The art of blocking: raise the "roof" on the opposition.

The block is a team's first line of defense. For some it is the primary defensive option. For others it is just a part of the defensive scheme. In either case, the block is a valuable skill--one that with the least amount of training can yield the greatest dividends for just about any team.

The philosophy of the block varies from team to team and is dependent on your personnel as well as the opposition's ability to attack. Fundamentally, the block takes two forms in the concept of team defense.

First, the block is a part of the whole. It takes an area of the court away from the opposing offense while the diggers take another. A second philosophy is that the block takes everything it can, going for as many stuffs as possible. There is less structure in the second case, and this is a situation, most likely, in which your team plays against very high levels of attacking.

Area blocking is the first concept. Our block will take an area of the court away, most likely where the opposition can attack the ball most effectively, and our defensive players will be situated around the blockers. The philosophy is of the block as the primary line of defense and the diggers as secondary. Complementing this scheme is the idea that we take a relatively small area with the block and don't reach into an area that is considered the domain of the diggers.

This system is best designed for smaller, quicker teams with good ball control. Teams around the world that employ this scheme include the women's teams of Japan, China, Korea, and Peru.

Read blocking would be better suited to a bigger team that doesn't play great defense and whose forte is the block. Put simply, the credo here is that if we block it we don't have to dig, set, or spike it. Here the blockers situate themselves in the area that they believe is the most likely spot the attackers will spike into.

Blockers are allowed to make late changes, jump into hitting seams, and reach outside of their body--anything to get the stuff. Since blocking is a very aggressive skill, in many ways this philosophy complements the assertive nature of the skill. Most men's teams as well as the women's teams from the United States, Russia, and Cuba use this system.

When teaching blocking, stick with a couple of very simple and direct concepts. There are two primary technical cues: (1) vision and (2) sealing the net. These two ideas are inextricably linked and are paramount to successful blocking. Vision, put simply, means that every contact on the other side of the net must be seen and recognized. If our players are watching the ball they will not have success as blockers. Instead, they must, first, see the pass.

* Is it coming over? (If so, get ready to hit it.)

* Is it a poor pass that is off the net? (If so, it will probably be set to a predictable hitter--go get 'em!)

* Is it a good pass? (If so, hold your spot and be defensive, expecting anything. Stay balanced and ready to move in either direction.)

Second, players must see the set. The setter's body will tell you a lot. It will give hints about where the ball will be delivered. This will give you and your defense a jump on the attack. Third, the players must see the hitter. Here is the tough part. After the setter delivers the ball, take your eye off the ball and pick up the attacker's approach. In the majority of cases the hitter will tell you where the attack is going.

The other primary cue is sealing the net: keep your head down, eyes up, and slide your hands over the net and onto the other side. The result? Stuff blocks and points! If your players are watching the ball and not the hitter, they will have a tough time sealing and penetrating.

Sound footwork is essential in allowing the blocker to move to the best position. Since as coaches we are dealing with a limited amount of gym time, designing techniques that carry over from one skill to another is optimum. We employ two very simple types of footwork for all ball handling, defense, and blocking: the shuffle step and the crossover step. Sidestep to all locations nearby, and use the crossover in all emergency or long-range situations.

The shuffle is ideal in blocking because the hips stay square to the net. It takes great vision and recognition to utilize this step as a middle blocker trying to get to the outside. All end blockers should use only the shuffle.

The crossover is essentially running. Always have your athletes lead with the leg in the direction they want to move (going right, use the right leg first). A vital element of the crossover step is to get both hips back to the net. Square up!

COACHING CUES

1. Vision sequence (passer, setter, hitter)

2. One move (seal the net, slide over)

3. Head down, eyes up

4. Surround the ball

5. Recover (expect deflections and digs in your blocking area)

SUMMARY

Blocking may be the easiest skill to teach and may require the most common sense of them all. As a coach, get on a box or stand and just hit the ball into the blockers. Very little feedback is necessary. If the ball goes on their side, they aren't sealing the net. As athletes become more adept, start to vary the height of the toss so that they learn timing.

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Move the box off the net to add depth-of-set reality and, finally, move to blocking live attackers. Ideally, coach-initiated blocking drills are best. Since the goal is to attack into the block, it is best that you don't encourage your players to acquire this tendency when you're going to receive any stuff in the face!

Progress quickly to live drills that require your athletes to employ the vision sequence. Using videotape, close up and on the eyes, can really help.

As stated earlier, blocking is an aggressive skill. Design your blocking drills to encourage this aspect of the skill. Give the athletes a sense of success and they will believe they are (and will become) good blockers. Drilling on this skill for only 10 minutes a day can reap benefits for your team, manifested not only in points but also in all-around more passionate and aggressive play.

PARTNER BLOCK AND COVER

PURPOSE

* To work on the fundamentals of blocking.

PROCEDURE

1. Blockers can be grouped by position and located on the court where block practice is desired (e.g., right side blocker near right antenna blocking outside sets).

2. One partner is located at net near blocker so partner can see each block clearly. Others are on the other side of the net covering each block.

3. Blocker performs a block without a ball being hit. Coach then hits a ball at the block. Partner informs blocker of the difference between non-ball block and live block.

4. After five pairs of blocks per player, players rotate.

KEY POINTS

1. Learn from your partner through verbal feedback.

2. Make the non-ball block form perfect and be able to repeat it when a ball is hit.

VARIATIONS

1. The coach can move between the 10 ft line and net, thus making the timing change.

2. Add a second blocker.

3. Varying where the coach faces will get the blocker to first front the hitter and then block.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED

* Full court with net and antennae Twelve balls

(Reprinted from the superlative coaching text, "Volleyball Drills For Champions," written by Mary Wise and published by Human Kinetics, Champaign, IL. It contains 192 pages and may be ordered by calling 800-747-4457 or online at www.humankinetics.com)

By Greg Giovannazi, Former head coach at U. of Michigan and U. of Maryland-Baltimore County

Excerpted from "Volleyball Drills For Champions," with permission from Human Kinetics.