I just looked back and noticed I’ve published 20 posts on the subject of teaching a young player to attack a volleyball properly. Honestly, when I started I didn’t think I’d have 20 posts. But here we are with post number 21... and I’m still not finished with the topic.
I promise this is the last one. (My pants are on fire.) And the concepts are important hitting off one foot and hitting a self-tossed ball. One skill difficult. One, not so much. Down the road, both skills introduced at a young age are beneficial for the player and the team.
You would be surprised – well, maybe you wouldn’t if you have coached a high school team – at the number of high school players who played years of club ball and yet struggle with both skills. I might even change the verb “struggle“ to “can’t.“ As a matter of fact, it is rare to find one who can.
Maybe coaches assume since the skills are seldom used at younger levels, it makes no sense to teach or practice them. I hope I can change your mind.
Let’s start with a one foot takeoff, a slide attack. Truth be told, it is easier to hit a ball off one foot than it is off 2. First, the approach is easier to master especially for kids in Indiana. All you need to say when teaching the footwork is “Pretend you’re doing a layup.” They immediately understand. Second, usually the ball is easier to track because it is further in front of the hitter. Knowing how to go off one foot allows the player to make up for a poor set or for her to make up for leaving late.
You need to make the player understand that you want them to go off one foot if it is appropriate or they feel more comfortable approaching that way. Most kids can contact the ball at a higher point off one foot, and once they understand how to do it, it becomes easier and very effective.
Once you introduce it to kids, practice both approaches daily. They need to easily bounce from one to the other. The biggest struggle is what they do with their arms. As we discussed – well, I guess there was no discussion. After all, you're reading. There cannot be a discussion if I’m not sitting beside you as you read. I probably don’t personally know you. So… as we discussed, the arms play a big role in the two-foot approach.
With the one-foot takeoff, the arm movement is simpler and very different. Many players, young and old, want to use the same arm movement for both. Not a good thing. Doesn’t work. That is like putting peanut butter on both a PB&J and an egg sandwich. Although they are both sandwiches, the peanut butter is appropriate for one and just disgusting on the other.
I once had a player who just couldn't get it. Every time she tried to run a one-foot attack she resorted to counting her steps and swinging her arms back. She really struggled.
The footwork issue was easy to fix. Since she came from a basketball family, I just told her to do a right-hand layup.
The arm issue was a different story. Because her arms were never where they were suppose to be, her frustration grew. The only way I could get her to stop the 2-foot takeoff arm movement was to tell her to be the Statue of Liberty. As soon as she took off to run a slide, she raised her right arm up like she was Lady Liberty. She looked weird running with one arm sticking up, but it worked. She became quite effective even though everyone in the gym knew what was going to happen.
This player was so athletic she ended up getting a D-1 scholarship. She had a difficult time with the one-foot takeoff and struggled because no one ever worked with her when she was young.
Do young players a huge favor, introduce this to them early.
Introducing the footwork is simple. Just have the player run and long jump off her left leg as far out as she can. Tell her to land on two feet. To land on two feet, she must jump high enough to get both feet in position to land.
Next, hold something that she must jump out and up to touch. To get more height, tell her to drive her right knee up as it goes off her left leg. Obviously, you change the height of the object (an antenna) as needed.
Emphasize bending the left leg as she takes off. She needs to work on exploding off of her left leg. With many young kids this is difficult because their leg strength just isn’t there yet. But understanding how to jump this way is important. The strength will come. So keep running the players through this.
Next, let’s go to the net. You may need to use a taller net. Give each girl a ball. They are going to work on the swing. Have the players spread out along both sides of the net standing about 4 feet away and facing the right sideline. Their shoulders should be perpendicular to the net.
Have each girl stand on her left foot with the ball in her right hand above her head. Each girl will spin on her left foot and throw the ball down into the bottom of the net almost behind her. Make sure she doesn't lower her elbow when she throws. If anyone struggles with controlling the ball, change to a tennis ball or a Wiffle ball and move to a wall.
Have each player step onto her left foot instead of standing on it. Be sure she keeps the ball high in her right hand. Tell them to try and spin fast and throw hard without lowering their elbows.
It’s time to start hitting it.
While the players are standing with their shoulders perpendicular to the net, have each player put the ball in her left hand and raise her right hand. As she steps out with her left foot, she tosses the ball out directly in front of her left shoulder, spins pon her left foot, and hit the ball down into the net. Each girl needs to learn where the ball needs to be tossed for her to hit it DOWN into the net. Again, they need to hit the ball into the net almost behind them. The right elbows stays up as they hit through the balls. (There seems to be an echo.)
Next, they need to hit tossed balls. Remaining in the above position, with a partner facing them with a ball, the hitter has her right arm up preparing to hit. As the hitter steps forward with her left foot, her partner tosses the ball to a spot that it can be hit. The hitter spins through the ball hitting it down into the net. (Listen for the above echo.) The right elbows stays high as they hit through the ball. If necessary, you toss the ball.
The next step is having the players hit a tossed ball with a longer approach. This can be done with or without a net. Introducing a new concept is easier without the net. It is an unnecessary barrier at this point. The focus needs to be on the process – not getting the ball over the net.
Have the girls line up facing you,15 or 20 feet away. Their objective is to run at you, jump off one foot and prepare to hit the ball. Your objective is to toss the ball as they are jumping. You don’t want the players worrying about timing, just jumping properly off one foot and learning how to hit the ball with this approach.
It's important the ball is tossed to the ideal contact area for each person. Obviously, this is different for each player. The ability to hit that ideal spot is critical. As with learning the 2-foot approach, their focus is on technique, not where the attack goes. This is why I don’t like using the net at this stage.
With each toss to each player, push the girls to extend beyond where they thought they could go. Keep gradually tossing just a little higher each approach.
After the players have had time to understand and build their confidence hitting these tosses, have them learn to time the ball with the approach. Put them in groups of 3 or 4 and toss balls to them. Again, I would do this sans net.
Using small groups allows the girls to get into a rhythm. It gives them an opportunity to hit several balls in a short period of time rather than standing in a line of 10 kids waiting a few minutes between attempts. By the time a player gets another turn to attack, she has to go back to the beginning. Hitting off of one foot is just another weapon in their arsenals. Introducing it to young players gives them several years to learn when and where they can use it. It’s a huge advantage as they get older.
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