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MORE INFORMATION ON THE 6 UP DEFENSE

Dr. Lorne Sawula – GBR Women’s Head Coach

To be taught properly the defense should be thought of as a flowing system of retrieval for volleyball players, and not a slow, static defensive system that would be used to make sure the court is adequately covered.

THINGS TO BE EMPHASIZED:

1. Starting positions
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. The off side digger (2 or 4 position) must be thought of as a back row player with little tip dig responsibilities. They should be able to swing off the net to a position 4-5 meters away.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Blocking, especially at juvenile aged levels of play, should be mainly cross court. Line blocking can be incorporated but it will give slightly different digging assignments and positional play. Ultimately players should learn how to adjust to both situations. The outside blocker's starting position is 1 1/2 m. from outside antenna. Center blocker's responsibility is to close to the outside blocker and prevent the ball from being attacked through the block. The outside blocker is responsible for setting the block correctly and turning the ball into court by turning in the outside hand. This helps to prevent wipe off possibilities. The outside blocker and the center blocker would have to go to the line if the ball is set on top of the net and close to the antenna. However in many cases for high school volleyball, it still may be better to stay with the cross court blocking assignments because the extra movement of the blockers may result in holes being created between the blockers.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4.  Digging the line by #1 and #5 positions. Both positions are involved with digging the hard attack. The only tip digging responsibility lies with the deep tip 5 to 6 m. deep in the center of the court. It is critical to create the proper angles for digging when the attack is from #4 or #2 3 positions. The digger with the longest distance always has to be prepared to go behind the digger with the shorter distance.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. Utilizing diggers #2 and #4 with the back row diggers, #1 and #5. In this case, the rule applies as in the above section. Combining the defensive movements would make the defense look like this:
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. The # 6 position player has a very important role to play. This is the movement position or the "piston" position. This player should be able to read the block and the timing of the attacker. If the ball is further from the net then #6 can play deeper in the court. If the ball is closer to the net 4 and the block, then #6 has to player closer to the net. At the beginning stage the blockers should not have to worry about covering tips close to the net, this should be the total responsibility of #6. But as the team becomes more refined and if blockers can be taught to cover an area of 1/2 to 1 m. around the block, then #6 can help in the mid court.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   #6 begins from starting position and moves forward as the attack is being made. The closer the ball is to the net the faster the timing must be and the closer to the blockers is #6.
   
   #6 should always be equidistant between the side line and the center line.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
7. Hole in the Block. There are two ways to play this system. At the beginning level the hole in the block is dug by the person who has the longest direction for the ball to come. In other words if an attack is coming from the opponent's #4 position then the hole is dug by The person in #5 defensive position. If the Attack is from the opponent's #2 position them the defensive player in #1 fills the 5 hole. In both cases this is true for a high attack. However, if the attack is a quick or shoot attack in the center in the court then all three diggers react to the hole that is made by the blockers.
   At aAt a more advance level the digger in #6 does most of the filling of the hole and making the dig. This is where the trouble begins for any defense. Two situations will occur, one where the attack is outside or near the antenna and the other is where the attack is more direct or inside of court . In situation number one, #6 and #5 or #1 must help out and "fill the hole". #6 takes the sharply hit balls and #1 OR #5 takes the balls that are hit longer and deeper. In situation number 2, #6 has more responsibility to "fill the hole".
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   The same responsibilities occur when the attack comes from the opponent's #4 position, except that #5 is now involved in filling the hole.
   
8. Attack from the middle of the court. In this case the team can use one of three simple methods. The first method is to only block with one player, the center blocker. Eventually, teams realize that they have to do more against their opponent's attack. They can either block with the same two players all the time (always #3 & #2 or #3 & #4). This is the second method. In the third method the two blockers will come from the side on which the ball is closest.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   In method #3 the blockers will be detemined by where the ball is.
   
   
9.  Defense against the second ball over the net. The responsibility has to lie in the starting positions. It is impossible for #6 to cover all the balls, especially during quick attack plays. Initially teams may attempt this method but if they face opponents with quick attack combinations they will have to be prepared to have all three players to begin fairly high on court (about 5 m from the net).