The history of BRIEF.
MYBC founder, Dr. C. Gus Tsiapalis’ unique BRIEF philosophy for coaching began in 1996 following the introduction of beach volleyball as an Olympic sport. After becoming certified and trained in teaching EQ (emotional intelligence) he realized that there was something beyond coaching EQ when it came to Olympic Performance in the sport of Beach Volleyball. As a former top Canadian professional beach volleyball athlete himself, he knew that to compete at the highest levels of the game, there needed to be a special cohesion, understanding and connection between beach volleyball partners. Although the sport is classified as an individual sport, it can not be played alone, or with only one strong athlete. There is a co-dependence between the beach partners not found in any other sport. Unlike in tennis doubles, other than the serve or block, the volleyball must be contacted by both partners, defensively and offensively before it goes back over the net. Thus began the acronym B.R.I.E.F.
What is BRIEF.
B.R.I.E.F. is an acronym that represents the key components in a team partner relationship, that when learned, utilized and communicated effectively by each partner, can lead to an Olympic state. The coaching is based on helping both athletes to develop each component of awareness on their own first and then in relationship with their beach volleyball partner. The letters of BRIEF stand for Belief, Ritual, Intensity, Emotion and Focus. Mastering BRIEF creates the basis of awareness of oneself and a subsequent meeting ground for communication between beach partners. Beach volleyball athletes require speed, agility, power, flexibility and endurance with only two athletes covering the whole sand court, but they also need to have a shared and complementary BRIEF mindset and chemistry while playing. A strong team BRIEF allows them to move from point to point gracefully from start to finish no matter what challenges come up along the way.
Develop Your B.
B is your Belief. This is you and your teammates shared and expressed spectrum of understanding, confidence, vision and potential in yourself and each other. The belief spectrum at it’s lowest would be suspicion or a diluted form of hope. The middle of the belief spectrum is trust. The belief spectrum at its highest is a faith based conviction. For an Olympic state your future is built from the strength of your combined belief as partners. When you are both convicted in your beliefs that you can make it to the Olympics, you create an ease and grace in the action steps that will actually get you there. It is also critical that the athletes are convicted in their belief of one another as teammates in beach volleyball where partners count on each other 100%.
Develop Your R.
R is your Ritual. Rituals are the things that you do each day on and off the court that build up and gradually condition your mind and body to make things happen. Rituals as an athlete include the routines that you follow in your day to day activities such as for example skill training, nutrition, strength and conditioning, game and practice travel preparation, meditation, journaling, prayer and rest. On the court rituals also include what you do with your body and your mind before you make contact with the ball. This is referred to as your before and after ritual. For example, what is your ritual in the 2 to 3 seconds before you serve a ball, before you receive a ball and before you play defense on a ball? A high performance athlete’s ritual is always fully engaged, focused and aware of where they need to be before the ball arrives and where they want to go after they contact the ball. Executing your rituals consistently and knowing your partners rituals will keep the team in sync and is a key to overall team success.
Develop Your I.
I is your Intensity. Intensity is the strength of your state of passion. And this state is dynamic, meaning that it is constantly changing strengthened by the relative attention you give it. You can impact your physiology when you have a heightened level of moment to moment mindfulness which is best described as a calm intensity. A calm intensity can allow you to be able to maintain the courage you need to overcome any challenging states including fear, intimidation or doubt. A calm intensity can also help manage levels of low energy typically towards the end of a match when fatigue and pain become obstacles to success. And a team that has calm intensity in sync together creates momentum that can be unstoppable especially at the end stages of a game.
Develop Your E.
E is your Emotion. Emotion is the mental state or set of feelings that arise while playing the game. Emotions create energy that needs to be transferred, expressed or dissipated in a healthy way on the court and in relationship with your beach partner. When one partner gets blocked they might feel hurt, which includes feelings of being put down, let down or shut down. The other partner needs to be mindful of their teammate’s emotional state and do their best to help them to get back into focus and a strong belief in themselves and the team’s goals. The most successful teams learn how to identify, communicate and release all forms of emotion with grace, supporting each other as they move from point to point so they can finish the match strong.
Develop Your F.
F is your Focus. Focus is the clarity of your team’s vision and goals. It is the capacity and ability to identify and limit the effects of distractions, both internal and external. Internal distractions can include doubt which comes from a weak ‘B’, hurt which comes from unreleased ‘E’ or worry which comes from low ‘I.’ External distractions come from outside including actions of the other team, changes in weather, and a busy crowded venue. When both beach partners can keep laser beam focus together, they can achieve an Olympic state.
Dr. C. Gus Tsiapalis
MYBC Founder and Head Coach
