Carlee Smith
How long have you been coaching volleyball, and what inspired you to get started?
This would be my first season coaching a volleyball team. What inspired me to get started is that I played volleyball for most of my life, and to this day is still one of my favorite sports to watch and interact with. I also have people in my life who have coached in the past and always talked about how much they loved and enjoyed doing it.
What do you enjoy or look forward to about coaching for Alpha?
I look forward to seeing and helping a team of players genuinely love the sport. In my opinion, ages fifteen through seventeen are the ages where you're able to figure out if this is just a sport that you're participating in for fun or if you want to grow and develop to play long-term, so I really look forward to helping players grow and supporting them.
How do you approach developing athletes both on and off the court?
I think growing mental toughness is the most important approach for developing athletes. This is one of the easiest sports to get discouraged and frustrated with which effects how you play and practice. Encouraging athletes to learn from their mistakes, rather than viewing them negatively is a huge skill to improve their game.
What can athletes and their families expect when they join your team in terms of development and growth?
Players and families can expect constant support and encouragement no matter what, and a full willingness to help develop specific skillsets that a player may be struggling with to improve their overall play-style.
What’s your favorite drill or coaching technique, and why do you love using it?
My favorite drills are any drills involving game-like defense as these were the drills that helped me personally grow the most within the sport.
What’s one piece of advice you’ve received as an athlete or coach that you still carry with you today?
A piece of advice that I'm constantly reminding myself of is to use every available opportunity to show how great you can be. No matter if you're playing in a game or practicing, you should always give 100% effort and show what you can bring to a team.