USA Volleyball High Performance

Program Player Manual

USA Volleyball
High Performance
Program Player Manual

USA Volleyball High Performance

Program Player Manual

USA VOLLEYBALL HIGH PERFORMANCE PROGRAMS

Rules, Protocols and Culture
GUIDING PRINCIPAL
The guiding principal is RESPECT: Respect the USA Volleyball High Performance Program and everyone
and everything associated with it. Conduct yourself in a manner that brings respect to yourself, your
teammates, and your country and you will in turn be respected. As a member of a High Performance
Program you represent USA Volleyball. Accept and embrace the privilege of representing your country.

Respect for individuals:

1) Respect your coaches and teammates.
Be polite, listen, and acknowledge you heard and understood what was said.
Respect your teammates off the court as you would on the court.
2) Respect the trainer and training staff.
Follow all training room protocols
3) Respect everyone associated with the host site, including cafeteria workers, custodians, etc.
4) Respect for others not associated with the volleyball program who might be staying in the
dorm/on campus etc.
Respect for rules:
1) Athletes are expected to abide by the USA Volleyball Athlete Behavior and Ethics Agreement.
2) Follow all rules as assigned for your program, for instance the time for lights out, when and
where you are allowed to go at the training site etc.
Respect the Training Process:
1) Respect the training process by being prepared to give your best at practice. Practice
preparation is essential for you to perform at your highest level. The better you take care of
yourself before and after training and competition, the more you will improve.
As much as possible, get at least 8 hours of sleep per night.
Use recovery options even when you do not feel sore. Issues your body may be having
accumulate over time recovery effects accumulate over time, as well.
Use time off evenings and time between training sessions to let your body recover.
Eat with the intent of competing and training at the highest level. Always stay hydrated.
Sore and injured muscles and lost energy are mostly a result of dehydration.
2) Respect the time of your teammates and coaches.
Be on time, dressed, with shoes and all gear on ready for lineup at least five minutes
prior to the beginning of training.
Taping and other training room needs must be taken care of prior to the start of
training. Trainers will be leading warm up and will not wait for you.
Use the restroom before the start of practice and not during warm up.
Show up early if you need additional stretching or warm up prior to practice.
If you must miss a training session due to illness or injury, notify a member of the
coaching staff immediately.

USA Volleyball High Performance

Program Player Manual

3) Respect training uniform expectations.

All players must wear the same color and type of training shirt.
No jewelry may be worn.
No gum.
4) Respect training culture. USA Volleyball High Performance Programs are elite training programs
and are much more than just a camp. Training sessions seek to replicate the culture and training
atmosphere that are present with our U.S. Mens and Womens National Teams.
Attitude
Be a good learner! Learn from every drill, play, game, and ball contact. Come to each
training session expecting to learn, improve, and get the most out of each contact.
Bring competitive enthusiasm and positive energy to every training session.
Respect every player and coach. Treat everyone as a partner in your improvement.
Compete within yourself to improve and challenge your teammates in every situation.
Be open to trying new techniques while being patient with the time and effort it takes to
change and improve.
Accept everyones level of ability, even if significantly different from yours.
Communication
Offer constructive and positive feedback to your teammates.
Communicate to a coach if you do not understand a drill or any information discussed.
Communication during play is essential to improvement and success. Figure out the
best way to communicate to your teammates and coaches.
You must notify a coach, or tell a teammate to notify a coach, if you leave the practice
area at any time for any reason (injury, illness, etc.).
Training Mentality
Go for every ball, all the time.
No walking during practice. This includes transitioning in a drill, shagging, water breaks,
etc.
The intensity outside the drill must match the intensity inside the drill. Every player
must assume a responsibility that will make the drill run efficiently and effectively shagger, feeder, target, encourager, etc. Figure out what you can do to make your
teammates better.
Strive for improvement in every drill and every repetition.
Set goals during drills to maximize improvement during repetitive training.
Injury treatment and management
You must follow the doctors and trainers instructions.
Let your coach know of every new development in your rehabilitation process.
When finished with treatment you must join the team in practice. If you cannot train,
improve the practice in any way possible encouragement, shagger, feeder, score, etc.

USA Volleyball High Performance

Program Player Manual
Respect the Training Environment
1) Gym
Bags and clothing must be organized neatly out of the way. Cell phones are to be left in
your dorm room and will be taken away for the reminder of your program if you have it
outside of your room.
All training equipment (balls, carts, boxes, scoreboards, etc.) must be prepared prior to
the beginning of training session.
All training equipment must be picked up and put away and stored at the end of every
training session.
Make sure the training area is left neat and clean. Help with throwing away used ice
bags, paper cups, tape etc., even if it isnt yours.
2) Non-gym areas
Leave areas neat pick up after yourself and others. This includes the cafeteria,
bathroom, dorm room, and any common areas.
Be courteous of others. Do not monopolize the shower, laundry facilities etc.
Keep noise to an acceptable level. Observe posted quiet hours.
Respect the Competitive Environment
Formal competition is a part of many High Performance Programs. It is extremely important that you
prepare yourself for competition in a way that will allow you to compete at your highest level.
1) You are expected to compete to win while playing by the rules and exhibiting good
sportsmanship.
2) Competitive Culture
A. Mentally
Think about your individual game plan before each match and how you will contribute
to the success of the team.
Know and completely understand your teams game plan and offense and defense
systems.
Study our opponents and know their tendencies and systems.
Maintain a positive attitude at all times. We win as a team and we lose as a team. We
share responsibility in all situations.
Write down your competition experience following each match. Record what worked,
what did not, how you felt and in what areas you most need to improve.
B. Physically
Be well rested both mentally and physically before each competition.
Eat nutritious foods that will allow you to maintain energy throughout a competition.
C. Use team warm up to prepare yourself both mentally and physically for competition.
Consequences for not following the rules, cultures and protocols of the program:
1) Warning
2) Suspension from training
3) Expulsion from the program
NOTE: this is not a set sequence; depending upon the severity of the infraction expulsion may be the
first option.

USA Volleyball High Performance

Program Player Manual
Incorporating Learning Theory into the practice session
A major objective of a USA Program is for players to learn how to become better volleyball players. USA
National Team coach Karch Kiraly emphasizes the learning aspect by asking his players how good a
learner are you? Parts of the training session are even labeled as schools, e.g., passing school etc.
Therefore, training sessions must incorporate sound learning theory.
Concept

What this means to the player

Prerequisites
to learn

A coach cannot truly begin to coach you unless you are giving your best effort. Only
then will a coach be able to provide meaningful feedback and design drills that will
enable you to maximize your learning.
To play your best you must be well rested, hydrated, and properly nourished Bring
your best self to the gym if you want to get the maximum out of the program

Clear idea of
the task

Listen! Watch! Ask! if you are confused or not clear on what or how something is to
be done.

Motivational
/intentional
disposition to
learn

You must want to learn! You must practice with the deliberate intent of improving. Be
engaged in what you are doing maintain focus and bring it back when your attention
wanders.
Focus: when what you are doing and thinking are the same.
Process feedback.
Be receptive to coaching and new ideas or ways of doing things.

Practice

Work to keep the pace of the training session high; do your job shagging so a drill
doesnt have to stop because there are no balls in the cart, hustle from station to
station or when rotating in or out of a drill etc. so that you can achieve as many
repetitions as possible. Engage in mental practice when possible.

Feedback

Process your result did the serve go into the net or where you wanted it to go? Make
adjustments until you get it right: think of Goldilocks she didnt just keep eating out of
the bowl of porridge that was too cold, she kept trying until she got one that was just
right.

USA Volleyball High Performance

Program Player Manual

2016 USA Womens National Team Set Terminology

The sets highlighted in yellow should be committed to memory.
Note: the arrows are to indicate the position along the net, or the attack line, for the set and is not
necessarily the direction of the approach of the attacker

Push
wide
Rip

Front 1
Gap

Slide

Red
5

A/Boy

X2
Go
Hut
4

30/Pink
10

40/C
Bic
Pipe

Go 2nd step tempo, push 1 2 feet inside pin; fixed

Hut 1st step tempo, higher OoS set (slightly inside the court,more off the net)
4 very high out of system set, slightly inside the court and more off the net
Middle sets:
Gap last step tempo, in the gap b/w middle and right side block bases; fixed
Push last step tempo, in between the gap and front 1; fixed
1 last step tempo, in front of the setter; floating
A last step tempo, just off the setters back; floating
B between the A and the slide, about 6 feet behind the setter; floating
Slide 2nd step tempo; fixed
Right side sets:
Red 2nd step tempo; fixed
5 1st step tempo; fixed
Back row sets:
Bic 2nd step tempo; fixed
Pipe 1st step tempo; fixed
30 2nd step temp; fixed
40 / C - 2nd step tempo; floating
10 2nd step tempo to left sideline; fixed
D 2nd step tempo to right sideline; fixed
Combination sets:
Rip 2nd step tempo just off left shoulder of gap; fixed
X2 2nd step tempo just off the right shoulder of gap; fixed
X 2nd step tempo just off left shoulder of 1; fixed
Boy 2nd step tempo just behind setter; fixed
Note: fixed means the same point on the court; floating means based on position of the setter. Please
note the difference between a 2nd tempo set and a 2nd STEP tempo set. The latter means the attacker is
on the 2nd step of her approach when the setter is contacting the ball. As a result, a 2nd step tempo set is
faster than a 1st step tempo set.
Left side sets:

USA Volleyball High Performance

Program Player Manual

USA Womens National Team Techniques

The key technique points and cues used by the U.S. Womens National Team are based upon a solid
philosophical foundation which includes:
1. Repeatability Consistency of actions
2. Reduce Variance Consistency of results by decreasing the range of error
3. Manage Risk Reduce errors by making good decisions. Dont try to go from bad to great
just go from bad to good.
Consistency, of actions and results, is best achieved through mechanically sound and efficient technique.
All unnecessary movements should be eliminated. Less is more, simple is best. Learning to make
good decisions (managing risk) should be incorporated into the learning process.

The Pillars:
Learn
Were not good enough. None of us, athletes and coaches alike. Yet. YET! We must dedicate
ourselves to Learning, to improving, to honing and polishing every detail of our game; every day, every
drill, every contact. If we are willing to operate at the edge of our abilities, and willing to risk the status
we have today, we can attain improvement tomorrow.

Prepare
Inevitably we face challenges in competition we must prepare ourselves relentlessly for those
hurdles. It means paying attention and discipline to all of the things, both small and large, that will
make us a better team tomorrow and make us far better years from now. It means we can play
confident and free, because weve done the work and earned that right.

Adversity + Resilience = Adversilience

Embracing Adversity, inexorable Resilience those are the hallmarks of great accomplishment.
No great victory, no Gold Medals, happen without fighting down, through, and over gnarly adversity
situations in which weaker teams think, Why us, and why today? There is so much we cant control,
but theres one thing we can ALWAYS control: our reaction to what happens around us. We can revel in
it and say, Bring us more!

Compete
Heres a scary thought: We can do everything right and still lose, still fall short. So what can we
control, if not the outcome of even a single play? We can control the odds we can maximize our
chances of winning the next play. If we do that over and over, we are competing, and lots of good
things will happen. The tougher we battle in our own gym, the harder we compete with our USA
teammates across the net, the tougher we will battle against opponents.

Unite
Our power comes not from talent, but from playing FOR each other, in being responsible for one
another, in trusting one another in good times and especially in tough ones. We cant be tough alone,
were only tough together. Players who elevate the play of those around them, who make the team
perform better when they step on the court, make themselves more valuable to the USA Program.

USA Volleyball High Performance

Program Player Manual

Libero Job Description

Fundamental Skills:
o Passing
o Defense
o Setting
o Forearm, overhead, jump set (when near 3m line) with tempo
o OoS, high priority on Hut, 5; when needed able to set D and Pipe
o Can we run InSys?
Important Skills:
Lead I am responsible for organizing this teams serve reception; I am responsible for the defense,
I am the captain of the back court. I do this work in cooperation with the captain of the front court:
the Middle
Elevate I find ways in everything I do to elevate the play of those around me
Next Play I infect my teammates with my calm, poised exterior, with my words, with my actions,
and with my belief in our ability to win the next play, no matter what the circumstances.
Coverage I have to be the most vigilant, the most relentless in helping my hitters attack with
confidence
Communicate I let my back court OH know that Im on the court and remind her of her
responsibilities when our middle serves
o I call commands to organize hitter coverage
o I call Inside! Tight!
Checklist: Serve Receive:
Before:
o Know server tendencies
o Clarify seam responsibilities
o Pinch, shift, pass with 2, 3, or 4?
o Know back row route and keep it clear before covering
See the Server, See the Line (visualize the flight line (path of the ball)
Whose is it? Call a name, passer confirm
Is it in? Call either way
After:
o Cover like crazy
Checklist: Defense:
Before:
o Know hitter tendencies
o Plan with blockers, confirm their calls
o Clarify setting responsibilities
See the Pass if it is over, play. Close Dump? If not over?:
See the Setter Direction
See the Hitter Shoulder
Be prepared to play left back or middle back

USA Volleyball High Performance

Program Player Manual

Middle Job Description

Fundamental Skills:
o Attacking
o Blocking
o Serving
o Setting
o Defense
Important Skills:
Lead I am responsible for the block, I am the captain of the front court. I do this work in
cooperation with the captain of the back court: the Libero.
Elevate I find ways in everything I do to elevate the play of those around me.
Next Play I infect my teammates with my calm, poised exterior with my words, with my actions,
and with my belief in our ability to win the next play, no matter what the circumstances.
Offensive Timing:
1, Push, A = beyond 4th step, leaving or off ground
Gap = 4th step
Slide, B
o InSys = 3rd step
o Adjustments for pass in z4 and z2
Offensive Checklist, during the play:
See the serve shuffle or open up
See the Pass timing
See the Setter load to her
Daylight?
o Yes: Swing for it.
o No: High, slop, tip
Blocking Checklist, during the play:
See the Pass if it is over, play. Close Dump? If not over?:
Be aware of quick route peripheral vision
See the Setter Direction
See the Hitter - Shoulder

USA Volleyball High Performance

Program Player Manual

Setter Job Description

Fundamentals:
o
o
o
o

Setting
Serving
Defense
Blocking

Important Skills:
Communicate Setters need to be strong communicators with their teammates and be able to
establish a rapport with each hitter they work for. Setters also have to be able to demand that
hitters communicate they dont call it, they dont get it, in training or a match.
Elevate Elevate the play of passers: make bad passes into good ones, good ones into great.
Elevate hitters, make their job easier with good tactics, decisions, location, and tempo.
Next Play Infect my teammates with my calm, poised exterior and with my belief in our ability to
win the next point, no matter what the circumstances.
Setting:
Read the Pass
Contact Point + Release = Where am I taking it? Top of my jump?
Location
Tempo = Speed + Trajectory
Deceptiveness I should look the same, no matter what I run, or where I set
Tactics Our system and our hitters vs their block system and their blockers
Tactics:
Our hitter, their system , their blockers
How fast can we play?
o I must be committed to running our tempo = 2nd and 3rd step.
o Our hitters must be just as committed to running our tempo. Hitters dont call it, they
dont get it.
Within the speed of our offense, we have latitude to adjust to hitters needs.
Isolate, Overload, and Dump
Bunch, Spread, Trap
o All systems have inherent weaknesses our offense should be able to exploit them.

USA Volleyball High Performance

Program Player Manual
Offensive Checklist:
Before the match
o Know the game plan, know their system, know their blockers
Before the play: We work on it in practice so its second nature in the game
o What point of the game are we at? Early, Middle, Red Zone
o Who are my hitters?
o Who are their blockers? What do they do, what are their tactics, tendencies,
weaknesses?
o Whats our best matchup? Whats our 2nd best matchup?
o Perfect pass what tactic do we choose?
o Medium pass is the quick still smart? If no, then where?
During the play
o See the serve dribbler off tape, may have to step in
o Target with intent 4 steps with back to the net, eyes on the platform BEFORE she
passes the ball
o See the angle/hands
o Perfect or medium? Make the decision
o Fast draw
Good Contact Point = lots of options, more deception. Where am I taking it?

USA Volleyball High Performance

Program Player Manual

Outside and Opposite Job Description

Outside Hitter Fundamental Skills
o Passing
o Attacking
o Serving
o Defense
o Blocking
o Setting

Opposite Hitter Fundamental Skills

Attacking
Blocking
Serving
Defense
Setting

Important Skills:
Elevate I find ways in everything I do to elevate the play of those around me.
Next Play I infect my teammates with my calm, poised exterior with my words, with my actions,
and with my belief in our ability to win the next play, no matter what the circumstances.
Offensive Timing:
InSys = 2nd step for Go, Red, Bic, and D
Pass into z2 or z4 = soft 2, or 2
Checklist: Offense:
Tools our Opposites need to develop to play at a world-class level
SEE things, not charge to spots. This means:
o SEE the pass and run the right tempo. Pass/Dig = Timing
In-system?
Call it, Run it
o SEE the set, and get your feet there go get it (no hoping, reality). This means:
Slow-to-fast, CONTROL YOUR SPEED!
3rd step of approach in line with the ball
o SEE daylight and hit it. This means:
Hit high, extended, and slightly in front
A by-product of good feet and vision
No daylight = Attack edges and high hands
o Hit with range
Line corner, line seam, deep corner, sharp angle
Hit all these shots into the deep 1/3 of the court. NOT straight down
Develop an effective roll shot
o Looks like a hit (elbow back and loaded)
o Contacted at top of your jump
Hit high, hard and with maximum power. This means:
o We run, jump and prepare to hit with efficient loose arms/levers
o We get loaded early to the ball
o We rotate our shoulders through the ball from a tall extended position.
Make great instantaneous decisions with each set. This intuition is developed through hours of
intense, mindful, game like reps in the USA gym
o Know when to bring it, know when to make them play it, know how to give it to them
tougher than youll get it back.

USA Volleyball High Performance

Program Player Manual
Transition:
Are you available? Can you get well off the net, back on your 2nd step, and hit with range for as
long as the rally requires?
o Always turning and running, for front row
o From Blocking (even for a 3 person block, work like crazy)
o From Defense, off-blocker
o Able to approach from anywhere on the court
Always on the Bic route (Outside) or D or C (Opposite), for back row
Based on dig and setter, call it, and run what you call
Often tougher than InSys be aware, block will be better-formed; no daylight, hit high hands
Checklist: Blocking:
See the Pass if it is over, play. Close Dump? If not over?:
See the Setter Direction
See the Hitter Shoulder

USA Volleyball High Performance

Player Manual

Serve Receive
Forearm Pass
Main Cues:
Ready position pre-serve
*Hands on knees Arms down, elbows straight
*Face the server See the line
Serve Receive
*Shuffle to the ball, balanced on contact
*Arms work independently and faster than body
*Arms straight before, during, and after
*Face the ball, track the ball, angle the platform
*Keep platform in front and hips back with
space to adjust
*One push through the ball and hold your angle
(freeze)
*On deeper balls: get out of the way, turn and
face it

Overhead Serve Receive

Main Cues:
Ready position pre-serve
*Hands on knees Arms down, elbows straight
Serve Receive
*Face the server See the line
*Decide early
*Midline to target
*Strong shaped hands, steel fingers
*Shuffle to the ball, knees bent, balanced on
contact
*Extend to target

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USA Volleyball High Performance

Player Manual

Offense
Attacking
Main Cues:
*4 steps - Small, bigger, biggest and slow,
faster, fastest
*Arms relaxed, loose levers - down, back, and
up
*See daylight, hit it. No daylight, attack edges
and high hands
*Load and unload
*Shoulder to shoulder
*Let the arm go
*Stay long

Middle Attacking
Quick
Main Cues:
*See the serve, see the pass, see the setter
*Available always
*Communicate early and at least three (gap,
gap, gap)
*Load to the setter
*4th step leaving the ground

Slide
Main Cues:
*See the serve, see the pass
*Know your distance, start slow
*Communicate early and at least three (slide,
slide, slide)
*4 step approach, 3rd step tempo
*Angle to the pole
*Right elbow, right knee
*Right knee past the ball, into the court

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USA Volleyball High Performance

Player Manual

OH and Opp
Transition Footwork
Main Cues:
*See the pass, know your distance
*Transition fast and efficient
*Get available
*Communicate early and at least three (go, go,
go)
*4 x 4 footwork (Left) 5 x 4 footwork (Right)

Setting
Main Cues:
Before the pass
*Communicate and demand that hitters
communicate
*If they dont call it, they dont get it
*Read the pass, transition fast
*Beat it, dont time it
After the pass
*Hands shaped early thumbs up, thumbs
down, elbows wide
*Left Right footwork
*Contact on midline
*Face target
*Extend levers Let it go
*Finish and freeze

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USA Volleyball High Performance

Player Manual

Serving
Main Cues:
Before the serve Routine
*Breath
*Shoulder shrug
*I Got This, Im Coming After You
Standing Float
*Start loaded
*Step, place, and swing
*Hand is straight, flat, and tight
*Contact flat through your midline
*Swing to target
1 Hand Jump Float
*Start loaded, stay loaded
*1-2, lift, 3-4, swing
*Turn and toss forward on your line
*Hand is straight, flat, and tight
*Contact flat through your midline
*Swing to target
2 Hand Jump Float
*1-2, lift, 3-4, swing
*Toss forward on your line
*One move to load hands go up, stay up
*Hand is straight, flat, and tight
*Contact flat through your midline
*Swing to target
Jump Spin
*Right arm, right foot
*Step, toss
*Toss with long lever
See cues for Attacking:
*4 steps - Small, bigger, biggest and slow,
faster, fastest
*Arms relaxed, loose levers - down, back, & up
*Load and unload
*Shoulder to shoulder
*Let the arm go & stay long

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USA Volleyball High Performance

Player Manual

Defense
Reading
Main Cues:
*Assess and act dont guess
*Eyes on Next Ball Actor
*Head swivels horizontally

Blocking
Main Cues:
*Compressed on setter contact, balanced and
loaded
*Feet: Push, Cross-over, Close
*Face the hitter, face the hitter
*Hands: down, back, PUSH OVER
*Strong Shoulders hands inside body
*Across the net at hitter contact

Floor Defense
Main Cues:
*Balanced and quiet
*Face the action: setter then hitter
*Surfaces up
*2 arms, 2 legs stay on feet and off knees
*10 by 20
*Bellies not butts
*Play extended, finish move

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Player Manual

USA Volleyball High Performance

Player Manual

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