Good coaches sometimes create new drills and or strategies. But good coaches also take ideas from good coaches. Many times the fastest way to success is simply see what other successful coaches are doing and use those ideas in your program. If one were to pick a coach to steal ideas from, Coach Russ Rose of Penn State University would certainly be one to study. Coach Rose is a 7-time NCAA Champion and has well over 1,000 victories to his credit.
In the video below Coach Rose demonstrates one of the drills that he uses to train his outside hitters. The drill is just one of several drills that coach utilizes. To learn more about his other drills and teaching points with regards to outside hitters click the link Position Training Drills: Outside Hitters
The YouTube video below has sound, so please make sure that your sound is on and that you have access to the site.
In this drill Coach Rose has his outside hitters and setter play a game to 15 points against two blockers and three defenders. The attacking team scores a point if they are able to hit the ball to floor or force an error. If the defensive team is able to dig the ball and make a controlled pass they score a point. The defensive team also scores if the attacking team is blocked, unable to get the ball over the net or hits the ball out.
The drill begins by serving a ball to hitter positioned either to left or right side. The other hitters will be in line behind her. The hitter will make a pass to the setter and the hitter will attack. The second person in line will move up on the attack and communicate with the hitter where to go with the ball. She is also in position to cover if necessary.
After the point, the first hitters goes to the back of the line.The hitter that was communicating and covering on the previous point will now receive the next serve and pass to the setter.
The game continues to 15. At some point in the game coach usually makes a call (maybe when one team gets to 10) he will allow the attacking team to tip or hit roll shots.