The objective of this drill is for the athlete to get high repetitions of hard hit high balls. Additionally the defender gets practice in the technique of retreating.
Set up
# of players : 2-8 players
Ideal : 2 players
Equipment : 1 ball per each pair
Average duration : 10-20 minutes
Description
- The athlete starts with their back to the net.
- Coach or athlete hits the ball at the athlete within one to two feet of their face and the athlete attempts to catch the ball.
- One way to describe this technique is to get the athlete to imagine that they are a soccer goalie preventing the ball going past them.
- After catching the ball they can give it back to the attacker for another repetition.
- The drill is done at the net so that any balls that are missed land directly in the net.
One indicator of a good play is if the defender can catch their own dig as this probably means the ball is high and in front.
Evaluation :
# of reps (ex. 2 sets of 8-10 in a row)
Variations
- Rotate between players
- Left and right
Progression
- The athlete then advances to catching and throwing the ball up in one movement.
- For the final advancement the athlete starts directly in front of the hitter and as the hitter slaps the ball the defender moves back towards the net and digs a ball that is hit at their face.
Key points
- Athletes should be reminded to have strong wide hands.
- Fingers should point toward each other rather than forward to avoid injury and grab the ball from the side rather than the front.
- Hands should be relaxed and in front of the body.
- Athletes should watch the hitters arm to get information about where the ball is heading.