How to Play Hard

Most coaches want their players to play harder. Most players think they are playing hard. The disconnect between players and coaches is often that players do not know what it means to effectively “play hard” and most coaches assume that players instinctively understand what this ethereal concept means.

Successful volleyball requires that a player get into the correct position, which allows that player to make a successful contact with the ball, whether passing, setting, digging, hitting or blocking. This simply means proper fundamental movement with consistently high intensity and focus, which includes verbalization (communication) with teammates. This is what a coach means when she yells, “move your feet and stay focused.” It includes the proper movement between the ears.

Proper fundamental movement is different for different positions and for different volleyball skills. Coaches must define each movement and players must commit to attempt each movement in the fundamentally proper manner. This article will not deal with the correct technique aspects of individual volleyball skills. The following movement definitions simply relate to what it means to “play hard” in differing positions with an emphasis on verbalization:

Outside Hitter (Left or Right) Front Row

On offense:

1. Run, do not walk, to your approach position (3 feet outside the court at the 10 foot line)
2. Scream the set you want, 5 / 4 / 31 / 2 / A / B / C / D / Etc. 
3. Adjust to the setter’s movement to ball (the more the setter moves off the net, the further outside you adjust your approach position)
4. Delay your approach until you know where exactly the set is going and approach very fast to the ball
5. Run to your cover position if you do not get the set and scream "cover"
   

On defense when blocking:

1. Run to the net with your hands up as soon as the ball goes over the net
2. Scream out the result of the opponent’s pass: On / Off / Over 
3. Scream out the opponent’s set: Outside / Middle / Back / A / Shoot / Two / Etc.
4. Beat the set (do not track the set by moving with the slower pace of the ball) if you have blocking responsibility and set the block as early as possible
5. Scream out the blocking timing: Ready / Ready / Up

On defense when digging:

1. Repeat steps 1-3 above
2. Shuffle or drop step cross-over as fast as possible to the defensive read position
3. Scream out the where the opponent is hitting (Line / Cross / Tip / Roll / Etc.)
4. Run, do not walk, to your approach position after digging

 Middle Hitter

On offense:

1. Drop step and drive as fast as possible to your approach position as soon as your feet return to the floor after maximum blocking effort
2. Turn your body to follow the ball as you move to your approach position
3. Scream the set you want, B / C / D / A / Etc.
4. Complete the fake of the hit you called if you do not get the set
5. Follow the set as soon as possible to cover your teammate’s attack

On defense when blocking:

1. Scream out the result of the opponent’s pass: On / Off / Over
2. Scream out the opponent’s set: Outside / Middle / Back / A / Shoot / Two / Etc.
3. Beat the set (do not track the set) if you have blocking responsibility and set the block as early as possible
4. If the opponent’s pass is “OFF” go immediately to the outside blocking position
5. Close to the outside blocker’s position and adjust with the outside blocker

Setter Front Row

1. Scream out the result of the opponent’s pass: On / Off / Over
2. Scream out the opponent’s set: Outside / Middle / Back / A / Shoot / Two / Etc.
3. Beat the set (do not track the set) if you have blocking responsibility and set the block as early as possible
4. Scream out the blocking timing: Ready / Ready / Up
5. Find the ball immediately upon landing and release to the setter target position facing the ball
   

Setter Back Row

1. Go to base position as fast as possible
2. Scream out the result of the opponent’s pass: On / Off / Over
3. Scream out the opponent’s set: Outside / Middle / Back / A / Shoot / Two / Etc.
4. Go to your read position as fast as possible
5. Unless the ball is hit to you, sprint to the setter target position all the way to the net
6. Beat the pass with your feet, using quick push, drive, slant footwork
7. Get behind the ball and adjust feet and hips to the hitting target and center the ball
8. Go cover your set as fast as possible
9. Get back to base as fast as possible

 Back Row (Left, Middle, or Right)

1. Go to base position as fast as possible
2. Scream out the result of the opponent’s pass: On / Off / Over
3. Scream out the opponent’s set: Outside / Middle / Back / A / Shoot / Two / Etc.
4. Get to your read position as quickly as possible, staying square to the ball with hips
5. DO NOT GO TO YOUR READ POSITION AND STOP MOVING – you must constantly adjust your read position to the set and to the block
6. Adjust to where the opponent’s set goes to either clear yourself of a properly set block by the front row players or move to fill the hole if the block does not close
7. Scream out the where the opponent is hitting (Line / Cross / Tip / Roll)
8. Start to move to where you think the hitter will hit the ball – DO NOT WAIT TO MOVE TOWARDS THE HITTER’S LINE OF ATTACK UNLESS YOU THINK THE HITTER IS HITTING RIGHT TOWARDS YOU
9. Jab step (to the left, right or forward) or shuffle to dig if possible - run to the ball if it is outside of shuffle range
10. Move forward as soon as you read a tip or roll shot - do not wait or the actual shot
11. If the ball is not hit towards you, flow (move) towards the opponents attack and help with the second contact if the setter cannot get to the ball
12. Run towards the middle attack to cover your middle hitter
13. If the set does not go to your middle hitter, immediately go to your outside cover position
14. Get back to base as soon as possible
15. ALWAYS FLOW (MOVE) TOWARDS THE BALL

Remember, “Playing Hard” has both physical and mental elements. If you challenge yourself to constantly move and verbalize on the court during the point, you will not have to worry about intensity and focus, both will follow naturally.