Perfect passing

To become good at something we spend more time doing it, after all, practice makes perfect. Passing is a crucial part of volleyball. So why not learn ways to become a better passer?

After playing and coaching, I have come across an easy way to become the perfect passer. A major part of becoming a good passer is getting your body behind the ball, squaring your shoulders to the target, and rotating your shoulders over the ball. If a person does these three things consistently, he or she will become a perfect passer.

How does a person learn to do all these things while passing? I have an easy solution that a person can try with a coach or with another teammate. The first thing to do is find a flat board approximately 12 inches by 12 inches. Something that seems to work great is one of those toys we used to use as kids in gym class; a flat board with wheels on one side to spin around on. Of course if you don’t have one or aren’t sure what I am talking about, an ordinary flat board about an inch thick will work. Once you find your board, get some type of tape. You could use masking tape, athletic tape, or any type of tape that will be able to stick to your arms and the board. Once you have your board and tape you are ready to start.

Start by putting your hands and arms in passing position. Have a coach, teammate or friend put the board on top of your arms, covering the area an inch above your wrist to an area an inch or two above your elbows. You want to be able to break your wrists, but not your elbows. At all times we want to keeps those arms straight. Once the board is in correct position, have your helper tape the board to your arms. We want to keep the board steady and stable. Don’t be afraid to use a lot of tape because once a person starts to perspire the tape will become loose.

OK, now the fun part: actually getting to pass the ball. Have someone on the other side of the net hit balls right at the passer. At first, do not make the passer move much so they can get used to the board. Once the passer gets the hang of the board, move he or she side to side and short to deep. This will allow the passer to see all angles. What the passer will realize is a couple of things. First, in order to pass the ball, the passer has to get behind the ball because their arms are tied in front of them. If the passer tries to pass the ball to either side, it will never make it to the target. Secondly, the passer must use his or her shoulders to direct the ball because they cannot flex their elbows to do the directing. Finally, the passer will realize that they must stay low and pass with their shoulders over the ball. If their shoulders are not over the ball, the ball will go straight up into the air.

Passing the ball with the board makes players realize the importance of those three basic skills. In the beginning, players doing this drill will become extremely frustrated. But, once they get the hang of the board, they will become more comfortable squaring up to the target and angling the platform of the board. This is also a great way to break a bad habit of bending the elbows or swinging at the ball. Once the player gets adjusted to the board and becomes good at it, take the board off and see how well everything transfers. At first it will seem strange, but then the player will adjust. The result? The perfect pass!

Practicing passing with the board allows players to go back to the basics and not only visualize, but feel how flat their platform needs to be when passing the perfect pass. Just a little trick for those players practicing perfection.

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