Kristen Marshall

How long have you been coaching volleyball, and what inspired you to get started?

I have been coaching volleyball for 13 years. I was inspired to start coaching by my love of the game and my passion to be a positive motivating influence in kids lives.

What do you enjoy or look forward to about coaching for Alpha?

Building positive relationships and fostering a love of volleyball and teamwork.

How do you approach developing athletes both on and off the court?

I feel building trust and mutual respect are important in developing young athletes on and off the court.

What can athletes and their families expect when they join your team in terms of development and growth?

I’ve noticed many young athletes struggle with recovering from mistakes and playing with confidence. I feel it’s important to develop these skills as well as their technical volleyball skills. I hope athletes and families will see growth in their mental toughness and confidence in addition to growth in their technical skills.

What’s your favorite drill or coaching technique, and why do you love using it?

Us vs Us where three players play both sides of the net. It encourages communication, develops court awareness, improves cardio and passing ability and the kids all love it!

What’s one piece of advice you’ve received as an athlete or coach that you still carry with you today?

Everyone makes mistakes, it’s what you do afterwards that counts. Correct what you can and move on. Don’t let one bad play snowball into a bad game.