Why and How to Teach Swing Blocking to Your Team

Coaches consider the approach a critical part of hitting, yet we ask our blockers to penetrate the net with no arm swing or approach. Does this make sense for smaller players?

Coaches with shorter players, or players who struggle at the net, will love this presentation. Coach Egbert introduce you to new principles for more effective blocking. In addition, you will discover why swing blocking may be the best option for your team and learn drills for implementing this technique with your players.

With a strong focus on technique and these easy to follow keywords and drills even the shortest teams can become blocking forces. Egbert shows how coaches can use training tools such as resistance bands and weighted gloves to help their blockers become stronger with the block and demonstrate better body posture. By becoming stronger a player with better posture will be in control more often and have less net violations.

With the use of high school aged players, Coach Egbert takes you through her can't miss step-by-step keywords and progressions to becoming a better swing blocker. The progressions go into great detail in all aspects of the swing block such as hand position, footwork, and blocking as a whole. Drills are presented for each part of the swing block with full explanation and tips on how to correct mistakes. Egbert does a great job of explaining why the mechanics need to be done in a certain way and how to explain it to players so they know why they need to do a certain way.

These drills can be used in conjunction with station work or as the same time as ball control drills with your team. This is a great video for any coach of any level who wants to get their team to become a swing blocking team. By having players perform these drills on a daily basis coaches will see their team become more aggressive blockers, more athletic, and more physical.

Produced at the 2012 AVCA National Convention in Louisville (KY).

56 minutes. 2013.