Here’s a great drill for giving blockers lots of reading reps to improve their ability to quickly identify set direction.
Play starts with the libero setting a ball to the setter, who sets a high ball to the left. Instead of hitting, the left-side player sets back to the libero - completing a setting triangle.
On the other side of the net, waves of three blockers at a time react to each set; two put up blocks, while the third - the off-blocker - peels.
Every time the ball rotates through the setting triangle, a new trio of blockers jumps in.
This drill has three progressions:
1. All sets go outside to the left.
2. Sets go outside to the left or outside to the right.
3. Sets go outside to the left, outside to the right or back to the libero. (The set to the libero simulates a middle or bic attack.)
Jed Stotsenberg, director of boys' volleyball at Wave in San Diego, says this is a great drill for teaching “tempo, eye-progression and watching the play.”
Stotsenberg also emphasizes communication. Once the blockers detect where the ball is going, he wants them yelling it out so everybody in the gym can hear. “Outside, outside!” “Back, back!” The better the communication, the stronger the block-defense.
As an added bonus, this drill gives multiple setting reps to players on the non-blocking side.
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