Winning Ways of Women Coaches

We’ve entered a new era of women in coaching. Women coaches across the globe have triumphed, using their expertise, experience, and sustained success to break down barriers and establish new standards of excellence in their coaching roles.

Winning Ways of Women Coaches reflects this new era. Some of the most exceptional women coaches in the world have contributed to this groundbreaking book, each examining a different coaching topic from her unique viewpoint. Representing 15 different sports—including professional football and baseball—and earning more than 50 national championships and dozens of world and Olympic titles, these coaching pioneers provide the acumen and inspiration to succeed in the coaching profession:

• Lonni Alameda
• Rachel Balkovec
• Becky Burleigh
• Denise Corlett
• Melody Davidson
• Kelly Inouye-Perez
• Roselee Jencke
• Valorie Kondos Field
• Melissa Luellen
• Teri McKeever
• Missy Meharg
• Felecia Mulkey
• Carla Nicholls
• Carol Owens
• Carolyn Peck
• Ellen Randell
• Nancy Stevens
• Tara VanDerveer
• Amber Warners
• Jen Welter

Edited by volleyball coaching legend Cecile Reynaud, PhD, the book equips current and aspiring women coaches with innovative strategies and real-world insights to address common coaching challenges, build and maintain successful sport programs, foster player engagement and growth, and further their coaching careers. In addition, contributing coaches weave a common thread throughout the chapters by discussing the importance of building team chemistry and their own approaches to fostering a team culture.

Whether you’re searching for proven coaching techniques, creative new approaches, or sage troubleshooting advice, Winning Ways of Women Coaches will prove to be your most valuable resource. After reading this book, you’ll discover that it’s your ability to instruct, develop, and care for your athletes—not just your knowledge of Xs and Os—that will propel your career and separate you from the rest.

Showcasing women coaches who have reached the top of their profession and embodying the idea of “If she can see it, she can be it,” Winning Ways of Women Coaches will reinvigorate current coaches and inspire would-be coaches to make the leap into coaching.

Audience

Aspiring and current women sport coaches.

Part I. Coaching Career Path and Considerations
Chapter 1. Checking Your Coaching Competencies
Valorie Kondos Field
Chapter 2. Getting a Coaching Position, Growing as a Coach
Rachel Balkovec
Chapter 3. Changing Coaching Roles, Advancing Your Career
Carol Owens
Chapter 4. Thriving as an Assistant Coach
Denise Corlett
Chapter 5. Coaching and Raising a Family
Ellen Randell
Chapter 6. Managing Yourself
Roselee Jencke

Part II. Program Development and Management
Chapter 7. Working With Administrators
Melissa Luellen
Chapter 8. Building and Sustaining a Winning Program
Amber Warners
Chapter 9. Establishing a High-Performance Culture
Carla Nicholls
Chapter 10. Developing and Implementing a Strategy
Melody Davidson
Chapter 11. Recruiting, Organizing, and Mentoring a Staff
Tara VanDerveer
Chapter 12. Planning, Scheduling, and Delegating
Felecia Mulkey
Chapter 13. Selling Your Program
Carolyn Peck

Part III. Athlete Engagement and Growth
Chapter 14. Recruiting Athletes to Your Program
Missy Meharg
Chapter 15. Defining and Adjusting Athletes’ Roles
Kelly Inouye-Perez
Chapter 16. Leading Effectively and Coaching People Up
Jen Welter
Chapter 17. Taking an Athlete-Centered Approach
Nancy Stevens
Chapter 18. Strengthening Coach–Athlete Relationships
Teri McKeever
Chapter 19. Growing Athletes Holistically
Becky Burleigh
Chapter 20. Keeping It Fun While Instilling the Values
Lonni Alameda

Cecile Reynaud, PhD, was the head coach of the Florida State University (FSU) volleyball team from 1976 until her retirement in 2001, compiling an impressive 635 wins and seven conference championships in her 26 years at the helm. She was twice named Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year (1992, 2000) and has been inducted into the halls of fame of numerous sport organizations, including the FSU Athletic Hall of Fame (2009), the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Hall of Fame (2017), and the USA Volleyball (USAV) Hall of Fame (2020). In 2016, she received the Harold T. Friermood “Frier” Award, the highest award given by USAV.

Her career spanned international competition as well. She served as an assistant coach for the World University Games (1983) and went on to coach the U.S. Junior National Team (1985). Reynaud held the positions of deputy competition manager for the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta and competition secretary for the Goodwill Games. In 2012, she served as the team leader for the USA Women’s Sitting Volleyball National Team at the Paralympic Games. In 2013, she was the team leader and assistant coach for the U.S. Women’s National Team for the FIVB World Grand Prix, and in 2014 she served as the team leader for the Men’s U.S. Volleyball Team at the U21 World Championship in Mexico.

In a leadership capacity, Reynaud has served on the boards of directors of USAV and AVCA and is a past AVCA president and USAV chair. She has also served on the Performance Enhancement Team for the USA Volleyball Sitting Volleyball National Team and the Commission on Youth Athlete Safety for USA Volleyball. She has served on the boards of directors for the Side-Out Foundation, the FSU Varsity Club, and her local sexual and domestic violence organization. In addition, Reynaud served as board president of WeCOACH, the premier membership organization dedicated to the recruitment, advancement, and retention of women coaches of all sports and levels.

After her coaching career, Reynaud was a research associate professor at FSU, where she taught graduate and undergraduate classes in the sport management department until her retirement in 2015. She serves as color analyst for collegiate volleyball matches on various television networks and has authored several books, including The Volleyball Coaching Bible (Volumes I and II), 101 Winning Volleyball Drills, Coaching Volleyball Technical and Tactical Skills, and She Can Coach! as well as numerous volleyball DVDs.

Building a coaching philosophy
Coaching and reinforcing team culture
Determining roles on a team for maximum impact
How do you get an assistant coaching position?
Stressors in Coaching