Any Tips for getting a new team to communicate?

SleepySmurf · 11:44 AM

I'm working with a team of players who haven't played together and won't communicate. Some people call for the ball, and some don't. Most of the time two people will go for it with one calling it, but the other doesn't back off. Or, the one calling for it doesn't have as good of an angle on it as the one not calling for it. And of course, we have the "husband-wife" problem of two players letting the ball drop between them while they stare at each other. Does anyone have any drills or advice to over come this?

ShortCake · 11:49 AM

I too have this problem, but my team is just wont talk..... Any help would be great.

Mr. Owl · 11:47 AM

Volleyball is one of the few sports where all the players on the team need to be in continual verbal communication with eachother while the ball is in play.

In! Good! Out! I Got It! Mine! Free! Help! Over! Dink! Line! Angle! Touch!

These are just a few of the calls players shout during a point. Communication among players is often slow to develop on a newly formed team. To speed up this process, when you establish positions before the match you should also establish communication protocols. For example, if the ball is served deep and there are two back row passers, one calls I got it and the other calls in or out. Both are responsible for making a call. If a player doesn't hear the other player call for the ball, they should assume its theirs, call for it early and start to go for it. If they subsequently hear the other player call for the ball, and they haven't encroached on the other player, they can always stop. It takes practice to learn how to be aggressive without running headlong into your teammates, but call everything near you. Call, call, call.

If communication still doesn't improve, you can make a game of it. Every time a player passes a ball without calling for it, they owe the team a quarter. Also, if the player closest to the passer didn't call the ball in or out, they owe the team a quarter. Silent players will start calling for the ball to avoid having to pay for the first round of drinks afterwards. Don't penalize players for making incorrect in/out calls, it will only discourage them from speaking. However, the player is making these bad line calls is from the opposite side of the court, they should be penalized along with the closest player who didn't say a word.

In 6's I actually prefer yelling people's name. No other word gets people's attention better. I either say "Me or Mine", or I yell the person's name who should get the ball. The problem is when I have two people with the same name.

Its easier to motivate 1 player to call the ball than to motivate an entire team. Tag someone to lead the defense. In my club, I charge the libero with this responsibility (since that's the libero's job anyway). I'm fortunate enough to have a libero with a tremendous vocal range, who's voice cuts through the usual din of battle in a crowded gym, so its pretty obvious who will be playing the ball. This also eliminates the problem of two players yelling "You!" at the same time.

The libero anchors the defense, the setter runs the offense. Therefore, if a ball is to be passed, its the libero's responsibility to yell her teammate's names and do traffic control and get the ball to the setter. Ideally, she should develop a habit of yelling and pointing to the player who will be playing the ball (in case the passer didn't hear the libero's call). If a ball isn't dug or passed, the libero is responsible for identifying why it wasn't dug and to make adjustments, either by communicating with the other players or changing her position on the court to take away the hitter's strongest shot.

Another reason why I tell my libero to point to the passer is so that, if the passer is in vapor lock or shanks the pass, the libero already has her hands out and away from her body towards the ball in case she has to do a last-second one-handed stabby pass.

MAGS · **move on -** 07-31-2006, 02:34 PM

Try finding a new team.

MAGS · 07-31-2006, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShortCake

I too have this problem, but my team is just wont talk..... Any help would be great.

Try giving them some treats

NewEnglandRT · 07-31-2006, 11:11 PM

Very constructive advice Mags.... any other gems?

coachmanzi · 07-31-2006, 11:53 PM

so, time for the old wise man to take a shot at this..
Overtime, i have found pushups effective. If a ball splits 2 players, the whole team has to do 10 pushups. Don't be afraid to say "down" to make them do them. Also, the lack of aggressiveness in going for the ball is also a lack of confidence in their team and their own passing. Tell your team you'd rather have 2 players go for it a break a bone rather than the ball drop and look embarrassed. You have subs for a reason.

Overall, it's a team thing, they have to bond and know how each other play. You can't force your team to gel together, it just has to naturally happen.

What type of team is this? frosh girls? USAV Mens? i dunno..gimme an age range.

tbarbera · 08-01-2006, 12:05 AM

Manzi...

10 pushups!? If you are going to have punishments... for lack of a better word at 12:10... make them worthwhile. Pushups are good when a serve is missed, it makes the next serve harder... as long as more than 10 are done. If a ball splits two players have them do a drill in which they have to call the ball move thier legs stay low and touch the ground. For example... three people, two toss balls about 5 strides away from each other. One player in between the other needs to call and pass the ball while staying low. The tosses should be about 10 feet infront of the thrower and the ball should be thrown when the passer is halfway to the target area (where the ball is being thrown). Punishments should enforce the skills that the players messed up on. If a player isn't hustling, have the team run suicides. If players miss block have everyone on the team stand at the net and jump for 5 minutes to simulate a block. 10 pushups to me seems a waste of time. Make it worthwhile for the players...

Alright I am done ranting. Not trying to pick on you either. I am off the soap box.

I think communication is one thing that cannot be tought. Maybe the players on the team don't think they are the best passer and are apprehensive about making mistakes on the court. One drill that might help is below. Hopefully I explain this correctly. Have the entire team get in a circle around you, the coach who is in the middle. The coach has a ball and begins to hit it at the players in the circle. The coach shouldnt have to move more than a step or too to get to the ball. If the ball hits the groud the entire team sprints to the wall and then back to the circle. If a ball is dug but not to the coach it is the responsability of the rest of the team to control the ball back to the coach so that it is hitable again. Now when you start the drill just fire the ball at people and then start splitting people. After enough sprints (and you telling the players to call the ball) they should catch on. Maybe this could be the first drill that you do. The drill works on ball control, communication, defensive positioning and pursuit. Hopefully I helped you out. Let me know if it is/was usefull!

-Tyler

Outta Town · 08-01-2006, 12:31 AM

If this is adult teams in city or other organized leagues, use the quarter or dollar penalty towards the beer afterward. Once the team gets to know each other on a personal level, they will begin to talk on the court also. No one strays from a group of close friends(that actually hang out together) and the longer you play together, the better you play together.

MAGS · 08-01-2006, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NewEnglandRT

Very constructive advice Mags.... any other gems?

Sorry I just feel that communicating should be the easy thing to fix and if the players don't want to communicate with each other than that person needs to get on a team that will. After all in relationships with out any communicating there is no relationship, at work if you can't communicate with bosses and coworkers nothing gets done.

Mags