Training and Teaching for Fast Tempo Offense

with Ryan McGuyre,
Baylor University Head Women's Volleyball Coach;
2019 USMC/AVCA Div. I National Coach of the Year;
2019 Final Four;
2x Big 12 Coach of the Year (2017, 2019);
Big 12 Champions (first time in school history!);
former Cal Baptist University Men's & Women's Head Coach;
9x National Champions;
NCCAA Division I National Coach of the Year (2011);
Named AVCA's Men's & Women's NAIA National Coach of the Year in the same year (2010)

Fast tempo offense can be a highly effective offensive strategy at all levels, because "speed kills" in volleyball! However, it can be challenging for coaches and players to be coordinated when learning how to implement a fast tempo attack.

In this video, Coach Ryan McGuyre presents skill progressions that improve the setter/hitter relationships on your team that will allow for better timing and tempo. These improved hitting connections are built through drills that use game-like situations to have athletes learn from dynamic scenarios.

Playing Fast

Coach McGuyre helps you answer the key question - how fast does my team need to play to be successful? He outlines the progression from "zero step" to the "third step" fastest tempo for outside and middle hitters, along with the approach that passers and setters need to take to implement a faster offense.

McGuyre then details the approach for training back row hitters how to adjust their footwork and arm swing preparation to maximize their window of opportunity to attack the ball in a faster offense. He follows this with tips for middle hitters on how to attack overpasses and how to be better prepared for effectively timing the approach for the fastest tempo sets in front or behind the setter.

Drills to Train Tempo

Coach McGuyre provides seven drills, including sharing his personally-designed "Matrix Drill" and its variations that will allow you to incorporate fast tempo principles and techniques in a competitive team-based approach. McGuyre's drills encourage:

• Proactive communication and adjustment between setters and hitters.
• More efficient footwork for hitters transitioning after passing or blocking.
• Better arm swing preparation.
• Taking aggressive swings off different fast tempo sets.

In all, Coach McGuyre gives important insights about how you can teach your players to speed up your offense to disrupt your opponents and rack up more wins. This video describes how to successfully train hitters and setters to connect better in a fast tempo offense, while also providing effective drills and tips that can be implemented at different levels of the game. If you want to get faster on offense, this is the video for you!

56 minutes. 2020.