Center Essence

Many girls volleyball players don’t know how to use the Pepper Warm up Drill as a way to improve their volleyball game. Below are 5 ways elite volleyball players use “Pepper” as a way to improve their volleyball defensive skill.

1. To Improve Ball Control volleyball skills.

2. To Improve Serve Receive volleyball technique. I think that Pepper is the number one way for indoor volleyball players to improve their volleyball control skills…if they know how to do it. You have to be aware of why you are Peppering in the first place. If not, then it just becomes a way to raise your body temperature…some. a. When YOU set-whoever sets should be working on proper volleyball setting skill, form and technique.

The Goal- the volleyball should go right to your partner without them taking more than one step in any direction to chase your ball.

b. When Your partner passes back-concentration should be on using excellent form for serve receive and free ball passing-especially now since this is an easy ball. The Goal- first to pass the volleyball so she/he can hit the ball right back without taking more than one step. Secondly, bump setting practice for accuracy so each and every ball goes right back to above the hitters extended hitting arm.

c. When You hit. You hit a controlled 1/2 to 3/4 speed down ball right to your partner. In this instance you have a controlled situation in which to improve your skill and practice the finer points of your armswing. Concentrate -on “reaching” raising your elbow and hitting high while controlling the ball speed. Don’t hit by your ear just because there’s no net! Hit low in Pepper means you hit low in hitting warm ups and then in a volleyball game. Trust me-it all transfers. Your body is recording every movement you make it do-so pledge to yourself to do the volleyball skill and the movements right. The Goal- To hit the spot you are aiming for-which in Pepper is right to your partner-sothat she doesn’t have to move more than one step UNLESS you choose to mix up your attack and include a tip to your partner. Highly recommended after you have improved your ball control.

d. Your partner digs-focus on being down in your defensive position before your partner hits the ball meaning by the time they make contact. Because Pepper partners are relatively close together you will automatically be developing quick reflexes. Here is where you practice combining quick reflex with BALL CONTROL. React quickly…then control the ball. React quickly then c-o-n-t-r-o-l the ball. The Goal- Learning to absorb a hard hit ball at a close distance and delivering that ball (softly, gently people) in control to your target without making them move more than one step. Fight to perform the volleyball skill correctly and to maintain control of the ball.

3. To Increase Your Range in your Defensive Volleyball Skill.

Advanced players can challenge their partners (you both need to agree to make the drill work) by tipping the ball further and further out of reach – the more of these balls you get in pepper-the more you will get in the game. It all transfers. Or by hitting a 1/2 to 3/4 speed down ball a foot or 2 to the right or left of the defender will increase your range of harder hit defensive balls that you dig up around you.

4. To Narrow Your Focus and Concentration Many times Pepper warm ups take place in a crowded environment. Either with 25 teammates on either side of you, or near that net divider that separates the courts in a volleyball tournament, fans that walk up and down the aisles, team benches, believe it or not this is a great practice opportunity- to narrow your focus and increase volleyball concentration skills so that it doesn’t matter what happens around you …the world can come to an end but your focus is only on the volleyball. 5. To Increase Your Reactions and Reduce Fear of the Ball

As your ball control gets better then you and your Pepper partner should agree to challenge each other to make each other better players. I had fantastic pepper partners in college (Beverly Robinson) and in Italy (Paula Weishoff, Elaina Oden) who would run me ragged, pushing me and peppering all over the court in pre game warm ups. This was how my defensive volleyball skills improved tremendously. When you get to the point when you are exchanging 10-12 pass,set,hit combinations in a row Stop and both of you commit to hitting harder at each other. About 3/4 the speed of your regularly hit spike-BUT YOUR GOAL is to still work up to as many pass-set-hit exchanges as you can while Controlling the ball. Your digs should still be going right to each other.

Always work on improving your individual volleyball skills, remember the ball is in Your hands.

You will learn quickly that what you do with your feet and lower body determines how well you will perform all volleyball fundamentals. That’s why alot of my advice and tips focus on the correct positioning of your feet and lower body.

Feet In order to begin the serve we first start with your feet positioning. Right handers place your right foot behind your left foot so your Right foot is perpendicular to your Left. Your left foot should be pointed Exactly in the direction of where you want to serve. If you want to serve down the line then your Left foot ,hips and upper body should be pointed straight ahead. When serving cross court your left foot , hips and upper body should be turned and facing cross court. All your body weight should be on your back (right foot. The only lower body movement needed when you serve will be a shift in weight from your back (Right) foot to the front (Left) foot. Upper Body – Left Arm Extend your Left arm straight out in front of your palm facing up. Place ball in the palm of this hand.

Toss – The toss is one of the most important elements of the serve. Make sure the starting position for your Left arm is straight out in front of you – not down by your waist. With a straight Left arm Toss the ball no more than 2 feet in the air. For practice, while learning, let the ball fall to the ground. A correctly tossed ball will land about 10-12 inches – Every Time. Your toss should be the same EVERY TIME. Two feet up in the air and 10 inches in front of your LEFT foot. If you Toss to the left or right of your front foot

1. you will be forced off balance.

2. you will be forced to chase your toss – which will force you Not to serve in the direction you want to. Believe it or not the TOSS is where many serving errors start. RIGHT ARM Right arm is fully extended with fingertips and palm facing downward lightly covering the top of the ball. After the toss – you step forward shifting your body weight from back foot to front foot to meet the ball. At this moment you begin your arm swing. Start your RIGHT arm swing by pulling your arm straight back – palm facing outward – keep elbow high your elbow should pass Over the level of your ear – in slow motion you should be able to turn your head slightly to look underneath your elbow as you pull your arm back – use the same movement you would use to pull a bow and arrow. Once you’ve pulled the arrow (your elbow) as far back as it will go, keeping the elbow as high as possible -raise the forearm above your head – palm facing the sky – bring arm foreward to make contact with the ball. Contact should be made squarely in the center of the ball with the flat upper palm portion of your hand.

Establish a Serving Rhythm

1. Assume the Start Position with your feet in the “2 o’clock” position – your weight on the back foot, prepare to toss with the Left hand.

2. Take a step shifting your weight from your back (Right) foot to the front (Left) foot towards the ball.

HIPS 1. Start arm swing (just like pulling the bow of an arrow) as you step forward (shift weight) to go contact the tossed ball.

2. Contact the ball squarely in the middle of it – with the upper part of the palm of your hand. Don’t “Shot Put” Your Serve. Shot putting occurs when your elbow is too low during your arm swing. When your elbow is low the server is forced to try and lift the ball over the net just by using the force of an open palm which doesn’t produce enough force or momentum to get the ball over the net. Don’t Disguise Your Serve Let everyone in the gym know where you are going to serve – especially whoever you are serving to. This often puts pressure on the passer. With practice and repetition you will be able to serve tough enough so that your target will have difficulty passing your serve.

Also, when you try to show that you are serving in one direction then serve in another direction- it usually forces you to add more movement than necessary in your serving technique. When this happens more often than not you will

1. miss the timing of your toss, or

2. Contact the ball on its side or

3. Be forced off balance which all contribute to a possible missed serve.

So Remember you want to …

0. Face your target

1. Aim

2. Toss

3. Shift your weight

4. Step to the Toss

5. Contact the ball squarely

6. Serve Tough.

7. Become a Fabulous Serving Sensation!

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