Paula Weishoff
Three-time Olympian (1984, 1992, 1996), UC Irvine Head Women’s Coach, U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team assistant coach at 2012 Olympics
Here are some cues I give my blockers and defenders on reading where the middle is approaching to hit: n Most middles will take a first step or shuffle to their left when approaching to hit the Gap or “3” set. n Most middles will step forward when hitting a “1” or Quick. n When approaching for a slide, most middles will be stepping or shuffling to their right.
Once you know where they are approaching, you can use the blocking systems that your coach has set in place. Some examples: n Stay neutral until you see the direction of the set. n Load n One step to the middle n Front the middle n Dedicate or commit n Jump when the middle jumps and stuff the ball! Once you have identified the approach, examine the hitter’s ten-
dency. Where do they typically like to hit the ball? Do they like to hit wrist-away or cross-body? Do they like to look one way and hit the other? Do they hit in the direction of their approach? No matter how good a hitter is they typically have a tendency or favorite shot. When
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you can’t read your hitter, it’s a good idea to block the tendency. If you don’t know a hitter’s tendency, go with the direction of their ap- proach until you get an idea of what they can do.
Foluke Akinradewo Middle blocker on silver-medal winning 2012 U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team
Successfully blocking the middle hitter is a difficult task because of how quickly middles attack the ball. However, there are a few things that can help you make the correct read. Knowing the hitter’s tendencies and power shot ahead of time can give you an advantage. Does the hitter prefer hitting cross-body or wrist-away? Does the hit- ter tend to hit in the line of his or her approach? If you’re not provided with this information, the middle hitter’s shoulders can often tell you a lot. When a middle blocker’s left shoulder is perpendicular to the net, he or she is more likely to hit wrist-away into the left back. If the hitter’s shoulder is more parallel to the net, the opposite is true; the hitter will likely hit cross-body into right back. What about where the middle is in relation to the ball? Is he or she committed to hitting in a certain direction because of the approach? With the information you’ve gathered from your read, you can jump hard into what you see, making sure you quickly shoot your hands over the net.
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