The Best Online Volleyball Coaching Resources — Courses, Tools, and Communities

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If you've just taken on a team, or you've been coaching for a while and want to get more systematic about it, the number of "resources" out there can feel overwhelming. Most of it is generic sports content that doesn't speak to volleyball specifically, or it's geared toward elite-level coaches working with Division I programs.

This page is for everyone else: the new volunteer coach who said yes before they knew what they were getting into, the middle school coach who wants to actually teach the game, the club coach who's been winging it and wants a more structured approach.

Online Coaching Courses

Structured video courses are the fastest way to go from "I know the basics" to "I know why the basics work." The options below are volleyball-specific, which matters more than it sounds.

VolleyCountry

VolleyCountry offers online video courses taught by professional coaches. The catalog covers a range of topics — skill-specific technique, position training, tactical concepts, and training methodology — with options for different skill levels.

What makes it practical for the coaches this site is built for: the courses are built around video instruction you can watch and rewatch on your own schedule. There's no live session to attend and no cohort to keep up with.

The 30% commission rate I earn on VolleyCountry course sales is the highest in the volleyball affiliate space, which means I'm not going to pretend I have no financial interest in recommending it. That said, it's a genuine recommendation — it's the platform I'd point coaches past their first season to when they want structured development in video form. If you're brand new, Get The Pancake (covered below) is the better starting point.

VolleyCountry online volleyball courses — https://volleycountry.com/?ref=coachvb

Beach Volleyball Training Programs

Beach volleyball coaching is a distinct discipline. The skills overlap with indoor — passing, setting, serving — but the footwork, spacing, defensive strategy, and communication are different enough that generic indoor coaching content doesn't fully transfer.

Better at Beach

Better at Beach offers online training programs and memberships built specifically for beach volleyball. The programs cover individual skill development and team-level tactics, with both one-time purchase options and recurring membership tiers.

The recurring membership model is worth understanding before you sign up. A one-time program gives you a defined course with a fixed endpoint. A membership gives you ongoing access to new content as it's added.

Better at Beach also runs in-person camps and clinics, which are separate from the online programs and operate on a different commission structure for me as an affiliate — 20% on online programs, 5% on in-person events.

Better at Beach training programs — https://www.betteratbeach.com/?ref=coachvb

Coaching Books

Books are slow compared to video courses, but they're often more useful for building the mental model underneath the drills. The volleyball-specific coaching library is thin compared to other sports. Most of what's published is either outdated, written for high-level competitive programs, or so general it applies to any sport.

Whitney Bartiuk — Coaching Volleyball: A Survival Guide For Your First Season

Whitney Bartiuk coaches at the high school and club level and writes from that practical vantage point. This book is aimed squarely at new coaches — people who've just been handed a team and need to know what to do in the first eight weeks.

It covers what first-season coaches actually need: how to run a practice, how to explain basic positions, how to manage a team dynamic when your players are teenagers and your authority isn't fully established yet.

Coaching Volleyball: A Survival Guide For Your First Season on Amazon — https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C9XLPQR5?tag=coachvb-20

Coaching Packets and Printable Tools

Printable coaching tools are underrated. A well-designed tryout evaluation form or a pre-built practice plan template doesn't sound like much — but when you're standing in a gym with 24 kids and no system, it matters.

Get The Pancake (Whitney Bartiuk)

Get The Pancake is Whitney Bartiuk's coaching resource platform. She sells individual coaching packets — structured documents and templates built for specific coaching situations — priced between $19 and $50.

The catalog includes things like tryout evaluation forms, practice planning templates, and session guides for specific skill areas. These aren't generic sports coaching templates reskinned for volleyball. They're built by someone who actually coaches volleyball teams.

A few examples worth knowing about: The Volleyball Coach Essentials Packet ($34.99) includes tryout and evaluation forms, a coaching philosophy template, and other administrative documents coaches need at the start of a season. Skill-specific practice packets are designed to be usable in a single practice block.

Get The Pancake doesn't currently have a public affiliate program, so I'm not earning a commission when you buy through that link. I mention it because it genuinely fits what this site is for.

Get The Pancake — https://getthepancake.com

The New Volleyball Coach Starter Kit

If you're brand new and want a free starting point before buying anything, the Coach Volleyball Starter Kit on this site includes a practice plan template, rules cheat sheet, and equipment checklist — all in a single PDF. It's free with an email signup and designed for coaches in their first season.

Coaching Communities and Podcasts

Coaching in isolation is a slower way to improve than coaching with other coaches around you.

Get The Pancake Podcast

Whitney Bartiuk also runs a podcast through the Get The Pancake platform. The content is volleyball-coaching specific — episodes cover coaching philosophy, technical topics, and interviews with other coaches. It's a practical listen rather than a motivational one.

Search "Get The Pancake" on any podcast platform to find it.

Volleyball Coaching Facebook Groups

Two groups worth knowing about:

• Volleyball Coaches and Trainers — one of the larger general volleyball coaching groups. Mix of recreational and competitive coaches, a range of experience levels.

• Volleyball Coaches (NFHS and club) — more specifically focused on high school and club coaching contexts.

The Art of Coaching Volleyball

The Art of Coaching Volleyball is a content platform that publishes coaching resources — video content, drills, tactics, and coaching methodology articles — aimed primarily at high school and club coaches. It doesn't have a public affiliate program, so I have no financial interest in mentioning it.

Certification Paths

USA Volleyball — CAP (Coaching Accreditation Program)

USA Volleyball offers the CAP program, which is the most widely recognized volleyball-specific coaching certification in the United States.

• CAP Level I (Foundations of Coaching Volleyball) is the entry point. It covers basic volleyball skills, practice planning, and introductory coaching methodology.

• CAP Level II builds on Level I and is designed for coaches working with more competitive players.

• CAP Level III is aimed at coaches working at the high-performance or collegiate level.

IMPACT (Informed Motivational Positivity in Coaching Today)

IMPACT is a certification offered through USA Volleyball, focused on the relational and educational side of coaching rather than technical skill. Some club programs and recreational leagues require IMPACT certification for coaches. IMPACT is available online through USA Volleyball's education portal.

AVCA (American Volleyball Coaches Association)

AVCA offers professional development resources and education programs for volleyball coaches, primarily aimed at coaches working at the high school and collegiate levels. AVCA certification and membership are more relevant to coaches building a career in volleyball coaching.

Free Resources Worth Bookmarking

USA Volleyball's Online Education Portal

USA Volleyball offers a set of free educational modules through their online portal. These include basic rules education, introductory coaching concepts, and officiating training. The courses are available at usavolleyball.org.

Get The Pancake Free Drill Library

Whitney Bartiuk's site includes a free drill library alongside her paid packets. The drills are organized by skill and include setup instructions and coaching cues. Visit Get The Pancake to browse it.

Get The Pancake Free Drill Library — https://getthepancake.com

YouTube

YouTube is inconsistent as a coaching resource, but a few channels publish volleyball-specific coaching content worth knowing about. For a more structured curriculum, a paid course is a more reliable path.

How to Use This Page

• If you're in your first season and need to get through practices without things falling apart: the Whitney Bartiuk survival guide book and the free Coach Volleyball Starter Kit are the starting points.

• If you want structured video-based coaching education: VolleyCountry is the most directly relevant paid option for coaches at the recreational and developing competitive level.

• If you coach beach volleyball: Better at Beach is the specific resource for that context.

• If you want coaching packets and tools rather than a course: Get The Pancake covers that.

• If you want a formal credential: Start with USA Volleyball's IMPACT certification if your program requires it, or CAP Level I if you want a volleyball-specific technical credential.