shag
Freshman
Posts: 58
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Post by shag on Oct 18, 2007 10:59:26 GMT -5
Colorado lost another match last night in 5 games. They have lost all eight 5-game matches that they've been in this season and I feel badly for them since they've been so close. If they win half of those they would be having at least a .500 season. My question is.. do coaches/teams apply different strategies or mindsets when they start a fifth game that differs from what is said or done just prior to a Game 1-4? When my kid was in high school, she'd settle nerves by mentally breaking the game into three "mini-games" to five points. That was way of slowing things down because the fifth game can quickly spin out of control, especially with a loud, vocal crowd.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 18, 2007 11:08:02 GMT -5
Game 5s, by design, are different:
1) Fewer rotations through the front row -- do you maximize them for your best hitter? Are three hitters more important? 2) What about your best server? What if it's the same player? 3) Not much danger of running out of subs, so do you sub more? 4) Good chance the winning team will win by one service point. Always choose to receive serve?
What I'm getting at is that you can over-think the whole thing.
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Post by Chance on Oct 18, 2007 11:19:31 GMT -5
Game 5s, by design, are different: 3) Not much danger of running out of subs, so do you sub more? I had been meaning to ask about this. In game 5 of UF / Arkansas the announcer was wondering whether one of the teams was out of subs, which seemed ridiculous to me unless they number of subs was cut in half like the length of the game. I wasn't sure if that was the case, or if she just screwed up.
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Post by Keystonekid on Oct 18, 2007 11:22:02 GMT -5
Treat it as you would any game. People demonize game fives into something unique or extra important. They're points just like any other game.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 18, 2007 11:25:57 GMT -5
Subs are still 15.
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Post by strikestwice on Oct 18, 2007 11:26:27 GMT -5
I spent the last year coaching a pretty high level of Juniors ball and anytime that I went into a third game I treated it just as any other game. I would often give my kids a big speech trying to get their energy up, particularly if we had lost game two, but I felt that coming out quickly was key. I know that this is different than 5 game matches but kind of along the same level. My team only lost 2 or 3, 3 gamers all season as well. The one big thing that I would stress would be the switch, I always liked my team to be the first to 8.
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Post by stillcrazy on Oct 18, 2007 13:11:01 GMT -5
I think teams that train to win Game 5 have greater success. My last coaching position, that was a point of focus at every practice. Staff knew it, players knew it. All our training was directed at "winning Game 5." It worked.
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shag
Freshman
Posts: 58
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Post by shag on Oct 18, 2007 14:17:02 GMT -5
Setting up the right line-up and going with "hot" hitters/passers makes much sense. I also think that putting more emphasis on practicing a shortened, almost chaotic, 5th game scenario also makes sense. Almost like football teams working on the 2-minute drill over and over again. The Denver Broncos stole a game earlier this season by running their field goal team out on the field, no time-outs, with the clock running out. Had practiced it over and over again.
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Post by ADIDAVB on Oct 18, 2007 14:50:12 GMT -5
here's the best strategy out there..................stay up by atleats 2 and get to 15 before the other team
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Post by OverAndUnder on Oct 18, 2007 14:57:29 GMT -5
Psychologically, by the time you get to game 5 it usually seems that both teams feel capable of winning no matter how uneven they've been so far. Any talk of special strategy is really a discussion of personal preferences and coaching styles. But in my experience, there are a few things that can sometimes help tip the balance slightly your way:
1) DEFENSE Don't worry as much about the hitters. Start with your best passing rotation. If your star OH is part of that you can start her in position 5, but NEVER sacrifice defense just to have a big gun on front row. She will be getting plenty of forced balls off broken plays as the game continues. 15 points does not give you enough time to make up for poor reception out of the gate.
2) OFFENSE Accordingly, ALWAYS give your best middle attacker the first three full front row rotations, which is great because you've got your best passers ready from #1. Fifth games can be very ugly because teams are tired and by definition struggling to sustain momentum - you DO NOT want to start off predictably going to your big left side hitter on routine plays just because she's your "clutch" player. Instead, you need your best passers/MB to start so you can establish the middle of the net right away and put the other team's defense into off-balance reaction mode. A couple slide kills and a stuff block early will force the other team's offense to predictably force more balls to their own star in desperation, as well as put their hitters on edge, afraid to swing away.
3) SPECIAL TEAMS If possible, have your best server third in the rotation. By that point you will know your opponent's weakest passer. Serve her every single time, mixing the depth from short to deep. Getting quickly through those break points between 8-11 (with maybe one good ace) gives you the clear high ground in the mental game. Nothing demoralizes a team faster than having the same girl mis-handle two or three in a row, to where they have to sub or pull front row players back to push her out of the reception pattern.
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Post by JustInCase on Oct 18, 2007 14:58:49 GMT -5
I think there are a few things to think about.
1.) Each 5th game is different, but you have to figure you are only going to go through 9 or 10 rotations, so having your line up set for the fact that your team is going to go around 1 1/2 times. So if you want to have your best offensive lineup in the front row more than not, you probably should start them there (you may want your best blocking rotation or best passing rotation to benefit from that).
2.) I think the team that is the most aggressive wins. A lot of teams get nonaggressive and "play it safe", which I think is a big mistake. All of a sudden, teams start losing battles at the net, etc. and they get behind.
3.) You have 15 subs and 2 timeouts - the same as in a normal 30 pt college game - in a game that will be half the length. Use your subs - as you won't run out - to get your best offense/blocking/serving/defensive team on the floor for every rotation. Be less conservative with your timeouts as there is no reason to save them for late in the match.
4.) Break the game down to measurable levels for the team to fight for: a.) First team to 5 b.) First team to 8 (lead at the changeover) c.) First to 11 d.) and of course first to 15.
Just some of my coaching thoughts!
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Post by bunnywailer on Oct 18, 2007 15:31:04 GMT -5
Granny serves. Those are the key to winning more Game 5s.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 18, 2007 15:33:36 GMT -5
Make sure Granny is on your roster, however. Otherwise, you're looking at a yellow card, at the very least.
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Post by leadbrain on Oct 18, 2007 16:24:30 GMT -5
pay off the refs and scorekeeper. always helpful
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Post by OverAndUnder on Oct 18, 2007 16:40:12 GMT -5
Which is more than Major League Volleyball did, and look where it got them!
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