How do you teach passing?

[Phaedrus]

Since this board has blown up the thread on international passing, I would like to see just how many different ways there are to teach passing.

In order to make this somewhat decipherable, I would like to have people break it down in the following manner:

Basic stance. Right foot forward or left foot forward or both(situational)?

Linear (midline) or nonlinear (platform)?

Passer facing server or facing target at initiation of serve?

Prefer take the ball slightly left, slightly right, midline, or whiohever way the ball ends up.

Prefer more overhand passing or try to take more balls with the platform?

Preferred passing formation. Assuming you are starting with a new group that has never played for you before. Your regular preferred formation.

Pass to setter or to net position?

Prefer on the net or just off the net?

How do you determine who passes the seams between two passers?

Who gets short serves?

Anything unique that you teach?

[Deleted]

posture is another variant, specifically how much they bend at the waist. grip. ready-position for arms.

not sure i'm a fan of any one-size fits all, but i really don't think facing the target is technically sound.

[akbar]

At the highest level.....all angles. It would be ideal to have a perfect wide base, left to right, arms out, hunched back, but arms away and angle your wrists, forearms, shoulders to the target is often all a player can do.

If a player can lean toward the target that often helps.

#1 embrace it...want to pass the ball.....cause if you are good at it coaches will find you and you will get on the court.

[Deleted]

Since this board has blown up the thread on international passing, I would like to see just how many different ways there are to teach passing.

In order to make this somewhat decipherable, I would like to have people break it down in the following manner:

Basic stance. Right foot forward or left foot forward or both(situational)? right, slightly. could depend on origin of serve.

Linear (midline) or nonlinear (platform)? midline preferable, but platform angle more important.

Passer facing server or facing target at initiation of serve? server.

Prefer take the ball slightly left, slightly right, midline, or whiohever way the ball ends up. slightly right if right foot forward, but this is again secondary to platform angle.

Prefer more overhand passing or try to take more balls with the platform? depends on the player, court position, ball location.

Preferred passing formation. Assuming you are starting with a new group that has never played for you before. Your regular preferred formation. pass with three, but this is going to depend on age and talent of players. absolute beginners? three with two in support for short balls. make sure short middle is covered! defense, too.

Pass to setter or to net position? net position, but that -- the position -- depends on talent level.

Prefer on the net or just off the net? off the net, because on the net leaves too small a margin of error. at beginnin levels.

How do you determine who passes the seams between two passers? the least of my worries. i know this isn't kosher (left is right or whatever), but i settle for whomever is most aggressive.

Who gets short serves? depends on the formation.

Anything unique that you teach? try to emphasize platform angles, so very little partner passing. triads better. not unique, i know. really try to make sure they're focused on good repetitions, not just repetitions.

mantra: expect every ball, even the ones originating from a teammate. requires constant focus.

[donneyp]

I'm kinda looking forward to some of the answers on this one, so I'll hold off on addressing the first group, but for the last 3 I drill my players with this - "It is everyone's ball until somebody calls it" and if the ball drops because they didn't communicate it's everyone's fault. I'll push my libero to be more/less aggressive, since they kinda run the back row, but serve and freeball receive take a coordinated team effort.

[azvb]

I have never coached higher than Jr. College. I HATE coaching passing. Let's face it, it's boring. I had some basics - right foot forward, pass off left hip (most of the time), platform to the target (most important IMO) - but I usually just found my best passer and said, "Let him or her take whatever ball he/she wants". Gave the big goons the responsibility of calling in or out.

One year my mom died the day after we started practice. I was coaching JV boys, of which 90% had never played. Varsity coach pretty much just let them play king while I was gone. When I got back, we had 2 days until first game. Taught them overhead passing, and we went with it for the rest of the season. I think we lost 2 matches!

Passing is hard. Sounds trite, but I found watching the ball and platform to the target will at least keep you from getting aced.

I'm too impatient to spend hours on passing, even though I know how important it is. Props to the coaches of the younger teams who teach these young 'uns the basics. Don't think I could do it.

[chickenwingqueen]

Stacy Sykora, please chime in.

[Deleted]

Basic stance. Right foot forward or left foot forward or both(situational)?

Resting stance: hands on knees, bent back. Just an athletic position for passers to wait in while server prepares.
"Go" position: palms up, flexed at the hips, knees, and ankles, hunchback, shoulders/head down, wide base. Balanced, ready to move.

I believe that whatever leg is the inside leg should be forward when passing. If you're passing on the left sideline, your right leg should be forward (and vice versa) so that when you pass, there is a slight weight transfer up onto your inside leg.

Linear (midline) or nonlinear (platform)?

I think teaching athletes to get their body behind the ball when passing so you can come forward as you pass is important, but it all comes down to platform angle. You can have great feet, but if your angle sucks, it doesn't matter. Sometimes there just isn't enough time to get your body behind the ball.

Passer facing server or facing target at initiation of serve?

Always facing the server and angling your platform to the target from there.

Prefer take the ball slightly left, slightly right, midline, or whichever way the ball ends up.

Doesn't matter. This falls into the realm of "too much" IMO. Where you take the ball isn't nearly as important as the angle of the platform.

Prefer more overhand passing or try to take more balls with the platform?

Platform. I'm a purist when it comes to passing. And I think overhead passing makes passers lazy. I like it for freeball passing and for middles taking short serves, but that's about it. Move your feet.

Preferred passing formation. Assuming you are starting with a new group that has never played for you before. Your regular preferred formation.

If it's a group that's never played for me before, I'd first have to see how many passers I actually have... specifically pin hitters that pass. But I generally prefer three passers. I've seen a two-person formation work very well too. Requires lots of communication and trust.

Pass to setter or to net position?

Just slightly to the right of the middle of the net. NOT right front.

Prefer on the net or just off the net?

Depends on my team. If I have good middles who need the ball and not-great pin hitters, I want the pass a little more on the net. If I don't have great middles, but great pin hitters, the pass can be 5-8 feet off with no problem.

How do you determine who passes the seams between two passers?

Face the server, put your arms straight out, and those are your deep and short seam responsibilities. I never want my front row outside hitter passing deep serves to zone 5. They should only be moving forward. I also tend to believe in the "left is right, right is wrong" principle. However, if I have a kid who is good, aggressive, and communicates loud and early, I have no issue with them taking a seam ball if they want it. I hate training the idea of "well, it went to my right so that's not my ball." If you want to pass the ball, pass the ball.

Who gets short serves?

Middles, if they're there. If not, I like teaching the T-stop.

Anything unique that you teach?

I think passing in triangles is huge for teaching angles and how to angle your platform. Much preferred to partner passing.

[Coach John]

Basic stance. Right foot forward or left foot forward or both(situational)? Slight stagger as comfortable for the player

Linear (midline) or nonlinear (platform)? Platform is primary

Passer facing server or facing target at initiation of serve? Facing server

Prefer take the ball slightly left, slightly right, midline, or whiohever way the ball ends up. Midline preferred

Prefer more overhand passing or try to take more balls with the platform? Depends on the player

Preferred passing formation. Assuming you are starting with a new group that has never played for you before. Your regular preferred formation. 3-person (except for low level/beginner groups), but with an eye toward using non-primaries to take very narrow areas as needed

Pass to setter or to net position? Position

Prefer on the net or just off the net? Depends on the level of passers and the type of setter, but probably just off in most cases to minimize overpass issues

How do you determine who passes the seams between two passers? The basic rule is generally the player closest to the server goes in front, but I will adapt based on relative skills of the passers.

Who gets short serves? Depends on the team and the formation question from above - often the front row MB for lower level teams takes the really short stuff

Anything unique that you teach? Not that I can think of off-hand.

[Deleted]

Aug 7, 2013 12:01:09 GMT -5 Coach John said:

Basic stance. Right foot forward or left foot forward or both(situational)? Slight stagger as comfortable for the player

Linear (midline) or nonlinear (platform)? Platform is primary

Passer facing server or facing target at initiation of serve? Facing server

Prefer take the ball slightly left, slightly right, midline, or whiohever way the ball ends up. Midline preferred

Prefer more overhand passing or try to take more balls with the platform? Depends on the player

Preferred passing formation. Assuming you are starting with a new group that has never played for you before. Your regular preferred formation. 3-person (except for low level/beginner groups), but with an eye toward using non-primaries to take very narrow areas as needed

Pass to setter or to net position? Position

Prefer on the net or just off the net? Depends on the level of passers and the type of setter, but probably just off in most cases to minimize overpass issues

How do you determine who passes the seams between two passers? The basic rule is generally the player closest to the server goes in front, but I will adapt based on relative skills of the passers.

Who gets short serves? Depends on the team and the formation question from above - often the front row MB for lower level teams takes the really short stuff

Anything unique that you teach? Not that I can think of off-hand.

Why is middles taking the short serve for "lower level teams?"

[Deleted]

I coach college players and help put with a club practice here and there. From what I can gather if you have the players address the server and ball with their feet and their hips and let the platform get the ball to the target the rest takes care of itself, right foot forward, left hip and when passing in the 1 zone that once in a blue moon right hip ball. What we teach to the itty bitty kids is what I think is more important. When I have these kids at camp or clinic, the most important issue with them is to pass the ball on the forearms and not with their biceps or whatever else their little bodies contort to. We start on two knees and get familiar with angles. We progress to one knee and work on left and right hip. So on and so forth. I think if you get them comfortable with their platform and creating positive angles, training the feet will be a breeze.

[ciscokeed]

vision- the earlier you pick up the ball the better. The ability to take a ball on either side as well as midline. Early platform preparation. Best passer takes the seam. when in doubt use your platform angle and face the ball. Have the ability to pass the ball in different ways, the game requires it. I believe we are too dogmatic and too faddish in how we teach passing. YOu need all the skills that people talk about because you have to take the ball in all different angles with the ball coming from all different directions. One size does not fit all. But see ball early, get your platform ready early, great platform angles, and stay calm.

[roarlionsroar]

The same way you get to CARNAGIE HALL.........! These girls..by now..have been passing for years. A coach can tweek technique..then its just...........!

[pogoball]

Basic stance. Right foot forward or left foot forward or both(situational)?
Right foot forward in general, but inside foot with more advanced players.

Linear (midline) or nonlinear (platform)?
Platform to target first, train to use midline in general (drop step)

Passer facing server or facing target at initiation of serve? Server

Prefer take the ball slightly left, slightly right, midline, or whiohever way the ball ends up.
Generally slightly left (away from setter)

Prefer more overhand passing or try to take more balls with the platform?
Overhand, overhand, overhand. Improves communication and seams, in particular.

Preferred passing formation. Assuming you are starting with a new group that has never played for you before. Your regular preferred formation. 3man

Pass to setter or to net position? Don't like this question

Prefer on the net or just off the net? Off

How do you determine who passes the seams between two passers? better passer (see below)

Who gets short serves? depends, but front row players generally help

Anything unique that you teach?
Not unique, but less common: we work out portions of court according to player passing ability. Some players get as much as 1/2 the court, some only get a few feet. The court is definitely not evenly divided.

[Coach John]

Aug 7, 2013 12:25:53 GMT -5 @allamerican11 said:

Why is middles taking the short serve for "lower level teams?"

Because the middle is generally transitioning right into the most likely short serve area, it's an easy ball for them to take (if they have any ball skills at all). Since lower level teams play slower offenses, the risk of the MB taking the first ball negatively influencing the offense is slim while having an OH or OPP taking that short ball in the middle of the court creates transition issues.

This isn't to say, though, that I wouldn't have a MB take a short ball at higher levels of play. I just need to make sure it wouldn't disrupt the offense much as better teams are more likely to take advantage of that.