As the volleyball season winds down it becomes more and more important to keep focus and continue to work hard.  It can be so easy to let the last few practices become free for alls where there is only Kings of the Court being played or constant scrimmaging.

This may not be a huge concern at the varsity level, but at the JV and Freshmen level it can be.  You have played all of your conference matches and maybe one or two non-conference games are left.

What is the point of working hard when the team is basically finished?

Even though your season may be coming to an end, it is important to maintain an environment of hard work and dedication.  As a head coach, I demand hard work throughout every level, and I make this the statement of the program.  My players must understand that when they come back next year, they will continue to work hard.

Steps to take at the end of the season.

1. Always continue to have a solid practice plan.  To have a successful practice, a coach must always have a well thought-out and planned practice.  Continue to add new drills, continue to do workouts and conditioning, and definitely continue to teach.  Make them know that this is how it is and they should expect it when they come back next season.

2. Do not flake on any of your rules.  Your athletes will start to trickle into practice a little later, set up nets a little slower, and end practice on a lower level.  Continue to plus your players until the very end.

3. Let your players know what they need to do over the off-season to succeed next season.  Have one-on-one meetings with your players and make them aware of what they need to be doing to succeed.  Also let them know that the last few weeks of practice and play will leave an impression on the coaches.

What about Varsity?

There are two possibilities for a varsity squad at the end of the year.  The team is either in contention for a push to state or the team is just flat out terrible and will definitely not be going far in the playoffs.

If the team is succeeding, follow the steps above and continue to push them.  Make the practices before the playoffs some of the most difficult practices that they have had all season, like you are preparing for war.

Be sure that you are still coaching and teaching them.  Find opportunities to be a coach and make the team smarter.

If your team has all but given up (and you have too), it is still important to keep them focused by having a good plan.  This point of the season may be good for trying new games and maybe making practice “fun” for them.  There probably i no need to kick their butt at practice, but if you do not have something fun planned, they will lose all focus and maybe even finish the season early.

Lately in practice I have been seeing a lot of weird things going on with my players.  We are so close to the end of the season and some of them are really struggling with basic volleyball skills, especially spiking and serving (jump serving in particular).

It occurred to me as I was watching one of our best players, who had been jump serving very well all year, all of a sudden is just struggling to get the ball over the net on the serve.  He literally is hitting the ball under the net on the serve.  This is going for about a week at this point.

So What is the Issue?

I was about to walk over and have a brief discussion with him about what was happening but I was cut-off by another coach.  No big deal.  I was curious to what was going to be said.  So I sat and watched the coach talk in length about hand contact and how you need to snap over the ball blah blah blah.

Ok fine.  But this talk did not help.  The player continued to struggle.

After watching for about 10 more minutes, I had him come over to me, and I said “Let’s go back to the basics.  Forget about what everyone is telling you and just do what you have been doing all year.”  He kindly agreed and began serving fantastic again.

I truly believe that athletes can be “over-coached” and this can cause them to digress.

Let’s look now at what players should be doing and how to go basic.

Serving

I always tell my players that the more variables that you add to your service routine, the more complicated and difficult it will be to make a serve.  For example, a jump serve should really be a toss with a four step approach, jump and hit.  How many of your players like to do a fancy twist with a weird toss and crazy approach when they serve?  I see it all the time.

Let’s take float serving as another example.  For the least amount of complication a player should toss with a step and hit the ball over the net.  With more variables such as jumping or crazt tossing, the serve gets way more complicated.

Go back to the basics if you are struggling.

Spiking

The game is the same here.  I had a player yesterday who just could not figure out what was going on.  This player is a 6’3 lefty on the right side who was just hitting the ball out of bounds.  After hours of working on this and changing that, at some point we decided to go back to the basics.

Take a smooth aggressive approach and a smooth aggressive swing, and all of a sudden, it’s back.

Use this Method…

if all else is failing.  If you just can not get your player to get his serve in or spike a ball, remember the essentials of these skills and go back to them.  Forget everything else that has been said and start over.  I think that you will find this method very important when you are coaching.

Recently, I have been looking into exercise and diet and I thought I would offer some advice.  Here is just a few points that are often written about on the web.  Enjoy!

It is important to understand the very basic volleyball rules that exist. Most people that are interested in volleyball rules need only these basic ones to continue and play. Answers to the questions about volleyball rules and the game are answered below in this article.

In What Way is a Volleyball Game Scored?

For quite some time, volleyball games, or sets, are being played to 25. You may recall that the games were only to 15, but that rule has changed. The reason is because volleyball games are scored using something called speed score. This basically means that every time a team wins a rally, that team is awarded a point. Therefore, volleyball games (sets) are now played to 25. At the junior level matches are played best out af 3 and the third game goes only to 15 points instead of 25. Collegiate and adult volleyball is played best of 5 games, with game 5 going to up 15.

What is the Number of Players for Each Team?

There are six members of a volleyball team on the court at any given time during a match. A roster allows for 14 players on the team overall. These players may sub in and out of a game whenever necessary. In beach volleyball, there are only two players on a team and only two players on the court at all times.

Are There Rules Associated With Serving?

There are a few methods to serve a volleyball and players may choose to use whichever they prefer. Overhand, underhand, and jump serves are all options. Players must stay in the serving zone when performing the serve. The service area is always behind the end line but confined on the sides by the side lines. The same rule here applies to beach. It is important that there be an order of servers and that order be followed throughout the match.

What are the Rules that Deal with Attackers?

Players are allowed to hit, or spike, the ball at any time during a rally except the serve. Players can not jump and attack a ball that is being served to their side of the net. The attack follows the set and this is the most efficient way for a team to score points. Back row players are allowed to spike the ball but they must jump behind the ten foot line. A player may land in front of the ten foot line after hitting the ball only if the player jumps from behind the line.

What About Illega Contacts with the Ball?

There are so many violations in volleyball that they cannot all be covered here. A few important ones include: a team is only only three touches on the ball before it must be sent over the net, a setter may not make a double contact with the ball while setting, players may not go under the net and interfere with players on the opposite side, and blockers my not hit the top of the ne while blocking.

That is it. These are the best serves you will see in volleyball. Learn how to do them to become effective.

The volleyball serve might be the most important part of the volleyball game. Obviously, it is important because the serve is what starts the game. A hard serve will be helpful because it will cause the opponents to struggle with making a good pass, which will lead to a bad set which in turn likely leads to a bad hit. Therefore, if you can become really good at the serve, you are going to be a good player and you are going to help your team win.

In volleyball, there are three types of serves that will be affective in getting points (I am not going to mention the underhand serve). Those three serves, when used effectively, will result in points. Therefore, it is a great idea to master all three.

The three serves that I am referring to are the top spin serve, the float serve, and the jump serve. These are the only effective serves that you will ever see in competitive volleyball. If you want to succeed in volleyball, you have to learn how to perform these serves.

So let’s take a look at these serves:

Top Spin Serve

The top spin serve is effective because you can make the ball literally drop out of the sky. The way to do it is to put as much top spin on the ball as possible. If you hit the ball really hard you should get the ball to spin downwards towards the ground on the other side. This is a tough serve to receive because serve receivers are going to pulled closer to the net than they may think they need to be.

The Floater

The floater is a really great serve to learn because you can make the ball do some weird things. It is called a float serve because the ball appears to float and not want to come down out of the air. Also, the ball moves around very oddly which makes the ball very hard receive. A good float serve should have almost no spin, should have a good pace on it, and should go right over the top of the net, as low as possible.

The Jump Serve

The jump serve is the most powerful serve in volleyball. A player literally throws the ball in the air and takes the same approach as if they were spiking. The player jumps and hits the ball with extreme top spin. This serve is served faster than any other serve there is, upward to 100 mph. This serve is great for intimidating the opponent.

There you have it. Three of the best serves in volleyball. Learn how to do them to become effective.

Volleyball camps are an extremely important factor in gaining the knowledge and skill of a great volleyball player.  Not only do volleyball camps offer a player a look at the fundamentals of volleyball, but they are almost always instructed by former players.  Many of the camps I have worked are with current NCAA volleyball players and run by former collegiate volleyball players.

As opposed to going to practice and running around, a camp will slow the method down and give players a solid base to work from.  Individuals will get to see exactly how to perform volleyball skills including the proper way to serve or the correct way to contact the volleyball while spiking.

How Do You Choose a Volleyball Camp?

Choosing a camp is extremely important if you want to get your money’s worth.  You have to be sure that the proper amount of technique, skill, and method are being taught at the camp.  You absolutely do not want to hear from people attending the camp that all they are doing is scrimmaging.

Fortunately, with the internet it is very easy to find volleyball camps in your area.  Simply go to a search engine and type in your area along with volleyball camps.  When making a decision, here are the things that you should look at.

1. What organization is running the camp?  Your best bet is always going to be a volleyball club in the area.  Go to their websites and do some research.  Are they a good club?  Do they win a lot?  Have they been around for a while?  The longer they have been around I would bet the better that their organization is.  You will also find other random individuals or programs running camps.  Again, do your homework.

2. What individuals are running the camp?  Is the person running the camp a current high school volleyball player or a former All-American collegiate athlete?  You will definitely find these types running camps and everything in between.  Be sure to choose the one that you know for a fact will have the greatest knowledge.

3. Where is the camp located?  Do not drive two hours to go to a camp.  That should not be necessary.  There are so many camps to choose from that you really should not have a problem finding one in your area.

Be sure, that when choosing a volleyball camp, you follow the suggestions above.  Believe it or not, there are really good volleyball camps out there, but there are also terrible ones.  Do not be afraid to call, ask questions, or even stop in to see a camp in action.  You will be happy that you did.

The act of passing a volleyball from the serve to the setter in a consistent manner may be the most important aspect of volleyball. This is called the serve receive. The reason that this is so important because a volleyball team will never be able to run a good offense without it This article will give you tips on how to become a better serve receiver.

Feet

When performing a skill in just about any sport, you want to start from the athletic position. Start with your feet in the correct position because this will set up the rest of your body in the correct position. Keep your feet slightly staggered, with one a little ahead of the other.

Lower Body

Again, the athletic position requires you to have your knees slightly bend and the weight of your body over the balls of your feet.

Upper Body

Your upper body should be slightly bent forward. Be sure to have a clear view of the server, face the server, and be aware where the setter is.

Hand Position

Lay four fingers of one hand across the four fingers of the other hand. Bring sides of palms together. Bring thumbs together, extend arms, and raise elbow pits toward the ceiling. Raise wrists, press thumbs toward the floor.

When waiting for the serve, you do not want to have your hands grasped and ready to pass. You must move to the ball first, then put your hands in the correct position to pass.

The Platform

The platform is a word you will come across often in volleyball. The platform is where you will contact the ball on your arms while passing. The best advice I ever received about the platform is to pretend that you have a piece of plywood lying in your arms from your biceps to your wrists.

Passing the Ball

Your body should be slightly bent forward at the waist. Contact the ball at the midpoint of your body from your solid “plywood” platform. Do not allow your platform to go above your eyes. Do not ever swing your arms. This will make for some crazy passes. Use your legs to push the ball forward up to your setter. The other component is your shoulders. Use your shoulders to make a good pass. Square your shoulders towards your setter during the act of the pass and while you are contacting the ball. Using your legs, shoulders, and a solid platform will ensure a good pass.

Serve Receive Review

1. Do not forget about the athletic position. Keep your feet shoulder width apart and slightly staggered.

2. Your knees are bent and your weight is over the balls of your feet.

3. Your body is slightly bent at the waist. Maintain a clear view of the server and face the server.

4. Remember your hand position but do nothing until you have moved your body to where the ball is going.

5. Your platform is solid and feels like a piece of plywood is sitting on top of your arms.

6. Pass the ball using your legs and shoulders. Avoid swinging your arms.

In volleyball, the block at the net may be the most important aspect to a team’s defense. Blocking takes a lot of skill and cooperation among players to ensure a quality block is made. Below you will find tips on how to perform a better block.

Feet

As you should with most starting positions in volleyball, have your feet shoulder width apart in the athletic position. This is called the athletic position.

Lower Body

The first thing you do is to make sure that your body is squared to the net. This is simple as you should be facing the net anyway. Again, you want to stay in the athletic position here, feet shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent. It is important that you do not stand extremely close to the net. You really want to be about a half arms length from it.

Upper Body

This is the same as the lower body. If your lower body is square, then your upper body will likely follow. Be sure it does. With your elbows bent, hold your arms out in front of you in a ready position. To maintain a ready position, your hands should be palms out, facing the net, and ready to move quickly. You have to be sure that your hands do not go lower than your shoulders, or you are not ready to block. Maintaining this position will enable you to be ready. Sets are going to come in your direction all of the time and it is a must to be ready to go.

Keep your eyes open. In this way you can notice and anticipate exactly where the hitter is going to hit. Always know which hitter you are blocking before the play even begins.

If you want to get the block, you have to line up with the hitter. For example, if a player is coming at an angle towards you, the ball is probably going to be hit cross court. Block cross court.

Block Jump

This part takes practice and skill. The important part here is that you must time the hitter and jump exactly at the right time. When a hitter is coming at you, line up your body with the hitter’s arm and jump block. Jumping straight up and not fading right or left is imperative. Try to land in the same spot that you jumped from.

Hands and Arms

When performing to block, convince yourself to try and catch or grab the volleyball. Reach your hands as far across the net to do this. Spread your fingers as far apart as possible and keeping them very strong and stiff.

Push as hard as you can when you feel the volleyball contact your hands. Shrugging your shoulders is really going to help this.