Our Mission
Laying the Foundations for a Lifelong Sport
We are inspired to impart the right fundamentals so that young athletes can enjoy the game and excel in the sport. The tempo of volleyball picks up quite quickly around the U14 and U15 age group. If athletes are equipped with the right fundamentals, they will be able to play more competitively and keep up with faster serves and stronger hits.
The Ecological-Dynamics (Eco-D) Approach
How we think about skill development — and why it matters for your athlete.
Most youth volleyball training follows a familiar pattern: demonstrate a skill, have players repeat it in a controlled setting until it looks right, then move on. The drills look clean and progress feels visible. The problem is that skills trained this way often don't transfer — because the game never looks like the drill.
Ecological-Dynamics is a motor learning framework that explains why. Skills don't live in the brain as a fixed program waiting to be executed. They emerge from the interaction between the athlete, the task, and the environment. Drill a perfect forearm pass from a predictable coach toss, and you get an athlete who passes well in that one context. Put them in a game — different angles, different speeds, a defender closing in — and the skill breaks down, because the environment they trained in didn't represent the environment they're now playing in.
"We don't design drills to make athletes look good in practice. We design them to build skills that transfer when the game gets fast."
In practice, an Eco-D approach means deliberately introducing the kind of variability, pressure, and unpredictability athletes will face in real competition. A drill that looks messier because the ball isn't coming from the same spot every time, or because there's a constraint that forces a decision, will build more durable skill than a clean, predictable rep sequence. We care less about how training looks and more about what it produces.
That said, we don't think Eco-D alone is the answer. For athletes who are newer to the sport, some direct instruction is essential — they need to understand what a correct movement pattern feels like before they can begin adapting it under pressure. Our approach is a blend: use direct instruction to establish a foundation, then shift quickly to representative, game-like practice that challenges athletes to apply skills in context. The ratio depends entirely on the athlete. A beginner needs more structure; an experienced player needs more variability and fewer scripted reps. We adjust to what each athlete actually needs — not to what makes the session look most impressive from the sideline.
Meet Your Coach
Coach Jay
Founder & Head Coach
I'm Jay, the founder and head coach of DigSetSpike Volleyball. I've been playing volleyball for more than 30 years, I've coached club teams in the Boston area, and I spend most of my coaching time with athletes who are new to the game.
I like helping motivated athletes get into the sport quickly. My coaching focuses on the right fundamentals and the core skills that help a new player become effective on a club or school team — and on making sure they enjoy the game along the way.
Credentials
- USA Volleyball IMPACT I certified
- Art of Coaching Volleyball Head Coach Level 1
- SafeSport trained
- USAV certified referee
On the Court: 30+ Years of Playing
I started playing in middle school and made my high school team as an outside hitter. In college I moved to setting — playing intramural competitions and helping guide and coach members of a recreational club — and I've been a setter ever since. These days I still compete in NERVA Yankee tournaments.
Switching from hitter to setter taught me something I now pass on to every young athlete: the position you play at 13 isn't necessarily the one you'll play at 18, so it pays to keep learning every skill.
"Play your hardest, but have fun doing it."
This is the philosophy I have as a player — I play my heart out, but I'm relaxed with my teammates and the people across the net. It's also the attitude I try to pass on to every athlete I coach.
Coaching Experience
I've coached many club teams and players, mostly in the U10–U14 age groups — often athletes who are brand new to volleyball and to the club scene. Through DigSetSpike, I've also run multiple skills clinics for new players. Being the coach who introduces the sport to so many young athletes is one of the most rewarding parts of what I do, and many of them have gone on to make regional and power teams.
Ready to get started?
Reach out and we'll help you figure out the best path for your athlete.
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