I Think We’re Good Here: Volleyball Podcast

#39 - Jonathan Winder

Our next guest is current Fresno State Head Women's Volleyball Coach Jonathan Winder. Winder is a 4x All American, AVCA Player of the Year and National Champion. On this episode we discuss Winder's upbringing as a multi-sport athlete, how Balboa Bay was the beginning of a legacy that he would constantly try to uphold. Why he chose to go to Pepperdine and not pursue his love for basketball. His joy for teaching in all walks of life not solely on the court and why that ultimately allowed him to walk away from the game in peace. His evolution as a coach from assistant to head coach and what he feels are essential for both position and much more. We also discuss self-confidence and assurance for a lot of the podcast. Where Winder's derives from and how he's maintained it over his life time. If it's something you struggle with or feel is something you could improve on I urge you to listen to this podcast. Enjoy!

#38 - Carli Snyder

We’re back in action with our first guest Professional Player Carli Snyder after a brief hiatus. Carli takes us through her club and recruiting experience. How much the club game has changed and why she believe’s so many recruits transfer after one year. She discusses her time playing for Mary Wise at UF and the track she took to becoming a multiple time all American. She also talks about how the players do evaluations on one another and what that brings to the table. Enjoy!

#36 - Taylor Averill: Workin' Out

Our guest today is All Time Great Rainbow Warrior Taylor Averill. Taylor is a current USA national team member and 2x All-American. Taylor has also played professionally in France and Italy. Taylor took sometime a way from "workin' out" to chat about his process in becoming the best volleyball player/person he can be. He talks about his turbulent path from being an average athlete, a position-less volleyball player, to being kicked off of two different college programs. He was met with a tough decision, get your act together or go play in Canada. He found MAR Training a revolutionary way of strengthening the body that many of Hawaii's great volleyball athletes use and the guidance of Milan Zarkovic on the volleyball court. Taylor began investing his time to becoming the best version of himself on and off the court. He went from being kicked out of programs to an All-American. This is just a brief glimpse into the many topics we discuss on this podcast. It's an amazing message to everyone in all walks of life. If you invest in yourself anything can happen. Enjoy!

#35 - Carli Lloyd: Communication

Our guest today is All Time Great California Bear Carli Lloyd. Carli is an Olympic Bronze Medalist, Italian League, Italian Cup, Champions League, and CEV Cup Champion, as well as a former AVCA Player of the Year. On this episode Carli talks about her path into the volleyball world. A majority of this podcast is discussing how to bring out the potential in your teammates regardless of skill level. Our conversation leads into how a team buys into the process, how individually you buy in, how to build relationships, bonds, and much more. 

#34 - Marv Dunphy: G.O.A.T

The Man, The Myth, The Legend, Marv Dunphy joins us to discuss his journey in volleyball. A Gold Medalist, World Champion, World Cup winner, 4x NCAA Champ. Marv takes us through the ride of lifetime with great stories, a new vantage point, and a great message. If you want to get right to where he starts presenting start in the story skip to minute 28:00. We hope you enjoy there is so much in this podcast: stories about John Wooden, Harlan Cohen, Karch Kiraly, Stork, and many more. 

#33 - Salima Rockwell: Offensive Guru

Todays guest is All Time Great Nittany Lion Salima Rockwell. Salima starts us off with her upbringings in Pittsburg and wanting to follow her brothers footsteps into becoming a volleyball athlete. Her journey with Russ Rose and the process to becoming at 3 time All American and National Team Member. A majority of the podcast we discuss her philosophies on the setter position and how different the elite setters she's coached have been over time. We touch on how the offensives have differed at certain schools based on personnel and ideology, setter personalities, the decision making process and much more! Enjoy!

#32 - Mary Wise: Way Back When

Our guest today needs no introduction she is the Head Coach of the Florida Gators Mary Wise. She’s one of the winningest coaches of all time in female sports, she’s a tremendous advocate for the growth of the game and what an amazing person. We discuss everything from her start in the game, to her unique path from head coach at Iowa State to graduate assistant at Kentucky, into becoming the tenured head coach at Florida. Its full of great stories about how the game has evolved and what it has in store for future generations. Enjoy!

#31 - Lee Nelson: The Greatest Run in Sports History

Todays episode stars current Head Coach at the University of Nevada-Reno, Lee Nelson. Lee takes us through his time as a player at UCSB and the heartbreaking 5 set loss in the National Championship they suffered. The eclectic group of leadership that team had and how he seen those same personalities on other powerhouse teams he has been on staff for. We go into depth about being a part of what Karch Kiraly calls, “the greatest run in sports history”. We discuss how the 2011 UCSB came to fruition and turned the tables to make it into the national championship game after being the #7 seed in the MPSF playoffs. How his time at Miami has shape his ideologies as a coach and now his most recent years as Head Coach at UNR. Check it out!

#30 - Lauren Carlini: Christmas Special

Todays episode stars current USA national team setter Lauren Carlini. Lauren takes us through her rise to Wisconsin Volleyball fame detailing her many experiences starting at the ripe age of 6 years old at Sports Performance. The militant fashion in which she learned how to play volleyball. Getting cut from her 14’s team and learning that just because she was good didn’t mean should could act like a diva. Her early decision to be apart of the Badger volleyball family. The connection she had with Coach Kelly Sheffield and the band of athletes at Wisconsin. The  program’s immediate transformation into a National Championship contender. Playing on some of the best teams in the world with some of the best players in the world especially opposites and much more. Of course about setting, culture, her standards, how she gets through difficult moments, and exploring new ways of thinking and learning. Enjoy!

#29 - Kasey Crider: AP Ecological Dynamics - A Different Way to Coach

Todays episode stars University of Miami associate head coach Kasey Crider. Kasey is a 2x All American and 2x All MPSF Selection. He also played 1 year in Denmark where he won the Nordic Cup and Danish Pokal Cup, while also winning Danish Superliga Player of the Year. On this episode we discuss Kasey’s playing career starting as a terrible basketball player and quickly developing into a top recruit for Men’s Volleyball. His time at Pepperdine under Marv, playing with Paul Carroll, how his mentality about the game has always revolved around a coaches eye. His time with our team in 2013 as a volunteer assistant at Pepperdine, surviving in Palo Alto on a volunteer assistants salary…… his move to Miami and most importantly the beginnings of his studies into Ecological Dynamic. Kasey is now the resident expert on ecological dynamics for our podcast as he will begin his doctorate in the subject if COVID allows for it. Enjoy!