Coaching Tip: Communication

Joe Sagula, University of North Carolina Head Women's Volleyball Coach

Team communication is a key to strong team play. It needs to be clear and to the point for an offense to coordinate properly. If players neglect their responsibility to communicate to teammates, the team's system will break down. To ensure good communication, players must practice their verbal skills along with their volleyball-specific physical skills all the time.

Courtesy of "The Volleyball Coaching Bible," edited by Don Shondell and Cecile Reynaud.

Drill for Success: Receive Serve for Points

Marilyn Nolen, Saint Louis University Former Head Women's Volleyball Coach

Purpose: To work on basic serve receive, helping players understand the quality of a pass for in-system (2 points to 3 points) and out-of-system passes (1 point or zero points) and allowing players to pass in different receive patterns (two-player, three-player, four-player)

Setup: From one side of the court, players serve to the opposite side.

Execution: The non-serving side begins in its serve receive pattern (two-, three-, four-, person receive). The passers on the receiving team communicate with the setter and pass to the target. The setter penetrates to the target area after the serve and must set the ball in order for the passing points to count (figure 7.14).

• For every perfect pass (inside the 3 zone), the team receives +3.
• For a good pass (inside the 2 zone), the team receives a +2.
• Passes off the net or outside the attack line count as +1.

All other passes count as a zero, or if the setter does not set the ball, the team does not earn the point. The coach determines the team goals (e.g., 30 points total) and then passers and servers switch.

Coaching Points: Since this drill starts with control being initiated with a serve, you can provide feedback to players on technique after each play (as needed). Emphasize the team receiving serve with all players moving on every pass. The coach should demand communication on every pass: call "mine," "long," "short," and so on.

Variations: Score the drill by awarding points for perfect passes in a row three "3 passes" in a row earns bonus points). To increase difficulty, a coach or assistant may serve. To increase the level of difficulty, determine the number of passes needed to earn 30 points (e.g., 10 passes to get 30 points would be a 3.0 average). The setter penetrates to the target area from different areas of the court. Change the scoring system. Set the point goal higher. Have players pass then hit.

Rules Trivia

By Marcia Alterman, NCAA Women's Rules Interpreter

FACT or FICTION? Team A is wearing dark green uniform jerseys The referees should not allow a libero who is in a black jersey to play.

FACT! NCAA Rule 12.1.3.1 states: ?The libero must wear a uniform shirt or jersey that is immediately recognized from all angles as being in clear contrast to and distinct from the other members of the team?. There is not sufficient contrast in a dark green jersey and a black jersey to be easily recognizable. This ruling would be the same for NFHS rules.

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