Passing and Digging               


 

Passing, or digging, in volleyball can be very difficult if the passer is not familiar with the physics invloved in the game. The passer receives the ball at a certain angle and velocity and in contacting the ball changes the angle, direction, and possibly velocity of the ball. The passer’s purpose is to keep the ball off the floor and put it in a direction for further useful play. To accomplish this contact of the ball and repositioning of it a player must get between the ball and the floor, create a styrdy platform for the ball to hit, and stay low.
                                   
        


In this picture we see how we can analysis the velcity
(Vo) in both the x and y directions and also where
the ball should contact on the platform





A passer should  be placed between the floor and the ball to prevent the ball from reaching the floor.  This movement can be accomplish by running to the ball, shuffling to a good ready position, or in last resort diving for the ball, by extending the arms and body into the air to reach a  ball.  If the arms have to  move  away from the from the front of the body the passer should drop their inside shoulder, so that the angle shown to the ball will direct the ball back into the court for futher play.

 <>To create a solid platform for the ball to hit the arms should be straightened infront of the passer, to limit the angle the ball will reflect, and the legs should be stable and bent.  The legs will act like a spring, they should absorb the impact of the ball and then use force to push the ball in the opposite direction.   Creating a flat and straight platform will allow the ball to rebound up and off the arms of the passer into the direction of the setter, or another desired location.                                                                                                       
<>
Staying low to the floor is very important in volleyball,  it allows for quicker movement and give the ball more time to reach the platform on the forearms of the passer.  Since the lower body gives the power to puch the ball back into the air the closer to the floor that a person is the more power that he or she can under the ball the more likely that the ball willl be put into play and also the more control he or she has on the direction it goes. 

                                                    



Home Serving Passing (Digging) Setting Hitting (Spiking) Blocking Bibliography