As the athletes continue to improve their movements and technical abilities, they will enter the Advanced level. The transition to an advanced skill level is a gradual accumulation of experiences and skill development that allows for a higher level of play. At times, the steps forward are painfully slow. The improvement of a skill set is not an unceasing path in an upward trajectory. A player might be considered advanced in some aspects of the game but not as advanced in others.

Even with advanced players, the coach should continuously review and practice the core movements such as running, throwing, visual tracking, catching, posture, shuffle steps, etc. These foundational movements can be incorporated into drills with passing, defending, or any other skill. A player or team must have a solid foundation of basic movements and techniques before implementing advanced concepts.

For this book, the focus of the advanced level will continue to be individual skill development. Team systems will be explored only as an aspect of skill development. With that in mind, I will present each skill singularly, and we will explore the advanced components of each skill. Keeping with the theme of this book, there are not a lot of “drills” for coaches to replicate. The focus is the key aspects of advanced skills for the coach to put into the skillset of their players. Creating drills to work on these skills takes a little creativity. I’ll leave that up to the coach.

Advanced Setting

 More than any other skill, the setter relies on a foundation of good footwork, managing the core, and hand position on the ball. The setter's ability to place the ball accurately and consistently to a location at the net, allowing the hitter to be effective, is the lynchpin of an effective offensive system. The capacity to set accurately when the pass is not accurate heightens the challenge of the position. Along with the position's technical aspect, the setter must be the most prepared and focused player on the court. The setter will contact the ball more than any other player. Consequently, the setter will impact the match more than any player. Given the impact a setter has on the match, they must grasp match tactics, the ability to implement a game plan, problem-solve on the court, and communicate effectively with teammates and the coach.

As a setter progresses to the advanced level, the demands of the position will increase. The opponent is more skilled at defending the attack, consequently the challenges to create an efficient offense increase. One of the coach's duties is to allow the advanced setter to run their offense creatively. Good setters will, at times, set the unexpected set. This tactic should be encouraged.

You don't want the set selection to be predictable as the offense becomes easier to defend. Setting the unexpected set is not done with the intent of being a "showboat." The goal is to allow the hitter to become more effective by placing pressure on the block to defend all the hitters in as many situations as possible.

I have always encouraged the setter to take responsibility for the offense. I didn't want the setter continually looking to the bench for the answers. I wanted them to be independent and thoughtful on the court. A by-product of this independence is that, at times, the setter will make errors. These mistakes are painful for any coach. However, it is part of the growing process for the advanced setter.

A Study of Three of the World's Best Setters

The best way to learn about advanced setting techniques is to watch the best setters in action. In the video below, we examine the techniques of three top international setters. We will focus on Dani Lins from Brazil, Elenora LoBianco from Italy, and Yoshie Takeshita from Japan. They all have their styles, but their style is based on the same foundational skills. When the ball is in their hands, the hips and shoulders face the left front target area. The contact is at the body midline, above the forehead. 

Although all the setters exhibit great accuracy when forced to use their forearms on the second contact, all prefer to use their hands. You will see how they drop their hips and head under the ball on a low pass, allowing the use of their hands instead of the forearms. One of the traits of the advanced setter is the ability to set the low pass. In training sessions, coaches should encourage the use of the hands as much as possible. As the setters explore their limitations in this regard, there will be some mishandled setting attempts at times. Allow the setters to work through this process of differentiating between what type of ball they can set versus the pass that mandates the use of the forearms to direct the ball to an attacker.

All of these setters have mastered the rotation of their upper body in the setting motion. They face the passers with their back to the net, and then as the ball enters the setting zone, they will rotate the upper body to the left front target area in a smooth motion. The contact with the ball takes place at the body midline. For the upper body rotation to be consistent, there is the ability to manage the core effectively.

You will notice that the tempo of the backset is fast. A low trajectory set requires the setter must arch their back just before ball contact. Since the tempo is fast, the ability to deceive the middle blocker by staying vertical with the upper body is not a priority. The greater emphasis is on the accuracy and trajectory of the set.

All the setters use the jump set a majority of the time. LoBianco and Takeshita will jump off the right foot, while Lins will generally jump off two feet. Setting off of one or two feet is a matter of style and comfort. All the setters demonstrated the ability to set off one or two feet. All the setters will rotate in the air to square up to the left front target area. Focus on the footwork in advance of the jump set as all will move efficiently to the ball with a minimum number of steps.

 

Analysis of Top International Setters

Setting the tight pass.

 There will always be a percentage of first contacts that will take the setter close to the net. The advanced setter needs to manage these situations in a manner that might still produce a quality attack. In this video, Jordyn Poulter demonstrates her technique to set the tight pass both forward and behind. Also, how she presents the one-hand set to a young setter. The item that Jordyn emphasizes repeatedly is the importance of the core with setting accuracy. Setters must have the ability to reach outside their midline without losing their balance with the upper body and still accurately set the ball.

 

Jordyn Poulter- Setting the Pass That is Tight to the Net

Jordyn Poulter- Teaching the One-Hand Set

Change the tempo of release.

 One of my first trips with a USA team was taking the junior national team to Germany. The German setter gave our middle blockers fits by mixing up the tempo of the set to the middle hitter. She demonstrated a mastery of having various contact points when running a quick 1 set to the middle hitter. She would jump set, contact the ball with full arm extension and have the middle hitter hit quickly right out of her hands. The next time, she gave the same look, arms extended, hang, and set the quick on her descent. The next time, she would stay on the floor, drop her hips, and set the quick hitter. She never set her quick attacker the same way twice. Our poor middles were early with the block jump, then late with the block jump, then out of frustration, just began to guess. It was a learning experience for our blockers but also for me as a coach. Setting the quick attacker at different tempos prevents the blocker from getting "locked-in" on a single timing for the quick attack. These setting moves take time to develop mastery, but it is a valuable tool to use at the advanced level.

 

Jordyn Poulter-Varying the Tempo of the Jump Set

Train for the exceptional play

The coach of the advanced setter must facilitate an atmosphere conducive to allowing the setter to be both creative and athletic. It is important to budget, allowing the setter to work on creating offense from poor first contacts. Lauren Carlini provided insights into managing difficult plays with one hand, from the knees, with the forearms, etc. When working with the setter, budget time to rehearse these moves. These situations will certainly arise in competitive situations.

 

Train the Setter for the Exceptional Play

Setter tactics

  • Setter hierarchy
    • Good Set- accuracy with the set is the most important aspect of setting. Even if the set is not a smart set or the setter decided to set a tricky set, they satisfied the most important priority if the set is accurate.
    • Smart Set- set the correct hitter at the proper time. To do this, the setter must have a plan for the hitter and team success. Your thought pattern might be to set over the small block, set the best hitter most often, or don't set a hitter having a bad night, etc. There are many examples of a smart set.
    • Tricky Set- set the unexpected hitter. A tricky set does not mean a fancy set. An example of a tricky set would be a perfect pass; the quick attacker is in the air ready for the quick 1 set, the setter jump sets and pushes the ball to the LF attacker. Despite the perfect situation for a quick attack, a tricky set is to set the unexpected set to the LF.
  • Set against the flow
    • Setter moves forward, set behind
    • Setter moves back, set forward
  • Set the longest ball
  • Force the middle blocker to move long distances.

Isolate Overload

  • When developing an offense, it is advantageous to install the offensive concepts of Overload and Isolate. These concepts incorporate multiple attackers working together to place pressure on the block to make blocking choices. In the video that explores Overload vs. Isolate, you will see multiple hitters are attacking a small area of the net. The critical aspect of the overload tactic is the middle hitter attacking a quick set. An overload play places significant pressure on the block, specifically the outside blocker, to choose between assisting the middle blocker with the quick attack or staying with the outside hitter working in unison with the quick At the advanced levels, the combination attack could include a backrow attacker that works in unison with the quick attacker. From the setter's perspective, the overload's critical component is the set's tempo and trajectory. The tempo must be fast enough, so it becomes problematic for the outside blocker to block both the quick and outside attacks.
  • Isolate- run the middle hitter away from the hitter who will receive the If the middle blocker is "fronting" the middle hitter, it should create space in the block's seam for the outside attacker. For example, if the middle blocker fronts the middle hitter hitting a 31 set, the setter will back set away from the middle attack to the RS attacker, creating isolation with the RF attacker vs. the LF blocker. The middle blocker will have a difficult time getting involved due to the distance they must cover.

 

Overload and Isolate for the Setter

.Things to Practice

  • Incorporate the backrow attack as an extra attacker- four or five attackers against three blockers will be more difficult to defend than three attackers vs. three blockers. As talent allows, have all the backrow players be potential.
  • Setter Deception
    • The setter should be able to vary the release tempo of the set
    • Jump set, high contact point, quick release with the wrists
    • Jump set, hang in the air, set on the way down
    • On the ground, drop the hips to a lower contact point
    • Use to vary the tempo, as well as to wait for a quick attacker that is late
    • Setter will lean back with the upper body then set forward
    • Indicate a pending backset, then set forward
    • Jump, turn to the net to hit, then side set to an attacker
  • Incorporate visual cues to make a good setting choice
    • Set away from middle blocker movement
    • Set over the small block
    • Make the middle blocker move the longest distance
    • Is the hitter ready to attack?
    • Locate the middle hitter in transition
  • Setter Attack
    • Attack with L Hand
      • Attack to zone 3
      • Attack to zone 5
    • Attack with R Hand
      • Attack to zone 2
      • Attack to zone 4
  • Jump, turn to the net, and hit with the right hand
  • If left-handed, hit the second contact

Practice repetitions that place the setter in challenging situations and postures.

  • Set the tight pass with two hands
    • Get to the net, jump vertically
    • Slight turn so back to the net, or turn the opposite direction so setter faces the net (situation dictated, must practice both techniques)
    • Hand position on the ball the same except:
      • With the back is to the net, locate hands on the side of the ball to direct back into your court.
      • If facing the net, thumbs must direct the ball back into your court (challenging)
  • Set the tight pass with one hand
    • Only used when you cannot get two hands on the ball
    • Get to the net, jump vertically
    • Open hand, firm fingers, and wrist
    • Direct the ball to the attacker
    • Practice hand positions that will direct the set both forward and backward
  • Accurately set a ball not on body midline- Coaches are correct to emphasize that the contact point should be at the body midline. However, that is not always possible. Setters should practice accurately setting the ball that is outside the
  • Accurately forearm passing the ball to a hitter
  • Accurately set the low pass from the knees

Sample Activities for the Setter

Checklist Advanced Setter Training

  • Can successfully set with two hands the tight pass or ball going over the
  • Can manage the one-hand set successfully on the ball going over the net
  • Be able to accurately set the ball when the contact point is not at the body
  • The setter can use their forearms to place a hittable set to the attacker accurately
  • The setter can accurately set from the knee(s)
    • Used on low pass
  • The setter should be able to vary the tempo of the set
  • The setter will disguise the set direction by leaning back before setting forward
  • The setter can accurately set against the flow, e., moving forward, then setting behind, or moving back, then pushing the ball forward
  • The setter can accurately set a long set, forward or backward, from sideline to sideline
  • The setter can accurately set a quick set (1 or 31) when at the net or slightly off the
  • The setter can use visual information to make correct choices in the set selection
  • The setter can implement the principles of isolate and overload in developing an offensive system.

 

Attack-Advanced Level

A team is only as successful as their offensive execution allows. A team will score more points via attacking than any other skill. Therefore, the ability to score via the attack will impact the match results more than any skill. In this section, I will present some aspects of the attack that are important to advanced players. I will divide this attacking section into two parts. The first will be for outside hitters; the second part will focus on the middle attack.

Outside Hitters

Decision Making

The ability to "kill" the ball is essential for a quality attacker. As with most volleyball skills, the attack is situational. At times, despite the desire to kill the ball, the attacker must manage a situation where the set was inaccurate, the block is well placed, or the attack approach was lacking. In these situations, the hitter must be offensive while still keeping the attack in play.

Below I have listed a hierarchy of actions that an advanced outside attacker must execute in order of importance.

  1. Kill the ball- the ability to kill the ball is essential for an outside attacker. An outside attacker who cannot kill the ball is placing the control of the point into the opponent's hands.
  2. Recycle the attack- if the attacker cannot kill the ball, the next best thing is to keep the ball on your half of the court. To recycle an attack, the attacker puts the ball into the block, has the attack covered by teammates or the spiker, and initiates another attack. If the attacking team has the ball, the opponent cannot score. If a kill isn't possible, go for recycling.
  3. Take out the setter- teams hit for a higher percentage when the setter sets the second ball. If an attacker cannot kill the ball or recycle (set too far off the net, for example), the next play is to put the ball to the opponent's setter. With the setter defending the attack, the opponent will counterattack with lower efficiency.
  4. Attack to the best attacker- the next priority is having the attacker direct the ball to the opponent's best attacker, perhaps impacting the quality of the transition attack.
  5. Successfully defended in the opponent's backcourt- if taking out the setter or the best attacker is not possible, keep the ball in play and defend the
  6. Hitting error- this is the last thing that should occur to an advanced attacker. Of course, mistakes are part of the game. However, advanced attackers will keep unforced errors to a minimum. I do not consider getting blocked as a hitting error. I prefer a hitter to be blocked as opposed to hitting the ball out of bounds. If blocked, the attacker should process who the blocker was and what shot might be in order on the next swing.

For the above items to be possible, the attacker needs to know the defense before the attack. Where is the weak blocker, or the setter, or the best attacker? If the attacker cannot kill the ball, can the attack be directed to a weak defender? The coach can assist in preparing the attacker, but the advanced attacker must be attentive and process essential information.

One of the items that I've learned during my tenure as the USA U-18 coach is that young players in the USA have a desire to avoid the block. Players internationally tend to be more adept at deflecting an attack of the hands of the blockers. I would encourage coaches to work with their players to be aware of the blocker's hands and channel their attack off the block forcing the defense to cover the additional court.

An essential aspect of the attack technique-the hip leads the swing.

A key aspect of the advanced spiking technique is having the hips lead the upper body and arm into the swing. The lower body of the attacker will work somewhat independently from the upper body. The hips will initiate the attack motion and will rotate forward in advance of the upper body. In this video, we look at this important technical aspect of the attack.

 

The Hips Lead the Attacking Motion

 

 

Quality Attack Approaches in All Situations

In as many situations as possible, we want the outside attacker to execute full four-step approaches. The attacker should be comfortable approaching from various angles. The essential concept is that the hitter must get off the net first, then, if time allows, swing out to the normal approach angle. For example, if a left front defender moves to the middle of the court to play an off-speed shot by the opponent, they should immediately drop off the net, so they are in a position to take a four-step approach. Too often, with younger players, the attacker tries to get to their normal outside approach area without the time to do so. A result is a poor approach. The keywords are ―"off before out."

Visual Cues When Attacking

At the Intermediate level, we presented the importance of using visual cues when executing skills. Awareness of visual cues is essential to an advanced attacker. An advanced outside attacker will focus on specific cues to dictate the direction or type of the attack. For example, if a left-side attacker sees the middle blocker commit to a middle attack, the attacker should be thinking of attacking cross-court in the block's seam. An out-of-system set to the LS attacker will have a high probability of two or three blockers in front of the attacker. The primary shot should then be off the edges or the top of the block. If the outside hitter feels the outside blocker will be late locating the block, the shot should be down the line. The coach should ask the attacker the visual cues used in the shot selection when teaching this skill. Video is a great teaching tool, so the attacker can focus on how a play develops and the offensive response to what visual information might be available.

Backrow Attack

 The mechanics of the backrow attack are the same as the front row. The philosophy of the coach will dictate the location of the attack. Generally, the backrow attack comes from the right-back area (D zone) or the middle back area (Pipe/Bic zone). A libero usually occupies the left-back.

Screen Shot 2021-08-14 at 6.00.21 PM

 

There are two general methods of running the backrow attack. The first is to a "fixed" area of the court. An example of a fixed zone set would be the pipe set to the middle of the court at the 3m line. The D set out of right-back will be set at the 3m line about 3' in from the sideline. Regardless of the court location of the setter, the set location will be constant. The other method of locating the attack zone for a backrow attack is a "floating" system. In a floating system, the attacker will go to wherever the setter is on the court. There are advantages to both philosophies. With the fixed system, the setter knows that the set goes to a specific court location wherever they might be on the court. The attacker transition might be easier as the attacker knows the location of the set. The attack can be faster in the floating system because of less distance between the setter and attacker. 

 

Running the Pipe Attack- Fixed vs. Floating Zone

Hitting Away from the Shoulders

One trait that differentiates the advanced attacker from the intermediate level is managing their upper body and hand/ball contact in the air. The inexperienced attacker will generally hit the same direction as their approach. Another tendency is once the attacker is in the air, the attack is in alignment with the shoulders. The advanced attacker can turn their shoulders in the air to direct the attack to various court locations. Another trait of the advanced attacker is to hit away from where their shoulders face.

 

Hitting Away from the Shoulders

Sample Activity

At the advanced level, I use drills that I describe as "controlled random." These are drills that I place controls that allow a player or a team to work on specific items. An example with outside attackers might be having the block take the line shot away and force the attacker to hit crosscourt. Other aspects of the drill are game-like, but there is an emphasis on shot selection for the outside hitter. Controlled random drills are used to improve any position or skill.  A few examples:

  • In a 6v6 activity, the outside hitters will score two points for their team when their attack deflects off the blocker's hands and scores (the focus is using the block to create difficult deflections for the defensive team). The attacker is not required to attack off the blocker's hands, but they will get bonus points if they
  • The outside hitter must score on two consecutive out-of-system attacks to earn one point. The ball is entered by a coach to a random place in the backrow. (the focus is out of system set and attack)
  • The outside starts a rally putting the ball into the block; the ball is then covered by the attacker or teammates, then attempts to score on the next set (focus on hitter coverage and fast transition approach and footwork).

Additional Activities

Checklist Advanced-Outside Hitter

  • Spiker Decision Making- priorities for the outside hitter (in order)
    • Kill the ball
    • Recycle (attack into the block, cover, attack again)
    • Attack to the opponent's setter
    • Attack to the opponent's best hitter
    • Keep the ball in play
  • The spiker will hit above 25% efficiency as a baseline for good performance
  • The spiker will be able to successfully manage a bad situation or bad set by making appropriate shot decisions
  • The spiker will be vocal on the court, especially in transition, so the setter is aware of hitter readiness
  • Be effective at the end of a long rally- work hard for a quality transition attack
  • Use the edges and the top of the block to increase the area of coverage for the defense
  • Perfect the footwork on:
    • Block to attack
      • Exhibit correct footwork off the net to allow full approach
      • If the situation mandates, use a two-step approach to attack
      • The number of steps in an approach might change based on the situation; however, the last two steps into the jump are the most important and should be the same regardless of the situation
    • Dig to attack
      • Perfect the ability to approach from different angles
      • Get off the net before getting outside on transition
  • Visual cues
    • See the play develop to attack with the appropriate shot (examples)
    • Middle blocker late, allowing seam attack
    • Outside block jumps laterally, allowing the attacker to use the hands
    • Outside blocker jumps with the middle hitter, therefore late to the outside
  • Attack from the backrow
    • Understanding of the floating and fixed attack zones

 

Middle Attacker

In this section, we will cover the principles of the quick attack for the middle hitter. The focus will be on a 1 set or a 31 set. This picture to the right will provide a visual of how we organize the net into zones. A 31 set will be set into zone 3, approximately 1’ above the net, hence the term 31.

The coach should have an understanding of what are the prerequisites of implementing an effective middle attack. The first prerequisite is an accurate first contact by the passers. Running a quick attack is problematic if the first contact is not consistently going to the target area.

The second prerequisite is that the middle attacker should understand the proper location to receive the set. There are two aspects to being in the appropriate location. The first aspect is the correct location at the net. The second aspect is the right location relative to the setter.

The third prerequisite is the middle hitter must achieve the proper timing with the ball and the setter. The timing is dependent upon the offensive system. Generally, the hitter should leave the ground for a quick attack as the setter contacts the ball.

The next prerequisite is the middle attacker hitting a quick set (1 or 31) should use visual cues to decide on the shot to hit. Generally, the visual cues will be the location and the size of the blocker(s). If two blockers are fronting the quick attack, the hitter should manage the attack to avoid getting blocked (hit off the hands or hit an off-speed shot).

The final prerequisite is the middle hitter must effectively adopt the approach timing and location should the setter move along or off the net. If the setter moves along the net, the middle hitter works hard to get in front of the setter to hit the quick set.

 

Attacking the 1 and 31 Set

 

Keys for an Effective 1 Set

The spiker needs to get to "home base" to start the approach either from serve- receive or transition from blocking. The quick attacker must move quickly from a serve-receive position or a blocking position to a court position that affords a full approach. This "home base" position will change based on whether the quick attacker was blocking the LF attacker, or the RF attacker, or coming from LF or RF on serve-receive. The error that I see quite often is players focus on getting to the middle of the court to start the approach. Often, time does not allow the hitter to get to the middle of the court. The golden rule is to get off the net first, then, if time allows, get to the middle of the court. Every situation is different, so multiple "home base" locations are essential. It is time well spent for teams to implement offense from different "home base" locations.

 

Home Base for the Quick Attack

Establish court position immediately next to and behind the setter. The variable for this is when the setter must go off the net to set. Some coaches will have the middle hitter create space and move the 1 ball set location to a different net area. Other coaches have a preference to leave the attack at the same place at the net. Notice that the relationship between the setter and the middle hitter resembles an equilateral triangle. If the setter moves 10' off the net, the middle attacker will move the same distance (10') away from the setter. This spatial relationship will allow a quality middle attack even though the setter is off the net. The timing of the set is the same. The middle hitter will leave the ground as the setter releases the ball. The setter will push a flat set to the left shoulder of the middle hitter.

We call this adjustment "semi-system" offense. The pass isn't perfect, so we are not "in-system," but the pass still allows the setter to set all the hitters. In the video below, we detail the "semi-system" offense.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Semi-System Quick Attack

Keys for an effective "31" set

  • Use a 3 or 4 step approach to zone 3 of the net
  • Leave the ground as the ball leaves the hands of the setter
  • Attack the set early, direct the attack to zone 5 of the opponent's court, or let the set go across the body to the left shoulder and direct the attack to zone 1.
  • The 31-set location can be "fixed," meaning the hitter goes to zone 3 of the net. Or the 31 set can be "floating," which means the hitter will be a prescribed distance from the setter, regardless of the setter's location.

 

Visual Keys for the Middle Attacker

The advanced middle hitter will use visual keys to increase the effectiveness of the attack. The visual keys are acquired in advance of the play occurring or during the process of the approach. Some of these keys are:

  • Is the middle block in front of my approach?
  • Is the outside blocker assisting the middle blocker?
  • If there are multiple blockers, is there a small blocker that can be attacked?
  • If there are multiple blockers, is the best attack using the blocker's hands?

 

Checklist for the Middle Hitter Attack

  • Get to "home base" to start the attack.
  • Serve-receive duties- depending upon rotation, reception duties inside 3m line.
  • Transition block to attack
    • Off the net first
    • Visual cues to attack a gap in the block-where is the middle blocker?
  • Attack the "1" set
    • A fast set designed to attack the ball quicker than the block can react
    • The hitter approach should locate the hitter next to and behind the setter
    • The hitter will jump when the setter contacts the ball
    • The hitter should gather visual information during the approach
  • Attack the "31" set
    • Same as the "1" set, but the hitter locates the attack area about 8' away from the
    • The set location is to a specific point on the net or a specific distance (8') from the setter.
  • Use visual keys to influence the shot selection.
    • Location of the block, primarily the middle blocker
    • Location of the setter
    • Attack over the small blocker
    • Locate the backrow defender starting position

 

Block - Advanced Level

System/Terminology/Strategy

Read/Chase-Blockers will use visual cues to read the set out of the setter's hands, then chase the ball to the attacker.

Bunch/Read-The outside blockers will start approximately 7' in from the antenna to assist the middle blocker with any attack in the middle of the net.

Spread-Outside blockers start at the antenna with their hitters. The block will move to the center of the net if the hitter moves in that direction.

Commit-Blocker jumps with the quick attack, committing to block the set.

Read-Use visual keys to see the attack develop, then watch the setters release to react quickly to the direction of the set. "Read late, don't guess wrong," so often, blockers will move opposite the direction of the set. Or they will jump with a quick attacker that does not get set. This type of incorrect movement means the blocker(s) were guessing instead of using visual cues. The coach should encourage the philosophy that being late is better than being wrong.

Release or Pinch-A blocker, usually the middle blocker, will get an early start to the hitter, who will likely be the attacker.

Switch-Blockers will change positions for blocking or attacking purposes. Not all hitters are of the same. The best attackers should receive the most attention. At times, the middle blocker will start closer to the best attacker.

1-2 Setup-2 blockers on the right side of the court

2-1 Setup- 2 blockers on the left side of the court

Zone block- the block will take away a designated area of the court. The defenders in the backrow will adjust accordingly. For example, the outside blockers will take away the line shot, forcing the attack.

 

Demonstration of the Commit Block

Hand Position on the Block

There are three hand positions when blocking. 

  • Hands under the ball - mean the blocker is attempting to deflect the ball in the air so defenders behind the block will play the ball.
  • Hands over the ball - leads to stuff blocks. It can also occur when the pass is tight to the net
  • Hands on the ball - occurs most often when the attacker's hand on the ball is the same height as the blocker's hands. The blocker must shape the attack to the middle of the opponent's court.

In this video, we look at the Hands Under the Block. The video will reference this technique with middle blockers, but the same principle can apply to the outside blocker.

 

Hand Position on the Block

Hard front - the middle blocker lines up with the approach of the attacker. For example, if the attacker is running a 31 set, the middle blocker will move to the front the approach of the attacker.

Soft front-- the blocker recognizes the offensive pattern but does not react until the setter releases the ball. For example, the middle hitter runs a 31 set, but the middle blocker does not move until the ball is set to that attacker.

Advanced Footwork

For middle blocker- one-step, crossover, jump from one foot – Often, the middle blocker will have insufficient time to take a 3-step blocking The alternative is a one-step crossover move that is similar to a layup in basketball. The blocker will jump off one foot and drift into the attack zone.

 

One Step Blocking Move

Split Step For Middle Blockers-split step to load muscles- using the concept of stretch-reflex, blockers will take a split-step as the setter contacts the ball. The stretch-reflex will stretch the muscles, so when contracted, the muscle will contract faster. By using the stretch reflex, the blocker will initiate a faster move to the outside.

 

Split Step for Middle Blockers

Roll-Off Blocking Move-This is a blocking move used when the middle blocker moves fast to the outside blocker. Upon landing, the blocker will drop step behind the outside blocker. Rolling off the block facilitates a fast transition along with avoiding crashing into the outside blocker.

 

Roll Off Blocking Move for the MIddle Blocker

Visual keys for all blockers

  • Identify the eligible attackers for the opponent. Be aware of tendencies of the attacker, set distribution patterns, rotation, is the setter front row? 
  • Identify the quality of the pass- is the ball coming over the net? In-system? Out of system?
  • Watch the attacker approach angle.
  • Front the angle of the approach? Zone blocking? Middle blockers- hard front or soft front?
  • Watch setter's body for indications of where the set is going
    • Some setters will "show" the set by their body action
  • Watch the setter release of the ball
  • Eyes go to the attacker's approach and jump
  • Read the attackers shoulders and ball/hand contact
  • If zone blocking, use visual cues to locate the block. For example, have the blocker's nose on the outside shoulder will effectively block the line shot. If the nose is on the inside shoulder, the block will take away the crosscourt shot.
  • All the blockers will communicate if a hitter leaves their zone. For example, if a middle attacker runs a slide, the middle blocker must communicate that move to the LF.

Handwork

  • Shape the block to the middle of the opponent's

 

Shaping the Block

Activity for Advanced Blockers

Checklist for Blocking-Advanced Level

  • Understand terminology and strategies of blocking
  • Middle blockers can execute 1-step crossover block footwork, as needed
  • Understand the sequential visual cues.
  • The middle blocker executes a "split-step" as the opposing setter contacts the ball.
  • Can "shape" the ball into the opponent's court.
  • Understand and executes a "show and take" blocking move.
  • The outside blocker is effective in locating the block when zone blocking.
  • All blockers can identify the eligible attackers in the opponent serve-receive pattern.
  • Blockers communicate effectively if a hitter leaves a zone.

 

Defense - Advanced Level

At the Advanced level, we present the roll and dive to increase court coverage. These skills will take time to acquire as most players have an inherent fear of the floor. The coach should present the skills systematically, allowing the player to get comfortable going to the floor without injury. Although rolling and diving have their place in the defender's toolkit, the main priority for defenders must be on using visual cues and moving their feet to the ball.

 

Advanced Defense Moves- The Dive and Roll

Advanced offensive options will challenge the defenders to use visual cues to acquire a good court position in advance of the attack. The ability to move from a starting position on defense (base position) and then adjust as the play develops and the block is formed (digging position) should be a priority for the coach and the player.

The base position is the court position where the defender believes will be the first attack. It might be a quick attacker; it could be a front-row setter that attacks the second contact, etc. The backrow defender needs to position themselves around the block or blockers. The digging position is the court position when the ball is set to an outside or backrow attacker. This position is based on the block, the attack approach, or the hitter tendency.

 

Movement from the Base Defensive Position

Middle Back defender defends over the top of the small blocker.

The coach should emphasize that the backrow defenders work closely with the block to establish the correct court position before the attack. If the block is zone blocking, the movement of the backrow should adjust accordingly. An advanced defender also is aware of the abilities of the blocker. For example, if there is a small outside blocker, the defenders might position themselves for an attack going over the top of the smaller block.

Since the block's quality is improving, the defenders' importance in covering attacks getting blocked increases. Covering the attacker is a team activity that requiring the full commitment of all the players.

The attitude of an advanced defender is essential. There should be a determination to dig every attack by the opponent successfully. The coach should instill and reward the attitude of never giving up when defending. The defender must pursue each attack with 100% effort. As the emphasis on hitting and blocking increases, the defenders should participate in drills that incorporate digging around a block rather than having single contact defensive drills.

 

Serve Receive

I have placed serve-receive in the defender section as players on the court will have responsibilities in both areas. The ability to receive a variety of serves with varying velocities is of increased importance. At the advanced levels, the ability to be "in system" takes on increased importance. The two items that I prioritize in serve receive would be the number or percentage of attempts that a receiver gets "aced" and the number or percentage of times the receiver passes an in-system ball. A passer can help the team without being a great passer. However, they must avoid getting "aced." A team can win the point despite an out-of-system pass. The players must fight hard not to get aced.

 

Checklist Advanced Defense and Serve Receive

  • Parallel Lines
    • Understand short/deep court coverage
    • Work successfully with adjoining defenders to cover the court
  • Understands and execute 2nd ball responsibility
    • When not playing an attack, turn and face the defender and prepare for a dig that needs reaction and pursuit.
  • Down-ball defense
    • Blockers choose not to block an attack
    • Blocker’s choice - they anticipate a less than full speed attack
    • How to defend with no block
  • Organize the court coverage with no block
  • Free-ball defense
    • The ball is set or passed over the net
    • Organize the defense to cover the court effectively
  • Situational court position
    • Defending around the block
      • One-person block
      • Two-person block
      • Three-person block
      • The block is the key to backrow court position
  • Seeing off-speed attacks
  • Discipline to maintain good court position

 

Advanced Level Serve

With the improvement of the attackers and offensive systems at the Advanced level, the importance of the serve is elevated. As much as possible, begin drills with a serve. The best way to develop the serve is by serving. The best way to improve a sideout offense is by receiving a serve to initiate the offense. Below are some thoughts relative to executing an effective serve.

We want to be accurate servers. The ability to serve a weak passer or take out a good hitter is essential. With the USA 18-under team, we served in-bounds 92% of the time while serving good quality serves. Placing the serve in-bounds is a start, here are additional factors for the serve.

Serve weakest passer-this is an obvious tactic. Probably better phrased is serve in the area of a weak passer. Even a bad passer is functional if the ball is served directly to them.

Serve to the quick attacker- we do this to disrupt the quick attack offense of the opponent. Generally, to take out the quick attacker, the serve will go to zone 2,3 or 4.

                                                                                                  The six zones of the volleyball court.

 

Serve in the area of the best attacker- many attackers are less effective if they have to perform passing duties in advance of attacking. Serving a front-row attacker is useful if they need to do one of two things before passing. First, serve a ball that forces them to move backward; second, serve a ball that brings them to the net. Both of these serve zones might impact the quality of the approach.

If the opponent has an effective pipe hitter, serving to zone 3 or 6 might impact running a good pipe. Serve zone 2 to impact a slide hitter or a right-back attacker.

Serve the seams of the reception pattern to exploit communication weakness in the receiving team. A seam is an area between passers. It is always a good idea to serve the seams in any reception pattern.

 

                                                                                                       The seams in a 3-person reception pattern

Often a serve that brings a front-row attacker to the middle of the court impacts their ability to hit crosscourt at the net. If the best attacker is receiving in the left-back area, sometimes serving a ball in the seam between zones 5/6 will force them into an inside-out approach. At times this angle of approach impacts the ability to hit crosscourt. The block then recognizes this and blocks the line shot. The same might occur with an RF attacker that passes a ball in the 1/6 seam, then might have an issue hitting crosscourt from behind the setter due to the approach angle.

Have miles per hour goal for the server. If hitting a topspin serve at the advanced levels, the ball needs to have a speed of 46 MPH or higher to be effective. For a float serve, the goal is 38-42 MPH. All servers are a little different. Sometimes the best movement on a float serve will be under the maximum miles per hour the server might be capable of executing. Trial and error on this aspect of the serve should be in order.

One of the goals of the serve is to have a flat trajectory. To be effective, the server must serve both short and deep with a similar trajectory. In the video below, we demonstrate the short serve and the challenges it presents to the passer.

 

 

 

The final point is most good servers have a routine for the serve. A consistent pre-serve routine will lead to a more consistent serve. If the server scores a point, I do not have servers celebrate with their teammates. I want them to return to the serving area to repeat their routine.

 

Checklist Advanced Serving

  • Velocity, accuracy, trajectory, consistency
    • Flat trajectory- ball crosses the net with very little clearance
    • Velocity- serve with as much speed that still allows low error
    • Accuracy- be able to combine tactics with accurate serve
    • Consistency- it is important that the ball goes into the court about 90% of the time
  • Develop a routine when serving that will not vary regardless of the situation.
  • Target the last three feet of the court when serving zones 1,5,6.
  • Understand and be able to execute tactics with the serve.

 

Checklist Advanced Cognitive, Social and Physical Attributes of Advanced Players

Cognitive

  • Be a consistent learner about the game, tactics, and techniques
  • Be observant about what the team needs and how one can help fill those needs
  • Have the mental resilience not to allow mistakes to inhibit confidence or impact upcoming plays
  • Be prepared by knowing game plans and strategies
  • Embrace the importance of video as a learning tool
  • Prepare for each training session
  • Be able to handle the challenges and frustrations that come with a high-level player.
  • Be able to cope with the high stresses of the top level of play
  • Be a "role model" of practice

Social

  • Be a giving member of a team in pursuit of a common goal
    • Give energy
    • Give skills
    • Give positive attitude
    • Give respect to all members of the team, coaching staff, opponents, and referees.
  • Communicate effectively    with    teammates, coaches, and support staff
  • Be able    to    solve    problematic    situations effectively
  • Make your teammates better
  • Be a positive representative of the team and the program

Physical

  • Pursue the level of fitness the game requires to execute the skills and prevent injury
  • Discipline in diet
  • Discipline to rehab injuries
  • Pursue increase   in   strength   for   improved performance and injury prevention
  • Improve jump-reach and core Both are critical to performance.