1. Pay Attention During Warmups

While the opposing team is warming up, this is a great time, as a team, to pay attention to the hitters. Sometimes they will wear warmup shirts, hiding their jersey numbers. They do this so they are harder to identify during the fast-paced movements of the game. However, whether they are covering their numbers or not, do your best to identify their hitters and setters. See how the hitters swing, who are the big hitters? What zones are they attacking? Do some tip more than others? How proficient is the setter? Do they give any clues when setting the various zones?

If you pay attention during warmups, this will give you a heads-up on how to defend against them.

2. Identify the Front Line

Oftentimes you’ll hear front-row defenders yelling something as they stand at the net with their hands up ready to defend against the serve-receive. They are usually identifying how many hitters there are and where the setter is. It will sometimes sound like this: “Set’s back, 3 hitters!” or “Set’s up, 2 hitters!” This gives your team an early idea of not only how many hitters to track, but also if you should block the setter as well, since they can only attack the ball if they are in the front row.

3. Read the Ball off of the Passer’s Platform

If you pay attention to the angle, movement, height, and speed of the ball passed, you can get an early read on not only where the set will go, but also who will be attacking the ball.

For example, if the pass is shanked, forcing the setter to leave the target zone to chase it, most likely, the front-row hitters will not be able to make aggressive contact with the ball. It will often end up in a free ball, or a back row attack, which means your blockers can move off the net to receive the dig.

If the pass is good, but maybe a bit high, this will give the blockers time to watch the body movement of the hitters so they can line up their double or even triple block on the hitter who comes in to attack.

If the pass is short and quick, the blockers will want to keep their eyes on the setter to try and understand who they are going to set before making their blocking transition to another zone.

Reading the pass off the passer’s platform can tell you a lot about how that ball is going to come back over the net.

4. Learn the Setter’s Movements and Tells

Setters give us clues in every movement they make. The key is learning them early in the match so the defense can angle themselves correctly to stop or proficiently defend against the ball.

Watch how the setter sets to the outside hitter. Do they put one foot back to get enough force to push it out to that zone? When setting middles, do they stand directly under the ball before making contact? When setting back sets, do they arch their back? These movements and more can often give defenders an early read on where to move in order to put up a big block against a hitter, as well as giving your back row a chance to angle against the zone being set.

5. Keep your Eyes on the Hitters

In high-level volleyball, all hitters will transition off the net, call for the ball, and take their approach every time as if they are being set. However, that is not always the case. Some hitters will stop their approach after learning they’re not being set. Some hitters will go through the motions, without taking an aggressive approach, and some hitters aren’t able to get back to hit, and therefore, take themselves out of being an option to their setter. These are all hints that they are not planning on hitting the ball. Reading the hitters, watching their approach and their eyes can often tell the defense whether or not to block or defend against them.

Some teams will run a more dynamic offense, putting up sets outside of the normal zones. They could run plays, put the middle in motion, or set shoots (quick, low sets aimed at taking away the chance for a double block). It’s always a great idea, as a blocker, to “lock in” to your hitter. For example, as a middle blocker, you’ll want to clue into your opposing middle; follow them, no matter where they go, so they’re never left with an open net. The pin blockers should do the same, especially when facing a team with a dynamic offense.

6. Line up your Blockers for Maximum Execution

As a blocker, there are numerous aspects of a hitter that you can read to ensure success at the net. The biggest, and most important trait of an effective blocker is to read the setter and find out early on who they’re going to set. Now that you’ve identified who is going to be set, take your eyes OFF the ball, and place them squarely on the shoulder of the hitter’s swinging arm. It’s imperative that you do not try to block the ball, rather, you want to block the hitter instead. Why? Because if you try to block the ball, you’ll often find yourself late to the block, and usually, not lined up to stop the attack.

As a pin blocker, it’s your job to set the block so that your middle blocker knows how far to go to close the block. To do this successfully, you’ll need to read the set. Is the set inside pin? Then you’ll want to move out to take away the line shot. Is the set outside the pin? Then step in to take away the cross-shot. This will help to always guarantee your blocks are closed, leaving no openings for the ball to go through. And always remember, once you’ve identified where the set is going, and what hitter is going to attack, put your eyes directly on the hitter’s swinging arm, center your body in that angle, and you will almost always get a touch if not a point-ending block.

7. Be Willing to Change your Defense according to a Hitter’s Target

There are two different types of defensive formats. The first is perimeter defense. This can also be called a “zone” defense, where the middle back stays deep in the center of the court, and the two wings (usually setter and libero) pinch in to cover the sharp angles. The second type of defensive format is called rotational. This is specifically to cover hitters who are continuously hitting down the line. This type of defensive setup occurs against pin hitters; where the wing defender pulls up to cover tips behind the block, and the middle back cheats towards the deep line, leaving the other wing to cover a wider angle of the court. The off-blocker also pulls off to cover short pushes and tips at the sharper angle between the 10-foot line and the net.

Oftentimes a coach will switch up the defense based on where a hitter is hitting, and sometimes against a specific hitter. It’s important to be flexible with your defense and be willing to shift and flex with the movement of the ball.

Volleyball is a fluid and ever-changing sport. High-level offenses will often change up their tactics based on holes they see on the court, or weaker players they identify early on. If you follow the previous tips and tricks, you will sufficiently close any possible holes, and force the hitters into making mistakes, or even better, giving you an easy ball you can quickly turn around into a kill.

1. Refine your Release Form!

A surefire way to keep the defense guessing is to ensure your body movement looks the same no matter what zone you are setting. Keeping your setter form consistent whether you’re setting a 5 to the Outside Hitter, a back C to your Middle, or a 9 to your Right Side, will guarantee the defense will never know which hitter will attack.

It’s all about the release. As blockers, we watch the setter’s body movement for tells as to where they might set. There are many setters out there who give obvious signs about where they’re going to put the ball; and thanks to those signs, we can get an early jump on block transitioning so we can ensure we can put up a double block on any specific hitter.

Some tricks to making your form consistent:

– Always get your feet to the ball first before putting your hands up

– With your body positioned under the ball, the only movement should come from your shoulders to your fingertips.

– When setting a high outside set: finish the release with a step forward.

– When setting a back 9, simply draw your arms back, flick your wrists, and thrust from your elbows, while looking forward.

– Your hands should contact the ball directly over your hairline every time, then release according to the zone you are targeting.

2. Watch for “Bunching”

A great way to get an early read on the best zone to set is to use your peripheral vision. Peripheral vision is what is seen on the side by the eye when looking straight ahead. Early reading is a massively important way to be a higher-level setter. Start by reading the ball off the platform of your passer. Understanding the height, force, and angle of where the ball is going will allow you to get your feet to the spot it will land sooner. Here is the trick: as the ball makes its way to the target, and your body is heading to that zone, glance across the net using your peripheral vision to see where the defense is setting up. Oftentimes, they will “bunch” in a specific zone, assuming you will set a certain hitter, and will angle to cover tips or cross from that zone. Sometimes the middle blocker will cheat to cover a hitter they assume you will set. This is when you make your move and set to the zone away from the “bunching”.

The key to spotting the defensive “bunching” is to read the ball’s direction from the passer early on so you can make your way to target sooner; only then can you glance across the net to ensure you are not setting the hitter who has multiple blockers on them.

3. Mix Up your Sets

Young and inexperienced setters will tend to get into a groove of only setting certain zones. This allows the blockers and defense to set up early to ensure they can block the swing. However, it’s a setter’s job to mix up the sets to keep the defense guessing, and never knowing which hitter will attack the ball.

This starts with watching for the “defensive bunching” and setting the opposite zones of where the defense is. But you’ll also want to stray from the typical 3 zone sets. The easiest sets to block and defend against are:

– High outside 5

– Middle 2

– Right side 9

To avoid allowing the defense to block your hitters, add in quicker, more fast-paced sets like:

– Outside shoot (a ball that is set within the height of the pin at a faster pace)

– 31 (a faster-paced ball set between the outside hitter and middle hitter zones. This ball is for Middle Hitters to attack)

– Middle 1 (a quick set only a couple of feet above the net set directly in front of the setter)

– Middle or RS C (like a 1 set, this is a lower ball set directly behind the setter)

– Slide (similar to a 31, except this ball is pushed to the right side pin where the middle will complete a slide footwork “chase” to slam the ball)

4. Run Plays!

One way to bring the team together and get kills is to run offensive plays. There are many volleyball plays that involve various hitter movements to trick the defense into thinking one hitter is going to attack the ball, when in fact, another hitter will make the final contact.

A couple of popular and simple plays to run are:

– STACK: This is where the middle hitter will go in for a 1 set, and the outside hitter will stack behind them waiting for a higher 2 set. The blocker will not know if the middle or outside hitter is going to contact the ball, often leaving whoever makes contact the freedom to swing without a block. *Note, this play only works if both hitters assume they are going to be set; always being ready to hit is the key to running a successful play

– CRISS CROSS: This can be done with either the middle and outside or the middle and right side. One option is for the middle to run a 31 and the outside to run a middle 2. The other option is for the middle to run a slide and the right-side hitter to shuffle left to hit the middle 2. The middle blocker defender will often follow the middle hitter to try and block them. However, their sets are going to be fast-paced with chase-type footwork. This will leave the middle zone free for either the outside or right-side hitter to hit a hard, higher set 2.

5. Perfect your setter dump!

Because the setter’s main job is to set up hitters for big swings and hard kills, they often forget that they are an integral part of every offense. If a setter can become proficient at all the formats mentioned above (watching for defense bunching and refining their setter form), they can begin to place the ball over the net themselves if the opportunity is available.

Once a setter reads the ball off their passer and glances through the net to see where the blockers are going, sometimes they’ll catch a glimpse of an open spot on the court. This is when you attack! Set your feet up under the ball as if you are going to set one of your hitters, then simply drop your right shoulder and set the ball over the net (making sure to keep the ball lower than the height of the pin) and allow the ball to drop on the other side of the court. This is a great option when the setter is setting from the back row (Rows 1-3).

If a team is running a 5-1 (1 setter and 5 optional hitters) then when that setter gets to row 4, 5, and 6, they become a front-row hitter and can now attack the ball over the net. Passes that are high and tight are great options for setter attacks. Passes that force the setter to move out of their target; pushing them into the zones between middle and pin hitters, are also great openings for a setter to get a kill.

Another great setter dump option is to leave the ground with your hands up as if you’re going to jump set a hitter, but instead, you’ll move your right hand around to cup the front of the ball and wrist-flick it quickly over the net to drop in the top corner of the defender’s court.

It’s a no-brainer that the setter is the heart of any volleyball team’s offense. And we are often in awe of how flawlessly they can put a ball up off an out-of-system pass. But if you impart the tricks above, you can increase your offensive effectiveness 10-fold, getting the win and all the accolades that come with it.

In the competitive world of high school club and travel sports, no spot on any team is guaranteed. However, there are steps student-athletes can take to not only better prepare for their club tryout but also to stand out in the crowd and secure the spotlight on the court or field. Pay close attention to the following five steps, and be ready to invest some time, energy, and focus, to ensure you are equipped to face your club tryouts head-on.

5 Steps to a Successful Tryout

1. Train

It’s no surprise that your club tryout will take a toll on your body physically. Do yourself a favor and start the training ahead of time. This way, your athleticism can shine and your endurance can run the course of an aggressive multi-day tryout. There are numerous sports-specific workouts published publicly that you can do at home or at the gym. Make a plan, write it down, start early, and stick to it.

2. Reach out to the club Director

Ask about booking individual lessons with one of their coaches. Speaking as a 12-year club coach, this is a fantastic way to get your name out there. Learn about the club, its coaches, and get 1-on-1 training from the experts.

3. Register for tryouts ahead of time!

Many clubs organize their tryouts based on numbers, and preregistered athletes usually get ahead just by signing up before the deadline. Perks like skipping the registration line upon arrival on day one, receiving a pre-numbered tryout shirt, and getting the chance to start warming up early as the latecomers fight through all the red tape are just some of the advantages.

4. During the tryout:

Be vocal, volunteer to shag balls, and play with a smile! When it comes to sports, we coaches can teach you how to play, how to swing harder, jump higher, or run faster. What we cannot teach is coachability, personality, or spirit. Showcase that you are a team player, be vocally supportive of the athletes around you, introduce yourself to the coach rating your court/field area, and always take a few minutes before each water break to help gather equipment.

5. Leave nothing behind.

You may not be the fastest runner in the gym, the highest jumper on the field, or the strongest hitter on the court; but what you can do is give it all you’ve got. Dive for every ball, call for every pass, sprint as fast as you can, transition to each spot faster than others, showcase your endurance and your athletic ability, and never give up. If your vocals match up with your heart, you will get noticed, and in all the best ways.

No matter what sport, club/travel/AAUs are often where US college coaches find and recruit talent for our upcoming seasons. Club is no longer just the sport you play between your high school seasons to stay in shape. Club sports showcase some of the most competitive teams there are in high school circuits today. If you are serious about wanting to be a better athlete and get noticed by club coaches, then follow the above 5 steps carefully and intently. Remember: the path of vigilance is always a direct path to success.

All these questions and more are essential during this reflection period because, for sports camps to grow in numbers and in popularity, players and coaches alike need a balance of work, rest, and activities.

When planning each sports camp, breaking down each day, each session, and each hour, as a coach, our primary focus is, of course, the skill set. Learning and implementing our sport and creating competitive players is our ultimate goal. We like to start with the basics of a passing platform, arm swing, and footwork in volleyball. We’ll then move into the difference between defense, offense, and serve to receive before eventually shifting into the 6-on-6 competition environment.

The trickiest thing about a summer volleyball camp is condensing a season’s worth of skill sets into one short week. For this reason, we keep a camper-to-coach ratio of 8-1 and break up each day into three sessions with laser-focused skill work. This format ensures each camper has ample time to master the skill and form within that set before moving on to the next.

No matter their age or skill level, after a day full of multiple practice sessions that have coaches hammering them on their form, arm swing, footwork, and competitive play, even the best player in the camp will burn out before they hit the halfway point. So how, then, do we keep them engaged, keep them moving between drills while having fun? We play volley games!

Over the years and after dozens of fall seasons and camps, I’ve come up with a few key volley games that I like to use to keep my players moving, engaged, and communicating with their teammates while keeping their heart rate up and their reflexes on point. But the secret is, they have no idea about any of that because all they know is how much fun they’re having!

Volley Games

1. Serving Amoeba – This volley game is a fun way of teaching spot serving and team cheering, and quick movement.

Start by splitting your group in half to create two teams. Put each team at opposite end lines with a ball cart. Choose one team member to sit (cross-legged) on the court on which their team will be serving.

I like to start by sitting them in one spot on the court. This is often where the setter lives and can help put a team out of the system when chosen as a serving spot them. Once their teammate is sitting cross-legged, and everyone on each team has a ball in hand, the whistle is blown to commence serving. *Note, all players on each end line are allowed to serve at once.

The object is to serve at your teammate over the net and for her/him to catch the ball without getting up or moving. If a player serves and their teammate catches the ball, the server then sprints under the net, sits next to it, and links arms with that player. As more players hit the girls/guys sitting, the “amoeba” grows on the court, making it easier to hit someone sitting down.

The team is the first to have all their players sitting and linked wins. At this point, the losing team will run for punishment while the other team shags the balls. Punishments vary for each age level, from 10 sit-ups to 6 full-court sprints.

I’ll usually play 2-3 rounds of this game, changing the spot the first sitter begins on the court with each game. I would advise always to include one spot and a short spot like 2, 3, or 4.

Another variation, depending on age, is to allow the younger players to serve from the court. The idea is to create a competitive yet fair game that includes all ages and levels.

2. Volleyball Relay – This volley game is a sprinting game that incorporates teamwork.

Begin by splitting your group into teams of 8 or 10. You can adjust this to play with as little as 6 or 7 players on each team, but it’s more fun with 8 or 10.

For this example, we’ll assume we have two teams of 10. Put both teams at one end line in single file lines. Teams must be even, so if you have an uneven number, the team with less will need one player to go twice.

Place ten balls at the opposite end line from each team. Once the players are lined up, and the first runner is chosen, the whistle is blown. The first player from each team must sprint down to the other end of the court, pick up one ball and run it back to the next player waiting in line. That second player takes that one ball, sprints down, picks up a second ball, then turns around and runs back to the third player in line. Handing off both balls, the third player must sprint and pick up the third ball, and so on.

The object is to somehow get all ten balls back across the original end line without dropping any.

*Note, players are allowed to help stuff balls under jerseys, shorts, etc., from the team end line. But the player whose turn it is cannot be helped down at the end line where the balls are.

Players must remain behind the end line, do not let them cheat by inching up to get closer to the player running back with balls.

All ball transfers must take place behind the end line. If a player drops the ball in transit, they cannot kick the ball toward their team. The ball must be picked up and carried across the line.

A helpful tip is to have the players sit down behind the end line after their turn. This way, the coach/ref can see how many players there are left to run. The first team to get all 10 of their balls back across the team end line wins!

3. Shipwreck – A personal favorite, this volley game will sharpen their listening skills, reflexes, and teamwork

This game works best with larger groups, so obviously, it’s a great game for summer camp and best when combining multiple teams.

Start by spreading the entire group out on a single boundary line so everyone can see the coaches and you can see them.

Start by teaching them the commands. This game is played by the coach calling out specific commands (similar to Simon Says), and the players need to complete an action to each command. Like Simon Says, there are tricks and ways that players will be eliminated.

We use the volleyball court’s boundaries for this game, which the players cannot go out of. We call this the “ship”. For extra-large groups, it’s best to use a bigger “ship” as a basketball court.

Unknown Commands:

A: Captain’s coming – All players must stop in their tracks and solute and yell, “Aye-Aye, Captain!” They must remain in this form until the coach yells, “At ease”. *Trick players by giving a command before giving the “at ease” command. This will always cause some players to break their solute, thus getting eliminated.

B: Port or Starboard – Define a left and right side of a court and tell the port and which is starboard. When you call this command out, the players must run to that line. Whoever is last to the line is eliminated. *Trick them by pointing in the opposite direction of the command. Some players will pay attention only to hand signals rather than words.

C: 3-men in a boat – 3 players must sit front-to-back in a row in a single file line and pretend to be rowing a boat.

D: 4-men in a boat – same as above, but with four players. Any players seen scrambling without being in a boat are eliminated, as are any boats with more or less than the number called.

E: Starfish – 5 players must sit on the ground with all their feet touching in a circle. The shape this creates with the space inside the legs is a star.

F: Lighthouse – 2 players join and create a roof with their hands, while a third player goes underneath and turns around and around like the bulb inside a lighthouse.

G: Man overboard – 1 player must get on the back of another player as they pretend to scan the seas for the missing crew.

H: Beached whale – each player must get down on the ground, on their belly, all legs and feet up off the ground as they make weird squealing sounds.

I: Jellyfish – 3 players sit on the ground with their backs together, legs and arms out in front of them, wiggling like a jellyfish.

J: Swab the deck – All players must pretend their sweeping or mopping the deck.

K: Bomb’s Away – Players crouch down on the ground in a ball, protecting their heads. Coaches then toss balls in the air or bounce a ball against the floor in the direction of a group of players. If a ball touches a player, they’re out.

Coaches must be quick to catch late players rushing to find a group or partner or players who are late to get into a motion, form, or direction. Any outliers must be quickly eliminated.

Because elimination happens so quickly, I usually have a coach or two working for the eliminated group off to the side doing core exercises. Coaches will stop players in exercises like planks, sit-ups, leg lifts, Russian twists, and scissor kicks outside of the central game court. Players who are eliminated must join the core exercise group. Just be sure to tell the group ahead of time where to go once eliminated from the game.

These three and many other volley games like them are a fantastic way to break up a monotonous drill or a session heavy in repetition. These games tend to revive my players while bringing fun, laughter, and smiles to the court.

The very first thing that comes out of my mouth is always: vertical training. Increasing your vertical consists of building up your leg and core muscles and perfecting your arm swing and timing.

The following five workout movements, if done consistently, are guaranteed to increase the height of your jump in only a matter of months.

1. SQUATS

Squats are one of the most dynamic, beneficial, and universal workouts an athlete can have in their routine. Targeting the glute and quadricep muscles and squats can also improve your hip mobility and strengthen your calf, hamstring, and oblique muscles.

For starters, squat workouts help to improve your “explosive strength”. This is basically the rate of force your body can leave the ground. The muscles that squats target are integral to that speed. To further this rate of growth, try lifting the weight faster on the way up but slower as you lower back down. And always continue to increase the weight as you begin to feel it getting easier.

Another great squat fact is that doing them correctly and regularly helps drastically reduce the risk of knee and ankle injuries while also increasing your bone density, specifically in the spine and lower back!

2. BOX JUMPS

Box jumps are a great way to increase your vertical jump. When completed utilizing a volleyball arm swing, they can amplify your explosiveness off the ground and allow you to reach higher.

Begin jumping from the ground to the first step on a staircase. Lower your body, bending your knees, so your quads are parallel with the ground, arms stretched out behind you, elbows locked.

Next, swing your arms up high, launching your feet off the ground, landing on both feet at the same time on the step. Be sure to try and land on the stair with your entire foot on the step. Step down and repeat three sets of 15.

As your vertical increases, move away from the stairs and onto a 16” box, then to a 21” and higher and higher as your strength increases.

3. MIXED JUMP EXERCISES

Varying your jump types, direction, and movements are a great way to increase your vertical. Always keeping your body guessing and never becoming complacent will help you to become stronger, faster, and more powerful.

Try alternating from squat jumps to broad jumps. Be sure to incorporate your arm swing to get as high and go as far as you can with these. Do three sets of 10 jump pairs (squat jump, then broad jump).

After a short rest, try adding in a 180-degree jump to the sets, and then if you dare to take it to the next level: tuck jumps!

4. LUNGES

Balance is a massive aspect of vertical training. Training your legs individually is a great way to ensure each leg’s muscle structure is targeted efficiently.

Variations of this exercise that will benefit volleyball athletes are: raised single-leg lunges, where your front leg steps to a low platform. Once your foot is flat on the platform, ground your heel in and shove back explosively. Reset and repeat. You can also add a couple of low-weight dumbbells in each hand as you complete your lunge sets.

5. LEG PRESSES

Almost all the jump training exercises can be done at home, outside, at the track or wherever you find space to do so. However, there is one gym machine that has been directly linked to an increase in verticals, and that is the leg press.

Because this machine places your body in a controlled position, you can add more weight than you would originally be able to squat, on rack or freely.

Be sure to press down through your heels and not your toes for the full effect of the movement.

When completing all these exercises, be sure that when bent, your knees are never crossing over your toes; this will protect your knee tendons from strain.

Make sure you rest between sets and hydrate. And most importantly, challenge yourself! Add on an extra set, utilize resistance bands, dumbbells, and a higher platform. Push yourself (safely), and you will always be rewarded in the end!

Picture this: you are an athlete; after having traveled hours by car, bus, or even plane, you just finished playing two games and finally have a break. You are famished; your stomach is rumbling, and you are exhausted and feel lucky you didn’t pass out during that last match. You need to eat something, and you only have about 20 minutes to do so before you’re due to play again. What can you do to fill up your stomach without weighing you down?

The following are some options to ensure you are well-prepared for these types of tournaments to stay hydrated and fed to appropriately fuel your body for peak performance:

1. Never leave home without snacks!

Every athlete’s bag should have snack foods that will keep you energized in a pinch. Some examples of food items that not only fuel the body but also travel well are:

• Granola Bars
• Pretzels
• Apples or Oranges
• Fruit Muffins
• Baked Goods like Oatmeal Cookies or Banana Bread
• Trail Mix

2. Do your research!

Anytime I’ve competed on the road as an athlete or a coach, I always like to arrive a few minutes early to check out the food options at the concessions. Every convention or sports center is different and will offer different options. Here are some tips for concession food:

Don’t be tempted by the fried food selections!

Chicken fingers, fries, burgers, and hot dogs are all staples at every concession stand and will undoubtedly weigh you down, making you sluggish and slow; not to mention at risk for getting sick on the court!

Look beyond the grease!

9 times out of 10, there is a refrigerated section with salads and freshly made sandwiches and wraps. They are not proudly displayed, like the greasy options, but they are there. Be sure to snag them up before they sell out.

Try out different concession stands.

Bigger venues like convention centers will have multiple food spots. Most people assume they all sell the same thing, but more often than not, that is not the case. At a recent tournament where my team was playing at a convention center, there were three concessions stands, all spread out around the numerous courts. They all sold fried food. But in addition, they each sold healthy options too! One was making freshly made protein bowls with yogurt, granola and fruit. One had fresh salads and wraps and the other had various flavors of popcorn.

3. Get your team parents to plan and prepare snack bags!

Put each parent in charge of supplying enough of one item for the team, you can fill a snack bag with fruit, granola, muffins, breakfast biscuits and more! It’s also a fun team bonding activity to make the bags together.

4. Consider grabbing food from outside the tournament.

As a youth athlete with siblings who also played sports, I often traveled alone to my tournaments, as I do today as a coach. So, I didn’t have a parent to run out to the local deli to grab me lunch in time for my break. However, there’s always a willing parent that’s heading that way and would be happy to pick up something extra for you as well. Speak up when they offer and take them up on the favor! Your body and your team will thank you.

Whether you’re a player, parent, coach, or staff member at these long tournament weekends, one thing we all have in common is that we need to eat and fuel our bodies to make it through the long hours of competition. But athletes need more than just food. They need energy and an inner balance to perform at their peak.

Many factors go into being an effective athlete during travel tournaments. Proper rest, an effective warmup, mental toughness, positivity, determination, and endurance all tend to be the main focal points. But without proper nutrition, a youth athlete’s body simply cannot keep up. Without the right fuel, the body will quickly become sluggish, slow, and sloppy. A body that lacks protein is more at risk for injury, and its mind is quick to follow. A lack of nutrition causes the brain’s reaction time to slow, which is detrimental to an athlete’s performance.

So next time you’re preparing for a tournament, packing your bag, researching your travel method and check-in times at your hotel, be sure to do the same for your food choices. Pack nutritious snacks, and research the food options in and around where you’ll be playing. No matter how your team plays or your overall wins or losses, you can take solace in knowing that you did the best you could to bring your A game.

At its core, volleyball is broken down into six body placement and motions: passing frame, setter hands, approach footwork, arm swing, serving form, and court transition steps. These are the foundations of the sport, the platforms upon which all skills are built.

Let’s break them each down so that you, as the athlete or coach, can ensure you are learning and teaching these skills correctly. If done accurately, the sky is the limit for your future all-stars!

Passing Frame

– Start with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart

– Bend your knees to about a 45-degree angle

– Hold one arm out straight; elbow locked, and make a fist with your thumb laying straight on top

– Straighten your other arm out and wrap that hand around the other fist, placing your thumb parallel directly next to your other thumb.

– Lean slightly forward with your weight on your toes

When passing the ball, the ball should make contact with your open forearms halfway between your elbows and your wrists.

It’s imperative to take every pass with your body low to the ground. Rarely will a ball ever come perfectly to your passing platform, so you must move your feet to position yourself slightly under and behind the ball.

Ensure your weight is forward by taking a slight step in the direction you want the ball to go as you contact the ball. A ball passed on your heels will usually go straight up above you or, if hit hard enough, could bounce off you and spin backward.

Setter Hands

– Hold both in front of you, palms facing out, all ten fingers spread wide

– Bring your thumbs and index fingers together to create a diamond

– Elbows out

– Position your body under the passed ball

– As the ball starts to drop, bring your hands in the diamond pattern towards the ball, contacting it around where your forehead meets your hairline

– Push the ball up, using only your fingers: extending your arms and locking your elbows

– Ensure the ball is fully supported and cradled by both sets of fingers so that the outcome is a ball that is not spinning

Successful setters use their legs to drive the ball high into the air so that the hitters can attack it

Tips for becoming more comfortable setting: Set against a wall, lay down on your floor or bed, and use a heavier “setter’s ball” to practice.

Approach Footwork & Arm swing

– If you are a righty: the footwork is Left, Right, Left. However, some will say it in the cadence of Left_____Right Left or Left_____Right, Together. For Lefty arm swingers, start with the right foot.

– The first step is what we call a “directional step”, meaning you step towards the set. Some sets sail wide; some are short, some are high, some are tight to the net, etc. It’s important that the hitter waits to see how the ball leaves the hands of the setter in order to know which direction to place the first step

– The next step is a LARGE right step where the heel should dig into the court. The reason for this is so that we stop our forward momentum and begin the vertical jump

– The last step is what we call the “closing step” this step should land parallel to the right foot, essentially “closing the approach” as your arm swing drives your body up into the air, ready to swing and hit.

– To jump high and complete an aggressive contact with the ball, the arm swing is an important aspect.

– Timing of the arm swing: As you launch your body into the heel-digging right step, throw both your arms back. As the left foot closes the footwork, swing your arms up above your head and ready your hitting arm to swing at the ball.

The best tip to remembering this footwork is to say it in your head every time you complete the motion until it becomes muscle memory. As a high school player, I’m not ashamed to say I say repeated “left___right left” in my head every time I went to hit until I was a Sophomore. It helped accelerate my rate of speed, timing, and aggressive contact behind the ball.

Serving Form

– It’s imperative to first find a pre-serve routine. Whether it’s two bounces of the ball, a quick ball spin in your hands, or a small air toss before catching it again, find a routine that you follow each time right before you serve.

– For righties: stand with the ball in your left hand held out straight in front of you (if you’re a lefty, just switch to the opposite hand but continue to follow all the same instructions)

– Stand with your left foot slightly in front of the right, with your weight on your back foot.

– Hold your right hand up, elbow slightly above your right ear

– Step and toss at the same time. The toss should be high enough for your right arm to reach high and swing, making contact at your highest point

– As you transfer your weight from your back right foot to your front left, drag the toe of your right foot.

– Reach high and swing your arm from your shoulder as fast as you can.

– Allow your arm to swing down alongside your body (do not swing across your body)

For those just starting out, start close to the net. As you begin to improve, you can move farther and farther back until you are behind the end line.

To gain more power, use your hips and shoulder to thrust more force behind the ball.

Ensure your palm is open wide and make contact with the ball using your entire palm.

Court Transition Steps

No matter where you are on the court, there is a specific set of steps that will get any player from one point to the other quickly and efficiently.

– The footwork is as follows: “Open, crossover step, pivot” Yet another cadence I repeated in my head as I moved around the court in my early days

– This footwork is used as a hitter transitions off the net back to the 10-foot line to hit and when a back row DS or Libero moves from base defense to hitter defense. No matter which player you are in that scenario, the footwork is the same.

– The “Open” step: open your hips and step with the leading foot so that the toes point in exactly the direction you want to end up.

– The “Crossover” step happens when the other leg then crosses over the opposite (pointing) foot

– The “Pivot” is the final step where your weight is shifted to turn and face the net, ready to either hit or defend against a hit.

These three steps have been scientifically proven to cover the largest amount of ground in the fastest way possible to position the player ready to immediately complete the next skill.

Learning and mastering the basics of volleyball can be daunting and can leave your head spinning when it comes to remembering all the tiny details, steps, and movements. That’s why it is imperative to continue practicing each step exactly as they are listed so that they eventually become a physical reflex. Once they are second nature, you can move on to focusing on jump timing, ball placement, setting different positions at different tempos, and more. Stick with it, and don’t give up! The more a player practices these foundational movements, the closer they’ll get to them becoming a reflex.

And always remember, every great volleyball star, Olympian or Pro once started in this exact place, learning and repeating their fundamentals until the day they too conquered them.

It’s not often that a Freshman athlete is considered for a spot on a varsity team, but it’s a big deal when it happens. As coaches, we must carefully weigh our options; is this young athlete good enough, fast enough, or strong enough to take the spot of another potential upperclassman? Will this make waves among the current varsity team members? Is this athlete ready for the challenges and higher level of training they’ll encounter on a varsity schedule?

While coaches and players weigh their options, many parents think the same things. Can my son or daughter hold their own on that level of play? Will they be accepted? Are they at a higher risk for injury? Should we wait? Is he or she ready for the challenge?

All these and more are valid questions for parents of a gifted athletes. As a head coach who has taken that chance on a handful of freshmen in my career, I can offer a few suggestions to parents wondering: is my freshman varsity material?

When it becomes apparent that your athlete has a real chance at being offered a Varsity position, it’s important to start having specific conversations with your athlete and their coach.

Talking to your athlete, ask the following questions:

1. Is this an opportunity you feel ready to take on?
2. What are the pros and cons of accepting this offer?
3. Is there anything about playing on Varsity that worries you or makes you nervous?
4. Let’s talk about balancing school, sports, and your social life; let’s make a plan.
5. Is this a sport you see yourself possibly playing in college?

Once you and your athlete are on the same page about moving forward, it’s important to speak to the coach (along with your son/daughter) and be sure to ask these questions:

1. What brought you to choose my son/daughter for your team?
2. What qualities do you see in them?
3. What do you see their role being on this team?
4. What is your coaching philosophy?

After having these important conversations, you will have a better idea of what is expected of your athlete and feel better either way about the decision they will soon make.

Ultimately, it’s important not to forget that this is an amazingly positive opportunity for your son or daughter that could launch them into a lifelong career within their sport!

I am a Division II College Coach, 11-year Elite Club Coach, and an 8-year Varsity Coach with almost 200 wins. I was a Division I Scholarship Athlete and a Semi-Pro post-collegiate athlete. And as a Freshman, I too made my Varsity team. I was of course, nervous, wondering if I was ready, worried I wasn’t good enough, fast enough, or knew enough about the sport. But all those doubts and uncertainties went away with time and support from my coach and teammates. I quickly earned playing time and respect among my peers and it ended up leading to a career in this sport and others. I look back upon those 4 years on Varsity as one of the best and most challenging times in my young sports career. I would not have changed my decision for anything in the world.

On the occasions, I have made offers to Freshman athletes for a spot on my Varsity squad and have had those parents come to me and ask, “Is my Freshman Varsity Material?” My answer is always “Yes.” Yes, I will support them and lead them as youth athletes because I will be patient with them and their teammates. But also yes because as a coach, I know what I’m doing and I know talent when I see it and your athlete has what it takes, and that’s why the offer was made.

Ultimately, it comes down to the decision to be made by your son or daughter for what they want for their future as an athlete. And as you begin having conversations and weighing your options remember that your Freshman does not need to be as big as their Senior classmates or even as strong or as fast. As Varsity coaches, we often take chances on Freshmen who showcase potential to be all those things and more and that’s why we make those offers. This is a chance for your Freshman to grow and learn at a more rapid and challenging pace than they would otherwise and more often than not, can be the biggest blessing of their athletic career! Good Luck and Congratulations!

There are many things a prospective coach should know before leading their own team for the first time. As a D2 college volleyball and high school varsity lacrosse coach heading into my 20^th season, I look for a few important characteristics in an assistant, JV, or freshman coach.

Be Knowledgable

The first important characteristic a new coach should possess is a good knowledge of the inner workings of the sport itself. For volleyball, I look for coaches who understand the nuances of each position and the relationship on the court between them. I ask what rotations they would run and why. For example, the benefits of running a 5-1 vs. a 6-2, what is “in the system” volleyball, and what speed offense should you run with different levels of players?

They are one step closer to coaching their own team if they can answer detailed questions like that! Next, I look for positivity and flexibility. Will this person curate a constructive environment for my program? Will they give feedback and correction in a teaching manner rather than speak critically or talk down to their players? How do they finesse a difficult situation with a player? And can they meet any challenges they will face?

Adapt to Your Athletes

Flexibility is an often forgotten but imperative coaching trait. New and even veteran coaches must adapt to the changing needs of each team and each player that every fresh season brings. Some players learn better through demonstration, some through film, and some through action, but the ultimate teacher will always be: experience. To be a successful coach, you must learn to fit the various roles it takes to bring your team together towards a winning season. As coaches, we are not often handed a Championship-winning team. That’s something you must help to foster and establish as the season goes on.

Aside from the personality traits, a new coach must be determined and ready to play what I call “the long game.” Sports program development takes time; often, expanding outside of your school’s season. This includes taking part in clubs, camps, clinics, and off-season practices to become successful. Any new coach should be prepared to hand in many aspects of their community through their sport, coaching club, running clinics, individual training, and more. Developing those relationships with your players and their families, the school, and the community is all a part of becoming a new coach.

Leading Vs. Coaching

Many people don’t know this, but coaching is often 60% sports instruction and 40% administrative duties. I like to tell my new coaches that the better you are at Microsoft Excel, the quicker you will get organized. Keeping lists such as players signed up to try out, whether they completed their physicals, parent emails, emergency contacts, roster, stats, and schedule formatting are all administrative facets of coaching. Add to that: court time, team gear including jerseys, practice shirts, spandex, court shoes, knee pads, and ankle braces, plus equipment like balls, ball bags, volley carts, and more all need to be organized by you as the coach. Let’s not forget tryout format, potential tryout helpers, player evaluations, and making and executing cuts. The checklists continue: not all coaches do, but I require all coaches working under me to plan out each practice. I believe a team’s progress and productivity operate at a higher level when practices are planned based on the strengths and weaknesses of the team at that time. Stay organized, plan everything ahead of time, and you will set yourself up for the best possible outcome.

Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

Lastly, highly recommend having trustworthy, open communication with your team’s direct supervisor. That could be the school’s Athletic Director, your club’s Director, or the Sports Director at your facility. Obtaining the proper gear for your team, scheduling court time, and even handling difficult parent interactions can all be eased by utilizing that supervisor-coach relationship. In addition, organizing and implementing your season’s schedule can be frustrating and confusing and can often change many times during the season. Having a reliable relationship with your AD can make that process much smoother.

Learn from Peers

Before jumping into volleyball coaching for the first time, I recommend attending a coaching clinic to learn from others who have been in the coaching role for many years. That can often help new coaches avoid common mistakes and prepare you for the season. And finally, reach out and ask questions! As an assistant college coach, I am often approached by younger coaches on the recruiting trail. They ask for advice, what my favorite drills are, or what offense they should run. I am always happy to help a new coach as I was once in their shoes and feel strongly about helping to develop valuable new additions!

As you can see, just knowing the sport of volleyball and having played it before is not enough to make someone a good coach. It takes passion and a thirst to share that with others. It takes being organized and efficient, and the willingness to become a mentor to youth athletes, and the determination to do what it takes to foster their growth on and off the court.

Read More:

• 7 Tips to Coaching Better
• 5 Steps to Becoming a Better Coach

The simplest way to fool your opponent is to add more offensive attack options for your hitters.

As most people know, there are three hitters in indoor volleyball: the outside hitter, middle hitter and right side (or weak side) hitter. Each one of these positions holds the possibility for numerous hitting options at various points on the net in changing speeds and tempos.

Amateur or novice teams will typically stick to a 3-point offense, with the setter tossing up high sets on the outside, middle or right side of the net. These higher sets and slower attacks are easy to track for the defense, and gives the defense enough time to set up a double or triple block, plus time to line up their defensive specialists in the back row with ample time to put up a good pass.

As the offensive team, this is not ideal. So, what you will learn today is a breakdown of various types of sets for each hitting position that will add bulk and variety to your front row offense.

Volleyball attack systems are broken down numerically. What you’ll see here is what each number means for each hitting position, based on height and tempo of the set and hitting position. The reasoning behind the numbers is so that each hitter can call out a number so the setter knows exactly what set to throw up and where to place it for each hitter.

Outside Hitter (OH) Sets

5

A five-set is an outside set, set at a lower height where the ball “dies” mid-antenna. This means the setter must push this set at a faster tempo (however not as fast as a shoot tempo) so that the ball begins its descent to the ground once it crosses the mid to high mark on the antenna. This set can be hit line or cross as long as the OH takes the right approach to catch the ball at its peak before it begins to descend.

4

A four-set is a higher set ball (approx. 10 feet in the air) placed about 3 feet to the right of the OH antenna. This is a slower tempo set so the OH can transition off their normal platform, take their approach, read the defense, and place the ball.

2

A two set for an OH is meant to be set in the Middle Hitter spot, high but behind the MH. This means the MH will go in for a 1 set (to be further explained momentarily) while the setter sets up as if they’re going to set the MH 1, but instead throws up a higher ball slightly behind the approaching MH. The set must be about 10-12 feet in the air to allow the MH to go in for their quick set, fake out the blockers, so that when the 2 set is hit by the OH, the blockers are already landing from blocking the MH’s 1.

Middle Hitters (MH) Sets

1

A one set, also known as a quick set, is a fast-paced set, placed only 1-2 feet above the net. Timing for the hitter on this set is for the MH to start their approach as the ball crosses past their shoulder. The MH should watch the ball as it crosses their shoulder, then approach directly in front of the setter, jumping and swinging down quickly. If done right, the setter places the ball directly in line with the MH’s arm swing. The tempo is fast in this set so as to not give the other team’s OH and OPP blockers time to come in, leaving a single block only, if any.

7

A seven set is similar to a 1 set for an MH, however, the set is directly behind the setter. Again, we’re talking a fast-paced approach, ball is placed 1-2 feet above the net and the MH approaches directly behind the setter. Again, because of the fast tempo of this attack, the defense’s OH and OPP will not have time to come in for the triple block. While simultaneously, the MH blocker is often fooled into thinking the setter is setting a quick 1 set, so will set up to block in front of the setter, when in fact, the MH is approaching directly behind the setter, leaving the net wide open for the kill.

3

A three-set is a shoot set where the ball rides about 2 feet above the net before the MH attacks it. The MH will adjust their starting point of approach heading straight in from the halfway point between the OH and MH spot. The tempo for this set is fast which means the hitter’s approach must match that. A 3 set for an MH, if done right, means there should be no block from the defense.

9

A nine set is the same set for both the MH and the right side (OPP) hitter. But the approach, attack, and ball contact are different between the two hitters. A 9 set is a backset that is placed high (10-12’) close to the right-side antenna (pin). The MH “chases” the set-out and slams it as a slide (going off of their left foot) and hitting a cross or line. It’s important the OPP hitter knows the MH is calling and going out for the 9 sets so that the two of them are not going in for the same ball. This is why this attack is often run mostly when the offensive team is running a 5-1 and the setter is front row.

Right Side a.k.a Opposite Hitter (OPP) Sets

9

As mentioned above, the set for the OPP and the MH nine is the same. However, the OPP will take their approach from off the court (in or near the hash marked 10-foot line extension). The idea of the 9 set for the OPP hitter is to set high and be able to hit above and over the block to the deep back corners.

7

Similar to the 7 set for the MH, this set is placed directly behind the setter about 1-2 feet up, usually the OPP hitter will call for a 7 as the MH is calling for the 9 so that their approach paths cross and confuse the defense leaving zero blocks and a wide-open net.

All of these hitting options can be taught at any level. I currently run these options with my Division II Women’s college team, but I’ve taught it successfully at the junior high and high school levels, as well.

When teaching offensive variants, there are many helpful tools to create a visual template for your players. I’ve used pool noodles (threaded through the net) to mark stopping or approaching points for both setters and hitters and to learn and understand placement of the ball as well as approach patterns. Rubber floor dots are a great way to show hitters where to start their approach and what angle to take, as well as to mark placement and landing spots for set balls.

However, the most important thing for your players to learn to run this expanded 8-point offense successfully is footwork.

If setters are effectively getting their feet set up under the pass and squaring their shoulders to their target, they can run all of these hitting options from almost anywhere near the 10-foot line.

But it is the hitter’s job to own, conquer and memorize the footwork steps to be able to crush the sets at the correct time and spot on the net. Be sure to break down the footwork with your hitters. For each transition-type hit, be sure to hit on the following:

• Where on the court do they start their approach?
• How fast should their approach to the net (or setter) be?
• Should they jump off of two feet, or are they running a slide and jumping off of one?
• Is their arm swing going to be straight down or across their body?

These are all important details to master the 8-point offense as a team. However, if done right, and practiced thoroughly, your team will undoubtedly start reeling in more kills and more wins with this approach.

READ MORE:

• Volleyball Workout and Drills You Can Do at Home
• Develop Drop and Drive Defensive Movements for Volleyball
• 2 Speed Drills to Improve Your Volleyball Game

Photo Credit: FatCamera/iStock