Big 12 Volleyball Players of the Year
Big 12 Volleyball Players of the Year
how to play volleyball
Arm Swing Errors – The Common Errors that Coaches Coach and Players Practice
Arm Swing Errors – The Common Errors that Coaches Coach and Players Practice
how to play volleyball
Let’s Cooperatively Play Castle Crashers Part 11 – Volleyball and Corn
how to play volleyball
Volleyball Tips For Girls: Five Things To Communicate To Your Front Row Players
Have you ever played volleyball with a blindfold on? When players don’t communicate on the court it’s like playing with a blindfold on. When players talk about what’s going on during a game, communication reduces the confusion on the court. Here are five tips on what and how to communicate to your front row players.
1. Tell Your Hitters Where To Hit Or What’s Open On The Court.
To play better volleyball one of the best things you can communicate to your front row hitters is what part of the court is open. This can be combined with letting them know what the block is NOT taking away. This can be done in two ways. You can wait between plays and after the ball is dead you can tell your hitter “Hey they keep blocking you line just keep cranking it hard cross court. ” Or you can do what I do and what elite beach volleyball players are taught and trained to do and that’s to yell to the hitter what is open as the play is developing. It takes practice …so do it in practice but get used to watching for what the block is taking away then call the opposite OR call the open area on the court. Use one syllable commands and Say them loudly just before your hitter makes contact with the ball at the height of his spike. Call “LINE”, “CROSS”, “TIP”.
2. Tell Your Hitter Where The Block Is.
A second tip on how to play better volleyball is to tell your hitter whether the block is UP or not. I yell “Nobody” which lets my hitter know that she can swing away and hit the poop out of the ball with no worries. This often happens on a ball that has come back over unexpectedly and the opposing team’s block doesnt have time to form but your hitter is looking UP at a high ball unable to see whether he/she has a block or not. By calling out “nobody” you are being your hitter’s eyes.
Another option to help out your hitter is tell them how many blockers he/she has. I learned in Italy to communicate as much as possible about how many blockers my hitter had just before they hit. “Y’ got ONE” or “Y’ got TWO” let’s my hitter receive information that they have ONE or TWO blockers up …that helps them decide how and where they want to hit the ball.
3. Tell Your Team Who the Hitters Are On The Opposing Team’s Front Row.
Playing better volleyball means calling out where and who the front row hitters are on the opposite team. Say it out loud and if you want to point with your fingers like I do….Do it…that’s always fun it just adds a little emphasis.
Let everybody know on your team whether the setter is front row which means it’s possible for her to turn and hit or to tip it over to your court. Let everybody know especially her…that YOU know where she is. Say It LOUD. Trust me usually setters are less likely to sneak attack a tip when they know that YOU know that they are front row.
4. Remind Your Team About The Characteristics of the Opposing Hitters.
You can play better volleyball even from the backrow because sometimes the back row is the best place in the house to see what is happening at the net. If there is a particular hitter that your block can’t seem to stop…watch to see exactly How that spiker is being successful then communicate that to your front row.
Here’s what I mean. If the same hitter has gotten points by repeatedly spiking the ball on your side its your responsibiliity to give your blockers the information needed to stop them. Are your blockers jumping too soon against a hitter with a slow armswing. Then tell them to “Wait” and time their block so they go up later. Is the hitter beating your block by hitting inside the middle blocker’s internal hand? Tell the outside blockers (with the coach’s approval) to take one more step to the middle of the court-taking away more of the cross court.
5. It’s Essential To Remember To “Cover” Your Hitters.
Quite simply playing better volleyball means 24/7 coverage. I have seen many balls that were easy to recover that were blocked and deflected right back to the feet of the off blockers who forgot to cover their hitters. These are easy opportunities for your team to replay the ball and either sideout or make a point. Why waste the opportunity when it’s as easy as reminding everybody including and especially the off hitter/blockers who didn’t get set to come and “cover” the hitter.
Playing better volleyball means practicing your individual skills. Remember the ball is in Your court!
Coaching Girls Volleyball: Top 5 Ways Girls Volleyball Players Can Make Pepper Improve Their Game
Many girls volleyball players don’t know how to use the Pepper Warm up Drill as a way to improve their volleyball game. Below are 5 ways elite women volleyball players use “Pepper” as a way to play better volleyball.
1. In womens volleyball, Pepper is first used To Improve Ball Control.
2. Secondly, women volleyball players use Pepper to Improve their Serve Receive Technique.
In girl’s volleyball I believe that Pepper is the number one way for indoor players to improve their ball control…if they know how to do it. You have to be aware of why you are Peppering in the first place. If not, then it just becomes a way to raise your body temperature…some.
a. When YOU set the volleyball -whoever sets should be working on form and technique.
The Goal- the volleyball should go right to your partner without them taking more than one step in any direction to chase your ball.
b. When Your partner passes back-concentration should be on using excellent form for serve receive and free ball passing-especially now since this is an easy ball.
The Goal- first to pass or bump the ball high enough so she can hit the ball right back without taking more than one step. Secondly, bump setting practice for accuracy so each and every ball goes right back to above the hitters extended hitting arm.
c. When You hit. You hit a controlled 1/2 to 3/4 speed down ball right to your partner. In this instance you have a controlled situation in which to practice the finer points of your armswing. Concentrate -on “reaching” raising your elbow and hitting high while controlling the ball speed. Don’t hit by your ear just because there’s no net! Hit low in Pepper means you hit low in hitting warm ups and then in your girls volleyball game. Trust me-it all transfers. Your body is recording every movement you make it do-so pledge to yourself to do the movements right.
The Goal- To hit the spot you are aiming for-which in Pepper is right to your partner-so that she doesn’t have to move more than one step UNLESS you choose to mix up your attack and include a tip to your partner. This is highly recommended after you have improved your ball control.
d. Your partner digs-focus on being down in your defensive position before your partner hits the ball meaning by the time she makes contact. Because Pepper partners are relatively close together you will automatically be developing quick reflexes. Here is where you practice combining quick reflex with BALL CONTROL. React quickly…then control the ball. React quickly then c-o-n-t-r-o-l the ball.
The Goal- Learning to absorb a hard hit ball at a close distance and delivering that ball (softly, gently people) in control to your target without making them move more than one step. Fight to maintain control of the ball.
3. Women Volleyball players use Pepper to Increase Their Range in Defense.
Advanced girl’s volleyball players can challenge their partners (you both need to agree to make the drill work) by tipping the ball further and further out of reach – the more of these balls you get in pepper-the more you will get in the game. It all transfers. Or by hitting a 1/2 to 3/4 speed down ball a foot or 2 to the right or left of the defender will increase your range of harder hit defensive balls that you dig up around you.
4. In womens and girls volleyball Pepper helps players To Narrow Their Focus and Increase Concentration.
In girls volleyball games Pepper warm ups often take place in a crowded environment. Either with 25 teammates on either side of you, or near that net divider that separates the volleyball courts in a tournament, fans that walk up and down the aisles, team benches, believe it or not this is a great practice oportunity- to narrow your focus and concentration so that it doesn’t matter what happens around you …the world can come to an end but your focus is only on the volleyball.
5. Women Volleyball players use Pepper To Increase Their Reactions and Reduce Fear of the Ball.
As your ball control gets better then you and your Pepper partner should agree to challenge each other to make each other better players. When you get to the point where you are exchanging 10-12 pass,set,hit combinations in a row Stop and both of you commit to hitting harder at each other. About 3/4 the speed of your regularly hit spike-BUT YOUR GOAL is to still to work up to as many pass-set-hit exchanges as you can while Controlling the ball. Your digs should still be going right to each other.
Avp Beach Volleyball Women, Now The Champions Are Coaching Players
The summer of 2006 was noticeable for the depth of female volleyball coaches, all champions and former players who returned to the sand to coach some of the AVP Tour’s promising womens volleyball teams. Here is a breakdown of who’s coaching teams on the AVP womens beach volleyball tour.
Liz Masakayan
Liz Masakayan is coaching Elaine Youngs and Rachel Wacholder. Liz still looks like a regular top 5 competitor on the tour. Still gorgeous, Liz and I caught up for a few minutes before she had to get busy videotaping, keeping stats and coaching EY and Rachel against Jen Pavley and her partner Paula Roca at the the first AVP tournament this summer in Fort Lauderdale.
Liz was named to the USA Volleyball’s All ERA Beach Team from 1998 to 2003. According to USA Volleyball.org with her partner Karolyn Kirby, Liz compiled 29 titles which ranks third on the all time women’s team title list. “She also won pro beach titles with five other players (Elaine Youngs, nine; Linda Chisholm, six; Dianne DeNecochea, one; Bev Lidyoff, one; and Anna Prousalis, one.
Every competitive year Liz won a player’s award including Most Valuable Player of the WPVA in 1992, co-MVP in 1993, in 1991 and 1992 she was the “Top Defensive Player”, voted “Best Hitter” in 1993 and 1994, and was the Most Inspirational award-winner in 1995 when she was recovering from her fifth of six knee surgeries.
“Masakayan was a member of the USA Women’s National Team (indoor) for five years and was a starter at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games.”
Karolyn Kirby
Karolyn Kirby and I shared a laugh about females athletes and females in general with their multiple personalities before she went to coach her team of Alicia Polzin and Denise Johns.
“Kirby has won more event titles (67) than any other woman on the pro beach circuits” (AVP) Denise is quoted as calling Karolyn “the greatest coach ever”. According to USA Volleyball.org
“With a total of 1,471 Kirby ranks sixth having played in 187 pro beach volleyball events to rank sixth overall. Kirby, who won 61 domestic and six international titles, posted 115 podium placements and 124 “final four” appearances in her career.
To list just a few of the titles given to Kirby “she was named the WPVA’s Most Valuable Player in 1990, 1991 and 1994, co-MVP in 1993, Top Offensive Player in 1990, Best Setter in 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1997 and the league’s Best Hitter in 1992″. Kirby is a member of the All-ERA Beach Team 1998- 2003.
Danalee Bragado
Danalee is coaching a number of players on the tour.
One of her successful teams is the pair of players Suzanne Stonebarger and Michelle More. Suzanne and Michelle were seeded 20th in the first tournament of the season and finished in an amazing 5th place! Obviously the work they did this winter paid off as well as the coaching! Look out for the new kids in town!
Bragado earned ,250 in 14 events in 2001 with two FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour “challenger” Silver Medal finishes with Ali Wood (Greece) and Lia Young (Thailand). Bragado had her best season on the FIVB Tour in 2001 with ,950 in earnings. Bragado and Wood placed fifth in the 2001 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships in Austria. Bragado teamed with Pat Keller to finish second in a 1996 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour event in Japan where they dropped the finals to Natalie Cook and Kerri Pottharst of Australia. Bragado and Gracie Santana teamed to capture the Gold Medal at the 1998 Swiss challenger event.
Angela Rock
Angela Rock, who doesn’t look any different from when she played is currently coaching one of my favorite teams of Diane DeNocochea and Tammy Liley Leibl.
These guys, Tammy and Diane are both mothers of two children each and just by watching them play you would never guess that there biggest problem is to coordinate their schedules to find time to practice together.
Former US National Team and college teammates of mine, these two have great chemistry on the volleyball court and continuously finish as one of the top five (5) teams on the AVP tour..
A member of the US ALL ERA Beach Volleyball Team in 1998 – 2003 Angela Rock, according to USA Volleyball.org was one of the top servers of all time in women’s pro beach history, “Rock ranks among the all-time leaders in tournaments played (168), titles (27) and earnings (9,725). During her career, Rock posted 81 podium placements and 104 “final four” appearances. Rock captured pro beach titles with five different partners (Karolyn Kirby, 18; Nancy Reno, four; Linda Hanley, three; Jackie Silva, one; and Holly McPeak, one). Rock won the WPVA’s Ace Awards in 1992, 1995 and 1996 and was the tour’s Top Hitter in 1991. She also was an indoor Olympian at the 1988 Seoul Games.’
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