Dig Technique In Volleyball: Learn To Defend Hard Spikes On The Court

Learn the dig technique in volleyball...after the ball is served how and where do you need to position yourself in order to keep hard spikes off your varsity team's floor

How To Digging in Volleyball: How you stop a hard hit ball by placing your platformed arms in the path of the ball to deflect it in the air to keep it from hitting your floor.(Al Case)

How do you do a volleyball dig after the ball is served what do you need to do?

The act of serving is completely separate from the act of running to your starting defensive position. 

• Make a tough serve or a strategic serve first, then run into the court to get to your base position in defense  

How to digging in volleyball: Serving is separate from the act of running to your defensive position. Make a tough or strategic serve, then run into the court to get to your base position in defense (Al Case)

Once the opposing team passes the ball what's the one thing you need to do?

1. Is the opponent's first pass coming over the net?  

• If so, pass the free ball to your setter 
• If not, watch the quality of the pass and assess the setter's options.
• Can she run all her options? Will she be forced to tip the ball back over or is she in trouble because of a bad pass and is forced to joust with the opposing team's blockers?
• Sometime during the flight of the pass glance at the attackers to read and verbalize/talk about the developing play. Then (focus your attention to the setter) as the pass arrives 

Once the ball is set by the opposing team what two things should you do?

• Watch the setter deliver the ball. 
• Assume the "mental ready position"
  

• On higher sets, follow the set no further than its apex/peak to determine the type and location (wide, inside, back row, tight, etc). 
• What kind of set did the setter deliver? Is it perfect, did it go to a back row hitter, is it a quick to the middle?  

• Use the proper footwork to adjust to your appropriate floor position while watching the approach angle and body language of the attacker

Assume the "mental ready position."

• Know a tip is coming BEFORE it happens, be ready for the HARD driven ball FIRST, then be able to react from your position.

Even though you're in a specific spot, you are responsible for an area.

Volleyball Digging: Never let a ball hit the floor without maximum effort to prevent the ball from hitting the floor. Play the ball low and at its lowest point possible. (M.E.Johnston)

React...Pursue...Retrieve!

• React in the direction of the attacked ball.                   
• Never let a ball hit the floor without maximum effort to prevent the ball from hitting the floor
• Play the ball low. Don't rush to contact the ball, play it at its lowest point possible.
• Keep shoulders strong and thumbs pointed to the ground to create a strong platform to use to deflect the ball in the air

Click here to read more information about how to dig a volleyball. 

Thanks for visiting. Be sure to check out more of my volleyball passing articles by clicking one of the links below! (April Chapple)

Follow me on Instagram @coach_apchap to improve your game even faster!

I share alot 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. 

No need to guess where you need to go now? Here are three options: 

1. Learn more about Skills in Volleyball 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 section in the drop down menu at the top of the page to get started

4. Before leaving this page Say "Hi" to O.I. Gotchu the Volleybragswag Octopus below. 

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