COACHES MANUAL

Chapter IX - Basic Tactics
1. Organisation on Attack with High Set
2. Organisation on Attack with Block in Reaction
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Diagram 1
Diagram 2 Diagram 3
When the opponent is in a situation to play only a high
ball, the team has the time to implement homogenous
blocking systems with two or three blockers.
The organisation with two blockers will vary if one takes a
line or diagonal option with the block. But in both cases,
this block has to be homogenous and placed according
to the attacker’s approach.
Part of the players will be positioned to defend the
powerful attacks outside the block. Others will be
responsible for ball that are dumped or deflected by
the block. The same organisation can be implemented
with the attacker in positions 1 or 2.
The three-man block is an effective technique if set
up appropriately. The outside blocker should close the
line, which requires that the third blocker announce his
presence in the block.
The third blocker should be sure he will be homogenous
with the two other players.
This technique is only useful against a powerful attacker.
In other cases, it is preferable to trust the rear defence
with ball recovery.
In this tactical option, the aim is to intervene on outside
attackers (position 5, 6 and back row attack).
The quick ball is trusted to the rear defence, which
takes a position that is more or less central, the outside
defenders positioning themselves according to the type
of quick ball. The block will only play in reaction to the
pass made to the opponent’s middle player.
Diagrams 1 and 2 illustrate the defensive organisation
with a double-block that is homogenous with options
on the line or diagonal. The same diagrams may be
performed with the position 2 or 4 attackers.
However, due to the speed and trajectories of outside passes,
the middle blocker should sometimes abandon the middle
of the block to rear defence and settle for closing the small
diagonal (Diagram 3). The rear defence should reposition
itself inside the court to cover the zone left open by the block.
3. Organisation on Quick Attack with Man-to-
Man Defence
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Diagram 3 Diagram 4
This option gives priority to the intervention of
the middle blocker on the quick ball attack of the
opponent’s middle player.
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