The Middle Hitter In Volleyball Has A Crucial Role In Any Offensive Strategy.
If you are a middle hitter in volleyball, you should be master the techniques of the quick middle attack. This is considered riskier because it allows for less margin of error. But it is faster, and it puts pressure on the opposing team’s middle blocker. It makes it harder for them to block the attack.
For this kind of set, it is up to the middle hitter to “travel” with the setter and follow the trajectory of the ball. Timing is important for this play to be successful. As the setter touches the ball, the hitter should be ready to jump off the ground. The arm should be back, ready for a big swing.
It is important to focus on the ball, not the setter. Otherwise, you can get too close to the net. The hitter and the setter should always be in sync. As hitter, you must trust your setter and focus on your position.
Quick Recap: What Is A Middle Hitter In Volleyball?
The middle hitter is also called the middle blocker. This position is often assigned to the team’s tallest player because height is an advantage in this role. The general responsibilities of a middle hitter include blocking the other team’s attacks and reading their hitters to set up the block.
As mentioned above, the middle hitter is also responsible for quick attacks. When the team is on offense, they can act as decoys, confusing the opposing team and spreading out the blockers.
Hitting Techniques And Tips
- Always be in your proper form. Distribute weight evenly on both feet. Keep your knees bent. This allows you to react faster and adjust your position when the ball comes. It is also important to hit the ball properly. It is not just your arms and shoulders that are involved when you contact the ball. It should be your entire upper body. Hands should be open, and fingers should be spread. The trajectory of the ball should be downward.
- Watch the net. If you get too close, you risk netting the ball. If you are too far, it is more difficult to make your move. The ideal distance is about a foot away from the net.
- Follow the ball. Watching the ball means not just waiting for it to come your way. It means following the pass. This allows you to anticipate the play and strategize your attack.
- Communicate. Part of the middle hitter’s job is to call the opposing team’s hitters and setters. It helps your team by giving them crucial information. You can also use this strategy to distract the opponent’s blockers.
Hitting Drills To Hone Your Skills
These middle drills can help budding hitters refine their skills and develop into more powerful players on the court.
- Transition middle blocker. The middle will block against a hitter standing on a box on the opposite side of the net. She will then back off and prepare to approach to hit a transition set. The goal here is to train middle blockers to be available as hitters.
- Hit the middle. The goal is to practice hitting middle from serve receive. On one side of the net, there should be a server with a middle blocker. On the other side, there should be three passers with a middle hitter and setter.
The play starts with the server. The middle hitter goes into position to hit. The serve-receive passers pass to the setter. The middle hitter calls the set as she approaches. Setter sets to the hitter, and the latter attacks. The middle blocker attempts to block the attack. This goes on until the middle hitters achieves a set number of good hits. The blocker and hitter can also switch positions.
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