Need help with passing stuff.?

Question

ok heres the deal.

not to brag or anything, but i have always had a a particular aptitude for passing well.

problem is, now I'm having trouble now and have no idea why. It really frustrates me, and my coach is no help.

When we do passing drills and serve recieves in practice, I'm very inconsistent for some reason. When i go to pass i drop my shoulder to the target but the ball shanks off in the opposite direction.Or, I goes forward a little bit or slightly too far forward. I always was able to move/direct the ball by merely shifting my arms and shoulders in the direction I was passing, now its like I dont do it automatically, only part of the time(which results in a good pass)

Lately i don't feel like I'm contacting the ball right, Could contacting the ball on the wrong spot on my arms be the reason the ball doesnt go forward and to the target?

The weird thing is that I pass better if I'm diving or running for a pass, you know, the more difficult ones.

What do you all think?

Answer 1

just relax and not think about it. it's obvious that you have a natural talent for passing if you've already done it before. thinking about things usually mess people up. it messed me up whenever i serve (i always thought about my approach). whenever i thought about it, i messed up and the ball either didnt go over the net or it went out. because of that, ive had to change my routine before i serve about 5 times. and everytime i had to change it, i was thinking of my serves WAY too much

Answer 2

You need to sit into it (get really low) open up to where the setter is, or is supposed to be, and when the ball hits your arms put your chin down (almost in your arms) and kinda of "aim" at the setter, and lift with your legs with just a little tiny push from your arms. This should work. It is what helped me. ( Oh and don't drop your shoulder, that is 1 of the 3 ways you shank the ball)

Answer 3

You are SO not bragging.  :D  Ok, so there have been studies that say if your mind says you cannot do it, your body won't let you do it.  So by trying too hard and thinking you can't, you won't.  Just shake it off, because every play starts anew.  Everybody has their tough times in every aspect of every sport.  I think you are making the harder ones, because you are in the rush of the moment, and aren't thinking about messing up, just about trying to get the ball.  But you are thinking about it when they are easy and you have time to question passing skills.  just forgive and forget, you know you're better than that

Answer 4

When you want to pass the ball, the first thing is to get low. Sort of hunch over and bend your knees. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and throw your shoulders forward for leverage. When the ball comes for you, make sure you keeping moving. Our coach calls it "moving through the ball". That means that after you pass it, you follow through pushing with your shoulders to create some backspin. Don't stand up right after you hit the ball because it won't go very far - you have to follow through and stay low otherwise your pass will not be a successful one. Don't stand with your feet too far apart because that could keep you from being able to move to the ball. Signs of a successful pass are if the ball gets to your setter and is high enough so they can make their move, if it doesn't go flying the wrong direction, and if it has "smooth sailing" if you will.

Answer 5

Im my observation of bad passers (not saying you are), you are most likely:

1. swinging your arms

2. not bending your kness and staying low

3. you're not looking at the ball and the target at the same time

4. your arms are not straight and forward

The bad thing is, the freshmen at our school usually make all these mistakes in PACKAGE and Im the one that has to teach them.. Difficult!!! and annoying!!!! At least having good postion (staying low with knees bent, shoulders hunched, and arms straight) would be helpful to coaches and upperclassmen!!

Answer 6

Have you had your eyes checked lately?  Sounds like you are not seeing the ball as well as you used to.  This can cause your depth perception to be off, which in turn means your not in the right spot.  I would have my eyes checked before I start adjusting what I know is right.  Go get your eyes checked, before you start changing your habits with your passing.  Once you start "fixing" problems you only make bigger ones, and things you used to do well and easy now become bad and hard.

Answer 7

You may want to focus on relaxing...it sounds as if you are trying hard to impress the coach - so you are assured cort time in games - instead of demonstarting your talent.

Answer 8

okay i dont know if this will help you but well see.

you have to believen yourself.

have confidence.:]

knwo you can do it.

just like the little engine that could.

keep your eye on the ball and follow it to your arms while making the pass.

also, maybe you are swinging your armss.

when you pass make sure its all in your legs.

mayeb this helped.

i hope it did:D

Answer 9

Make sure the ball hits your forearm.

You can lower your stance, bend your knees, and shift your arms when receiving, but do not "drop" your shoulder to the target.

The key to have better direction is actually "shrug" (contrary to drop) your shoulder when contacting the ball so that the ball can be "sent" to your setter (not just bounced). Keep your fist together and point your thumbs down to the floor would also help.

Answer 10

There are several possibilities.  

If your brain suddenly does not believe that you can pass, you will not be able to pass.  Go back to the beginning.  Get someone to make VERY EASY tosses to you.  Make some good passes.  Move back a step and get the tosses a little harder.  Not a lot harder, just a little.  Make good passes and move back.  And so on.  Get some confidence.  

Another possibility might be over confidence.  You say that you have not had problems passing for years.  You might just be over confident.  You take your eyes off the ball "knowing" that the ball is going to target.  You just relax a little too much because you "know" the ball is going to target.  Just make sure you watch the ball all the way to your arms.  Start at the beginning as described above.  

The last possibility is some minor change you have made in your arms.  I recommend the same things.  Start at the beginning.