VOLLEYBALL 

NEWSLETTER

The following Newsletter has been forwarded to you, from the Volleyball Newsletter  E-Mail list. The UK's leading on line Volleyball News service, providing up to date volleyball information, direct to newsletter members throughout the UK and Ireland. Articles are collected from a variety of sources and credited appropriately. The Volleyball Newsletter uses advertising sponsorship to support our free and non-profit making service to newsletter members. To advertise your volleyball events or products, direct to players, club and league secretaries throughout the UK & Ireland, then please see our web site for details or contact Dave at  Dave.Reece@volleyballnewsletter.com

Hi all, it's back, well in a cut down version for the time being. Unfortunately we have been off line due to a new job with longer hours etc, however things have settled down and we should be back in business for the rest of this year. The calendar is currently empty and a good number of our club web links are out of date, if you help us to get these back up to date, then let me know.

Cheers - Dave Reece Dave.Reece@volleyballnewsletter.com

Please can you help I am looking to join a volleyball team in the Cheshire area. I live in Warrington, please can you advise me of any clubs near to me.

Thanks Peter renwick tracey.renwick@bt.com

I am currently making a new website with info for beach volleyball, I want to get beach volleyball courts from around the world onto the site 
 www.beachvolleyballinc.com 

Denise austin@seabirdsbandb.freeserve.co.uk

A German drink manufacture has approached the EVA  for sponsorship opportunities in this summer UK Beach Grand Prix.

Dave.Reece@volleyballnewsletter.com

In 2003, Devon Women as a Div 3 team knocking out bottom of Div 1 side Tonbridge from the ProSport Cup (VNL Issue 164), this year they were up against another Div 1 side City of Salford, who also find themselves struggling in Div 1 and hence another opportunity for knocking out a Div 1 team. A little more even this time, as Devon Women are only four places below them, towards the top of Div 2. 

Devon were knocked out of the third round of the ProSport Knockout Cup at the weekend by first division side City of Salford. Despite having the edge of entering the match on winning form, compared to their opponents who are currently struggling in their first season in the first division, Devon lost 3-1. The traveling Devon side started by matching their opponents point for point before losing the first set 22-25. They found some form in the second set with an improved first pass by all and a serving run of 7pts by Sue Back, giving Devon a comfortable lead which they were able to build on to win the second set 25-17.

It was role reversal in the third with Salford winning 25-17. In the fourth, Devon had set point on three occasions, which if they had succeeded would have taken the teams to a fifth and deciding set. Instead, Salford fought back to win 29-27. Final result 3-1.

It was a disappointing result for Devon, with only flashes of recent brilliance shining through. But attention now returns to the National League when they face current league leaders Ashcombe Dorking at the weekend. Hopefully, Devon will be able to produce the same performance they displayed against Ashcombe at the start of the season, but this time finishing as winners.

City of Salford v Devon Result: 3-1 ( 25-22; 15-25; 25-17; 29-27)

You can follow their progress on the website: www.devonwomenvc.org.uk Many thanks Cleo Andrews 

www.exeterladieschallenge.com

*** Only TWO Places left ***

If you are a player without a team and would like to take part in the event, please contact me for availability in the "All Stars" team. Not everyone has access to a women's team for the event and hence the "All Stars" team is formed each year. The standard of the team is quite good and the team usually finishes within the top four places, see the web site for more info. 

To book your place in the event, please contact: Dave.Reece@volleyballnewsletter.com

London Challenge Trophy

Dear Volleyball Enthusiast(s), On behalf of the London Volleyball Association, it is our pleasure to extend a personal invitation to your club/team/company/school to participate in the London Challenge Trophy, which is being held over one day on Sunday 9^th April 2006 at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre.  

The event will offer several outdoor competitions for adults and young adults, such as mixed adult divisions and mixed junior divisions for u18’s, u’16’s u’14’s and u’12’s.  There will also be an open clinic for those who have never played volleyball and need some encouragement.

There will also be a chance to meet some of London ’s elite men and women players who will be competing in the semi-finals and final; a corporate volleyball event and also a sitting volleyball show case match.  Sitting volleyball has become increasingly popular as an international competitive paralympic sport.

To ensure that the London Challenge Trophy has all the elements of a jam-packed entertaining day for all, we will also be offering live commentary (indoor matches), supported by a live band and London ’s best cheerleaders.  There will also be a surprise celebrity who will be working with our younger volleyball players.

In terms of facilities Crystal Palace National Sports Centre is only a 10 minute walk from Crystal Palace train station, or if you are driving there will be lots of free car parking spaces.  In the main sports centre there will be two bars and snack shops open for all.  Crystal Palace has a great history of sporting events and we are hopeful that you will participate and make this a major feature in the London volleyball calendar attracting teams from London and neighbouring areas and thereby continue a great legacy at Crystal Palace .

Please complete the entry form as soon as possible – closing date Friday 24^th February 2006 (application form on the web – www.londonvolleyball.org) and come along to Crystal Palace with your family, friends, teammates, workmates and play some fun and competitive volleyball! We look forward to welcoming you to the “London Challenge Experience”.

Kindest regards David Rijvers London Challenge Tournament Director.

To be held at Upper Heyford, near Oxford on the weekends of 4/5 Feb and 4/5 March, the cost per athlete is £50 pounds for a weekend. It is aimed at players who would like to improve their beach knowledge but who haven’t had chance to work with a beach coach.

Denise Austin will be heading up the coaches for the weekend. Her credentials include; top ranked beach player in the UK over 13 years. Various international training camps abroad with world tour and Olympic medallists, playing on the FIVB world tour including the highest place for a UK team of 7th in 2000 and Staff Tutor for the EVA on beach volleyball.

The weekend to include direct technical input into your core skills, looking at game play and also your own action plan and feedback from the weekend to prepare you for the season ahead. Each weekend will be tailored to the athletes and most levels will be catered for.

Accommodation is available at the near by Travel Lodge, junction 10 on the M40. This is only a 10-minute drive away. To book your place on the course, please contact Denise and Nick Austin on 01271 890676 or 0777 33 82 305. Places are limited and will be given on a first come basis.

email info@beachvolleyballinc.com

This exact topic came up on the Boston Area Volleyball group (BAVP). Here is my contribution: 

1) During the opponents' pass/dig, the outside blockers (both right and left) should be positioned 8'-10' from their respective sidelines. This 
is so they can help with any quick attack in or near their zones. As the opposing setter contacts the ball and sends it outside, the outside 
blocker uses a cross-over step to get to the antenna. For the rightside blocker, that means he leads with his left (inside) foot, driving it to 
the antenna where he will plant and jump. The leftside blocker does a mirror image of this, crossing-over by driving his right (inside) foot 
toward the antenna. (Teaching cue: Instead of talking about feet, tell the blocker to drive his inside knee to the antenna. This will do a 
better job conveying the proper mechanics and help him cover the 6'-8' needed to get in front of the hitter without taking any extra steps.) 

2) During the cross-over, both arms drop and drift back so the blocker will be able use a double-arm swing when he jumps . . . hence the term 
"swing blocking." 

3) The blocker should plant to jump with both feet pointed 45 degrees out-of-bounds, with his hips and shoulders at the same angle. This 
angle makes it easy to square up to the net quickly as the blocker leaves the ground. (Too many swing blockers plant with their feet, hips 
and shoulders pointed 80 or 90 degrees out-of-bounds, which makes it virtually impossible to square up to the net after jumping . . . and 
makes it exceedingly easy for the hitter to tool the outside hand.) 

4) As the blocker swings his arms and hands up while jumping, both hands should be within two or three inches of the net during the entire 
swing. This helps enormously with penetration and sealing the tape, especially with the outside hand. 

5) One of the main problems with swing blocking -- and the reason some coaches refuse to teach it -- is the amount of lateral drifting that 
some blockers have when using this technique. To limit lateral drifting, stress keeping the hips behind the feet as the blocker plants 
to jump. This will help convert horizontal speed into vertical speed (which helps the blocker jump higher) *AND* it limits the amount of 
lateral drift during the block. 

6) Middle blockers using swing blocking mechanics will do exactly the same things described above, with the addition of a long lead step with 
the onside foot when they start toward the antenna. 

Hope some of this helps. Tom http://www.volleyballfiles.com

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