Tuesday night at South Lake Leisure Centre provided an unforgettable evening of learning and inspiration for the NI Volleyball coaching community.
Over 20 coaches from across Northern Ireland gathered for an exclusive masterclass with Alan Knipe, Head Coach of Long Beach State University and inductee into the USA Volleyball Hall of Fame. Knipe, who led Long Beach to multiple NCAA Championships and has coached at the highest international level, brought a wealth of experience and elite insight to the session.
Throughout the evening, Coach Knipe shared his philosophy on team culture, skill development, and building sustainable success. His session included real-world examples from both collegiate and international volleyball, offering coaches a rare window into high-performance systems that have produced Olympic-level athletes.
NI Volleyball Performance Manager Callum Grieve praised the impact of the session:
“To have someone of Alan’s calibre speak directly to our coaches is an incredible opportunity. His ability to make elite concepts accessible, while still challenging our thinking, made it an invaluable evening for our coaching community.”
The interactive session concluded with a lively Q&A, where local coaches explored topics ranging from youth development to managing player load in multi-sport environments. Attendees left energised, motivated, and equipped with new ideas to apply within their own clubs and programmes.
This event forms part of NI Volleyball’s ongoing commitment to coach development and international learning exchanges, ensuring that Northern Irish volleyball remains connected to global best practices.