Brett
Cherry
Floater Coach
Personal
Brett feels like Volleyball has provided some of the best opportunities, lessons and people in his life. One of the biggest personal lessons being how preparation and mindful/intentional training is key to success at the higher levels both on and off the court. So much so that developing mindfulness, training ugly, while emphasizing athleticism & personal accountability/preparation has become core elements of his juniors coaching philosophy over the last decade.
“I believe showing athletes how to play/train in reality while providing opportunities in how to reduce or better work with any anxiety, or limiting internal scripting helps them better reach their full potential.”
Coaching Experience
During his time as a coach, Brett has been the HC of a Top 5 ASU Mens Team and in 4 years as head coach at Columbine HS (Littleton, CO) he built a culture that finished 56-13 with consecutive regional 5A appearances.
Over all he has had success with Clubs & High Schools in AZ, CO and here in CA along with playing and training with some of the top Beach Players in the country. Most recently working with Kevin McCulloch & Rafu Rodriquez during the 2016/17 AVP Season.
While at Viper Beach he and co-coach Nicolette Arntz (3 time NCAA National Champion @USC) helped grow the program from a handful to over 110 athletes and began placing athletes at D1 programs in 2022.
As a coach Brett feels extremely lucky; many of the people who he has worked with are considered some of the top players & coaches in the country. Their example and desire for ongoing learning & adaptation is something he takes to heart. Choosing to be a flexible student of how the game is trained & played is something Brett feels is important to remain current as a coach.
“It’s my responsibility to be providing the best possible opportunities to players rather then just relying on what I know or am most comfortable with.”
Brett believes it he is not pushing his own boundaries and wanting to get better each time he is in the gym – then he can’t ask that of the athletes he works with.
Testimonials
Walter A. [Parent]
...my daughter played for Brett for a year in high school and a season of club. Brett was, by far, my daughter’s favorite coach ever. Despite his calmingly friendly demeanor and patient tone, his demand for effort and focus were absolute. His strength in growing volleyball IQ, mental toughness, and emotional consistency were the things that stood out to me about Brett. Because of Brett, my daughter grew as a player and I grew as a coach.
Ken W. [Parent]
My daughter worked with Brett for over 6 years and I believe he stands out among other coaches because he goes well beyond the mechanics. He developed a plan to strengthen her mentality, practice & game strategies, and her overall ability to be successful, learn and compete. Brett is innovative and engaged in the entire process of learning - getting to know my daughter and developing a specific bond with what she needed to be successful. It was his ability to learn with her, by getting to know her that made the biggest impact on our family and that already shows up far from her time on the volleyball court.
Katie P. [Athlete]
My time with Brett helped me build confidence as a player. I was surprised to discover how much faster I was learning and retaining training concepts after developing a more deliberate approach to practice. This new approach to learning/training helped me in so much more than volleyball.