TIP OF THE MONTH
June
IT'S SUMMER TIME - DON'T BE A BUM! :)
Summer is here and club ball is over. However, we know that most of you are trying to make a school team, earn a starting spot or impress your coach. While it's good to get a little R&R, it's important that you don't turn into a lazy bum this summer if you want to make a good impression at tryouts. Here are a few tips to help you prepare for your upcoming volleyball season. Tryouts will be here before you know it!
1) Touch a Ball Everyday (if you can). If you have a ball at home, practice your ball control (set to self, pass to self, pass-set-right-left...experiment with different patterns and see how many you can do in a row). For setters - lay down flat on your back and do mini-sets above your head. If you have a buddy, pass back & forth or pepper (but work on your technique). Top Dogs: Strive to do at least 500 touches per day.
2) Work Out. There's nothing worse than a player that comes back from summer out of shape. Make sure you guys are eating healthy, staying fit and doing some sort of work out. You don't need a gym membership for this. There are plenty of things you can do at home (squats, split-jumps, lunges, push-ups, crunches....get creative). Make sure you are also working on your flexibility. Top Dogs: Try to do 20 fingertip push-ups per day and stretch every night before bed (a good stretch).
3) Take Advantage of What Your School is Offering. Most high schools in town offer FREE open gyms and conditioning for incoming 9-12th grade players. If you want to stand out and make a good impression, it's important that you go to as many of these as possible - work hard and ALWAYS have a good attitude! Also, many high schools offer camps for 8th graders and below. These cost money but are not very expensive and the money helps fund the volleyball program - so it's for a good cause! Contact your school or volleyball coach to find out about when these are being offered. Top Dogs: Lead by example and don't be "too cool for school". Take a young-one or newcomer under your wings and show them the way.
4) Watch a Pro. There will be a lot of beach volleyball on TV throughout the summer. Even though the sand game is different, you can learn a lot from watching the AVP studs (men and women). So if you have a chance to watch some professionals, do it, and take some mental notes! Top Dogs: Try to play some sand volleyball this summer. It is great cross-training and helps you to become a well-rounded player...plus it's fun!!
5) Learn from Previous OVA Tips. You can access all of our past TIPs through our website (scroll down, on left). We have some great advice to help you with certain skills, strategies, positions, the mental game and more. Take some time to study up and it should help you when you get back on the court!
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