There’s not necessarily a right or wrong answer to the question of whether kids who aren’t tall enough to get their hands over the net should remain in blocking position or drop off to play defense. But Adam Johnson, a former U.S. national team indoor player and a top-level beach pro who now runs the Adam Johnson Volleyball Academy in Austin, Texas, has an opinion.
From his perspective, it’s better to learn the game the way you will play it when you get bigger, so he has his 12-year-olds set up in the correct blocking positions and go through the motions. Here’s why: