u/kmiller2403

Hi everyone! I’m a first-year high school assistant volleyball coach, and I’m looking for some advice from coaches who have been doing this longer than I have. (I’m 22 F)
A little background on me: I played volleyball all four years of high school, primarily as a middle. Because of that, my playing experience was pretty limited to that position. I was never really allowed to go into the back row, so I didn’t get much experience with serving, serve receive, or back-row defense as a player.
I’ve also attended college pursuing a degree in physical education with a minor focused on coaching. I’ve always been interested in working with athletes and eventually getting into coaching, so I’m really excited to finally have the opportunity to be on the other side of things.
The team I’m joining also had a pretty rough season last year, finishing 4-34. So I know I’m coming into a program that has some rebuilding to do, and I want to be realistic about that. I’m not expecting an overnight turnaround or thinking I’m going to walk in and fix everything.
At the same time, I’m realizing that there are some gaps in my volleyball knowledge because of how I played. I understand the game and have the experience of being an athlete, but knowing how to play one position and knowing how to coach an entire team are two very different things.
I’m coming into this knowing that I have a lot to learn. I don’t want to pretend I know something when I don’t, and I want to be the kind of assistant who actually makes the head coach’s job easier and contributes positively to the athletes.
For those of you who have coached high school volleyball—especially anyone who started out as an assistant—what do you wish someone had told you your first season?
I’d especially love advice on:
What should an assistant coach focus on during practices and games?
How involved should I be versus letting the head coach lead?
How do you build relationships with players while still maintaining authority and professionalism?
How did you improve your knowledge of positions/skills you didn’t personally play?
What are some common mistakes new coaches make?
What should I be paying attention to during practices that I might not think about yet?
How do you approach coaching a team that is coming off a difficult season?
What are some realistic ways to help rebuild confidence and team culture?
Are there any resources, books, clinics, YouTube channels, etc. that helped you become a better volleyball coach?
I’m not looking for anyone to tell me I’m unqualified or that I need to know everything before stepping into a gym. I’m genuinely looking for the “I wish I knew this when I was a first-year coach” advice.
I’m excited about the opportunity and really want to learn as much as I can. I’d appreciate any advice, experiences, or lessons learned—especially from coaches who remember what it was like to be brand new. 🏐

10/10/26 Bride Here 👋🤎
I have 4 total bridesmaids, one being my MOH. Three of them already have their dresses, but one still doesn’t, and I’m starting to freak out a little. 😅
I told all of my girls that I wanted them in dark green, but they could choose whatever style, cut, and fit they wanted so they could find something they felt comfortable and confident in. The only thing is, this bridesmaid refuses to order her dress online.
I’ve asked her several times when she plans on finding her dress, and I’ve even told her that if money is the issue, I’d much rather her just be honest with me and step down so I have enough time to find someone else to take her place. I don’t want her to feel pressured or embarrassed if she genuinely can’t afford it.
We’ve also gone shopping together once, and pretty much every dress she tried on had something she didn’t like or had a complaint about. I absolutely want her to feel comfortable in what she wears, but at the same time, we’re getting close enough to the wedding that I really need her to have a dress ASAP.
The complicated part is that I honestly have mixed feelings about her being in the wedding party at this point. She was an old coworker who I was really close with when I got engaged, but we don’t really talk much anymore. I don’t have many close female friends, so part of me still wants her there because I originally chose her for a reason. But another part of me is wondering if I’m only keeping her in the bridal party because I don’t want the added stress of finding someone else.
I’m not trying to be a difficult bride, and I genuinely want everyone to feel good about what they’re wearing. But I also feel like I’ve given her a lot of flexibility and enough time to figure this out.
What would you do? Would you give her a firm deadline to have a dress purchased/ordered, or would you consider asking her to step down? And if you did ask her to step down, would you actually replace her or just have 3 bridesmaids? 😅
I’d really appreciate some honest feedback because I feel like I’m too close to the situation to know if I’m overreacting. 🤎

10/10/26 Bride Here 👋🤎
I have 4 total bridesmaids, one being my MOH. Three of them already have their dresses, but one still doesn’t, and I’m starting to freak out a little. 😅
I told all of my girls that I wanted them in dark green, but they could choose whatever style, cut, and fit they wanted so they could find something they felt comfortable and confident in. The only thing is, this bridesmaid refuses to order her dress online.
I’ve asked her several times when she plans on finding her dress, and I’ve even told her that if money is the issue, I’d much rather her just be honest with me and step down so I have enough time to find someone else to take her place. I don’t want her to feel pressured or embarrassed if she genuinely can’t afford it.
We’ve also gone shopping together once, and pretty much every dress she tried on had something she didn’t like or had a complaint about. I absolutely want her to feel comfortable in what she wears, but at the same time, we’re getting close enough to the wedding that I really need her to have a dress ASAP.
The complicated part is that I honestly have mixed feelings about her being in the wedding party at this point. She was an old coworker who I was really close with when I got engaged, but we don’t really talk much anymore. I don’t have many close female friends, so part of me still wants her there because I originally chose her for a reason. But another part of me is wondering if I’m only keeping her in the bridal party because I don’t want the added stress of finding someone else.
I’m not trying to be a difficult bride, and I genuinely want everyone to feel good about what they’re wearing. But I also feel like I’ve given her a lot of flexibility and enough time to figure this out.
What would you do? Would you give her a firm deadline to have a dress purchased/ordered, or would you consider asking her to step down? And if you did ask her to step down, would you actually replace her or just have 3 bridesmaids? 😅
I’d really appreciate some honest feedback because I feel like I’m too close to the situation to know if I’m overreacting. 🤎