NEIL RUCINSKI
Michigan Elite Event/Creative Director, 16 Mizuno Head Coach
20 Years of Coaching Experience
As Neil Rucinski’s passion for volleyball had arisen at the young age of 9, he now enters his 20th consecutive season coaching. Coach Neil played for 8 years with Blue Water Volleyball Club as an all around outside hitter, and was the Captain for his last 5 years there. Through the years, Neil has coached for Royal Oak Kimball, Fraser, and Presently at Dakota High School. He has assisted teams through, District Champs, Regional Champs, Final Fours, and a State Title. Driven by his passion, he also co-owned 2 volleyball clubs (Ultimate Volleyball and Max Intensity) and created a program using video analysis, and a hitting machine he built himself which was presented at Big Tournaments and numerous high schools. Coach Neil wanted more to help aid his players, so he went on, and became a personal trainer and certified in jump training.
Summer of 2011, Neil Rucinski has worked camps with other clubs and his own. August 2011, Coach Rucinski decided to leave his club and became one of the full time coaches and top trainers at Michigan Elite Volleyball Academy. Coach Rucinski’s time here has lead and aided our camps as well as developed his own. One in particular, The Defender. Which has become one of top defensive camps here at Michigan elite. Coach Rucinski's passion has shown, hard work and dedication, can truly pay off.
Coaching Philosophy
“My passion of the game, came from my early years as a player. I was trained in the game of volleyball in a Military kind of style, with a will to succeed not just physically, but mentally as well. I was trained to focus on the details of movement, breaking down the skills and knowing the WHY we pass, set and hit these ways. This structure not just developed my skills, but also made me a Coach of the game. Someone told me once, “ The best teachers, are the ones who guide you to find the answer, but don’t give you the answer”. Giving knowledge of the skill, allows these young athletes to be developed not just as volleyball players, but also physically and mentally. With discipline and dedication, we can achieve beyond our expectations”