Middle school serve receptions and offense....touch decision!

Question
Hey Coach,
I am trying to figure out what serve receive to run with my middle school students.  I played college vball and coached high school but I don't know if rotations like a 6-2 or a 5-1 would confuse them and they do not have all the basic skills to commit only 3 or 4 passers.  I looked at running the W formation that I have seen but I would really like to train my girls to pass to the right side of the court to a setter rather than a person in the middle.  Do you have any suggestions?  Thanks.

Answer
Hey coach!  Welcome to www.allexperts.com!  

I agree with you about the offense. You don't want to give you girls more to learn than they are capable of.  Some coaches prepare their youngsters for the next level, sacrificing them at your level.  I 100% disagree.  

But the fine line between too few passers and too many passers is hard to judge sometimes.  Too few and they can't cover the court.  Too many and the large number of seems create confusion between passers.  

If you email me at [email protected], I will send you the 4-person serve receive and simple base I use when I'm coaching a team of rookies.  Usually, they are so short, I don't even block with three people. I block with one....our MB.  If she is also too short, we just stay at free ball all the time.

I'm not saying this is the best way to do it. It's just an offense that I was able to teach to 6th and 7th grade rookies.  

Sure, this will make the next coach's season a little more difficult. That coach may even say, "What did you DO last year?"  You will be thinking, "I was looking out for my team.  The same thing you should now do."  haha.  But I'm not going to win 2 and lose 11 when my team has the capability of 6-7 or maybe even 8-5 YEAH BABY.  Just to make the next coach's job easier?  No way.  

6-2?  5-1?  Maybe next year. Maybe the year after.  Or....maybe this year, if you have enough time, and they are better players/athletes than you thought.  

If any other coach is reading this, I will send you this serve reception as well.  I also have 3-person serve formations ready, if you want to see how I pass with my libero and my 2 OH's while running a 5-1 or a 6-2 offense. I just ask one favor of you.  Please visit me at www.coachhouser.com, and compare my site camps' prices and our service before and after the camp.  Then we can talk about bringing a STAR camp to your school in 2011.  

I hope this helps you!  If you have other questions, please follow up or email me.

Coach Tom Houser
Roanoke, VA