold a perfectly buttered and syruped waffle in my hand, about to take my first bite. I can already taste the buttery sweetness, and my mouth waters uncontrollably. The warmth of the waffle seeps into my hand, promising a heavenly experience. But just as I’m about to indulge, my 6-month-old starts crying.
Now, I’m faced with a dilemma: do I go console my baby or scarf down the waffle while it’s still warm? I know it won’t taste as good if I let it sit.
Obviously, I’m choosing my son…maybe? But why? It’s because I understand and prioritize the choice that has the “highest leverage.” I’m making a decision that will have the greatest positive impact on my immediate future and aligns with my top priority (son > waffle 🤷🏽♂️).
Determining the Highest Leverage
As coaches, we’re constantly faced with similar competing priorities when deciding what to focus on in practice. Should we prioritize serving over blocking? Should we drill attacking, or work on serve receive? There’s no written guide or universal order for what to do first, but we must assess our team’s abilities and determine the highest-leverage concepts that fit into a logical progression for their development.
Let’s break it down: if we consider what’s necessary to play the game effectively, one could argue that serving and serve receive are the foundational pillars of success. These skills are essential for everything else to flow. At the beginning of the season, focusing on these areas typically yields the greatest return. A well-thought-out season plan builds on these fundamentals, creating a strong base for everything that follows. For example, teaching your players the finer points of hitting right off the bat doesn’t make sense if they can’t pass. No pass = no hit. Prioritize passing first so your players can get to the hitting.
Another key concept, often overlooked, is the value of controlled out-of-system play. Let’s be real: at the start of the season, over 70% of our teams’ opportunities will be out-of-system. Yet, we often focus on perfecting in-system fundamentals. While that’s not inherently wrong, it’s worth considering whether in-system play is truly the highest-leverage focus early on. If players don’t practice navigating out-of-system scenarios, they’ll struggle to handle the majority of real-game situations effectively.
At the end of the day, you know your team better than anyone. You understand their strengths and areas for growth. Identifying the highest-leverage skills means evaluating what your players are likely to experience in games and combining that with the core fundamentals needed to play the game at a level that aligns with the team’s capabilities. Nail those priorities, and it’s only up from there!
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