Five Ways to Avoid 6-2 Pitfalls

H3]1) Make sure that your team is ready to implement it. I've watched middle school teams who try all the "free ball" stuff, and most of them are bad at it. Their coaches say, "My kids will be prepared for high school." Is that really what a coach's job is? Or should these kids to be able to execute what a coach is teaching. If they're too young or not athletic enough or not skilled enough, then they will not succeed.

2) Go over it over it over it before they get into a situation where proper execution is imperative

. In other words:

1. Digs must be high and off the net....for 4-2 kids, this is a real adjustment and may takes 5 or 10 practices to make the adjustment.
2. Setters will occasionally be caught out of position. Have your setter say "Here I am" on EVERY pass....that's not as necessary as with a 4-2. When a school 5-1 setter tells me, "Why did she pass the ball THERE?" The response is, "Why didn't you tell her where you were?"
3. Practice practice practice to whom your setter passes the ball when the setter has first hit. Realize many opponent's MB's have been TRAINED to hit the ball into the 1 zone, so:
   • Your setter must spend time practicing the pass,
   • Your setter must not abandon the passing spot too soon.....in other words, she MUST dig her zone FIRST, then worry about setting.

3) Do you really NEED a 6-2?

Does your team have either:

1. Bruising left hander(s) or;
2. more than 4 solid hitter?

I know that older teams NEED more than 4, and some 14's teams do have more than 4, but most young teams don't have enough hitters to worry about back setting.

4) If your setters cannot back set, then a 6-2 holds not advantage over the 4-2.

The setter will only be able to set to two hitters at a time, leaving out the third. Give that setter a break, run the 4-2 and gain more back row coverage. And please don't be trying to teach your setters how to back set while also trying to implement a 6-2.

5) Your 6-2 setters can't EVER dump a tight pass.

This disadvantage cancels all the 6-2 advantages, ESPECIALLY with younger players. THEN your setter is going to try to block the opponent who's hitting the overpass and ***BOOOOM*** now you're whistled for a back row blocker violation.