6th grade volleyball offense

Question
I am wondering if you think 6th graders are too young to run a 4-2 offense
with switching in the front row.  I have a real variety of players, ranging from
club players to 1st year players.  I would love to have 2 designated setters, but
wonder if this is too much to expect.  What offense do yourun in 6th grade?  
last year I just had the girls all rotate into a setting position in the right front
so they all got to practice this.  Now I see specific skills that each girls is good
at.  They are so young I don't want to slot them though and want them to all
practice their skills, have fun and  win some  games too.  Thanks!

Answer
Hello Chris and welcome to www.allexperts.com!  It's great to hear from you!  I think what I tell you will help.  

I抳e worked with u14抯 for a number of years.  But back in 2001 my team had no rookies; but, there were deficient in dozens of areas.  For example, even though all 13 girls could do their spike approach correctly without a ball in the air, only two of them could do their spike approach correctly as they were trying to hit a high set.

So, during that year with these girls, we spent one-third of our time drilling, another one-third of our time on fundamentals, and the other one-third playing 6抯.  

As a coach of 6th graders, I imagine you'll have to work a lot on just the basics, and that's OK. If there is no switching in the front row, fine.  If you want to try it, fine.   

I think you already have a feeling that many young teams lose because their coaches spend too much time teaching %26 drilling advanced stuff.  I run a 4-2 with nearly all my middle school age teams.  On the other hand, a few years ago, my 12 year old stepdaughter's team ran a 6-2 with a middle-back defense, and they lost point after point because they couldn抰 execute the defense.  It drove me crazy!!!!!!!  Their final record was 2-11.  Grrrrrr.  

Your team should do very few drills that emphasize jump serves or blocking if your team can't serve in the court, receive a serve or set an attackable ball.  Don抰 even mess much with spiking for switching!   Why?  If you have a good serving, setting, and passing team, you'll win!!  Make your team the best they can be at what they're capable of doing. Then show them bits and pieces of the advanced skills just so they can抰 wait until the next practice and the next season! Maybe within a month, you'll be able to front row switch.  Be ready to spend about 3 days on it!  :)  But DON'T compromise their ability to be successful.  The math teacher wouldn't do it in the classroom.  Then why do it on the court.  

I coach for today.  Yeah, I may show my players a taste of this or that, but I teach them an offense and defense that (a) they are old enough to execute and (b) is best suited for their needs.  If I have 6th graders who can run a high school 6-2, with backsets, back row attacks, etc.....then that's awesome.  But if the other teams just 1-ball and 2-ball, then that 6-2 may not be the best choice, or it may have to be adjusted somewhat.  

Here抯 another example.  Suppose I had a high school team where the tallest girl was 5'4"   Yeah, these ladies could probably master any type of offense I taught. However, why have 3 blockers standing at the net when they can抰 even reach the top of the net?   The typical 6-2 isn't in the best interests of that team either.  

I teach my players the skills and the offense and defense that they need to be successful today, next week, next month, this season.  If you're getting any pressure from the next coach, I will ask you to resist doing what he/she wants.  Let the next coach teach the girls what they need to be successful next year.  And I've always said:  If the next coach is requiring that you teach next year抯 off/def, then that's wrong.  That's THEIR job!  Why can抰 that coach teach it? No one taught your kids their off/def. You did it.  So the next coach can make the appropriate tweaks as well.  It doesn抰 take 2 or 3 years to teach a base defense.  It takes a week or two.  If the next coach is so concerned that his kids learn it before the next season begins, then he/she can teach it little by little at home camps, at away camps, at open gyms, during preseason, etc.  

I think I got a little carried away!  But, if you still have more questions, please email me at [email protected], or follow up here.  

Have a great weekend. I'm off to the gym to give lessons.  I have lessons all four days this weekend.  AWESOME!!!  You can see all the details at www.coachhouser.com!

Coach Houser