Defense on the Volleyball Court
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Defense on the Volleyball Court


When it comes to volleyball defense, nothing is more important than your eyes. When you watch the best players in the world play, their reaction time is truly amazing. What many people may not understand is that they have more time to react than most people realize. From the moment the ball is set, defenders on the opposing team should be watching the opposing hitter. If you only look at the ball when it crosses the net, you are doing yourself a great disservice.

Up front, watching the play develop means knowing who will have a chance to stuff the shot at the net. In the back row, it means knowing where and when to dig. The sooner you see this, the sooner you can call it, the sooner you will be in position, and the sooner you can deny them the score.

Watch the play develop
  • Is the ball set for a righty or a lefty
  • What's their vertical like
  • The ball will go in the same direction as the hitter's arm – Follow that arm.
The back row is especially well served by careful observation. The front row needs to quickly pinpoint the ball's movement within roughly a two foot window along the net as oppose to the back row which needs to master about a six foot circle of potential impact. Once you evalute, commit to it and be ready.

Diggers, assume that the ball will get past the front row
  • If the play is stuffed at the net you will still be ready
  • If your front row does deflect, you will have more time to react
  • Do not let a missed play surprise you
Anticipating the play does not save you from the basics, however. The insight of watching the play develop must be paired with a readiness for anything.

Stay on the Balls of your feet
  • It takes twice as long to move from your heels.
Finally, volleyball is a sport of communication. No one has the exact same angle on the play as you do. Call out your read, and if the ball is headed your way, own it. As your team practices reading opponents, you will find yourselves syncing up more and more. The goal is to reach a point where you call your teammate's name at the same time as they are shouting "mine!”.

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