T E A C H I N G T H E G A M E 22.
Remember your uniform. This sounds obvious, but players forget pieces of their uniform all the time, and it creates a lot of pre-match stress for you and your coaches. Before you walk out the door, run through a mental check- list of everything you’ll be wearing on the court.
– Andy McGuire, 2011 AVCA All-American libero at UC Santa Barbara, current beach pro
Never serve without going through a service routine. Serving, much like free-throw shooting in basketball, is the one time in volleyball that the athlete is in complete control. So take advantage of it! Develop a great routine that you repeat every time you serve – in practices and matches. When the score is 24-23, and the nerves are creeping in, you can put all your focus and energy into your routine, which will enable you to be more relaxed and give you a nice boost of confidence. A few tips: always find a target on the other side of the net to serve to, keep your routine simple, take a deep breath before you serve.
–Matt Fuerbringer, assistant coach for the U.S. Men’s National Team, former pro beach player
23. 24.
Beach: Contact the ball in front of you when making an overhand dig on a hard-driven ball. A lot of players don’t touch the ball until it’s already above their heads, which often leads to a backward deflection. What you should do is aggressively grab the ball out in front of you with big strong hands – Don’t be a backboard! – and redirect it up and to- ward the net where it’s easy to set. Be sure to have your butt back, not up, and your body balanced and forward. Proper form on the overhand dig will result in a lot more transition points for your team.
– Holly McPeak, three-time beach volleyball Olympian, 2004 Olympic bronze medalist
46 | VOLLEYBALLUSA • Digital Issue at
usavolleyball.org/mag
Take smart swings on bad sets. Less-than-great sets are going to happen, and they’re usually the result of a not-so-great first con- tact. On that type of set, no matter when it occurs in the match, the hitter should try to “better the ball.” Taking a swing that has no chance of staying in play, let alone being killed, only ends the rally … with a point to the opponent. It’s better to keep the ball in play and work harder to give your setter a decent first contact as the rally continues.
– Mary Wise, head coach, University of Florida women’s team 27.
Keep the pass on your side of the net. A pass that’s four feet off the net is in a different uni- verse than a pass that’s six inches or a foot over the net. The pass that’s over the net is almost certainly a point for the other team. Missing a little too far off the net is not at all almost certainly a point for the other team.
– Karch Kiraly, head coach, U.S. Women’s National Team, three-time Olympic gold medalist
26. 25.
“Remember, more often than not as a player or a coach, think of what you are trying to do, not what you’re trying not to do.”
PHOTO: PETER BROUILLET PHOTO: PETER BROUILLET
PHOTO: PETER BROUILLET
PHOTO: UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
PHOTO: FIVB
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