Expected learning

To follow up on the work on trajectory times the player learns to defend his target and to attack the opposing target. This is the love from the "ball target" to the "court target" developed elsewhere.

In this context the pupil will learn to:

• Prefer placings on the court that favour moving forward, quicker and more favourable to hits.
• Take into account the position of the ball in the opposite court to place himself.
• Take into account the relation trajectory time / running time to place himself.
• Orient his weight distribution and his hitting plan to direct the hit in the desired direction.
• Take into account the permanent and immediate capacities of the opponent to define the area to defend (can he play long, short, fast?).

Changes in placing

The initial placing depends on the player's representation of the area to defend, of his own movement possibilities and of the probable trajectory of the opponent's ball. At a first stage, the game without a net, the pupils prefer the front of the court to intervene on the shortest and lowest trajectories.

With the net they place themselves in the front half of the court. It seems that they neglect the eventuality of long trajectories and that they prefer being placed under the ball, even if that means being too forward relative to the ball.

Reading the trajectory

Reading the trajectory is a skill in itself. It is needed in all the actions of volley-ball and is developed with practice. Paradoxically it is on the trajectories close to the lines when they need to judge the trajectory and decide whether to play the ball or let it go that this ability becomes obvious.

Learning situations

We can choose to work with or without a net. The net is a tool that must allow time to make a defence possible. We can, depending what's available, replace it by a neutral zone.

• Stop the ball from falling on your side.
• Serve and defend your court by hitting (without holding).
• Play a match 1 against 1.