The other day, I was thinking back about how I got started
playing volleyball. I was thinking about how terrible my skills were and
as I was thinking, I started to remember the things that helped me
become a better player and the things that sped up my development. I
wanted to share these ideas in hopes that they would be useful for
someone else. Here are the key things that I did:
1. Play Beach Volleyball
- One of the skills that I was the worst at when I started playing was
setting the ball. I could not get the ball to go where I wanted it, and I
felt like I was always slapping at the ball. I started to play beach
volleyball (two-on-two) and this really helped my skill develop. When
the other team saw how bad I was at setting, they would serve the ball
to my partner so that I would have to set the ball every time. Since the
pressure was on me as a setter, I got to develop the skill very
quickly.
The same would also be true if you were not a good passer or hitter. Since this type of volleyball will force you to be well rounded, it is a great way to develop the skills that you have wanted to develop.
2. Focus On Technique - In my opinion, volleyball is a very technique driven sport. Those people that have good techniques will always prevail over better athletes with worse technique. I was fortunate enough to be taught the game by a couple of very gifted coaches that focused on techniques of their players. Try to find a coach or another player that can teach you the proper techniques. If you cannot find one, then do some research on the internet to find the right techniques to improve your game.
3. Play Every Chance You Get - As with any type of skill, the more you work on it, the more you will improve. I played any time that I could. Whether it was a beach volleyball tournament, or an indoor league, or a pickup game with some friends, I would take every opportunity to play that I could get. In fact, I remember one job I had where a co-worker was a volleyball player. There were some lunch breaks that we would take our lunch outside and play pepper during lunch. Find opportunities to play so that your muscle memory will be sharp and learn from the repetition.
These are a few of the items that really helped my game improve over the years. I hope that they will help you as well.
The same would also be true if you were not a good passer or hitter. Since this type of volleyball will force you to be well rounded, it is a great way to develop the skills that you have wanted to develop.
2. Focus On Technique - In my opinion, volleyball is a very technique driven sport. Those people that have good techniques will always prevail over better athletes with worse technique. I was fortunate enough to be taught the game by a couple of very gifted coaches that focused on techniques of their players. Try to find a coach or another player that can teach you the proper techniques. If you cannot find one, then do some research on the internet to find the right techniques to improve your game.
3. Play Every Chance You Get - As with any type of skill, the more you work on it, the more you will improve. I played any time that I could. Whether it was a beach volleyball tournament, or an indoor league, or a pickup game with some friends, I would take every opportunity to play that I could get. In fact, I remember one job I had where a co-worker was a volleyball player. There were some lunch breaks that we would take our lunch outside and play pepper during lunch. Find opportunities to play so that your muscle memory will be sharp and learn from the repetition.
These are a few of the items that really helped my game improve over the years. I hope that they will help you as well.
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