The Westside JCC Defense - Part 1

Articles In This Section:

· Defense - Part 1

· Defense - Part 2

· Defense - Part 3

· The Westside JCC Defense - Part 1

· The Westside JCC Defense - Part 2

· The Westside JCC Defense - Part 3

· The Westside JCC Defense - Part 4

· REFERENCES

We have set patterns to block different spikers. Of course, this means we study the individual capabilities of opposing spikers. We try to force them to hit where we wish. This you accomplish by the placement of your outside blocker and the player directly behind him. These defensive patterns apply to spikers who cannot hit over the block. Exceptions must be made for the spikers who can hit over the block, but the rest can be made to hit where you wish.

Another key factor in our system of defense is that we put the strongest defensive men on the outside of the block on both ends. When the strongest defensive men are on the outside, they will set the block and also return most of the hard-hit balls.

When the spiker is on his strong side (his left forward if right-handed), we work as follows. If the spiker does not hit down and has not tremendous power, we force him to hit to the center of the court or to his right side. We do this by blocking the line, thereby leaving him only one possible shot. If you give any good spiker a little line, you leave him two shots.

If you want to give the spiker the line shot, you have to tell the back-line player so he can defend against it. There are some spikers who have a weak line shot but a strong cross-court shot. We therefore give this type of spiker the line. If he sees the opening, he will probably take it, but we have a player stationed there, right on the line. This is one position that is very difficult to master. The back-line player has a tendency to move in 2 feet because of habit and ruin the play. He has to practice staying there until it becomes automatic.

Below are six figures with explanations which describe the Westside JCC defense.

Fig. #24. DEFENSE AGAINST WEAK-SIDE SPIKER