A question for coaches: My varsity is having trouble defending against big/quick middle hitters. Help??

Question

I have decent height blocking in the middle, but we struggle to defend against those who change direction during their approach. I would like to double block in the middle, but its not happening when the opponent sets quicks. We run a rover up defense. Thanks for any help!

Answer 1

The above answer is excellent! A lot will depend on the middle's ability to read the opposing offense. Something that might help you read is to use the pass - setter - set - shoulders approach to reading. Basically, if it is a bad or tight pass, that will almost always eliminate a quick set. If it is a great set, look for the setter and see how she is moving. She may nod at or say something to a middle hitter to signal a quick. Also you can steal a glance at the hitter's feet - some make a little shuffle when there is a misdirection play coming. One thing we did was put a white sheet or blanket across the net so the defense can't see where the ball is at until the sets go into the air, the react to them. If you are using the bunch block  scheme above, this will give your outside blockers a chance to read and get involved in blocking a quick or slide to the middle of the court.  

Answer 2

If you run into a team that has a very quick offense, try setting up your outside blockers 2 steps into the court from their natural position (one arm length away from the antenna to two after the adjustment).

If the opposing middles are a huge option for the opposing team while the RS is not, have your MB commit to following that MB too. You can let the opposing team's weaker RS have a one on one with your OH or have your OH help put up the double block against the quick middle.

By being closer to the middle, your RS can either watch for the opposing MH's shoot set, or take one step to the right and form the outside block for your MB to come to.

Basically, there are many types of blocking schemes, I'll try to list a few that I use.

The usual:

Front line spread out with outsides being about 1 arms length away from the antenna.

This is a basic block and works well when playing beginner teams.

What I call Bunch:

Front line bunched together with outsides being about 2 arms lengths away from the antenna.

This is what I talked about above.

What I call Load:

Front line bunched together with RS being about 1 arms lengths away from the antenna. The OH almost being in the middle to block a quick or setter dump, and the MB being between them, blocking the opposing 5 or moving slightly to block the 1,2 or the opposing OH's shot.

The Load basically gives the opposing RS a 1 on 1. Only do this if the opposing RS is very weak, your OH is fast and the attacking team is a very quick offense with a great MB and OH combo. Your MB should be between the middle and the right side of your court. One step to the left to block middle, and one step to the right to block outside.

You can also have your MB commit or read. Read is default, all MB's do it. They read the setter and go. Commit is when your MB literally shadows the movements of the opposing MH and blocks them squarely. Using different blocking schemes and changing them up so that your defense isn't so predictable will help let your defense dictate the flow of the match.

Answer 3

I am not a coach, but a varsity player for my high school team.  It is quite difficult to set up a double block for the middle especially because you don't want your outside or weak-side blocker to cheat inwards.  However, one way my team goes around this is by having the outside blocker always following the setter.  Once the setter releases the ball, he/she should have enough time to jump strait up to block the quick set since a quick set is right next to the setter anyways. If the set is to the weak-side instead and assuming that it is a normal high lob set, which is the case for his school level volleyball, your blocker should have enough time to move to that weak-side hitter to block.