"What Am I Missing?"

We all have "knowledge gaps." Although I have studied Spanish with Duolingo for over 300 consecutive days, I'm not fluent and struggle with listening to native speakers. The same goes for volleyball - still many "blindspots."

I asked ChatGPT "What am I missing?" and it provided suggestions.

Jumping ahead to number 12:

12. Spend more time studying errors than highlights. This may fit your temperament best. Pick 25 lost points and classify them: technical error, decision error, communication failure, system failure, opponent superiority, or unavoidable variance. Then ask which were preventable. Volleyball acumen grows rapidly when you learn to distinguish a bad outcome from a bad decision.

What I think you're really missing

Not another volleyball book.

Not another hundred drills.

It's compressed experience.

An elite volleyball coach has seen tens of thousands of patterns and unconsciously recognizes:

“I've seen this before.”

Your basketball knowledge already contains that enormous pattern library. Volleyball doesn't - yet.

The fastest way to close that gap would be an unusual exercise: watch one high-level match each week and study only one thing.

One match: setters.
Next: middle blockers.
Next: serve-receive formations.
Next: out-of-system decisions.
Next: transition.
Next: what changes after timeouts.

Don't follow the ball unless the week's subject requires it.

Afterward, write five things you noticed that you wouldn't have noticed a year ago.

Video is from the 2025 D1 State Final with Franklin vs Newton North.

Where was the point won or lost? Often that means to "look away from the ball." 

1. Franklin picks the ball off the net spectacularly

2. Franklin's double block pre-empts a NN advantage

3. The NN dig results in a pass that 'traps' the setter against the net and limits her options. "One bad pass often leads to another." The NN outside hitter can't get a swing and Franklin scores.

 

Jump float serve - Ace

• a) Hard (within @ 2 feet of the tape)
• b) Minimal spin
• c) Seam! 

Velocity, spin, location, and targeted receiver all can contribute to put the defense at a disadvantage. 

Successful attack by NN:

• The initial pass is again long
• Remarkable set from an unfavorable position
• Franklin maybe late to the block, but good offense more than defensive read wins the point

Franklin wins (positive scoring) the point:

• Solid initial defense
• NN in position for a strong attack (note excellent blocking position by Franklin)
• Outside blocker gets the "block-kill" for a point won as opposed to a NN point lost. 

Sometimes in real time it's difficult to say. 

• NN gets the initial attack in order.
• Franklin is crowding the middle and drops the OH late
• The NN attack appears mishit (although perhaps there was a deflection)
• The Franklin defender can't play the ball
• Sometimes an unintended attack can work well

The Stoic principle of control what you can control demands a lot of attention at every level.