Mackenzie Graff

About Me

I grew up in a small town in Nebraska called St. Paul and moved around a bit before finally moving to Houston in 2019 after graduating high school in El Paso, TX! I have loved being here!

Volleyball Background

I began playing volleyball in 4th grade when I still lived in Nebraska and I fell in love with it! Even though we moved around a few times, I continued playing all the way through senior year. I began coaching at AVA through one of their amazing programs called AVAtors in 2022, and in 2023 I began coaching club as well!

Coaching Philosophy

I want to create a space where the players can come and learn the sport in a fun but production environment. I want them to be able to enjoy their time on the court, as positive energy and team chemistry is important to be successful, however I want them to know that hard work is also a necessity! If you can combine hard work and positivity, you can go far!

Practice Philosophy

I strive to make sure that every practice is focused on the skills we need to prioritize as a team. We also will focus on individual skills, but it is important to remember that volleyball is a team sport, and knowing how to play with other people on the court with you in the key! Players should work on their individual skills not just at practice, but also at home or in their free time to really reach their full potential! I want to help the players correctly learn all aspects of the game. This can include proper form, game strategies, how to play out of system, how to strengthen our weaknesses, etc. I love to have the players journal to have a better insight on what they are thinking and what they feel the team needs to work on!

Final Notes

My overall goal is to learn about my players individually and do my best to teach each one in the best way for them so that we don’t just see them grow, but they also feel it in themselves! I want my players to love the game as much as I have, and want to continue playing as they get older!