Often a team gets most points by attack, almost mora than 50% of points. For example, Italy the champion of 2022 Men World Championship took 32% of points by attack after reception and 22% of points by transition attack. So it is enough to understand the vital role of attack in success of any team and also fundamental role of attack after reception.
There is a lot of situations in attack after reception, here is some common examples:
- Attack after perfect reception
- Attack after average reception
- Attack after poor reception or high balls
- Attack on near sets
- Attack on long sets
- Attack against one block
- Attack against two blocks (not well-organized)
- Attack against two blocks (well-organized)
- Attack against three blocks
- Setter is setting or non-setter player is setting
- The attacker himself received the serve or no.
As you see there is very different situations for attackers (related to visual tracking, timing and approach) and their coordination with setter. It is duty of coach that in deliberate practices and game-like trainings improves their ability to read the situation, make correct decision and choose the best option and execute it with confidence and skillfully.
There are fundamental key points in order to execute the attack technique in proper way:
- Focus and ready position
- Approach: slow-fast-faster; short-long-longer
- Maximum hand swing and jump with full power and balance
- Evaluate situation and prepare hand for hitting
- Choose the best option and hit the ball
- Land with balance and continue the game.
Individual tactics in attack
As we talked before the first part of all volleyball techniques is reading and evaluating the situation, and second part is make decision and choose one option and the last part is executing the technique, and the we can name the first two parts as individual tactic. Same process the attacker will face in attack, so according to situation he/she must choose one option and do it, and as we mentioned before variety in use of different options is one of the elements in modern volleyball. Against one-block or two not well-organized blocks maybe there is typical options to attack diagonal (normal diagonal, long diagonal or sharp diagonal), attack line (near to the side line or little far from the side line), attack between hands of blocker, attack over the block, tips and so on.
But the most critical and difficult situation for attacker is in high balls, when he/she faces two or three well-organized blocks. If the attacker chooses suitable and variant options and execute the options with acceptable efficiency (at least 24% efficiency in high balls), he/she will help the team a lot to achieve its maximum potential. We mention some most common options that high level attackers use in high ball situation:
- Avoid attacking to net
- Avoid hands of middle blocker
- Use the hands of third blocker (the blocker who will join last to the three blocks of opponent)
- Between the line blocker and middle blocker
- Wipe-off
- Block-out by strong attack (from side line or end line)
- Tip or roll shot behind the block (exactly behind the block or between position 3 and 6, or little to diagonal)
- Cut shot to sharp diagonal
- Hit the ball to block in order to cover and reorganize the attack
- Attack over short blocker or use the hand of weaker blocker
- Little wait in air an after attack to blockers hand (different timing)
- Attack with two hands (jump overhand pass)