Without a strong approach, it’s hard to become a great hitter. But it sometimes takes awhile for young volleyball players to coordinate the steps and the timing.
Cary Wendell Wallin, currently the Director of Player Development at 949 Athletics in Orange County, Calif., and a former NCAA Player of the Year at Stanford, explains in this video how she breaks down the 3-step approach in a way that helps young players develop proper rhythm.
She takes you through the process step by step, emphasizing the following points:
- Which foot to put weight on before you start
- How to take your directional step
- Learning the proper rhythm by clapping
- Making the second and third step like a Cha-Cha dance move
- Where the left foot should be planted after the Cha-Cha steps
- How far apart your feet should be after the Cha-Cha steps
- How your arms should be positioned as you take your steps
- Why players should relax their hand when they hit
The second part of the video captures Cary in the gym with a court full of kids. The drill is simple – line up on the 10-foot line and approach the net while saying “left, right, left.” It works. The kids are having fun, and they’re learning a volleyball approach.
