Team Serve Reception Strategies
- Passing technique is being discussed elsewhere, so I will be dealing with team serve reception strategies and performance as opposed to teaching passing
- Passing predicts your level of play so you, as a coach, are responsible for establishing sound and durable team serve reception strategies-start by knowing your level of play
- Design/create your lineup to expose and emphasize your best passers while hiding or limiting your weaker passers. Your personnel for each season should dictate your lineup, not a pre-conceived ordering of positions on the floor
- Designate primary and secondary passers-libero is the passing captain
1. Serve Receive Patterns
- ‘W’ or 5 person reception pattern
- Box or 4 person reception pattern
- 3 person reception pattern
- 2 person reception pattern
- Important considerations
i. Understand rules regarding overlaps
ii. Make sure the players can adjust the pattern within the rules to defend a jump serve or well placed spin serve – quick adjustments with little emphasis on positioning and communication issues are necessary
iii. Train/trust your libero to make adjustments in the pattern
iv. The ability to take the ball overhand
2. Selection of Serve Receive Pattern
- Primary passers vs. secondary passers
- Theory of less is more – better to have two good passers cover the entire court than increase the risk of confusion taking over with the addition of a lesser skilled passer just for the sake of using three or more passers (equal distribution = losing in my opinion)
3. Responsibilities in Serve Reception
1. Read (see) the server location and identify (verbally) the type of serve
i. Players have a tendency to serve TO the same area FROM the same area with consistent velocity
2. Use the sidelines and end lines – overplay your line of responsibility
3. Sliding/shuffling or Lane Method
4. Open up the passing lane
4. Communication IssuesSetter/hitter – prior to the whistle
- Passer/passer feedback
- Calling the ball – work in pairs
- Non-passers responsibility
- Coach to players – determine if the opponent has a pattern to their serving philosophy
i. Serve the passer/hitter
ii. Serve the quick hitter short
iii. Serve the swing hitter into a block
* The more time spent with your primary passers passing with the other primary passers, the better your chances are for success
5. Small Group Drills to Build Team Serve Reception“2 Passers” – side by side
- “2 Passers” – short/long
- Pass short serves with setter – tip/hit the quick
- “3 Passers” – straight across vs. jump serve
6. Team Drills to Enhance Team Serve Reception3 good passes in a row to rotate
- Receive serve vs. spin/jump serves by rotation
- “18-24” – play it out
- 3/5 Rotate (60%) – play it out
7. Concepts to Consider
- Passing tempo
i. Pass lower when setter is front row and you have a quick middle
ii. Passer higher when setter is releasing from back row or is a slow-no twitch athlete
iii. Pass to the tape if your setter can score and hold a blocker
iv. Pass to 3 meter line against a hot server or rattled passer
2. Do you look at serve receive with the goal to pass or generate an attack?
3. Pass the jump serve by rocking back and then ready to move – movement enhances movement
4. Stay on the ball – if it starts at you and you call it – follow it and take it
5. Team serve receive is critical because you can’t swing yourself out of every bad pass
Offensive Systems Tips
- Front row vs Backrow Setter
- Setter or hitter dictated system
- Use of hitters off of 1 foot going left and or right
- Use of Backrow Attackers
- In System vs Out of System
- Location setting or floating system
