AboutTom Houser Expertise I can answer any type of volleyball question: school, college, club, coaching, playing, etc. (I am not, however, a athletic trainer! haha)
Experience 23 years coaching varsity, JV, club.
You can see all about me at www.coachhouser.com There are also free downloads for coaches & parents, and hundreds of smiling faces for you volleyball players!
Publications www.active.com
www.yesIcansports.com
Education/Credentials BS degree from Va Tech in Math Education. MS degree from Va Tech in Secondary Administration. 28 years teaching high school math!
The Picture! The picture that you see is my team after winning the 52-team Capitol Hill Classic in February 2008 in Washington DC. We were the only undefeated team in the 15's division. However, they presented our awards to the team that won the SILVER division! haha So the tournament directors had to reorder our medals and our player's MVP trophy, then mail them all to us later!
Expert: Tom Houser Date: 5/31/2008 Subject: setting
Question hello i was wondering if there is any setting tips you could give me because next year i will be setting for my schools varsity team who has been in the state finals for the past three years and has won the state chamionship to of them thankyou email me back plz
Answer Hello!
A few years ago, my team and I were waiting to practice on a court that another team was practicing on. Well, my setter and I were watching the setter that was on that court. My setter turned to me and said, "Why does she do that? That's not the right way. Did you see that? I used to do that, too. Whoops, she's not doing that right either."
This was an 8th grader talking. Listening to her motivated me! So after I got home, I wrote an article for coaches that listed the nine setter "Must Do's"!! I know you're not a coach, but I think this will answer your questions. If not, please email me again!
Thanks for the email!
Have a great weekend.
Coach Houser http://www.coachhouser.com
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1.) THE SETTER MUST BE IN THE HABIT OF ASKING FOR THE BALL. Yeah, most of the time, the setter will be standing at the net; but, sometimes the setter will be out of position, coming from the back row, etc. So if she's not in the habit of asking for the ball, then there will be instances where the hitters will pass a ball to the net...........and there will be no one there.
2.) DURING A SCRAMBLE PLAY the setter calling for the ball will be like a mother's voice to a lost child. So, setters, if play is deteriorating, you must say, "Doris, DORIS, here, right HERE!!!!" The MB's on the team are the players who most often freak on first contacts because they get balls off the block so often. The give opponents free balls constantly because there's only a moment to make a decision. Setters: Be the mom!!
3.) SETTERS MUST MAKE A DECISION on the second contact, even if it's the wrong one. If there is confusion, then the rally is over. Setters MUST say either, "I got it," or "Doris, Doris, take it!!" I can tolerate setters making a wrong decision, but my setters are not allowed to make no decision.
4.) SETTERS MUST FACE THEIR OUTSIDE HITTER if at all possible. There's no deception if you face right when setting right, face back row when setting back row, etc. And if the other team KNOWS where the sets are going, even the bad teams will dig/block twenty percent more balls!! Hey, guess what the good teams will do!
5.) WHEN BUMP SETTING, "Don't, Don't, DON'T drop your arms down to knee-height, then set the ball while your arms are swinging" . Keep your arms at rib-height and let you body set the ball. Why? Because we want the ball to go up rather than forward. Setters who drop their arms will set a few "grandma" sets. (I call them grandma sets
because that's where about fifteen percent of them will end up: in grandma's lap!
6.) A SETTER'S BODY LOOKS THE SAME on a good pass regardless of where she's setting. So as the ball is entering the setter's hands, the opponents should not be unable to figure out if she's setting a 14, 51, 94, 32, 82, etc.
7.) HANDS MUST BE UP EARLY AND STILL to avoid lifts and double contacts.
8.) DUMP ONCE EVERY 15 MINUTES. And if the other team isn't picking them up, dump more often. If the other team is picking them all up, then you need to work on dumping at practice!
9.) Finally, THE SETTER SHOULD BE THE BIGGEST CHEERLEADER, be the hardest worker and have the best attitude on the team. Why? It's just natural
for teammates to gravitate towards the person who has the most control over the outcome. If that person then has no leadership characteristics, the team is like a ship without a rudder. Hey, so you think it's coincidence that quarterbacks are the leaders? No, it's more likely that the coach saw a leader on the team and then decided to make him a quarterback!! So, if a setter wants her team to play their best, then she will encourage, cheer, smile, and dedicate herself to the team's success.
