HB Competitve Volleyball

COMPETITIVE VOLLEYBALL
THE BOOK
The primary focus of this book is to
develop an all-around/universal athlete
into a specialised athlete. This
progression is discussed with references
to setting, outside hitting, middle hitting,
back-row hitting, serving, outside
blocking, middle blocking, defence,
coverage, and service reception and will
be connected to related service
reception, offensive, and defensive
formations. Another major focus is to
design and practise match systems.
Strategies and counter-strategies in serving, service reception, offence, and
defence will be dealt with. Special aspects of individual, group, and team
tactics will be discussed. In addition, the authors look at the development of
counter-strategies to an opposition’s match plan and give examples of ways to
cover a hitter in certain offensive formations. Furthermore, we will deal with
solid ways of developing the most efficient and effective game system that
would bring out the strengths of a team, including the use of the libero. The
problem faced is that all of these issues are not completely or sufficiently
covered in the existing literature. This gap is filled with this book.
THE AUTHORS
Athanasios Papageorgiou was a successful coach in the German men’s top
league and also the head coach of the German national team of the
disabled in standing volleyball. He is the author of several publications,
films and handbooks and has acted as coaching trainer of the International
Volleyball Federation since 1993.
Willy Spitzley is an experienced player and instructor, basketball and
volleyball coach, and many-time German champion. He has been involved
in teacher’s training for decades. He is also the author of numerous
publications and educational films.
www.m-m-sports.com
HANDBOOK COMPETITIVE VOLLEYBALL
Papageorgiou/Spitzley
M&
M
Handbook for
COMPETITIVE
VOLLEYBALL
Papageorgiou/Spitzley

Handbook for Competitive Volleyball

Dedicated to the city
of Rhodos, on the occasion
of its 2400-year jubilee,
and also to the island
on which this manual
was realised.
Rhódos
Trianda
Kámiros
Vati
Rhódos
We would like to thank the
Institute for Sports Games at the German Sport University, Cologne,
for the friendly support.
Lindos

Athanasios Papageorgiou
Willy Spitzley
Handbook for
Competitive Volleyball
Meyer & Meyer Sport

Original title: Handbuch für Leistungsvolleyball
Aachen: Meyer und Meyer Verlag, 2000
Translated by Achim Ziegele
Edited by Tom Liagridonis
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue for this book is available from the British Library
Papageorgiou / Spitzley:
Handbook for Competitive Volleyball
Athanasios Papageorgiou ; Willy Spitzley
Oxford: Meyer und Meyer, 2003
ISBN 1-84126-074-6
All rights reserved, especially the right to copy and distribute, including the translation rights.
No part of this work may be reproduced – including by photocopy, microfilm or any other means –
processed, stored electronically, copied or distributed in any form whatsoever without the written
permission of the publisher.
© 2003 by Meyer & Meyer Sport (UK) Ltd.
Aachen, Adelaide, Auckland, Budapest, Graz, Johannesburg,
Miami, Olten (CH), Oxford, Singapore, Toronto
Member of the World
Sports Publishers' Association
www.w-s-p-a.org
Printed and bound by Vimperk, AG
ISBN 1-84126-074-6
www.m-m-sports.com

Contents
CONTENTS
1 The Goals and Teaching Concept of this Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
1.1 The New Rules and their Effect on Practice and Matches . . . . . . . . . .16
1.1.1 The All Rally-Point Scoring System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
1.1.2 The Libero-Player Rule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
1.1.3 Rule Changes for the Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
1.1.4 The New Rules and their Impact on Coaching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
2 Organisation and Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
3 Learning Part 1:
Service Reception Formations and Individual Tactics
of the Server and the Service Reception Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
3.1 Service Reception Formations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
3.1.1 Five-person Service Reception Formation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
3.1.2 Four-person Service Reception Formation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
3.1.3 Three-person Service Reception Formation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
3.1.4 Two-person Service Reception Formation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52
3.1.5 Fake/Trick Formations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
3.2 Individual Tactics of the Service Reception Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
3.2.1 The Libero as a Service Reception Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
3.3 Individual Tactics of the Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
3.4 Selected Drills to Train the Individual Tactics of the Server
and the Service Reception Players, and the Training of
the Service Reception Formation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88
4 Learning Part 2:
Offence: Setting, Offensive Combinations, Offensive Coverage,
and the Individual Tactics of the Setter and the Hitters . . . . . . .103
4.1 Analysis of the Facts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103
4.2 Offensive Combinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106
4.3 Covering Offensive Combinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
4.4 Individual Tactics of the Setter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122
4.5 Individual Tactics of the Hitter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127
4.5.1 The Quick Hitter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129
4.5.2 The Offside/Main Hitter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135
4.5.3 The Back-court Hitter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136
4.5.4 The Service Reception Outside Hitter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .138
4.5.5 The Second/Combination Hitter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139
4.5.6 Individual Tactical Factors/Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140
5

6 CONTENTS
4.6 Selected Training Drills for the Individual Tactics of the Setter,
the Outside Hitter, the Diagonal Hitter, the Back-court Hitter,
and the Quick Hitter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143
4.6.1 Preliminary Thoughts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143
4.6.2 Sequence of Training to Improve upon Individual and
Group/Team Tactics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147
4.6.3 Drills for Training Offensive Tactics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160
4.6.4 Special Training Drills for the Setter and the Attacker . . . . . . . .162
5 Learning Part 3:
Blocking and Defensive Formations and the Individual
Tactics of the Blocking and Defensive Athlete! . . . . . . . . . . . . . .167
5.1 Analysis of the Facts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .167
5.2 Blocking and Defensive Formations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .169
5.2.1 Course of Action of a Defence with Position VI Playing Back . .170
5.3 Offence out of the Defence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .190
5.4 Individual Tactics of the Blocker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .195
5.4.1 Individual Tactics of the Middle Blocker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .197
5.4.2 Individual Tactics of the Outside Blocker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .202
5.4.3 Individual Tactics of the Blocking Athletes
at the Middle and Low Levels of Volleyball . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205
5.5 Individual Tactics of the Defender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .206
5.5.1 The Libero as a Defensive Specialist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .211
5.6 Selected Training Drills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .213
5.6.1 Individual Tactics of a Single Block and the Defenders . . . . . . .213
5.6.2 Selected Training Drills for Block and Defence with
a Special Focus on the Individual and Group Tactics of
the Blocking and Defensive Athletes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .218
5.6.3 Selected Games for the Training of Blocking and
Defensive Athletes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .226
5.6.4 Special Training Drills to Work on the Coordinative Skills
and Abilities of the Defenders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .233
6 Match Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .236
6.1 Basic Starting Line-up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .240
6.2 Match Systems with Two Setters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .242
6.2.1 The 4-2/4-2+L Match System with Four
All-around/Universal Athletes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .244
6.2.2 The 2-1-3/2-1-3+L Match System with
Three All-around/Universal Athletes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .244
6.2.3 The 2-2-2/2-1-3+L Match System with
Two All-around/Universal Athletes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .245
6.2.4 The 2-3-1/2-3-1+L Match System with One All- . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
around/Universal Athlete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .246

CONTENTS
6.3 Match Systems with One Setter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .247
6.3.1 Thoughts and Helpful Hints for the Development
of a Basic Starting Line-up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .247
6.3.2 Setter with Five All-around/Universal Athletes . . . . . . . . . . . . .250
6.3.3 Setter with Four Service Reception Athletes in a
Three-person or Four-person Service Reception Formation
and One Back-court Hitter (1-1-4/1-1-4+L Match Systems) . . . .251
6.3.4 Setter with Three Service Reception Athletes in a
Two-person or a Three-person Service Reception Formation
and Two Quick Hitters/Middle Blockers
(1-2-3/1-2-3+L Match Systems) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .253
6.3.5 Setter with Two Main Service Reception Athletes in a
Two-person Service Reception Formation and Three Middle
Blockers/Quick Hitters (1-3-2 Match System) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .257
6.3.6 Setter with Two Main Service Reception Athletes in
a Two-person Service Reception Formation, Three Middle
Blockers/Quick Hitters, and a Libero
(1-3-2+L Match System) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .263
6.3.7 Setter with One Main Service Reception Athlete in a
Two-person Service Reception Formation, Four Middle
Blockers/Quick Hitters, and a Libero
(1-4-1+L Match System) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .265
6.3.8 Setter with Five Middle Blockers/Quick Hitters and a . . . . . . . . . . .
Libero (5-1+L Match System) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .267
6.4 Switching/Changing Positions by the Athletes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .267
7 Defensive and Offensive Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .274
7.1 Strategies for the Starting Line-up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .278
7.2 Serving Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .280
7.2.1 Serving Strategies vs. a Two-person Service Reception
Formation, which Utilises Two Service Reception Specialists
but without a Libero . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .283
7.2.2 Serving Strategies vs. a Two-person Service Reception
Formation, which Utilises only One Service Reception
Specialist or Libero . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .286
7.2.3 Serving Strategies vs. a Three/Four-person Service
Reception Formation, which Utilises Three/Four Service
Reception Athletes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .287
7.2.4 Serving Strategies During a Tiebreak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .288
7.2.5 General Principles for a Serving Strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .289
7.3 Service Reception Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .290
7.3.1 Service Reception Strategies for a Two-person Service
Reception Formation, which Utilises Two Service Reception
Specialists with or without a Libero . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .292
7

8 CONTENTS
7.3.2 Service Reception Strategies for a Two-person Service
Reception Formation, which Utilises One Service Reception
Specialist and Libero . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .295
7.3.3 Service Reception Strategies for a Three/Four-person
Service Reception Formation, which Utilises Three or Four
Service Reception Athletes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .296
7.3.4 Service Reception Strategies During a Tiebreak . . . . . . . . . . . . .296
7.3.5 General Principles for the Service Reception Strategy . . . . . . . .297
7.4 Setting Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .299
7.4.1 Setting Strategies that Take into Consideration the
Opposition’s Offensive Combinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .301
7.4.2 Setting Strategies that Take into Consideration the Starting
Positions of the Blockers and the Defensive Athletes . . . . . . . .302
7.4.3 Setting Strategies that Take into Consideration the
Actions of the Middle Blocker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .303
7.4.4 Setting Strategies that Take into Consideration the
Weaknesses of a Blocker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .305
7.4.5 Setting Strategies that Take into Consideration
Your Own Team’s Attackers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .305
7.5 Offensive Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .307
7.6 Defensive Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .310
7.6.1 Defensive Strategies in Association with Serving Strategies . .313
7.6.2 Defensive Strategies that Take into Consideration the
Actions of the Quick Hitter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .314
7.6.3 Defensive Strategies According to the Actions of the Offence . .315
7.6.4 Defensive Strategies for Block and Defence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .319
7.6.5 Determining Factors in the Men’s and Women’s Game . . . . . . .327
8 Specific Principles for the Training of the Sport of Volleyball . .334
8.1 Principles for a Volleyball-related Warm-up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .335
8.2 Principles for the Organisation and Use of Practice
Drills in Volleyball . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .338
8.3 Principles for Training under Psychological
Pressure in Volleyball . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .342
8.4 Principles Related to Coaching/Managing a Volleyball Practice . . .346
8.5 Principles Related to Coaching/Managing a Volleyball Match . . .348