On defense, net players must be prepared to block the attack at the net or to drop off and play floor defense. In order to be prepared to do both well, the player must be in an ideal body posture to perform either skill. A medium body posture with the knees slightly flexed and the hands above the forehead allow for this dynamic skill.
As discussed in Part I of this Strength Training article, strength training is essential for volleyball players to move up to a higher level of play. Any player can benefit from strength training, from a star outside hitter to a defensive specialist.
Part I gave an overview of strength training and weightlifting. Part II will give you applications for your athletes.
Some of the most often heard comments from college coaches about incoming freshmen concern their lack of strength. High school is the optimal time to develop good weight lifting habits in your players. Part I of Strength Training will introduce you to weight lifting concepts and Part II will give you direct application for your athletes.
Pre-match warm ups are a vital part of your game plan that should never be neglected or ignored. A team’s physical and mental attitude at the beginning of the match will be determined by the 45 minutes prior to a contest. Two goals of the pre-match activities should be getting your team physically and mentally prepared and confident.
Drill #1
Purpose: To teach movement and low posture in defense. Especially at a young age, we need to teach our players that rarely is an attacked ball hit directly to us. They need to learn to move to the ball.
Setup: The drill begins with 3-4 players on the end line in middle back.
1. The coach initiates the ball from middle front to land on the10-15 ft. line.
2. The players may leave their starting position when the ball leaves the coach’s hands. #1 must play the ball and get back in line. There should be a work team who is shagging, targeting, and handing to the coach.
Drill #2
Setup: The players start from 20 feet back on the sideline.
1. The drill is performed the same way. This time #1 must round the ball with the body or adjust the platform to the target.
Drill #3
Setup: The players begin on their stomachs in the back corner.
1. The coach stands in the right front corner and bounces the ball to #1. The coach should slap the ball before initiating. This variation causes the players to stay in a low posture while getting to the ball quickly.
Drill #4
Setup: The players begin on either the left back corner or the right back corner. The initiation is from the left front on the opposite side.
1. The coach tips the ball over the net to land on the 10 ft. line. #1 is forced to read the attacker’s (coach’s) hand and react. Drill continues until goal is reached.
Purpose: To create movement on defense. It is also to teach the defender the differences in posture and platform between digging a hard driven ball and a tip.
Set-up: 2 coaches, basket of balls, 3 defenders.
1. The drill begins with a defender (#1) in ready position in the left back corner. Coach 1 (C1) will stand on the same side of the net as the defender in middle front and will attack a ball at the defender (position A).
2. As soon as #1 digs the ball, #1 will attempt to dig a tip initiated by C1 (position B).
3. #1 then runs to the right back corner and receives an attack from C2 (position C).
4. #1 runs forward to dig a tip initiated from C2 (position 4). To keep the drill running efficiently, have #2 begin the drill when #1 is running to receive the attack in right back. You may vary the difficulty in the drill by varying the coaches’ attacks and by putting a strict goal on finishing the drill (10 perfect digs).
Purpose: The purpose of this drill is to force the defenders into a low posture when executing a run through. It is also an excellent conditioning drill.
Set-up: 3 players, 1 initiator, 1 target, 1 basket of balls.
1. The drill starts with three players lying on the volleyball end line, on their stomachs with their eyes closed. C (coach/initiator) will stand close to the net. C slaps the ball for the defender and bounces the ball into the court for the player to run through. The players will go one at a time. The slap lets them know when they can open their eyes and get up. Their goal is to dig a perfect ball to the target. They must get up quickly and run in a low posture in order to get to the ball after one bounce.
2. After one player performs the run through, she must get back onto her stomach before it is her turn again. You may either put a time limit on the drill or have them dig fifteen perfect balls to the target as a team.
Purpose: Develop run-thru techniques, especially staying low.
Set-up: 3 players on their bellies facing the coach from behind the end line; another player behind each ready to go. Coach at the center line in the middle of the court. A target, a feeder, and shaggers.
1. This is a fast paced drill where the coach controls the tempo by bouncing balls at the players.
2. As the player sees the ball being bounced, the player jumps up and runs to the ball, passing it to the target.
3. As soon as the ball is passed, they player must return to the original space on the floor (in the “belly position”).
4. The coach goes from player to player with a ball they must pass.
5. After each one passes a certain number of balls successfully (i.e., 10), the player becomes a shagger. The person waiting in line starts a set of 10, as a shagger waits in line.
6. The tosses should be low to the ground, forcing the players to get up, stay low and run through the ball. The faster the player is, the lower the bounce should be.
Purpose: Challenges players to square up to their target, and fully extend when setting.
1. Players start with equal groups at the corners of the court.
2. Player A1 sets to player B1.
3. Player A1 then follows the set, and goes to the end of line B.
4. B1 sets to C1 and follows their set to the end of line C.
5. The progression continues to D1, then to A2.
6. Have a goal of a number of sets in a row (25). Less experienced players should be allowed to start several steps in from the corners.
Purpose: To train the setter in or out of season. To give the setter a lot of repetitions. To train specific setting situations.
Set-up: 1 or 2 setters, coach, basket of balls.
Drill #1
This drill trains the setter off of the defensive position. Put the setter in right back and another player (2nd setter) in right front. Have a coach attacking cross court from left front on the same side of the net. The setters will start in their base and once the coach tosses the ball they should rotate to their defensive positions.
The attack is dug by either right front or back and the non-digger sets the ball outside. If there are more people have them target for different sets. The pair should set 15 good balls and then switch.
Drill #2
This drill trains the same skills but has the attack and dig coming from a different place. Have the 2nd setter in left back digging an attack from the coach who is in right front. The setter is in right back, and should set a back ball off of the dig. She should work hard on making her body look the same for each set. If the setter has a problem of releasing too soon the coach can mix it up by hitting a few balls down line just to keep the setter honest. The player should set 15 good balls and then switch with the other setter.
Drill #3
Set up this drill exactly the same as drill #1. The only difference is that the player that digs the attack should dig it all over the place (too tight, way off the net, far to the right, far to the left, etc.). This trains the setter to set hittable balls off of bad passes.
