About Steve Hagenlocher Expertise I am a Division I women`s vollegball coach. I have been coaching at the college level for the past eleven years. I am also teaching and coaching at the high school level and I have been doing so for the past sixteen years. In my spare time I;ve coach 11-12 year old girls in the CYO. I am also a certified high school referee for both varsity boys and girls. I have over 250 drills in my drill book and I believe I can be most helpful answering questions about running certain offenses and defenses.
Experience BS in Physical Education St Francis College 83
MS in Physical Education Brooklyn College 93
Expert: Steve Hagenlocher Date: 9/2/2007 Subject: defence
Question Hello Sir,
We are a amateur team that has been playing volleyball for some years now.The only problem in our team is our height.
Our heights are 6',6',5-9'5-8',5-8'5-7'
Yesterday we were playing against a team whose spikers had heights around 6-3',6-4'.We couldn't understand where to get our defence to postion themselves on the court and we lost badly.
It would be helpful sir,if you can tell us about some tactics that can help us to atleast be competitive in the future.
And one more question:-
I have seen videos where spikers when jumping they fold there legs behind them .Is that done intentionally with an aim of jumping higher?
If so can you please suggest some drills that will make us jump higher when spiking.
Thank you
Regards
Sourav
Answer Sourav,
You are not the only team with this problem. Every defense is set behind the block. The problem you are having is players may be hitting over your block. If this is the case there is no conventional defense for you to use.
We teach and are taught to never play behind the block because the block takes this away. You may want to play one of your players behind your blockers if the blockers are not touching balls. You may also play the middle up defense..........bring the middle back to the 10' line and play the LB and RB deep line (about 25' back) (move them according to the hitters abilities). A problem here is if your opposite is not very good your setter will have a long run if he is in the RB position.
Sorry I couldn't give you more help but there is no substitution for height.
