Coach Chijo Podcast

Coach Chijo
  • 5.0 (6)
  • Volleyball

Real conversations about coaching, volleyball, mindset and leadership

  1. 6d ago

    The Playing Time Problem | Coach Blase | Ep. 17

    Playing time. Few topics create more tension between coaches, players, and parents. In this episode, Coach Blase and I tackle one of the most difficult questions in youth volleyball: What does fair playing time actually mean? Coach Blase shares the story of a parent who used a stopwatch to compare her daughter's time on the court with another player's and even counted how many times each athlete touched the ball. That leads us into a much bigger conversation about equal vs. fair, winning vs. development, and how much control coaches actually have over an athlete's opportunities during a match. I also share one of my own experiences coaching 12U. I gave a middle blocker an opportunity to stay in and play back row. The player enjoyed the opportunity, but her parents had a very different reaction. We discuss why coaches sometimes play developing athletes even when it could hurt the team's chances of winning, why some positions naturally get more touches, and whether changes like unlimited substitutions would actually solve the playing time problem. This is Part 1 of my conversation with Coach Blase. Next week, we'll finish the playing time discussion and talk about how coaches can reduce drama on their teams. Keep learning. Keep growing. And remember, let's play volleyball because it's fun. Just GO!

  2. Sep 1

    He Played for Iran, Now He’s Training His Daughter to Play in Italy | Coach Mehdi | Ep. 16

    Coach Mehdi played volleyball for 25 years in Iran, including years in the Iranian national-team system. Now he's coaching in the United States and passing everything he learned on to the next generation, including his own daughter, Asal. In this episode of the Coach Chijo Podcast, Mehdi takes us inside the life of an elite volleyball player. He talks about training three hours in the morning and three hours in the afternoon, living in national-team camps, playing professionally, traveling internationally, and spending long stretches away from his family. Asal joins the conversation and gives us the player's perspective on having a former national-team player as her dad and coach. She's a 14-year-old outside hitter with a big goal: someday playing professionally in Italy. She talks about training with her dad outside of regular team practices, being a leader on her team, staying positive after mistakes, and how much work she's willing to put in to chase her dream. We also get into volleyball culture in Iran, Mehdi's career as a 6'7" left-handed opposite, playing against Japan, professional volleyball around the world, and his philosophy about setting big goals. Mehdi knows firsthand that reaching the top takes an enormous amount of work. Now he's trying to teach that lesson to his own kids. Watch the Coach Chijo Podcast on YouTube or listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite podcast app.

  3. Aug 25

    How a First-Year High School Coach Changed the Culture | Coach Humble | Ep. 15

    What can an experienced coach learn from someone in their first year coaching high school volleyball? Quite a lot. Coach Chijo met Coach Cameron Humble at the Texas High School Coaches Association Convention in Houston. After learning that she had just completed her first season as the head volleyball coach at Orangefield High School, he wanted to know how she approached the job. Coach Humble shares how she worked to change the culture of her program by giving players ownership, expecting upperclassmen to lead, creating competition in the gym, challenging her team against bigger schools, and building an environment where players support one another. The results included an outright district championship, but this conversation goes well beyond wins and losses. Coach Humble also talks about getting comfortable being uncomfortable, continually learning as a coach, developing confidence in the weight room, and the coaches who helped shape her philosophy. After 33 years of coaching, Coach Chijo finds himself hearing lessons he wishes he'd understood in his own first year. A conversation about culture, growth, leadership, and never thinking you know it all.

  4. Aug 18

    Stella Asks: What Should I Know Before High School Volleyball? | Coach Vicky & Riley | Ep. 14

    Stella is heading into her freshman year and has a lot of questions about what high school volleyball is really going to be like. So she asks Coach Vicky and Riley. How do you handle walking into a gym with older players? How confident should a freshman be? What should you do at tryouts? What happens if you don't make the team you wanted? And how do you show coaches that you're coachable? Coach Vicky and Riley give Stella advice from their own experiences, including why communication matters, how to respond to coaching, why you should work with different players at tryouts, and how to earn your spot without being intimidated by juniors and seniors. They also give Stella three things to remember when she walks into her first high school tryout: show up early, communicate and keep moving, and be coachable. It's a conversation for Stella, but it's advice every player heading into high school volleyball can use. The Coach Chijo Podcast features real conversations about volleyball, coaching, growth, and the journey behind it all.

  5. Aug 11

    What Volleyball Is Really Like in China | Coach Bai Yun | Ep. 13

    What is volleyball really like in China? In this episode of the Coach Chijo Podcast, I sit down with Coach Bai Yun, a former Chinese National Team player and founder of the largest volleyball club in Beijing. With more than 3,000 athletes, 18 coaches, and 12 training locations, she shares what it's really like to develop volleyball players in China. We compare the differences between volleyball in China and the United States, discuss coaching philosophies, player development, discipline, training schedules, and why she hopes her daughter will someday play NCAA Division I volleyball. Whether you're a player, parent, or coach, you'll hear a perspective that most people outside China rarely get to experience. In this episode we discuss: • Life as a Chinese National Team player  • Building Beijing's largest volleyball club  • Why Chinese athletes train differently  • School volleyball vs. club volleyball in China  • The biggest differences between volleyball in China and the United States  • Discipline, coaching, and developing elite athletes  • Why Coach Bai Yun wants her daughter to play NCAA Division I volleyball Watch on YouTube or listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

  6. Aug 4

    Isabella Asks Coach Chijo the Questions Every Volleyball Player Wants Answered | Part 2 | Ep. 12

    What happens when Super Helper Isabella keeps asking the questions every volleyball player wishes they could ask their coach? In Part 2, Isabella dives even deeper into the coaching decisions that players think about every tournament. Coach Chijo explains exactly how he determines playing time, why attitude matters just as much as skill, and how players can earn opportunities long before match day. They also discuss handling pressure, creative coaching strategies, adapting during matches, and why practicing every situation makes better volleyball players. If you haven't listened to Part 1, start there first, then come back for the rest of the conversation. In this episode:  How Coach Chijo really decides playing time  The "playing points" philosophy  Why every player should learn every position  Creative strategies that surprise opponents  Why coaches should practice unusual situations  A simple way to deal with stress before and during matches  How communication builds better players and teams  Isabella's toughest questions... and Coach Chijo's honest answers Watch on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

  7. Jul 28

    Isabella Asks Coach Chijo the Questions Every Volleyball Player Wants Answered | Part 1 | Ep. 11

    Super Helper Isabella turns the tables and interviews Coach Chijo with the questions volleyball players have always wanted answered. From tryout tips and tournament warm-ups to choosing captains and understanding why coaches make substitutions, Coach Chijo shares honest insights from more than 30 years of coaching. This is Part 1 of a special two-part interview series. What do coaches really look for during tryouts? Why do coaches substitute players? How are team captains actually chosen? In this special episode, Isabella turns the tables and interviews Coach Chijo with the questions every volleyball player has always wanted answered. Coach Chijo shares honest coaching insights, practical tryout advice, tournament warm-up routines, leadership lessons, and explains the thought process behind coaching decisions that players don't always get to hear. In this episode you'll learn: • What coaches notice first at tryouts  • Simple ways to stand out without being the best athlete  • Mistakes that can hurt your tryout  • Tournament warm-up routines that prepare you to compete  • How Coach Chijo selects team captains  • Why coaches substitute players during matches  • How confidence and attitude influence coaching decisions This is Part 1 of a two-part interview with Isabella. Part 2 releases next Tuesday. Watch on YouTube or listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Just GO!

  8. Jul 21

    My Last 24 Hours with John Kessel Changed Everything | Ep. 10

    What happens when you spend an entire day learning from one of volleyball's greatest minds? In this solo episode, I share the biggest coaching and teaching lessons I learned after spending 24 hours with legendary volleyball educator John Kessel. Some of these ideas challenged almost everything I've believed about coaching, private lessons, drills, and player development. I found myself questioning many of the methods I've used for years. We dive into why so many players are practicing for practice instead of practicing for performance, why reading is the most important skill in volleyball, and how small changes can completely transform the way athletes learn. Whether you're a coach, player, or parent, this episode will change the way you think about volleyball training. In this episode we discuss:  Why "practice for performance" changes everything  The biggest problem with traditional hitting lines  Why reading is volleyball's most important skill  Why pass-set-hit teaches every position better  Are private lessons actually helping?  How to make every drill more game-like  False confidence in training  Coaching the person, not just the player  Three words every coach should stop using  The lessons I'll immediately be changing in my own coaching If this episode makes you rethink your own coaching, share it with another coach who loves learning.

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Real conversations about coaching, volleyball, mindset and leadership

Information

  • Creator
    Coach Chijo
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    17
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Coach Chijo Podcast
  • Show Website
    Coach Chijo Podcast

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