Passing
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Overview

The forearm pass is used to direct an opponent's serve or a freeball toward the net, where the setter will set the ball to one of the hitters; the same skill is called digging when you're receiving a spike. Passing is, by far, the most important skill in volleyball because it keeps your opponent from scoring easy points with service aces, and it is the foundation of a strong offense.

There are two key differences between passing and digging. First, when passing, you should be in a relatively "medium" body position. Your knees and back are bent, but not uncomfortably so. When digging, you are in a "low" body position, with your thighs nearly parallel to the floor and your shoulders well forward. Second, the targets are different. When passing, you should try to put the ball just to the right of middle front, within two or three feet of the net. When digging, you should try to put the ball in the center of the court, around the 3m line.

Passing mechanics

Prepare to move to the ball by placing your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and having your weight on the balls of your feet. Do not get too low when preparing to serve-receive or pass freeballs, because you won't be able to move quickly enough.

After the ball is served, use the first half of its flight to position your body so the ball will land in your lap. Move quickly to the ball, preferably using as few steps as possible. Make every attempt to get your body balanced and stable before you pass the ball. Keep your hands apart until you stop and square your body toward your target, which is just to the right of middle front.

As you get in position to pass the ball, create a "passing platform" with your forearms. To do this, keep your arms straight as you bring them together and align your thumbshafts. What you do with your hands -- one fist inside the other, one hand laying flat on the other, interlacing your fingers, etc. -- really doesn't matter so long as your thumbshafts are even and pointed toward the floor. If possible, rotate your arms outward so that the ball contacts the "soft, white underbelly" of your forearms rather than the hard, bony edge; this creates a wide, flat platform that allows you to control the ball more effectively. Watch the ball all the way into your arms, and allow the ball to do most of the work; don't swing your arms or lunge at the ball as you pass.

Unfortunately, there will be a lot of balls you can't get in your lap. When that happens, make sure you angle your passing platform (your forearms) to the target. If the ball is to your left, raise your left shoulder to "block" the ball with your forearms and angle it toward the target. If the ball is to your right, raise your right shoulder.

The secrets of good passing are simple. Be quick before you pass and be stationary as you pass -- that is, use as little body motion as possible to guide the ball to the target! All the stuff that you've heard about "shrugging your shoulders as you pass" and "using your legs" is true, but these motions are extremely subtle. Almost invariably, bad passing is the result of too much body motion -- arms swinging, one leg lifting, both legs jumping, etc. -- at the moment of contact.

Hints for good passing

1. Call the ball loud and early.

2. Move quickly to the ball to get it in your lap.

3. Make your body balanced and stable before the ball arrives.

4. Create an early, flat "platform" with your forearms.

5."Freeze-frame" the ball with your eyes when it is one or two feet away from your arms.

6. Keep your body stationary as you contact the ball.

7. If you're passing a ball to the side of your body, raise your outside shoulder and angle your platform toward the target.

 

Training Tips

by Volleyball Players for Volleyball Players

Some concepts taken from Tom Wilson's Volleyball Page

Better Passing

 

The pass is used to receive serve or a softly contacted ball toward the Setter. The same skill is called Digging when you are receiving a downward hit spike. Passing is the one of the most important skills on the Volleyball. After All, if there isn't a good pass there will, most likely, not be a good set.

To pass a ball, you must place your body in a "ready position", Knees bent, back arched forward, arms apart and facing the net. After the ball is served, before it crosses the net, you should position your body so the ball will land on your lap. Move quickly, and use as few steps as possible. You must get your body balanced and stable before you pass the ball, Keep your arms apart until you square your body toward the ball.

As you get into position to pass the ball, create a "Platform" with the forearms. To do this, keep your arms straight as you bring them together and align your thumbshafts, pointing them downward.. What you do with your hands after that is unimportant, as you don't contact the ball with any part of your hands. For more information on creating a platform, click here. Once you've created the platform, you must watch the ball hit your arms and let the ball do most of the work. If you must give the ball some power, you should bend your knees and shrug your shoulders, lifting the whole platform as one unit, NEVER bend your elbows to swing at the ball. The ball will be traveling with enough velocity that you will never need to swing at it.

Unfortunately, not every serve will be a high lob that you can get under. In the case of a hard serve. Turn your body and face the path of the ball. If the ball is to the right, raise the right shoulder and lower the left, and tilt your hands naturally into position. Do the opposite for a ball on the left.

The key to successful passing is to move quickly before you pass and be stationary while you pass. Also, keep the body motion to a minimum, that is, body motion is subtle, moving to much will almost always end with a "shanked ball" (see Dictionary of Terms)

Hints for a good platform [Back to Top]

A few hints I have heard over the years:

  1. To create a good platform, imagine your shoulders and wrists as points on a triangular piece of plywood. (This helped me visualize that bending my elbows was not an option.)
  2. Place you hands along your Zipper line, in platform fashion. (This hint helped me place myself centered on the ball all the time)

 

 

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