Re: Tip of the month

[Todd <tdh@vbref.org>]

Pat Powers <ppowers@usc.edu> writes:
> Volleyball fans:
> 
> Check out the below URL for the latest "Tip Of The Month."  I will edit
> this page every month.  If you have any questions you would like me to
> address, e-mail me.
> 
> http://www-rcf.usc.edu/~ppowers/
> 
> Pat Powers
> USC Men's Volleyball
> uscmvb@usc.edu


Also, be sure to check out Pat's article the latest issue of
Volleyball magazine (which I received yesterday in the mail).  It's a
great article,...but no substitute for attending one of his clinics.

        http://www-rcf.usc.edu/~ppowers/Clinics.htm

I'm still reaping the benefits of attending his excellent clinic last
year in Crystal Lake, IL.



Pat, the tip that helped me most from your clinic was absent from your
Volleyball magazine article--for me, the most important hitting advice
was to come to a full stop and watch the set before starting the
hitting approach.  

As you explained, this forces you to approach quickly, enabling one to
translate forward momentum into vertical leap and broad jump.  In the
clinic, you used the effective metaphor of the "Sand Monster" who I
still visualize as erupting out of the sand and grabbing my leg so
that I come to a full stop, wait for the set, and only then begin an
_explosive_ and fast approach towards the ball.

Before your clinic, I had been told a million times not to run under
the ball.  My problem was that I was effecting this end by slowing
down my approach rather than delaying it.  Since I had little momentum
in my approach, I ended up with a feeble broad jump without much
vertical.  Instead (as Pat explained in his clinic) the right way to
avoid running under the ball is to _delay_ your approach, not slow it
down.

Once you explained to me that I should approach quickly, but wait
longer before initiating the approach...things improved tremendously.

--
Todd
http://www.io.com/~tdh/