Defensive Volleyball Strategies When Do You Dig A Ball On Defense?

Defensive Volleyball Strategies: The dig is the last line of defense for a team to keep an attacked ball from hitting the floor and scoring a point or sideout.

Defensive Volleyball Strategies: The dig is the last line of defense for a team to keep an opposing team's attack from scoring points by keep the ball off the floor. (Ralph Aversen)

Alright, let's break down some defensive volleyball strategies.

Picture this!

You're in the middle of a stressful match.

Your team just served the ball over the net.

Now, your team is on defense, and the other team, well, they're getting ready to attack.

What's your primary goal?

Its to stop them from scoring a point.

Get ready to learn how to master these defensive moves, and you'll be a force to be reckoned with on the court.

Stay sharp, and let's get into adopting some of these strategies!

Defensive volleyball strategies are used in a rally, after a a college or high school varsity volleyball team serves, the serving team is on defense and the team who is receiving the serve is on offense. 

The team on defense has three blockers in the front row who will try and stop the opposing team's attack hit at the net by blocking the ball before it comes over the net.

If the blockers can't block it then the three players on defense in the back row, also called 'diggers' or 'defensive volleyball players', will use their defensive volleyball skills to dig the ball up to keep it off the ground so the opposing team can't score  a point. 

Defensive Volleyball Strategies: The dig is the last line of defense for a team to keep an opposing team's attack from scoring points by keep the ball off the floor. (Ralph Aversen)

On defensive volleyball plays, the block is the first line of defense for a team and the dig is the second and last line of defense for a team to try and keep an opposing team's attack hits from scoring points by keep the ball off the floor. 

When your team blocks, you are defending your court at the net, and if the ball gets by the block, then your back row players. also known as 'diggers', defend your court by digging the ball up into the air so it doesn't hit the floor.  

The minute your high school varsity volleyball team digs a ball up and the ball stays on your side your team changes or "transitions" from being a team on defense to becoming a team on offense. 

Your team keeps the opposing team's attack off your floor, but you've also set your team up to run an offensive attack sending the ball into the opposing team's court.

Now its their  turn to try and block your team or make a defensive volleyball play or dig a ball up that you or your attackers send into their court to try and score a point. 

Challenges vary in every game and so do the responsibilities of a 'digger'.

Essentially, the main role of a digger is to keep the ball off the court and in play after an opponent's attack hit.

However, this responsibility can take many forms depending upon the game situation.

In scenarios where the ball is hit with extreme power, experienced diggers will use a sprawl, or an extension or a 3-4 step dive to dig the ball that's landing further away from them.

These tactics involve extending the body as far as possible towards the ball or diving to ensure the ball is kept in play.

When the ball comes with less power into your court or in a tricky direction, a digger can use a different defensive strategy such as a collapse or a sprawl dig technique.

The key is to read the play, in order to anticipate the attacker's next move, then position yourself accordingly and to decide on the most effective digging tactic quickly.

One of the critical elements of a successful defense is the correct positioning on the court.

The back court diggers should position themselves in the backcourt, equidistant from each other.

This formation creates a wider defensive range and allows players to cover the maximum court area to react to and play their opponents' attacks.

Diggers should be positioned in a way that they can make small last minute adjustments based on what their blockers are lining up to take in order to stop the opposing hitter at the net. 

Diggers should be ready to reposition themselves according to the situation and the direction of the incoming ball - always staying low, ready, and maintaining a balanced and agile body posture.

Just as important as the actual digging skill, what you say or don't on the court is just as important. 

Communication plays an important role in a seamless defensive play, especially for diggers.

Effective communication starts with the team's blockers. The blockers should communicate with the diggers about where they plan to place the block. This would guide the diggers to position themselves to cover the area that the blockers can't.

Also, diggers should be vocal about who gets to dig the ball in case of overlapping defense zones.

Calling "mine" or "yours" instinctively can avoid collisions and confusion, ensuring a more fluid and efficient defensive play.

Moreover, diggers should also communicate the quality of their digs.

For example, if a dig is going to be near or tight to the net, a quick call of "tight" can alert the setters and hitters to adjust their approach and timing.

Team debriefing between plays is another form of communication that is vital to continually improve the team’s overall defensive strategy.

Diggers can share insights such as patterns in the opposing hitter's attacks, providing valuable information that the team can use to anticipate and better respond to attacks.

Incorporating these elements into defensive strategies can significantly improve a team's defensive plays and lead to their success on the court.

Being a successful digger goes beyond just technique; it's about

• strategy
• positioning
• effective communication

Remember, to practice these aspects regularly, and take your team's defensive game to the next level.

Private or semiprivate volleyball indoor/sand lessons are an excellent way for young Las Vegas high school volleyball players to quickly improve their individual skills through a private or semi-private coaching experience. These lessons are conducted by former pro volleyball player, former USA Volleyball High Performance instructor and Evaluator and Tstreet Vegas 18s head Coach April Chapple on a weekly basis. Sign up now!

Follow me on Pinterest Volleybragswag to improve your game even faster!

I share a lot of individual, partner and easy-to-do volleyball serving drills we do in class with my followers.

Many of these volleyball practice drills you can do at home by yourself or try at your next practice with your teammates.

If you're a B team or JV player trying to make varsity next year...your goal should be to complete 1000 reps a day of at least three of the basic skills on your own...volleyball passing, serving and setting should be at the top of the list. 

Okay here's where you need to go now! There are three options: 

1. Learn more about Digging and Defense by clicking the Related Links below. .
2. Follow the suggested reading on our Sitemap page Learning How To Play (Sitemap)
3. Or visit the pages in the How to Play Volleyball section in the drop down menu at the top of the page to get started. 
4. Before leaving this page Say "Hi" to Miss O.I Gotchu the Octopus wearing the #8 jersey below.  Miss O.I. is the libero for the All Beast VolleyBragSwag All Star team.

Incorporating these elements into your defensive volleyball strategies can significantly improve a team's defensive plays and lead to their success on the court. Being a successful digger goes beyond just technique; it's about strategy, positioning, and effective communication. Remember, practice these aspects regularly, and take your team's defensive game to the next level.

1. Improve Your Volleyball Performance with Private Volleyball Coach April Chapple
 ›
2. Six High School Varsity Volleyball Skills That Top Prep Players Crush
 ›
3. Defensive Volleyball Strategies: When Do You Dig A Ball Playing On Defense?

ShareFacebookXPinterestTumblrRedditWhatsApp