Volleyball
Dive
The most important thing you’ll need to learn to be a great center back is to become absolutely fearless. You’ll have to sacrifice your body in a hundred different ways, trying with everything you have to save anything you have the remotest chance of saving.
Remember the adage: make the play first, then decide if it was impossible.
Go After Everything Above the Net
Whenever there’s a ball on top of the net, I want at least one of our players there to pound at it. Taking charge of the net is similar to taking charge of the backboard in basketball. You control the net, you control the game, and you do that through sheer, constant aggression.
Effective Blocking
If at all possible, you’ll want to watch your opponents hit during warm ups.
For instance, if a player never hits line in warm ups, chances are, they’re not going to try it in the game. You can then concentrate on taking away the angle shot, since that’s the one they’ll use most.
Watch what they do when the ball is close to the net. Do they tip every time, or do they hit away or try to wipe?
Do they ever use off-speed or tips, or are they just bangers, hitting angle and damn the consequences?
Every hitter has a favorite shot. Learn it, and then take it away from them. Only then will you be able to see what that player is really made of.
Float Serving Basics
The floater, though not glamorous, is an effective serving weapon, since it can dip, rise, and move in every direction as it crosses the net.
The key is not to follow through with your hand. Contact the serve and immediately draw your hand back, so the ball moves into the air without spin.
It’ll take practice, but the floater is definitely worth having in your arsenal of serves.
The Feet Are Critical
Ironically, moving the feet is the most important part of the art of passing.
You have to move to the exact place where you can take the ball between your knees, about zipper height in order to make a good pass.
Bend your knees slightly, keeping your eyes on the ball until it actually contacts your arms.
Point one foot toward your target, and follow through by lifting up with your knees.
The feet and legs are vitally important to making you a great passer. Move your feet, then worry about the rest of your routine!
Essentials of Passing
Take pride in your passing. It’s very important, and absolutely critical for a successful offense.
If you don’t think it’s true, think about these ideas:
How well could a baseball team play if the pitcher was forced to pitch from second base?
How successful would a football team be if the quarterback had to start every play by standing back an extra 20 yards?
Both of those situations are comparable to what bad passing does to a setter’s chances of running an efficient offense. So do your best on every single pass, and you’ll see your team’s success rate increase.
Middle Blockers, Smother The Ball
To be an effective CF (Center Front), you must love to work hard and be involved in every play. You’re like the shot blocker in basketball. You have to dominate the net, and make it your own, make opposing hitters think about what they’re doing, change their shots, throw off their game.
Here’s a tip to become a tough CF:
Try to smother the ball. Get your hands completely around the ball, and push it down. Make it impossible for the ball to go anywhere but straight back down.
When You’re In Trouble
If you’re passing in an emergency situation, remember this adage: the more trouble you’re in, the higher the ball needs to go into the air.
Putting the ball high allows the next player time to help you by getting into position to get the ball back under control.
So pop it high when you’re in trouble!
Serving the Floater
In an era when jump serving is all the rage, why would anyone bother to serve the floater anymore?
Here’s a 2nd reason:
The floater is a beautifully effective short serve. The jump server usually is happy just to get the ball in the court somewhere, but if you serve the floater, you can just barely put it over the net, in front of the 10-foot line. That’s the most difficult pass to make, and you’ll often be serving front-row people who aren’t accustomed to passing very often.
Read more news from our Did You Know? section.
Check out our Fitness section, every Saturday a new story! Tomorrow read about Best Arm Exercises for Volleyball.
