photos of volleyball players

• BEAUTIFUL example of how your hands should look when you're blocking. Not only that, but think about every time you block-- both in games and in practice. Are you working this hard at something so simple as spreading your fingers out to take away more space?
  

• Here's a good example of the knees-in idea on defense. I would imagine if we saw a picture of her when the ball is on her arms, her arms would be very close to her body, which would seem slightly collapsed around her. This is the cushioning idea I've talked about. Contrast this with a wide stance where you can only move your arms back toward your body, but nothing else about your body is in a position to help cushion the ball.
  

• I don't like the wide stance, but look at how low she really is-- at this moment, you might not be able to push a chair in beneath her.
  

• Lena Oliver, WMU. - def. player of the week (several times)

  Again, where are her eyes? They're trained on where she wants the ball to go because she's already done the work getting her body squared up and balanced.
  

• Look at number 11. Do you really think she's a midget? No-- that's how low you need to be when you're covering a hitter-- regardless of whether we'll see any triple blocks.
  

• Again, though she's already hit the ball, look at how far the hitter reaches-- arm is not just straight up, but extended so it's literally over her head. And follow that line, down through this one's right arm through her left leg.
  

• EVERYONE: look at the hitter's arms-- how far back they go (although they're also out away from her body, but this will still generate more vertical when they swing through). MIDDLES: notice the spacing: hitter is clearly jumping from behind the setter, AND the setter looks to be about five feet off the net possibly. MIDDLES: notice the timing: she is JUST about to jump, and the ball is still in the setter's hands. SETTERS: notice she's square to the outside. Also notice how high she takes the ball. MIDDLES: Look at how open her body is-- we can clearly see her number because she's at that 45 degree angle or so--open to her setter.
  

• Andrea Ball (Trinity Western)

  Notice the balanced posture, but look more closely and see how her eyes are not even on the ball at this point. This isn't something to practice or try to do, but it's something that many great passers eventually do-- they have their body in position to make the pass already--everything is squared up, including their eyes--set on where the pass needs to go.
  

• Look at the line through his opposite leg up through his hitting arm. Notice he is reaching (because he's a lefty) for one o'clock, not just twelve.