Key Teaching Points: Forearm Pass / Dig
- Balanced and low with hips and shoulders behind the ball.
- Wide feet to create stable base of support.
- Put one hand out, palm facing the ceiling and then lay the other hand palm up on top of that hand so that your hands are slightly cupped.
- Bring your two thumbs together and place them side by side. While keeping your hands in the position, extend your forearms to create a digging platform.
- Straight arms held firmly together.
- Ball contact onto platform of forearms, contact ideally at waist level, with elbows locked straight.
- Direct ball to setter – NO Arm Swing. Light directional push if necessary.
Key Teaching Points: Overhand Pass (set)
- Diamond shape with thumb and forefingers.
- Elbows high to create a triangle between hands and elbows.
- Spread other fingers so pads are contacting the ball, not tips or palm of hand.
- Tilt hands back and position the ball just above forehead.
- Push the ball away by extending elbows quickly, keeping wrists firm.
Key Teaching Points: Underhand Serve
- Stand facing the net with the foot opposite the hitting hand forward.
- The ball is held at waist level.
- The player leans forward as they swing their arm forward.
- The hand holding the ball is dropped just before the contact.
- The player hits underneath the ball with the fist or heel of the hand.
- The hitting arm follows through in the direction of the target.
Key Teaching Points: Serve Receive
- Balanced and low with hips and shoulders behind the ball.
- Straight arms held firmly together.
- Ball contact onto platform of forearms, contact ideally at waist level.
- Direct ball to setter – Little or No Arm Swing. Light directional push if necessary.
- 4 step approach: A right-handed player takes a small step with their right foot (1st step), then another, bigger, FAST step (without over-striding) with their left foot (2nd step) and finally “the plant” (3rd and 4th steps), close together, with left foot slightly forward) to perform a jump.
- Crucial that first two steps develop speed. ‘Push’ the second step to generate speed. The ‘plant’ turns forward movement into vertical so that hitters do not contact the net. Encourage a maximum jump every time.
- Batman – Superman for jump. Players swing both arms backwards as they commence ‘plant’ steps (Batman), then forwards and upwards to aid maximum jump (Superman).
Key Teaching Points: Basic Spike Arm Swing (Bow and Arrow)
- As you leave the floor to jump, pull the hitting arm back with the elbow and hand at shoulder height.
- The other arm should be extended in the direction of the ball (Bow and Arrow / Robin Hood position).
- The hitting hand should be open and relaxed, with the palm facing away from the ear.
- The elbow should swing forward and rise above the head.
- Follow the sequence of shoulder > elbow > hand.
- Hit the ball at the maximum height that the athlete can reach. If you do your elbow will
- Lock and then it will encourage your wrist to snap down on top of the ball.
- Then the arm and hand swing over the top as the heel of the hand contacts the ball.
- This is followed by the palm and fingers, which then snap through the ball.
- Contact point is slightly in front of and as high as possible above the hitting shoulder.
Key Teaching Points: Set Up Near / Along The Net
- Move early to position under the flight of the ball.
- Hands up early, shaped like the ball, 10-15cm above forehead.
- Thumbs and index fingers form a diamond or triangle through which you can see the ball
- Face the target: With your right foot forward, square off to the target with shoulders and feet before you deliver the set.
- Face your hitting zone for all of your sets.
- The correct contact point is just above the forehead (hairline).
- When contacting the ball, the hands move in one direction only.
- Freeze with arms fully extended in the direction you want the ball to go. (Hands are the
same distance apart upon completion as they were during contact.) - Hands follow the ball.