Practice videos

89. Milan Zarkovic: Just focus on developing your players.

What is happening in the training gyms around the world? Today we have Milan Zarkovic covering his volleyball fundamentals.

🔍 Intro

We've already featured 18 practice video articles with pro and college coaches, and today it's time for our 19th Practice session article here on volleybrains.com.

At VolleyBrains, we bring you inside practice gyms worldwide to see how top coaches develop their teams.

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Navigate to our practice videos page for an overview of all the featured practice videos. Be sure to leverage this unique resource.

👊 The coach who's guiding us today

In this practice video session, we feature Milan Zarkovic, the associate head coach of the Hawaii's men's volleyball team.

Since joining the team's coaching staff in 2014, Coach Zarkovic has played a pivotal role in the program's success, leading the Rainbow Warriors to the 2021 and 2022 NCAA Tournament Championship and multiple Big West Championships.

Be a happy coach!

Milan's coaching prowess was recognized nationally when he was named the AVCA Assistant Coach of the Year in both 2020 and 2023. These accolades reflect his exceptional ability to develop competitive teams and his significant impact on the sport at Mānoa.

Prior to his role in Hawaii, coach Zarkovic served as the head coach of the Serbian Junior National Team, achieving notable success with bronze medals at both the European Junior Championships and the World Junior Championships. His national team experiences also include a tenure as head coach of the Belarus Senior National Team.

⚡ What's inside the practice video?

This 34-minute video is unique because it's packed with drills that cover basic volleyball skills, emphasizing how to manage space and keep the whole team active and engaged.

Coach Milan’s enthusiasm for volleyball and his coaching style really shine through. Because this video moves (very, very) quickly, you might find yourself rewinding to catch all the drills and techniques shown.

This session is great for anyone looking to understand coach Milan's volleyball background. You'll surely pick up a lot from this insanely, passionate professional.

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Again, this is going to be fast-paced, so be ready. Just a heads-up, the quality is going to have that nostalgic VHS vibe. So, if it gets a bit fuzzy, pretend you're back in the 90s. ;-)

Inside of the videos Coach Zarkovic will go into detail on:

Start with simple moves and progress to complex patterns. Begin with fewer players before adding more.
Adapt exercises for all age groups by adjusting difficulty levels.
Everyone should learn all skills - no specializing early. All players need to set, defend and cover.
Clear communication is key between players on the court.
The right court positioning helps players know their responsibilities automatically.
and so much more

Enjoy!

📕 Extra resources

Coach Zarkovic published two books. They are filled with practical drills and tips that are easy to understand and apply. Go and give them a look over here.