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deeper and deeper into the court the digger must play a large and larger area. Therefore, the digger stands at about fifteen feet off the net. Unfortunately, too many spiked balls will travel deep into the court over the diggers head or to the right or left of the digger and still land in bounds. Therefore, the digger must learn how to play a ball up high and to the right and left of her position. This will require learning how to dig the ball that is hit at her face. Do not use the setting technique as you will damage the fingers (!) and the referee will probably whistle the play a foul in Georgia High School volleyball. Rather, use the old fashion (that's why they call me a dinosaur!) technique of having your hands in a low digging position for the hard driven spike; then, when the ball comes at your face just bend your elbows and bring the hands to your face without separating them (at this point the thumbs should be pointed at your forehead) and open the heels of the hands up to make a "cup or circle." Have the digger dig the ball with the back of her hands. It works! The balls that are hit to the right and left will require the defensive player to go to the floor with a "sprawl" or "lateral extension."
This attacking defense can be played in two ways. As stated, I prefer the player to stand in the middle of the cone. However, Doug Beal (US Olympic Gold Medal Coach) suggests an alternative system. He believes the digger should be stationed on the outside of the area she is defending. Therefore, she will have to move in only ONE direction which would be towards the hitter.
Knowing the area you are to defend is vitally important. That area is not a spot but rather an oblong shape established by the blockers. Each digger should be able to find the ball between the blockers hands or just outside the blockers hands and BELOW THE BLOCKERS HANDS (according to Mick Haley, former national team coach). Thats important; BELOW THE BLOCKERS HANDS. For example, in the rotation defense the left front should find the ball just to the left of the middle blockers hands while the left back should find the ball between the hands of the two blockers.
Which raises the next question. How should the blockers align the block? Most teams attempt to block cross court and close the block. Blocking cross court in high school is the best system as few high school setters set the ball all the way out to the antennae and few high school hitters can "nail" the line consistently. But, why close the block? The players never do it, so why try? Why not have the middle take the cross court shot and the line blocker take the line shot and then station two diggers in the hole between the block. These two diggers are no more than a foot apart from each other. I know of at least one college team that does this successfully against some very serious competition.
Which raises the next question. Should you have two diggers standing near each other? Most high level teams have a "wall" for a block which leaves limited space in which to hit the ball. Therefore, they then have two diggers standing foot to foot on the court creating a table protecting the floor. I do not like this strategy as most high school girls will flinch when attempting to use an "emergency" skill when feeling the presence of a teammate near them because they will avoid "crashing" into
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