The 41st annual King of the Mountain Volleyball Tournament kicked off with a junior clinic directed by AVP stars Kerri Walsh Jennings, Angie Akers, Ryan Mariano, Dax Holdren, and USAV Director of Sport Development, John Kessel.
As part of the event, Walsh-Jennings, along with newly born daughter Scout, provided the group with the following words of advice:
- People ask me what my strength is and I always tell them it is my heart. I take that from my dad.
- To become a better player it is necessary to play outside your comfort zone. Be vulnerable. Play smart, but don’t be afraid to make mistakes. When you are learning you have to try hard when you are on the court, try making plays you are not great at, that is how you learn.
- Walsh indicated that her toughest opponents were the Brazilians and Chinese players. The Brazilians are very tough, aggressive, and competitive. The Chinese players are young, they’re hungry, and they don’t make mistakes.
- Learn the fundamentals. Learn the whole game. When I was young the doctor told me I was going to be 5’8″ tall. I started crying because I wanted to be as tall as my dad. As a result, I learned to set, hit, and pass the ball. I learned all aspects of the game. That made me a much better player.
- If you want to play like the best, then watch the best and learn from them. I like to watch Kobe Bryant and the way he moves. When I was a junior my idol was Misty May. I learned how to move from watching her cover the court.
- When you are playing big points where there might be a tendency to get nervous, stay positive, and focus on one thing. At first it can be easy to think about too many things. As I got better I learned to focus for awhile then turn my brain off and let my body take over.
- To become a really good player, the most important thing you should think about is footwork.
- There’s a reason you have teammates. When you play poorly, hopefully they will cover your mistakes. And when they are struggling, hopefully you can cover for them.
- Everyone likes to spike and hit the “fun” shots when they practice. It is important to practice all the shots you will hit in a match, even the ones some people think are boring. Those are the shots that win you points, games, and matches.
- When warming up and practicing, remember that every time you touch the ball, it is a chance to get better.
- Be nice to yourself on the court. Great athletes are driven and they are often hard on themselves. I was very tough on myself. I was never as tough on my friends as I was on myself. Be kind to yourself.
- Confidence comes from within. You’re the one who builds confidence in yourself.
These are great words of advice whether you are a world champion or junior learning to play the sport.