How Volleyball Metrics Helped Power Arizona State University to a Record-Setting Season
The Arizona State University Women’s Volleyball team used data to determine their optimal practice length, and it culminated in one of their best seasons in school history.
The Arizona State University women’s volleyball team is coming off an impressive season, finishing 28 – 7 overall. They started the season 14 – 0, went 9 – 1 at home, and earned a berth in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2015.
In the tournament, they shut out the University of Georgia in the first round, defeated the 4‑seed Brigham Young in the second round, and put up a strong fight against the number 1 seed Stanford in the regional semifinal.
This marked the first time in program history that the Sun Devil women’s volleyball team won two matches in the NCAA tournament.
With numerous records broken, two wins in the NCAA tournament, three All-Americans, and many other milestones, some are calling the 2023 – 24 season the best in program history.
Jake Garrity is the Assistant Sports Performance Coach for Arizona State women’s volleyball. He shed light on the crucial aspect of practice efficiency and its contribution to this record-setting season.
Coach Garrity believes in the mantra, “Practice smarter, not harder.” And after reviewing the data he collected on his team, he shifted from the traditional belief of longer practice sessions equating to better results.
Get Our Five-Step Guide to Collecting and Using Volleyball Analytics
Data Led to "Training Reassessment" at ASU
This sentiment resonates with the team’s experience, where a reassessment of training duration revealed a need for adjustment. Coach Garrity notes, “We understood the duration of practice was too long previously. And as a result, the intensity wasn’t high enough.”
He underscores the significance of quality over quantity, emphasizing the importance of understanding the physiological aspects of training load. This reflects a nuanced approach to optimizing player performance.
“Many people in training talk about Charlie Francis’ high-low model, which originated from track and field. While volleyball isn’t track and field, I explained to coach (Head Coach JJ Van Niel) that if we can align our intensities, the players will know what to expect and what is required of them each day,” Coach Garrity said.
“For instance, if we push them hard on the court, we can also push them hard in the weight room. Then, the next day, we provide more regenerative activities to help them recover. The key is to be synchronized, understanding our breakdown in terms of hours spent in each area, and planning our days to ensure we have both high-intensity and low-intensity days,” he added.
“We understood the duration of practice was too long previously. And as a result, the intensity wasn’t high enough.”
This perspective highlights the necessity for coaches to prioritize efficiency in practice routines.
Central to Coach Garrity’s philosophy is the concept of athlete well-being. He stresses the role of coaches in mitigating the risk of overtraining, which can lead to burnout and increased susceptibility to injuries.
“From fall ’22 to now, our athlete availability went up to 90% to 95%. That wasn’t the case previously,” he said. “Knowing that our (players) are healthy and performing at their highest levels at the end of the season definitely played a part in our success. We’re really fortunate that this was the case and are looking forward to continuing to build on this progress.”
By fostering an environment focused on quality training, coaches can enhance athlete availability and performance consistency.
Volleyball Analytics: Part of a Holistic Approach to Training
Moreover, Coach Garrity emphasizes the holistic approach to player preparation, highlighting factors such as sleep and nutrition. These elements are integral components of the team’s pre-match routine, ensuring that athletes are primed for peak performance when they step onto the court.
Garrity also acknowledges the role technology plays in providing valuable insights to coaches. While volleyball metrics serve as an influential tool, Coach understands its role is an informer-not a decision-maker. That’s where the coaches come in.
Volleyball metrics provide insights that make decisions easier for coaches. Coach Garrity emphasizes the significance of integrating data to enhance coaching strategies, all while being aware of each player’s unique needs. After all, the human element remains essential.
Get Insights on Volleyball Metrics and Coaching
The insights Jake Garrity shared on “The Xtra Edge” podcast highlight the evolving landscape of sports performance coaching, where the focus is shifting toward optimizing training efficiency.
He discussed how he Coach Van Niel meticulously aligned their practice schedules, resulting in the most successful season in Arizona State women’s volleyball history.
By prioritizing quality over quantity and embracing a holistic approach to athlete well-being, coaches can unlock the full potential of their players, leading to sustained success on the court. The Arizona State coaching staff may have just proven it.
If you’d like to start collecting data and using volleyball analytics, contact us at any time.
More stories
Influence of the Menstrual Cycle in Team Sports – What Sports Need Now
Professionalization also brings with it more performance, more strain, and more pressure. For female athletes, this still means an increased risk of injury. The reason: individualized training and workload management must take the hormonal cycle into account. Studies on this are accumulating, but a challenge remains.
Inside Stony Brook Athletics: The Benefits of a Multi-Sport Data Analytics Provider
Stony Brook University, renowned for its research excellence, has advanced its approach to monitoring athlete performance and ensuring player safety by leveraging KINEXON technology. We sat down with George Greene (Senior Associate Athletic Director of High Performance and Competitive Success) and his team, Vincent Cagliostro, Kevin Markle, and Emily Meyer, to discuss their efforts to optimize training and enhance sports performance insights.
Load Management in Basketball: When Does Player Tracking Become Financially Beneficial?
Player load tracking in basketball: How does data-based injury prevention, like reducing Jumper’s Knee, become financially beneficial for clubs?
GPS Data Boosts Player Performance, Motivation and Coaches' Confidence in SD Eibar Women's Club
To better manage player load, the SD Eibar’s women’s football team switched to a data-driven strategy powered by GPS. It’s a move that their physical trainer, Ismel Mazola says, led to more confident coaching decisions and motivated his players.
How Basketball Data Helps Guide Texas A&M Women's Team to Early Conference Wins
After the holidays, many teams struggle to get back on track. But not Texas A&M Women’s Basketball. Their Strength and Conditioning coach uses data and analytics to avoid a slump and start fast in conference play.
Study Reveals the Importance of an Injury Prevention Plan in European Handball
The competitive pressures and dense schedules in professional handball make injuries common among players. The results of a 6‑year study not only highlight the need for an injury prevention plan but also suggest ways coaches can develop one.
How German Handball's S&C Coach Used Data to Cut Knee Injuries by Almost 20%
Dr. Simon Overkamp, the head of strength and conditioning for the German Handball Federation, employs a data-driven strategy that not only keeps his players rested but also reduces knee injuries. And the Olympic Games play a crucial role in his approach.
Appalachian State’s Coaches Use GPS Football Technology to Manage Player Loads in Real-Time
Live GPS football data helps keep players fresh for game day. Just ask the Director of Performance for the Appalachian State Football team, Matt Greenhalgh. He shares what he thinks are some of the most critical load management metrics in the game.
Why Basketball Agility Drills Should Focus on Improving Vertical Jump Height
New research is shedding light on the importance of improving vertical jump height in basketball. Backed by data, these findings are an eye-opener for coaches because researchers say jump height can positively affect other facets of a player’s game.
How LPS Data Helps Handball Coaches Find Quality Scorers with New Insights
Researchers used LPS data and machine learning to create a new model for predicting goals in handball. It’s now helping coaches identify their quality scorers and develop better strategies. Here’s how.
Innovative Strategy Boosts Player’s 3-Point Accuracy to 60% in Conference Games
Do you have players struggling with contested 3‑point shots? Get to know a college coach with a proven method to boost shooting efficiency for high-intensity shots in as little as four weeks.
Research Exposes What Puts College Football Players at Risk for Hamstring Strains
Hamstring strains are common among male college American football players. Researchers have been investigating potential risk factors to better understand and prevent these injuries, and they believe they have identified three that all coaches should track.
Former Handball Pro Shares His Personal Must-Know Metric for Coaches
Call it inside information, but a former pro handball player, who is now a strength and conditioning coach, says one metric seems to stand out when it comes to load management in handball.
The Secret Behind The University of Arizona’s Sports Performance Training Methods
Two key figures in the data-driven revolution at the University of Arizona are Jim Krumpos and Dayannara Munoz. They say there are three critical factors that make all the difference in their data collection efforts and training style.
What Data-Driven Hockey Software and Puck Data Can Do for Coaches and Players
The power of data in ice hockey is eye-opening. Analytics are enhancing player performance, strategic decision-making, and training development. But those aren’t the only ways data-driven hockey software is reshaping the game.