Coach's Corner

WINNING   AND    THE   KEYS   TO   SUCCESS

Considerations in Scoring Points In the Rally Score Game

(measurable in practices and tournaments)

ATTACKING

1)      Attack Efficiency: Kills vs Errors

-         increase ratio of  attack attempts “in play” – reduce the team attacking errors per game to 3

-         improve quality of attacks

2)      Attack Kill %:

-         Kills / Attempts = Kill %

3)      Attack Order of Importance:

a)      First Ball Side Out  (FBSO) must be above 60%

b)      First Ball Transition – after we serve must be 20% or better

c)      Second Ball Transition – after our initial FBSO attempt

SERVING

1)      Efficiency – Aces vs Errors – a min. 2:1 ratio

2)      Success is reduced after 2 team serving errors in a game

3)      High Errors can not be justified

SERVE RECEPTION

1)      Percent of perfect passes “3” is critical – must be 65%

2)      75% of drills should incorporate passing

FACTS

1)      Each game lasts on an average between  9 – 15 individual rotations – consider your line up order

2)      Attacking, Serving, and Reception Errors cost dearly – players are in control of this – lack of focus and/or training contribute to errors

3)      Keeping rotation stats (points won/lost in each rotation) become very valuable in identifying and correcting problems as well as evaluating individual player performance

4)      Your best attackers should receive most of the sets

CONSIDERATIONS

1)      Start your best 3 attackers in the front and your best 3 servers in the first 3 rotations

2)      FBSO is extremely important after 20 points – construct practices so these situations are practiced daily

3)      Compartmentalize the game for players – i.e., be the first team to 10 points (This team wins over 70% of the time), be the first team to 20 points (this team wins over 90% of the time), or side out 5 in a row at 20

4)      If using a Libero – make sure the first skill is passing

5)      Encourage your team to get a quality attack each time the ball comes to your side of the net

6)      If you must give a free ball, have a strategy such as:

-make the front row hitter go to the floor to play the ball

-always play the ball to position 1

-put the ball to your opponents poorest ball control person

  7)  If running a 5-1, consider a designated back row attacker when the setter is

           in the front row

8)      When the setter is forced to play the first ball consider the middle blocker to make the set (usually last to leave the net)

9)      Increase the emphasis for accuracy for setters

10)   Be able to change defenses against certain teams

11)   Do not allow your opponents runs of points (3 or more) – this occurs when attack or reception efficiency breaks down