Session Plan · Coach Reference
Session 1 — Cameron Parker
Wed May 20, 2026 · 6:00–7:00pm MT · Backyard court
In-Person · Quarterly Pack
⚠ Thumb sprain — no platform / no 2-hand sets / no block contact
Theme
Intake, baselines, approach mechanics. Thumb-safe.
Real-Talk Goals for This Hour
- Eyes on him. First time seeing him move. Don't over-coach. Watch his natural mechanics first.
- Get baselines. Standing reach, approach jump touch, block jump touch, vertical. Need these numbers before tryouts.
- Confirm the RS pivot. He listed MB/OH but wants JV right side at club. Confirm intent in person.
- Set expectations. 6–8 weeks to tryouts is tight. Tell him what we're attacking first and why.
- Build trust. He said "willing to learn and work hard." Make sure he leaves wanting to come back.
Time Block Plan
0:00–0:05
Greet + calibrate
5 min
Walk-through, not drills.
- How's the thumb? Pain on a 1–10? What does he NOT want to do tonight?
- Direct ask: "You listed Middle and Outside, but you said you want JV right side. Tell me about that." His answer shapes everything else.
- Walk him around the court space, point out where we'll work.
0:05–0:12
Dynamic warm-up
7 min
Get him moving, watch his coordination.
- 2× jog the long edge of the court
- High knees · butt kicks · lateral shuffles · carioca (each one length)
- 10× leg swings front-to-back, each leg
- 10× leg swings side-to-side, each leg
- 10× walking lunges with overhead reach
- 10× arm circles forward, 10 backward
- 5× cat-cow + 5× bird dogs
⚑ Watch for
Asymmetries, tight hips, ankle mobility, comfort with movement.
0:12–0:22
Baselines
10 min
Capture in his session log tonight.
- Standing reach: feet flat, dominant arm fully extended overhead. Mark highest point.
- Block jump touch: two-foot jump, two hands extended overhead. Mark highest point.
- Approach jump touch: 3-step approach, max effort, one arm reach. 3 attempts — take the best.
- Vertical = approach jump touch − standing reach. Calculate, write it down.
⚑ Skip if not warm enough
Better to capture clean numbers than half-warmed-up junk.
0:22–0:35
Approach mechanics
13 min
The meat. RS approach for a righty is different from his current MB/OH home base — attacks from zone 2, approaches diagonally in from antenna.
- 5× shadow 3-step approach (left-right-left), facing the net straight on. Watch:
- Plant foot — does the left foot land HARD and STOP, or slide forward?
- Arm swing — back-low then up, or doing something weird?
- Hand position at jump — both hands up at the top?
- 5× shadow 3-step from RS angle — start near the right antenna, approach diagonally toward zone 2. Same footwork.
- Pick one cue. Just one. Common winners:
- "Plant your left foot like you're trying to leave a mark on the court."
- "Both hands up at the top — the off arm is doing as much work as the swinging arm."
- 5 more shadow approaches with the cue.
⚑ Do NOT have him swing at a ball yet
Thumb is out, and we want to lock the footwork first anyway.
0:35–0:48
Vertical block
13 min
Thumb-safe. Builds the fastest-moving thing he has — vertical at 15.
- 5× bodyweight squats (warm-up)
- 3 sets × 5 broad jumps (rest 30s). Cue: "Reach with the toes on landing."
- 3 sets × 5 tuck jumps (rest 45s). Cue: "Knees up to chest, soft landing."
- 2 sets × 5 single-leg lateral hops each leg (rest 30s). Cue: "Stick the landing."
- 2 sets × 10 calf raises slow on the way down
⚑ Watch for
Knees caving in on landing, heel slap, asymmetry between legs. If he gases, cut a set. Form > volume.
0:48–0:55
RS positioning chalk talk
7 min
This is where his Court IQ (self-rated 4) earns its keep. Walk him through, on the court:
- Where RS lines up on serve receive in rotation 1 (roughly the others)
- Where RS defends behind the block at zone 1 vs. zone 5
- Big tactical difference for RS hitting vs. OH: setter is right next to you, you're hitting off a back set or a high outside set
- Blocking responsibility: RS blocks the opponent's outside hitter — the most consistent attacker on most teams. That's the job.
- Lefties have a natural advantage on RS, but plenty of righties play it well — he just has to commit to the angle.
No drills. Just talk and walk. End with: "Does this sound like something you want to chase?"
0:55–1:00
Cool down + next steps
5 min
- Static stretches: hip flexors (90s each), hamstrings, quads, calves, shoulders
- Tell him what's coming next session (more approach, more vertical, ball contact when thumb clears)
- Assign homework — drop into his portal feed right after
- Confirm: he/Scott can log in at zumavolley.com → Athlete Portal
- "Anything you want me to know before next time?"
What to Watch For — Capture After
Fill these into session_log.md after he leaves:
- How does he move when he doesn't think about it?
- Is the thumb sprain real-real or "I tweaked it but it's basically fine"?
- Does the RS goal hold up to a direct conversation, or is it Mom and Dad's idea?
- Coachability — does he take a cue and try it, or nod and keep doing the same thing?
- Conditioning — tank empty at 30 min, or solid through the hour?
Homework to Drop in Portal After
Open Cameron's Homework tab and add:
- 📝 Pre-Session 2 conditioning — 3 sets of 10 bodyweight squats + 10 calf raises every other night. Skip the thumb work.
- 🎥 3-Step Approach walkthrough — paste https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzOzVihhyis. Tag with tonight's cue.
- 🎥 Right side role overview — paste https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g64N4-bQcFs. Note: "Watch this and pick one pro RS to study this week."
Set "This Week's Focus" to: Approach footwork & thumb-safe baselines.
In His Own Words
"Just want to be the best player I can be. Willing to learn and work hard."
Pre-Session Checklist
Things to Flag to Scott (parent) After
- Quick text: "Great first session with Cam, he worked hard. Sending Venmo for Month 1 ($220) — let me know when received."
- Mention thumb — should it be checked out by a doctor if he hasn't already?
If Something Goes Sideways
- Thumb hurts more than he let on → cut all swinging, go heavier on footwork and conditioning. Tell him to see a doctor.
- He's clearly not interested in RS → don't force it. Switch to MB/OH focus and tell him the approach work transfers.
- He gasses early → cut the vertical block in half, add a longer cool-down conversation. Build conditioning back over weeks 2–3.
- He's way more advanced than the intake suggested → bump baselines aggressive, get him swinging into a wall or net by mid-session 2.