The Academy Volleyball Club

Transcription

1 The Academy Volleyball Club Coaches Clinic 1 January 3,

2 Team Strategy Rotations 4 Types Position Description Where to start? Offense 8 Serve Receive Offensive Concepts First Ball Phase Transition Phase Freeball Phase Defense.. 12 Defensive Systems Blocking Systems Team Management Practice Planning 16 Time Management Drill Type Organization Wash Drills Team Dynamics 18 Communication Do s and Don ts of rule making Earning Respect Technique Serve Receive 21 Mindset Technique Execution Drills 2

3 Floor Defense 23 Mindset Technique Execution Drills Serving. 24 Mindset Technique Execution Drills Outside Attacking 26 Mindset Technique Execution Drills 3

4 Team Strategy Rotations There are a variety of rotations you can use when setting up your players. The most important thing to consider when choosing your system is to make sure it is built around your players abilities; do not try to do tactically what you can t do technically. The three types of rotations we will look at are the 5-1, 5-2, and 6-2. Note: When discussing rotations you will hear it often referred to as rotation 1, rotation 2, rotation,3,etc. The rotation number is counted in a clockwise fashion in reference to the setter starting in right back. 5-1 Rotation The 5-1 is one of the most popular offensive systems at every level. This system is a combination of the 4-2 and 6-2 system in that your setter will play both front row and back row. This offense generally accommodates a variety of players and can maximize skill sets by position. This system has very few downfalls, but is often regarded as being more basic than the 6-2 system. One thing that is seen as a disadvantage is the two-attacker rotations in rotations 4-6. The most appealing thing about a 5-1 is its simplicity. This allows the coach flexibility in complicating the offense, because it is easier to master. With only having one setter, hitters progress more quickly in their environment. Another incentive is this offense has the ability to sub more freely. This will allow a coach the opportunity to sub ball control into the backcourt or substitute for a struggling player. One of the most appealing aspects to having a front row setter is a middle hitter s ability to attack from behind the setter. It also allows your setter to be a viable offensive threat in rotations 4-6. Basic Setup: Rotation 1: OPP MB 2 OH 1 OH 2 MB 1 Setter 4

5 5-2 Rotation The only difference between a 5-1 and a 5-2 is this system will use two setters instead of one. The 5-2 has become more common recently with teams demanding a larger block when the setter reaches the front row. Teams have used this twist to manage the risk of a smaller setter, but keep the advantages of the 5-1 intact. The only downfall to the 5-2 is the substitution limitations. When running a 5-2, it is imperative that at least two of your pin attackers play 6 rotations. Basic Setup: Rotation 1 Rotation 4 OPP MB 2 OH 1 Setter 2 MB 1 OH 2 OH 2 MB 1 Setter 1 OH 1 MB 2 OPP 6-2 Rotation The 6-2 is often regarded as the most advanced system. In the 6-2 system, the setter is always back row, which gives the offense 3 attackers: left front, middle front, and right front. This system is the most complex system for several reasons. First, both setters must be capable of back setting and have similar setting styles. Since the 6-2 is off set with both the middle and left side hitters, each attacker must hit off the two setters. The second complexity in the 6-2 is substitutions. The 6-2 will run through a total of 4 substitutions per cycle (rotations 1-6), not including the use of any DS. Another thing a coach must consider in a 6-2 is having enough capable attackers. Whether or not your setter stays in to attack, you must be able to field 6 competitive attackers. A majority of teams simply won t have the depth on their roster to meet this requirement. The final shortcoming of the 6-2 is the coach s ability to make adjustments throughout the set. Since the 6-2 involves so many players, the depth of your roster is usually occupied in another position. The complexity of the 6-2 also makes it very appealing to coaches for its strengths. A 6-2 will always spread the defense with 3 attackers in the front row. It is also advantageous to a team with a setter who is also a capable attacker. This allows for the setter to attack in 3 of the rotations as an opposite. The final perk to the 6-2 is it allows for a team to maximize its roster. Basic Setup: Rotation 1 Rotation 4 OPP 1 MB 2 OH 1 OPP 2 MB 1 OH 2 OH 2 MB 1 Setter 1 OH 1 MB 2 Setter 2 5

6 Position Description In this portion, we will talk about the different positions, important characteristics of each position, and the denotation of the OH 1 vs OH 2 and MB 1 vs MB 2. It is important to note that this is not an exact science, but things to consider when looking at your players relationships in a lineup to the people around them. You want to create a lineup that has potency and contingency in all six rotations. Outside Hitter A majority of the game will be played through your outside hitter. Few positions demand the level of volleyball IQ comparable to this position. It is ideal to have a 6-rotation player that can: receive serve, attack in transition, play defense, terminate in-system, and attack out of the back row. When a 6-rotation outside is not available, it is often still worth a team s time put a 3-rotation outside that meets as much of the criteria as possible. OH 1 vs OH 2 The OH 1 is typically regarded as the more offensive outside hitter of the two. This is because they will be with the setter in the front row for 2 rotations without an OPP. It is important that your OH 2 compliments your OH 1. Because your OH 2 will be in the back row with a front row setter, this is typically your 6-rotation outside. That will give you an additional back row attacker in the two-hitter rotations. Other things to consider: 1. Is your OPP playing 6-rotations, and can they hit out of the back row? 2. Do you have a DS that is capable of hitting out of the back row, thus you can sub them for your OH 2 in the back row? 3. How good is your OPP in the front row? If they are a strong attacker, many teams will put their two best attackers (OPP and OH 2 ) next to one another to create a pin-to-pin threat. It s a great way to compensate for a non-offensive middle. Opposite This position offers flexibility in type and style more than any other. A big block is certainly something that is nice to have on the right side to counter a team s most set position. Some offensive systems have been designed around right sides that attack off one foot, similar to a slide attacker out of the middle. Either way, you want a right side that can terminate and block. It is also a position that can be easily masked in off blocker defense because of the infrequency of the right side attack. Other things to consider: 1. Can my opposite play 6 rotations, or is this a good opportunity to use a defensive specialist? 2. What is the range of my setter back setting? 3. Do I need them to play 6 rotations to hit out of the back row when my setter is front row? 4. Can they provide wrinkles to my offense out of serve receive and scoring opportunities? 6

7 Middle Blocker This will be your most limited position offensively, depending on your team s ability to receive the serve and dig in transition. Middle blockers will typically impact the game more on the defensive end, but should have plenty of opportunities to score considering they typically have the highest hitting efficiency. MB 1 vs MB 2 This is more straightforward than most primary or secondary considerations. Your MB 1 should have the ability to attack off one foot behind the setter in 5-1 or 5-2 systems, since they will have this opportunity twice. It is also important to note that they must be able to block, unless you have a formidable blocking setter. Libero Since teams often carry more than one defensive specialist, it is important to discuss what makes a great Libero vs a defensive specialist. Your Libero should ALWAYS be your best passer. First Ball Side Out (FBSO) is the most important aspect of volleyball, and we will discuss why later. Other things to consider: 1. Who will set the second ball if my setter plays the first? 2. Is my Libero flexible in her back row position, or can she only play in one spot? 3. How good of a server is my Libero? What rotation should we start in? Below is a list of items from most important to least important when considering what rotation to start in. The first thing to consider is are we serving or receiving serve? When Serving 1. Who is my best server, not necessarily my toughest server? a. You want a server that will get your team off to a great start. The worst thing you can do as the first server is step back and miss the first serve of the match. That is why I rarely start with my best server. 2. What is my best defensive line-up? a. I think it is important to consider what defensive front row will allow for a moderate server to put together a string of points. Since you will be on defense immediately, a poor defensive line-up is as good as a missed serve. 3. Do I have a string of servers back-to-back that score points when serving? a. If this is the case, it is a great idea to start with your two best servers back-to-back to get off to a great start. When Receiving Serve 1. What is my best passing rotation? a. This should give you the best chance of siding out. i. Keep track of a team s best server after the first set. If you are playing a team with a great server, put your best serve receive against them. 7

8 2. Can all of my players attack comfortably from this rotation? a. Many teams start in rotation 1, but if you re opposite can t hit on the left and your outside can t hit on the right, is this really where you should receive serve? Offense Offense is like a proverbial chain: only as strong as the weakest link. The links that make up the offense are: serve receive, setting, and attacking. Even more important than these links is the material from which the chain is constructed. Offensive chains must be constructed from probability. GMS Coaching Foundations -46 Probability dictates offense. It is a very simple concept that is often neglected for one of two reasons: execution or unawareness of probability. Teams shouldn t do things they are not good enough to do, and you should capitalize on the things you do well. Capitalizing on things you do well often is awareness of probability. Since offense is intertwined with serve receive, it is only appropriate that serve receive concepts are discussed at the beginning of this section. The offense must be structured around the passing skills of the team. Serve Receive Service reception is one of the most important aspects of volleyball. Having a high side out percentage will prevent your offense from having to score in transition. Being able to side out efficiently is more important at the older age group than the younger since defenses are typically bigger and more aggressive. In serve receive, less is always more, but all 5 players must be capable of stepping into low probability areas to receive the serve if necessary. Like many other areas of volleyball, it is about playing the odds and placing your more skilled players in situations that will make them and the team successful. Prepping for serve receive is one of the few instances in volleyball when players have an abundant amount of information available to them prior to the ball being put in play. For example, a handful of coaches will call serving zones to their servers. Information is first available via a hand signal from the coach, and if that is not visible, 9 out of 10 players will look into the service zone before serving. Teaching passers to pick up on cues will give them a half second jump on the serve, and that is everything in serve receive. Simply viewing and knowing where a server is serving isn t enough. Team s serve reception patterns need to also adjust according to the information available. For example, in a two-person serve receive, if the information is available that the server will be serving zone 5, then both players should adjust into zone 5 and 6, leaving more space open in zone 1. Likewise, players that tend to serve into short zones should see a serve reception pattern that reflects that. Adjusting serve receive and placement of passers can have more of an impact on the serving team, than the server can have on the team receiving. 8

9 Every serve receive must take a few things into consideration: 1. Who is my best passer? Your best passers needs to be on the floor for all 6 rotations. You can accomplish this one of two ways: A. Making your best passer your Libero. B. Making your best passer a six-rotation player by letting them play OH. Even though this may mean you are undersized on the left side, it will allow your team to be in-system more, thus eliminating how often you have to set your undersized attacker. 2. How do I get my best passer in a position to pass the most balls? A. We briefly discussed this earlier. Adjust your serve receive and your best passers into an area of high probability. This will allow you to have more control over who receives the serves. 3. What other responsibilities do my passers have, e.g. are they an attacker that must pass then transition to attack, is their passing zone taking them further from the point of attack? 4. If they are an attacker, can the server neutralize their attack with a serve? A. The most common way to disrupt an attacker is to serve them in the serve receive pattern, or to serve the ball short. Training your nonprimary passers to take short serves will neutralize this problem. It is also important to have the attacker traveling through that zone on their way to attack, pass the ball. For example, if your MH is lined-up in zone 4 and will be attacking a slide in zone 2, make them responsible for passing zone 3 and 2, so it is in rhythm with their attacking route. 3-Person Serve Receive 3-person serve receive is the most popular serve reception pattern. This will typically use a Libero, one back row player (OH or DS), and one front row player (OH). If this is a system you have chosen to use, make sure you pass the court unbalanced. Splitting the court into thirds may put too much pressure on your front row passer, or leave them vulnerable to a disrupting serve. 2-Person Serve Receive 2-person serve receive is often perceived as the most difficult serve receive pattern because of the amount of court to pass. However, this system almost guarantees that your top two passers will be receiving serve. This can put a tremendous amount of pressure on the serving team if you re passing well. Goals I think a good standard for passing is 40% perfect and getting aced less than 10% of the time, while maintaining above a 2.0 average. The best teams in the world will pass 66% perfect and get aced less than 5% of the time, and maintain a 2.3 average. 9

10 Offensive Concepts Offenses can be very complex or simple, but regardless, you must not exceed the passing skills of your team. You must also consider the skills of the setter on the team. The setter must be able to technically and mentally master the offense. Things to Consider: 1. The offense should be setup to get the ball to the best/hottest hitter as often as possible. 2. It should be flexible enough to adjust to different defenses throughout the season. 3. It makes sense to attack an opponent s weakest blocker(s). 4. Motion attracts blockers, this can be used to open up hitters or overload blockers. 5. It is better to stay simple and master a few things. The two basic offensive concepts are misdirection and overload. Both concepts are simple to understand and difficult for teams to limit. Some programs master one or the other, but it is possible to have a thorough understanding and mastery of both. Misdirection Misdirection uses the concept of setting away from your middle attacker. It is most effective against teams that front your middle attacker. Below are a few examples of misdirection plays. The underlined set represents the two sets that are most desirable to execute misdirection. Front Row Setter: Go, B-9 Go-A, 9 Back Row Setter: Go, B-Black Go-Pipe, Slide Overload Overload uses the concept of creating action and overloading a blocker with more than one player in that blocker s zone. This is most effective against poor pin blockers, specifically smaller setters in the front row. Teams must set a 2 nd tempo ball to the pins in order for this to work effectively. Below are a few examples of overload plays. The underlined set represents the two sets that are most desirable to execute the overload. Front Row Setter: Go-B, 9 Go, A-9 or C-9 Rip-B, 9 Back Row Setter: Go, B-Pipe Go, C-Black 10

11 First Ball Side Out (FBSO) The ability for a team to side out on the first ball is extremely important. Winning the side out efficiency against your opponent is one of the strongest pieces of statistical evidence in predicting wins and losses. In order to increase your chances, you must be able to pass the ball effectively and have a plan. Your serve receive should be organized first around your best passers, then around getting your attackers in zones that will increase their chances of scoring. Below is a table that was written by Dr. Gil Fellingham, and then later supported factually by the University of Washington in Side-Out efficiencies and expected wins and losses Our Team Opponents Matches Predicted Win % Expected Wins Expected Losses University of Washington ( ) Side-Out efficiencies and actual wins and losses Year UW Opponents Matches Predicted Win % Actual Wins Actual Losses Transition More than 50% of women s volleyball is played in transition, so it would make sense to spend a lot of practice time working on transition. Players and teams that work hard in transition will perform better. There is no substitution for working hard and putting yourself in a position to score. A majority of the game will be played through the left side attacker. We must constantly talk to the left side attacker about managing the game and not making costly hitting errors in bad situations. Likewise, your setter must become very familiar with finding the players that have the best opportunity to transition. Often the quickest player to transition will be a back row attacker or off blocker. Note: At one point, it was believed to be a cardinal sin to send a free ball to the other team in fear of giving them an easy point. The University of Arizona State kept track of the number of free balls given versus the number of balls they got back and found that 50% of balls they free balled, they got a second opportunity to score on. Point being, sometimes it s better to give a free ball, than make a hitting error. 11

12 Defense Defense can be a game changer from swinging momentum, to neutralizing big time attackers on the other side of the net. Regardless of the impact of the defense, great defensive teams have a few consistent concepts: put your best defensive player where the most balls go; great players see the game; a simple defensive system is better than a complex one; teams that are stopped, low, and neutral are the most successful. Other important things to consider: 1. Your system must be designed around your player s ability level. 2. At certain levels of play, more blockers are better than fewer. 3. At certain levels of play, less blockers are better than more. 4. Tactics are dictated by trends. Depending on the type of defense that you play, I think it is important to minimize the movement of players from base to read. It is also important to get players where things happen fastest. Digging Target Move the digging target high and off the net (10 line). This will limit your opportunity to run the middle in transition, but it will maximize your opportunity to attack. Moving the target close to the net leads to a high number of over passes, poor sets, and poor setting decisions. You can maximize your middles in transition off of scoring opportunities: tips, rolls, and free balls. Read the Hitter 1. Ball- is the pass coming over? 2. Setter- the longer I watch the setter the faster I react to the set. 3. Ball- Hitters tend to hit where the set takes them. 4. Hitter- Back row defenders need to watch the hitters for a long time (the way they face, the way they turn). Other Defensive Concepts Serving Eye-work To block effectively, a team has to be able to serve teams out of perfect passes. The object of a jump serve is not to ace the opponent (aces are a bonus), but to keep the passer from making a perfect pass. Volleyball is a visual/motor game, so what players see is extremely important. Less than 5% of the balls are passed over the net, so don t spend too much time on the ball. Foot/Arm-Work Get over the Net Where blockers stand and how they stand are vital. The object is to get over and take up court. Regardless of where you are in relationship to the hitter, get squared and get over (don t reach sideways). 12

13 Perimeter Defense This is the premier defense, if your team has the ability to read the soft shots. It allows for players to play deep on the perimeter and players all have soft shot responsibility equally. Advantages Disadvantages Great against hard driven ball Players are already transitioned Defends well against any blocking situation (block line, split, or block cross) Rotational Defense Vulnerable to soft shots (tips & rolls) Long way for setter to transition, thus requiring great ball control This defense has lots of movement from base to read. It can be highly effective with a middle back who is quick and against teams that struggle to hit line. Advantages Disadvantages Can make line digging manageable Middle middle becomes highly for poor wing diggers vulnerable Quick transition for setter and off Difficult to stop great line hitting blocker teams Easy to close block Lots of movement for middle back Great against tip player Not good against a split block Slide Defense This defense defends against the inside tip extremely well. Also a very common defense at the highest level, because it allows your off blocker to decide to block (triple block) or pull off and take the tips. Advantages Disadvantages Great against the tip and good way to hide poor off blocker defense Flexible Block- allows your off blocker to block or not. Gives your LB space to dig Blocking Difficult transition for your off blocker Tough transition for setter from back row Not good against cross court attackers Base blocking setup is made up of two components: where the blockers start in base and what your middle blocker s responsibility is based on what the opposing middle attacker is doing. Blocking is a skill that improves with time and is often one of the most difficult skills to perfect. What is important in a blocker s development is the decision-making process and communication. 13

14 Whether or not your team decides to swing block, they must first understand how to shuffle and block. Regardless of the blocking system, shuffle blocking is a basic component of any system. Shuffle blocking: 1. Blockers needs to start with loaded legs. Legs remain loaded, as they move, not in a separate load movement. 2. Blockers need to carry their hands high. This will help minimize the time it takes blockers to get their hands up and over the net. 3. Hands need to stay open and flexed throughout the entire blocking movement. Shuffle blocking is performed between the left front and right front base for the middle blocker. The pin blockers also use it anytime they are moving to the interior of the court to help block an inside set. There are three shuffle movements that are important to master: 1. Shuffle and block 2. Step, shuffle, and block 3. Quick shuffle and block (It may be 2 quick shuffles or 5. The important component of this block is that the blocker is loaded and available to jump at a moment s notice.) Swing blocking: Swing blocking has evolved quicker than any aspect of the game as a result of offenses getting quicker and players becoming more athletic. It is uses a combination of an approach and running to create a bigger, quicker, and more athletic block. 1. Open with hands and hips (players may make a small open step with their outside foot) towards the attacker 2. Throw your inside foot towards the post landing at 45 degrees 3. Close with your outside foot facing the attacker and jump, while simultaneously using a double arm lift to elevate. 4. Rotate 45 degrees with your body and make sure you close off the net to the attacker. Hands need to remain strong and shaped to 6. Types of swing blocking: 1. 2-Step swing block a. Used by pin blockers 2. 3-Step swing block a. Used by middle blockers 3. Crossover 2 a. Used by both pin or middle blockers to cover a big distance quickly Blocking Keys 1. Eyework: Ball, Setter, Ball, Hitter 2. Footwork/Armwork 3. Hands over/across net 14

15 Types of Blocking Systems First thing you need to decide is whether or not you are going to front the middle attacker. Fronting means your middle will mirror the middle on the other side of the net. If you are choosing to front, what kind of range or when do you decide your middle is no longer going to front the middle? It makes little sense to front a middle when the pass is 20 off the net, but where do you draw the line 5, 10, 15, etc? Other important things to consider are: Will your middle block on the slide? Will your front row have any setter responsibility? Who is in charge of your blocking? o Typically, this person is called the block head and falls under the middle blocker s responsibility. The other basic blocking concept a team may use is read blocking. Read blocking is based on not moving until the ball is set. The advantage to this system is your middle block will remain equal distance between both pins. However, you will be susceptible to the gaps in the block and must have long blockers capable of dive blocking to fill the holes. Fronting (Blocking) Advantages Difficult for MH to score in-system Disadvantages Can be misdirected Need to decide in vs out of system Read (Blocking) Advantages MB remains halfway between both pins Disadvantages MH can score in gaps Blocking Base There are two basic blocking bases that have been used at all levels of volleyball: the spread and bunch block. Spread blocking is a system that puts the pin blockers approximately 3-5 feet from the antenna. This system simplifies the movement of the pins, but is typically unable to accommodate swing blocking. This will leave a larger hole for your middle to close and virtually eliminate any help blocking from your pins. The second system is bunch blocking. Typically your pins will be hands and elbows away from the middle. This helps defend the interior of the court, but can make it difficult to close out to the line. Teams that bunch block, must swing block in order to reach the pin attacker. Blocking Systems Bunch Read Bunch Commit (Front) Spread Read Spread Commit (Front) 15

16 Practice Planning Team Management Practice planning is one of the single most important jobs that a coach must perform in their season. It s a systematic blue print that fits into the bigger picture and goals of a team. Great practice plans incorporate time management, organization, and specific drill choice based on learning style. Most great coaches will find it helpful to have this typed out and written prior to practice and reviewed with staff if possible. A great way to accomplish staff input with limited time throughout the week is to outline the week before heading into practice. One of the most useful times to do this is after a tournament or before a Sunday practice. Time Management It is imperative that teams get the highest number of repetitions possible when they are using their allotted court time. There are several things coaches can do in order to maximize reps. Teams will only practice somewhere between hours a club season. Every minute on court is extremely valuable in their development. The following items are things you can do as a coach to maximize that time. Practice Prep Limit Talking Make it an expectation that your players arrive early to practice and step on the court exactly on time. Stretching, conversation, and pre-practice reps need to be handled before practice. If you have the luxury of an open court ahead of time, give your kids individual drills that are to be completed before practice starts. Of course if you re going to start on time, make sure you end on time. I know as coaches we feel it is our job to educate our athletes, but be conscious of the amount of time you talk to your players. It s not about educating your players on the amount of knowledge you have as a coach. If you know you re a coach that likes to talk, you need to get this handled before your practice starts. See if players are available to arrive early and talk with your team then, especially if you are reflecting on last weekend s play. I think it s a useful exercise to have your assistant coach time the amount of talking you do in practice. It can often be an eye-opener. Coaches should spend no more than 10% of the practice doing this. In a two-hour practice, that is 12 minutes or less. Take this into consideration. If you talk 20 minutes of practice, your team will miss out on 20 hours of practice time in a season! 16

17 Maximize Reps Don t Run!!! Figure out ways for your kids to get more touches on the ball. One of the best ways to do this is create smaller groups where players are facilitating the skills. This will also free the coach up to walk around. Another way to maximize reps is to run group drills instead of circular drills. Circular drills often entail an action, shagging, and waiting in line increasing time between contacts to more than a minute. This not only minimizes reps, but also hampers skill retention. Running athletes is one of the biggest ways coaches waste practice time. Discipline is extremely important, but running is not a productive skill in volleyball. Instead, punish your team with pit drills, ball shuffles, or other volleyball related activities. Running to encourage competition is good, but do so in short distances and increments. Don t Stretch This goes back to the first point in practice preparation. If Or you have athletes that need time to stretch and loosen up, Condition make sure it is done before practice. Not during the first 10 minutes of practice. You can also incorporate warm-up activities in practice using volleyball skills. Same idea goes for conditioning. Condition your athletes throughout practice, not the last 10 minutes. Types of Drills Types of drills is specifically talking about random or blocked practices. Random refers to any type of drill where variability may be present. Random is more closely related to game like because the game is constantly played on a variable stage through unpredictable actions. Blocked drills reduce the variability and put the athlete in a more controlled environment. An example of this would be box passing off a coach s toss. Any drill where ball initiation is a priority would be considered blocked. Both drill types have a place in practice, but it is important to be conscious of the amount of time spent in each. While lots of successful reps occur in a blocked drill, the game is never played in that environment. However, it is difficult to have success in a random drill if players have little understanding of proper technique or success. A good rule of thumb regarding when to move onto random from blocked is this: once an athlete begins to understand or have success with the skill, move into a random drill. Enhancing Wash Drills Wash drills are an excellent way to increase reps and specificity in a game-like environment. They usually call for more than one aspect of the game (serve reception and transition) and allow complete control of rotation and fatigue by the coach. Get creative in creating different types of wash drills based on the needs of your team. 17

18 Wash Drills vs Scrimmages Wash drills differ from scrimmages in a variety of ways, but mainly in the way teams rotate and how things are scored. In wash drills, the coach can control the rotation and will often not follow the typical rotation. This prevents players from fatiguing in the drill and keeps off players rotating in quickly. Wash drills and scrimmages also differ in scoring. In a wash drill, small points will make up a big point, and there is usually the potential for a wash where neither team would score. There are hundreds of wash drills that are available to coaches and an infinite number of possibilities. Below is an OWD Table. This table will be extremely helpful in scoring and rotating your players. Rotations are designed in a manner that will keep both middles alternating in the drill, because this is often one of the most taxing positions physically. O W D O W D The table to the left represents team A and the table to the right represents team B. Scoring is done by row, but teams are in different rotations. For example, team A would be in rotation 3 while team B is in rotation 2. Each big point is made up of two small points. If teams split, then it is recorded as a wash. Once a team has completed the predetermined number of balls in that rotation, whoever has the most points wins that rotation. Note: This leaves the potential for a 3-3 tie. If that is the case, usually both teams can select their desired rotation, and it is played in sudden death. Team Dynamics This is a constantly evolving relationship between you and your players throughout the season. While it is impossible to prepare and plan for everything, it is important to have a set of guidelines and idea of rules in case you find yourself in a new situation. Much of this has been driven from past experiences along with readings about team dynamics. Do s and Don ts of Rule Making It is important to be transparent about your goals for the team both on and off the court. Volleyball is also a life lesson experience and there is no rulebook for life, and much of what people learn is through positive or negative experiences. I tend to error on the side of less rules and allow my athletes to experience the positive and negative on their own. If they have a thorough understanding of your goals and expectations, they will make decisions that coincide with that. Don t tell your athletes what they can and can t 18

19 eat, until they don t perform. Chances are if they ate 10 candy bars and have a sour stomach, they will understand that maybe their menu selection and your expectations aren t the same. Upon a second occurrence of poor performance, then it is your chance to intervene. Earning Respect Earning the respect of the team is one of the most important relationships a coach a can build. There are two important factors in earning a team s respect: consistency and accountability. Consistency is the broadest and toughest to attain because youth athletes will see everything as integrated. The techniques you teach, playing time, punishment, will all come under scrutiny at some point, and keeping a consistent answer will be key to all of those. Accountability is important because players want to understand where and why things go wrong. Sharing the accountability amongst players and coaches will give the sense of unity and responsibility by all. The rising tide is going to lift all boats. If our team is successful then everyone on it will be successful. Hugh McCutcheon Communication Keeping an open and transparent line of communication is key to achieving a high level of team dynamics. The two basic types of communication are player to coach and parent to coach. Player to Coach Parent to Coach Constantly talking about expectations and setting mutual goals will go a long way in this communication loop. You must communicate to your players with a sense of understanding and accountability. Living inside this reality will make you more trustworthy and approachable. Seeing things as they see it and providing a feedback loop will also give the sense of backing youth athletes strive for. Not only communicating, but also listening to what they have to say will make them go above and beyond to meet your expectations. This will also assist your athletes in communicating with their parents. It is healthy and encouraged to have a good relationship with parents. Too often coaches are afraid of conflict of interest, but if you can manage this and spend equal time with every parent, it will help you in the long run. Creating a healthy relationship will help them see you as a person and not just as a coach. It s also a good opportunity to educate them throughout the season about the sport of volleyball. If you do have a conflict, follow these steps in order to avoid further issues: Hour Rule 19

20 a. The club adheres to a 24-Hour Rule that discourages parent and coach interaction for a period of 24 hours following a dispute. This is seen as a cooling off period that will allow for both parties to reflect on the situation. 2. Always try to resolve playing time issues with the player first before involving the parents. However, be prepared to discuss and be transparent with the parent about the conversation. 3. Keep the Director in the Loop a. If you believe there is a conflict, it is important to keep Emily in the loop. This will keep her up-to-date on the situation, so she isn t blindsided. Technique This section will outline the specific techniques, we will use at The Academy. Through research and development, we believe this is the best and most efficient way to teach the skills. We will adopt an overlying principle that simple is better than complex. This has been a staple in USA Volleyball and demonstrated great results and repeatability. The skills will consist of four broad categories: mindset, technique, execution, and drills. We will go into depth about each of these below: Mindset Technique In this section, you will find the driving force behind the skill. This portion will help get you in the mindset that athletes best respond to when teaching this skill. This section will have three subcategories that will help you better understand the reasoning behind teaching the skill: principles, keys, and trouble-shooting. Principles Keys Here we will declare statements that we know to be fact. From the facts, we will derive our keys. All keys must be consistent with the facts about the given skill. This portion will give specific parts of performing the skill correctly. The keys will be simple in nature in order to avoid information overload. If additional explanations are needed, they will be provide below. Trouble-shooting We will do our best to seek out common problems athletes have and try to direct attention to probable causes. This section will evolve with time, but we will welcome other topics. Execution Many skills will have goals associated with them or levels of production you should expect. Often times, this will vary with the level of play, but it 20

21 is important to have an idea of where your team should be performing. These will be the standard. Drills There are many drills available to you as a coach in order to practice the given technique. We will include one blocked drill and two random drills. You are encouraged to come up with others or add additional progressions. Serve Receive Mindset You should spend a good amount of practice time practicing serve receive. It is a skill that will develop best in the random setting vs the blocked, because the serve entails a large amount of random events. Left is right and right is wrong. This statement says that passing a ball off your left hip is statistically better than your right, but passing midline is still best. Be patient when teaching this skill and teach the mental aspect as much as the physical. Principles Simple movements are better than complex, this helps with repeatability The ball knows angles, after all it s just a ball Overhead serve receive (for girls on deep serves) has a higher error ratio than any other technique Moving your target slightly off the net is statistically proven to be most effective Protect the mid-zone, this has the highest error ratio Minimize large muscle groups in order to control the power Keys Wrists and hands together Straight and Simple (elbows straight and hands down) Face the ball, angle the platform Weight on leading leg (not a weight transfer!) Step shuffle when needed See the server; see the spin (play with your eyes) Additional Comments Player s starting posture should be hands on knees. Passers go from hands on knees to an upright position (arms and hands straight down). We are looking for a comfortable, athletic posture: easier movements and better vision. Trouble-Shoot Low trajectory on pass- typically this is caused by players rising up before making contact with the ball. Encourage players to minimize their lower body movement. Balls hitting the hands- if players stand too deep in serve receive and don t protect the mid-zone, they will become vulnerable to this. 21

22 Execution Pass a 2.3 Average on a 3.0 scale Perfect pass: 40% or better (% of balls passed perfectly) Reception error: 10% or less (% of balls you are aced on) Drills Drill: Partner and Three s Progression Type: Blocked Toss Hit Catch Back and Forth Linear Threes Triangle Threes 20 then switch 40 then switch 30 X 3 Middle player plays the ball over her head. Switch after Go to the right only, then switch to counterclockwise. Drill: One or Two, Sided Butterfly Type: Random Explanation: This drill can be changed based on difficulty level needed: coach toss, player toss, player server from ¾ s, or player serve. It s also a great drill to increase reps. Drill: Boilermaker Passing Type: Random Explanation: This drill is setup with a two-person serve receive and target on one side, with two servers (zone 1 and zone 5) on the other. Server in 1 will serve down the line to passer in 5, server in 5 will serve down the line to the passer in 1, server in 1 will serve cross court to passer in 1, server in 5 will serve cross court to passer in 5. The cycle then repeats itself 4 times before rotating new players in. I would suggest having your servers serve from ¾ s to help with their control. Great drill to work on passing form different server locations and to increase reps. 22

23 Floor Defense Mindset: Defense might be the most difficult skill to coach for a variety of reasons. One, it is the least skilled phase of the game. It doesn t matter how it looks, rather what is important is the ball doesn t hit the floor. It is difficult to coach because it is 100% a mindset that is up to your team. In order for you to be great at defense, your team must decide it wants to be great at defense. Put this responsibility on the team and hold every player accountable. You don t play defense; you don t play. Principles The ball knows angles Simple is better than complex Put players where the ball is going to land to minimize movement Arms and hands are quickest to respond, not feet Digging high and off is statistically most effective Play extended, allowing you to cover more ground Keys Be Stopped, Low, Hands Neutral Ball, Setter, Ball, Hitter o Ball- Is the pass coming over? o Setter- The longer you watch the setter, the more information you attain. o Ball- Hitters hit where the set takes them. o Hitter- Watch hitter, where are they facing, how are they turning, is their arm extended? Bellies, not butts Defensive Skills to Teach These are in order of frequency Forearm dig Overhead dig Forearm dig to side (lunge) Sprawl Dive with pancake Note: I would do your best to teach players to get on their belly and avoid the over the shoulder roll. If players are proficient at it, chances are they will already perform the skill. Teach players to get up in a manner that is fast and efficient. The over the shoulder roll can be dangerous because of concussions. Execution: In order to execute this skill at the highest level, it is more about the mindset than anything else. Play with defensive intensity and you will have no problem performing at a high level. A good defensive effort should hold a team under.150 hitting efficiency, while a great effort is under

24 Drills Many of these skills need to be practiced in a blocked environment and then executed randomly in drills. Creating drills that are high in defensive intensity will help encourage this. It is also worth noting that praising a team for playing defense at a high level is extremely important! Serving Mindset: Serving is one of the great equalizers of volleyball. Teams that serve great and have great serving performances will often play above their perceived level. As a coach, you must decide what an acceptable ace to error ratio will be, then design your team around that. Teams that serve easy need to become great defending teams that are in-system. Likewise, a team that serves very tough should spend more time on defending teams out of system. Understand that great serving takes time to develop, and more important by, consistency in your patience and message to the team. Below is an excerpt from the Gold Medal Squared coaches handbook that explains the purpose of mindful serving. I think it s important to share this information with your athletes, as it will help them develop a great serve. Serving is a unique skill in volleyball for 3 reasons: 1. The serving motion is a closed skill (closed skills are skills where the environment does not change and the movement can be planned in advance). All the other skills in volleyball are open skills (skills in which the environment is constantly and unpredictably changing). 2. Because the serving motion is a closed skill, serving is probably the easiest skill of the game to perform (almost all players can serve the ball over the net 90% of the time, but no players can, for example, dig 90% of the balls hit at them). 3. Because serving is relatively easy, serving is often the most under-practiced of all the fundamental skills. We must make sure that our servers have the proper feedback, and most of this feedback must come from connecting serving movements to serving results. In other words, our servers must have MINDFUL serving practice. How do we accomplish this? What are the secrets of mindful practice, what are the secrets of serving? Serving Secrets 1. The secret of feedback. If you don t receive, internalize, and benefit from the feedback provided by your serves (and your coaches)- if you don t consciously and subconsciously correlate your serve results with your actions and learn from your experiences- then you will never improve. So you can t just practice; you must do mindful practice. Here are four rules for mindful practice: a. Never just serve, and serve, and serve. You must take the time after every serve to process feedback, and then before your next serve, you must perform your pre-serve routine and ritual. b. Know your precise target. Have mats or rugs at which you are trying to serve (if you are a beginner, maybe you are just trying to serve it over the 24

25 net and into the court). Later, it is best of all to have receivers you are trying to ace or make pass poorly. c. Watch the trajectory of each serve. d. Hold your finish while you learn. Holding your finish can only be done in practice (you can t stand around in a match). Holding your finish means remaining in the completed follow-through position of the serve, without moving, so you have the feel (kinesthetic feedback) of that serve as the ball lands. This simultaneous experience of the serve result and serve feel is what enables a server to learn and internalize the serve mechanics/ball flight correlations for future serving. If you hold your finishes (maintaining serve feel) until your serves land, you learn these correlations. With continued practice, you will develop great touch. 2. The secret of the pre-serve routine. A good routine includes the following: a. Assessment of match conditions and serving targets. b. Visualizing the ball flight of the desired target. c. Visualizing the swing that will produce the desired serve. 3. The secret of the pre-serve ritual. The pre-shot ritual is not about hitting the ball. It is about training your subconscious to perform when you are scared, nervous, when your heart is beating and adrenaline is flowing. The ritual is a series of timed motions, and both the order of these motions and the timing of them must be repeatable. The ritual must be used in all of your practices and with all of your serves on the court. It is the ready, set, go that tells your subconscious that it is time to serve a great serve, to execute the same motions you grooved thousands of times. Practice does not make perfect; practice makes permanent. Bad practice makes permanently bad players, and poor practice makes permanently poor players. Perfect practice makes improvement, continued perfect practice makes good players, and long-term continued perfect practice makes great players. Seeing improvement is addictive, and if you see statistical improvement over time, it inspires you for more and more good practice. Principles Correct serving movements get the most out of torque When serving using speed and accuracy are best learned with equal emphasis on both from the start Simple is better than complex, because it is repeatable Standing Float Keys High and Back o Stand at 45 degrees o Ball in non-hitting hand at navel height Lift, Step, Drive o Toss in front of hitting shoulder o Contact with heel of hand Step, toss, and swing towards target 25