Your team is tied at 22. It’s the fifth game of the state championship and you badly want to beat your cross-town rivals.

Everything looks good, except one of your players goes down with an ankle sprain. You take a long look down your bench – rookies, all of them. Things could be lost – unless you have taken the time to make sure that your greenhorns have learned the basics.

Training your players to contribute as quickly as possible is the key to making sure that your team isn’t caught in a compromising position. Get them on the court in practice as often as possible and put them through the same paces as you do your starters. Where to start? Place an emphasis on learning the fundamentals.

The skills should be presented to the athlete in a sequence that best gives them the opportunity to contribute as quickly as possible in game situations. What’s the first skill they should learn? Passing, of course.

A player needs to know how to start a play before anything else. They could end up being on the wrong side of the opposing team’s best power and they best know how to get into the ready position and dig the cannon coming their way.

Now you need to teach the rookies how to dish out what they are receiving – big hits. If you can shape their attack skills quickly, you could have an extra weapon when one of your starters goes down. Make sure they learn to approach the net properly, and they will start hammering the ball to the floor in no time.

Since most of your setters will be identified during the learning process, this should probably be the last skill you focus on with learning players. While each player should know and be proficient in this skill, there are only one or two setters on the court at any one time, and probably no more than two setters on an entire team.

Coaches – get all your players into game shape as soon as possible. Not just the regulars, but the rookies, too!

You’re going to need them at some point during the season, so teaching them to dig the ball from their knees, make the picture perfect set and then slam the ball to the floor is going to make your team a champion!

How To Spark that FIRE in your Volleyball Players

After winning the first set, your team has dropped the last two in a row. Their backs are against the wall and they are playing back on their heels. Chins are dragging on the floor, and the bench is quiet.

It’s driving you crazy! How do you spark that volleyball fire in your players even though they are behind the eight ball? Scream? Yell? Stomp your feet? No way!

Remind your players that they have no chance of winning if they already count themselves out. They have already won the one game, and they only have to win another to get back in the match.

All of a sudden it doesn’t sound so bad does it.

When your players are losing, they focus far too much on the serve they hit into the net or the easy dig they missed because they were out of position. It is a proven fact that the more a player dwells on the negative aspects of a game, the more likely they are to repeat those mistakes.

It is planted in their mind – now you have to uproot it!

Emphasize that run of six points the team had to make the third set close; remind them of the amazing stuffs they made on the opposing team’s top power. Talk about the killer hit that ricocheted the top of their setter’s head and into the crowd. ANYTHING to get your players smiling, laughing and now motivated towards the positive things that they have done.

Focus on winning one point at a time. Too many players will be so focused on the end result that it affects their big hits, digs and jump serves along the way. Get them back to doing things right.

Your players don’t have to be superstars and make amazing plays (although it does help). All they need to do is execute their passes, get the sets above the net, and hammer the hit down the opponent’s court.

The tide of a game can change in your favor, or it can come crashing down on your head. Remove the doubt from your player’s minds and they will come out fighting for a win!

Author Bio: Hayley Merrett, Author and Volleyball Coach Start winning more games now! Put the thrill and excitement of consistently winning back into your teams life. Sign up for 20 free drills at Volleyball Drills

Category: Sports
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