Volleyball tryouts are about a hundred days away. Players can raise their game a lot in that time.
Focus on three areas that apply to you and will impact winning.
1) Improve your serve. None of the most effective servers in Melrose history - Cassidy Barbaro, Alyssa DiRaffaele, and Brooke Bell - had powerful jump serves. The former two had short step, low toss serves that had topspin and sidespin. That meant reading and reacting to ball movement in a short time. Brooke mixed in a devastating short serve that drove receivers batty. A simpler routine and toss make for more reproducible serves.
2) Read the attacker first to allow for anticipation and reaction. Return to online game video to see what the powerful servers "gave away" to give you extra time for decisive play.
3) Build athleticism. Goblet and split squats, single leg (rear foot elevated) squats, pogos, serial broad jumps, tuck jumps, box jumps, and maximal jumps can increase your jumping by another few inches before August. Don't focus on the time; focus on the work.
Lagniappe. ChatGPT discusses reading attacks:
Improving a volleyball defender's ability to read attackers is a high-impact skill that separates reactive players from anticipatory ones. Reading the play allows defenders—especially blockers and back row players—to move earlier, position smarter, and react more decisively. Here's a breakdown of how to improve this skill:
1. Train Visual Cues: What to Watch
Goal: Help players know where to look and what to notice.
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Ball trajectory: Teach players to read the set—its height, speed, and location reveal the attack options.
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Hitter’s approach: Body language often telegraphs intent. Open shoulders and high elbows usually signal line or cross shots. A slower approach might mean a tip.
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Arm swing and contact point: A fast arm swing and high contact = power; hesitation or open hand = off-speed or tip.
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Eyes before the jump: Good hitters often glance at the block or open court—reading this can reveal intention.
Drill Idea:
Use pause-and-predict video sessions. Show clips of hitters and pause before contact—ask defenders to call shot type or location. This trains pattern recognition.
2. Repetition in Contextual Drills
Goal: Recreate game-like reads with volume and variability.
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Use live or semi-live hitting drills where defenders must read the attacker.
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Incorporate "read and release" blocking drills where blockers must read the setter or hitter before moving.
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Small-sided games (like 3v3 or 4v4) allow more reps and decisions per minute.
Drill Idea:
Run Reading Waves: three hitters rotate through while defenders stay in for extended reps. Make each wave feature different styles—power, finesse, lefty, etc.
3. Teach Patterns and Tendencies
Goal: Build situational awareness.
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Help players recognize common tendencies:
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Right-handed outside hitters hit cross when the ball is tight, line when it's off.
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Setters jump set = faster tempo; non-jump = slower, more readable.
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Back-row attacks often go sharp angle or seam.
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Scout opponents and review film to reinforce patterns.
Practice Tip:
Incorporate “scouting moments” in practice—e.g., “this hitter only tips off a slow tempo set”—and see who can adjust in real time.
4. Emphasize Mental Reps and Film Study
Goal: Create mental reps even when physical reps aren’t possible.
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Assign video homework with prompts: “Where is the hitter most likely to attack here?” or “What gave away this tip?”
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Have athletes narrate what they see in short clips. Speaking reinforces processing.
Tool Tip:
Use platforms like Hudl or Coach’s Eye to let players mark up video or leave notes. This makes them active participants, not passive watchers.
5. Build Confidence Through Feedback
Goal: Make players trust their reads.
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Reinforce correct decisions, even if the execution fails.
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Praise early movement based on correct reads.
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Debrief missed reads without punishing effort—this keeps players curious, not afraid.
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