Coach Clay Swindle
United States Association of Volleyball
Certified Coach – Level 2
“The key is not the will to win… everybody has that. It is the will to prepare to win that is important.”
Volleyball has been a part of my life for 10 years now. I started dating my wife, Brandi, in 2008. She was the ripe age of 15 and played school and club ball. From high school matches against local rivalries, to traveling all over the US watching her play club, I gained a love for the game. Fast forward to today and her and I eat, sleep and breathe volleyball, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. I am currently the head coach of the 7th grade team at Collierville middle school. I am a USAV member and CAP II certified. I look forward to a long career as a coach and mentor to young ladies. My goal is to help each athlete grow as much as possible. My specific passion within club ball is helping athletes play at the next level. I oversee the recruiting efforts for DLV and communicate with colleges to help find good fits for our girls and schools based on academic interest and skill level.
The top three priorities in my life are:
1. Faith
2. People
3. Coaching volleyball
The top three coaching priorities are:
1. Player growth
2. Winning (it’s FUN!)
3. Team cohesiveness
The principles that I always stress are:
• Be the best player for your team
• Never say NO
• Learn something every day
I will never compromise on:
• Being open and honest
• Respect for coach, teammates, and the game
• Punctuality
I expect the following from my players:
• 100% mental and physical effort
• Self-motivated
• Accountability
If you want to play for me, expect the following:
• Direct, consistent coaching
• Constant change
• To be pushed. Hard.
Coaches I would like to emulate:
• Pat Summitt
• Herb Brooks
• John Wooden
The athletes I would like my players to emulate:
• Peyton Manning
• Kerri Walsh-Jennings
• Karch Kiraly