Photo courtesy of Indy Ignite
For George Padjen and the Indy Ignite, it’s about to get real. Training camp for Indianapolis’ inaugural professional volleyball season begins December 2, and instead of standing behind the huddle during time outs, Padjen will be in the middle, with all eyes on him looking for direction.
His coaching philosophy, shaped by the sports he loves, volleyball and golf, centers around the amazing athleticism of the players and the puzzle of putting everyone in the right place.
“Volleyball is the absolute greatest team sport possible because you can’t just have a great setter or a great back row,” he says. “Every piece must work together. Watching that unfold is my favorite part. You can’t have one person dominate; you need all six.”
Assembling a team of professionals is a far cry from recruiting athletes for college. And for this, Padjen decided to use referrals instead of cold-calling because he believed word-of-mouth would garner the best results. For the newest member of the Professional Volleyball Federation (PVF), it worked like a charm.
“Instead of taking this master list of every player in the league last year,” explains Padjen, “I took those two or three referred players, added them to the next two or three, then the next. After all calls were made, I started to cross reference the recommendations.”
This ingenious method saved phone time while assembling a team with players who are already familiar with each other.
Photos provided by Indy Ignite
“They organically recommended each other without even knowing it. I didn’t tell them I was doing it,” he says.
The immediate benefit of this maneuver was instant team chemistry.
“I’d never done that in that capacity before. I’ve been recruiting for 25 years, but it’s a little different when it’s got to happen right now. That part was stressful but fun to do.”
When you are a coach of Padjen’s pedigree, the drive to always improve is constant, and inspiration comes from many directions. Guiding players to reach their full potential is more than X’s and O’s on a chalk board or computer screen. It’s finding new ways to reach players to get them fully engaged and at one with his system.
Part of his technique is drawn from one of the most confounding, difficult, and precise sports there is: golf. Yes, golf.
“In golf, I’ve got it one day, and the next day it’s out the door. It’s a maddening sport, but I love it. It keeps me thoughtful toward [other] people’s struggles.”
Padjen found that the process of learning golf gave him perspective on how to coach better because it helped him understand the frustrations his athletes have.
“I think volleyball is a very simple game. It came easily to me, but golf doesn’t, so it makes me pull back and pause at times instead of being frustrated with something you can’t get. I’m like, ‘Let’s try a different avenue,’” he says.
When the season begins in January 2025, Indy will play 14 home and 14 away matches. Padjen can hardly wait.
“I just think it’s going to be cool for fans to see how athletic the players are and how physical the game is,” he says. “It’s the most beautiful sport to watch in my eyes. There’s a fluidness to it.”
Photo provided by Indy Ignite
Volleyball is an edge-of-your-seat sport to watch on television, but it’s even more so in person. The physicality, strength, and skill are on full display.
“You can see how physical the game is. It’ll change your perspective on women’s sports,” he says.
On October 17, the PVF announced the Indy Ignite will have the No. 1 overall draft pick in this year’s draft, which will be held on November 25 at 12 p.m.
The Ignite will pick eighth in the second round, fourth in the third and fourth rounds, and first in the fifth round.
“This is a pivotal moment for our franchise. We can’t wait to welcome exceptional talent into the Indy Ignite family,” says Mary Kay Huse, president and general manager of Indy Ignite.
Fans can see the Ignite battle in person at the Fishers Event Center, a brand-new facility slated to open in November with a seating capacity of up to 7,500.
