Professional Documents
Culture Documents
COACHING KEYS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Teach efficiently
Present and reinforce fundamental skill mechanics
Motivate positively
Strategize offense and defensive concepts
Explain why we do what we do every day
Since its inception, our programs coaches have stressed that there are no little things in this game.
About a decade ago now, a statistical analysis of NCAA Volleyball teams side-out efficiency i.e.
winning serve back showed that a team who sided-out just 2% better than its opponent won 64% of
its games. For example, suppose Gilman side-outs at 58% and our opponent side-outs at 56%: Gilman
will win 2 out of every 3 games. Following the same statistics, if Gilman improves its side-out efficiency
to 4% better than its opponent, Gilman will win 74% of the time (3 out of every 4 games).
Because passing has been and will continue to be our primarily emphasized skill, both our varsity
and JV squads have made a habit of winning the serve receive (SR) category in matches, and this ingame statistical victory has led us to our .845 match winning percentage since 2003. Maintaining these
proficiencies and even improving on them has been and will continue to be the key to our success
as a program.
Three summers ago now, I read about another statistical percentage that many collegiate programs
have begun to value in recent years: IPE, an acronym for In Play Efficiency. In basic terms, this stat
shows how frequently a team keeps a ball in play and then can be broken down into Serving IPE,
Hitting IPE, Passing/Digging IPE, and even Blocking IPE.
While I have not tracked these numbers for our teams yet as it cannot be done after-the-fact I am
certain that our varsity teams IPEs in 2013 were markedly improved over our 2012 numbers and this
had everything to do with turning close losses into definitive wins.
For every 10 balls we play attacks, blocks, serves, and ball handling (passes and sets) how many do
we keep in play? Penn States Team IPE for the 2008 Final Four was .743 (for every 10 balls played 7.4
were kept in play), which recognizes that PSU gave up nearly 25% of their opponents points on their
own errors. This equates to Penn States yielding roughly 6 points per game on its own errors. In our
league, too, 6 yielded points per game can make all the difference. The 2012 varsity teams 3-0 loss at
Loyola, in which each game was won by two, turned into a 3-0 beat-down against the Dons at home
this past season. To minimize our inefficiency while maximizing our confidence and aggressiveness
will again be keys this season and beyond.
In the summer of 2013, I read an article written by Oakland University Head Coach Rob Beam that
breaks down the IPE concept even further. In his analysis, Coach Beam determined what statistics had
the greatest correlation to winning i.e. statistics that actually matter and those that had the
greatest correlation to losing i.e. empty stats. Concerning the latter, it was interesting to read
that hitting error percentage was not a strong determinant to winning or losing, neither was the service
ace-to-service error ratio. Instead, this study also highlighted efficiency as a means of success:
service errors are not as deleterious as are receive errors; kills alone are not as important unless they
combine with aces and total team blocks. Last season, we put some new drills into varsity practices as
we strived to realize that sometimes elusive 2% by focusing on game skills that matter most.
As always, preparing each player in the Gilman Volleyball Program for improvement and success
means that the program must be guided by clearly defined principles. In turn, these principles should
dictate the methods by which the coaches teach and the players practice and learn the game.
Etc.
FUNDAMENTAL SKILLS
FOREARM PASSING
PRINCIPLES
KEYS
1. Elbows locked and hands pointed straight down: show the thumbnails
2. Wrists and hands together: make an X with the hands and make thumbnails friends
3. Face the ball and get the ball on the midline (chest) and the midline over the lead leg
4. Angle the forearm platform: butt down (lower than the ball), arms up!
5. Quick and simple footwork
DRILLS
Toss-Pass-Catch 2-man
o
Straight
Side-hops
Side-reaches
Variable Butterfly drills (done from 4 different perspectives: 5-5, 5-1, 1-5, 1-1): small, killer, big
tossers
passers
tossers
passers
SERVING
PRINCIPLES
Serving should follow the same mechanics as throwing, especially regarding footwork
Movements use torque to generate force
Simple movements are better than complex movements the simpler the movement, the
more easy it will be for the player to repeat it
90%+ of standing serves in; 80%+ of jump serves in
KEYS (floater)
1. Bow and arrow (hand already up and flat)
2. Hitting elbow up and shoulder back
3. Shoulders straight, swing straight
4. Contact ball on heel and calluses of hand
5. Stop swing motion upon contact with ball
KEYS (jumper)
1. Right hand, right foot (or left hand, left foot)
2. Step, toss, and continue four-step approach
3. High toss, out in front of body (toward baseline)
4. Swing arms to jump, using attack approach footwork
DRILLS
(Work serving into game-action and receive drills, such as #135 and Beat Clay Stanley)
HITTING
PRINCIPLES
KEYS
1. Four-step approach for ALL hitters out of serve receive or free ball transition
a. Right (positive) foot forward
b. Small right, small left, biggest right, big left (to close): keep feet basically parallel
c. Slow, slow, fast, fast
d. Second step: on or behind the ten-foot line
e. Fourth (final) step: in line with third step and not too close to net
2. Arm swing: down, back, up
3. Follow-through: full arm swing through and past same side hip
DRILLS
Pass or Dont Pass Transition (OH hitting only) (like 5 v 2 or 6 v 3 OH Training Drill)
C
passers/hitters
passers
5-4-3-2-1
TIMING
Timing regulates hitting, and timing is determined by when the hitter starts his approach footwork:
1. First-step sets 4s: hitter takes his first step when the setter touches the ball
2. Second-step sets 3s: hitter is on his second step when the setter touches the ball
3. Third-step sets 2s: hitter is on his third step when the setter touches the ball
4. Fourth-step sets 1s: hitter is on his final step/is in the air when the setter touches the ball
SHUFFLE FOOTWORK
Preparing to hit necessitates moving at an angle, rather than running straight. Use shuffle steps:
1. Pass and move directly into hitting approach
2. Pass and use three-step shuffle
3. No pass and use five-step shuffle
TRANSITION FOOTWORK
From the left (turn to face the court):
1. Four off (jump turn on second step) and four back
2. Three off-three back (for a quicker set)
From the middle:
1. Blocking left: three off-three back
2. Blocking middle: three off-three back (always turn right)
3. Blocking right: four off-three back (turning left)
From the right: Five off-four back (jump turn on second step)
SETTING
PRINCIPLES
KEYS
1. Hands up early
2. Form shape of a ball
3. Ball should fall into bridge/curve of nose and forehead
4. Face the ball, square to the target
5. Plant right foot lead
6. Setters establish target off the net
DRILLS
Seated set with partner hands up, head back, in sit-up position (form work)
Toss-Set-Catch 2-man
o
1s
2s
3s
4s
BLOCKING
PRINCIPLES
Hitters tend to hit the ball where the set takes them
Using the arms when blocking allows blockers to move more quickly and jump higher
Set a triple block on any set you can get to
KEYS
1. Eyework: ball setter ball hitter (BSBH)
2. Footwork: use consistent patterns
3. Hands over the net thumbs up (wrists almost together) upon penetration
DRILLS
Six Trips
o
5-3-3
5-2-2
3-3-3
3-2-2
Q3-3-3
Q3-2-2
BLOCKING PREPARATION
1. BUNCH READ: When preparing a block, the OH and MB should overlap forearms and the MB
and OPP should overlap hands
2. LOAD: Blockers need to move quickly and be in a crouch, ready to go up
3. TRAP: Off of the bunch read, blockers move together to double-team the hitter
4. FRONT: Eye your hitter and line the hitters swing arm up with your midline
TEAM STRATEGIES
DEFENSE
PRINCIPLES
KEYS
1. Blocking stance: hands even with head, ready to load
2. Back row stance: feet apart, knees bent, arms ready
3. Read a hitter:
a. Pick up the set
b. Know the tendency of the hitter
c. Watch the hitters approach
d. Watch the hitters shoulders
4. Digging target: 10 x 20
SYSTEM
1. Basic defensive positioning
When the ball is on the opponents side of the net prior to any
attack we will align ourselves in the basic defensive positions
shown at right.
It is important to reset ourselves to these ready positions prior
to each opponent attack; regardless of where that attack
comes from, these basic spots allow for the quickest and easiest
shifts into proper defensive/digging locations.
*We run a combination of rotation and perimeter schemes:
Note the slight adjustment, as we are moving all three back-row
defenders especially the m(b) FORWARD; doing this will leave
less room behind the middle block, as well as allow us greater
opportunity to open-hand dig first balls over.
OH1
m(l)
OPP
s
oh2
(3x3)
(3x3)
s
OH1
M
m(l)
OPP
oh2
(10x10)
M OPP
OH1
s
m(l)
(sight line off Ms
inside hand)
OH1 M
OPP
m(l)
s
OH1 M
OPP
m(l)
oh2
oh2
s
oh2
M OPP
OH1
m(l)
v. tandem
OH1 M
s
m(l)
oh2
OPP
s
oh2
v. slide
M
OH1
OPP
m(l)
s
oh2
v. pipe
In all defensive scenarios, it is incumbent on the back row defenders in the 1 and 5 positions to read their post
blockers. If a triple-block is set on a middle attack, both the 1 and 5 diggers must come up and around,
covering the tip positions along the ten-foot line.
DIGGERS KEYS: 1) never hide behind a block
2) watch the TOPS of the blockers hands
STATISTICAL TENDENCIES
6%
8%
8%
12%
Balls that land in front of the ten-foot line include all tips and balls
that have been blocked and fall over the blockers
8%
18%
17%
7%
3%
5%
5%
3%
Only 16% of balls that come over fall in the back third of the court,
with 1 in every 10 (total) falling to deep middle-back
OFFENSE
PRINCIPLES
KEYS
1. It all begins with passing: the better the pass, the better the offensive opportunities
2. Quick hitters should always try to make the opposing middle blocker move
3. Setters should jump set as much as possible, especially on all perfect passes
4. Motion attracts blockers and can be used to open up the desired hitter
5. It is often a good idea to set the gap in front of the opponents worst blocker
RECEIVE RESPONSIBILITIES
Because the ball knows angles, all three players in serve receive
should be prepared to cover serves that fall a) up and to the right
and b) back and to the left.
OFFENSIVE PREPARATION
1. FIXED POINT SET: 3s and 4s, as the placement of the set does not move in relation to the setter
2. FLOATING POINT SET: 1s, 2s, and some slides, as the placement of the set moves with the setter
3. SLIDE: When the hitter slides in back of the setter
4. AUDIBLE: The setter will have two calls for each receive rotation; the first will be a basic play,
such as WHITE, GRAY, or BLUE; the second call is the audible that the setter will call on either a
perfect receive or a free ball
5. COMMUNICATION IS KEY: The setter must get every hitter on the same page prior to every rally,
and then all hitters must call for the ball and commit to their fakes and coverage
SYSTEM
1. Basic set numbers/heights
SHOOT
HUT
32
31
--
--
any hit where two players hit in tandem (side by side, one ball height
difference)
STACK
--
any hit where 1st hitter fakes and 2nd hitter is set directly behind 1st hitter
(one or two ball height difference)
SLIDE
--
any hit (by a right-hander) where hitter slides from front-middle to hit a
back quick, 2, or 3 behind the setter/in the OPP position
PIPE
--
3. Running plays
o
setter calls the play before the serve either with name or hand signal
free balls should yield perfect passes, which means aggressive play-calling
setter may call a certain serve receive play to allow front row players to switch positions
within the first attack
4. Set plays
4/HUT
2or1 S
2or1 S
4/HUT
2or1 S
WHITE
(basic)
BLUE
(basic)
PEEK-A-BOO
(hut-X)
1.5 S
4/HUT
2 1 S
X3
(or X4)
HUT X or 4X
(or 3X)
TANDEM
(T2 or T3)
1 S
2
S1.5
4/HUT
FIST
(slide)
HOUND
(safety)
tap waist
PIPE
STACK
(TECH 3 or TECH4)
HUT 31/32
HUT
1 S
SHOOT/ 31/32 S
HUT
PINK
(pipe combination)
CAPTAIN FALCON
(off receive or free ball)
FLAMING HAWK
(off receive)
hand to shoulder
talking hand
5. Middle attacks
Because passes are not always on target but setting the M is always a desired option, consider
the Bermuda Triangle:
This means that the M must consider where the setter is when he sets the ball and adjust his
placement across and off the net accordingly. The two will align along the axes.
The same numbered set can be delivered, and this alignment will ensure that the M is never
ahead of the ball.
M S
6. Offensive coverage
NO HITTER GOES UP ALONE!
Every time we attack, all players must assume the block, expecting our hit to come back at us.
It is critical that the five players do not simply watch our hitter get blocked.
Get to positions, drop and COVER!
*BASIC RULES OF THUMB:
OH1
m(l) (inside
cup)
oh2
On outside hit coverage, the only player who remains in the middle third of the court is
the oh2 (see below left)
On middle and opposite hit coverage, the m(l) and oh2 cheat in and split the court
not unlike a short free ball positioning
COVERERS: LOOK AT THE BLOCKERS HANDS! Do not watch the hitter and the ball
OH1
OPP
(outside
cup)
(outside
cup)
M
(inside
cup)
OPP
s
OH1
m(l)
m(l)
oh2
oh2
OPP