Defensive drills that coaches can apply
Any game does not solely depend on its players even though their performance plays a huge part in achieving a win or suffering a loss. The performance of any team in any sport is affected a great deal by the coach that it has. This is because it is not only what a team or a player does on the court, it is also what the team or the player has been doing off the court while preparing for the match.
Preparation is an integral part of winning the game and this is where a coach comes in as it is his or her duty to enable his or her players to achieve their optimum level of play. Whether the game is being played on a professional level or not, a certain degree of preparation is required before players get onto the court. The job of a good coach is to identify the weaknesses of his or her players before hand and work on them to minimise the negative effects along with building up on the strengths that the players possess.
It is imperative to take the right measures to improve a certain skill. In the event that the defensive skills of the volleyball players need improvement, then there are various specific drills that coaches can apply.
One of the most common errors that players commit is dropping the ball when it is not set to them properly. In order to improve the setting of a team, there is a specific drill that can be practiced. It involves the coach dividing the team into two and making them stand opposite to each other. The coach then tosses the ball to any of the players who in turn toss it back at him. The toss should be made by the coach so that it replicates either a good set or a bad set. In this way, the players would be able to practice how to receive a bad set if it comes unexpectedly their way. By keeping score between the two teams the coach can increase the motivation of the players.
Another skill that is important for volleyball players to master is how to hit an incoming ball that is low or nearly out of the reach of the players. Volleyball players often miss a ball that is not coming directly towards them and is a bit further ahead because they do not reach it in time. However, there is a defensive drill that can be practised in this regard that aims at improving the reception of volleyball players in terms of low balls.
This technique is called the Downball Defence in which the coach divides his players into two teams and sets them up in defensive positions. Each team should have the players lined up in the front row as well as the back row. At the beginning of the drill, the coach should toss the ball to any one of the front row players. The front row player should attempt to make the ball cross over the net or if he or she thinks that cannot be done, the ball should be passed on to one of the back row players in order to be passed over.
In the end, the following quote by Don Shula touches upon the essence of what coaching is all about, “My responsibility is leadership, and the minute I get negative, that is going to have an influence on my team.”
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