i know a little bit of the approach but i’m still having trouble. i just hope it doesn’t ruin my chances of making the team. i would like for the coach to teach it during tryouts so i would be more comfortable. if you’re a volleyball player did your coach teach the approach to you. what i’m really asking is, is the three step approach a requirement to making the j.v. team. thanks. sorry its long.
It depends on your modified program. If there was an established program for your junior high school that was more than just hitting the ball over the net, then yes, you should probably know the steps. Also, if you have a highly competitive team (i.e. your school has won a lot of volleyball honors) then you should be as knowledgable as you can going into tryouts.
However, the thing that a good coach is going to be looking for is your aptitude. They can teach you the steps, they can’t teach you natural talent. A good program is going to look for a player with promise over one with knowledge on the intricacies of the game.
The three-step approach sounds pretty simple, but you’ll want to practice it a number of times. It’s also a great warm up. Step with the opposite foot from your hitting hand (if you’re right-handed, that’s your left foot; if you’re left-handed, that’s your right). This should be a short step, basically just to get you moving. The next step is a large step, during which you want to start bringing both your arms behind your back, as well as bending your knees. This step is where you’re gaining all your power. The last step brings your feet together as you swing your arms forward and upward (BOTH arms, not just your hitting arm), making sure the majority of your momentum is going up and not forward. If your body is going forward, you’re losing energy for your jump as well as possibly heading into the net. Make sure you are also taking off with both feet, as again you will lose energy if you take off with only one. Bend your hitting arm behind your back and then bring it forward in a hitting motion, making sure to snap your wrist.
So when people say "left, right, left" (or right, left, right if you’re lefty) it sounds really simple, but not really. Some people use the two-step approach, and I’ve seen people with four or five steps. The important ones are the last two steps.