In volleyball terms, "touches" would be opportunities one has to actually have the ball on your arms or in your hands. I'm always telling my students and players that the ball only does what you tell it to--but we speak with our arms and hands in this sport. Now to get those coveted touches!
They did a recent study about who was actually getting the most "touches" in a volleyball practice. Guess who it was? Hitters? Liberos? Setters?
No, it was the coach!
Amazingly enough, some coaches are so into their practices that they often start every drill with a toss or hit or serve to the girls on the other side of the net. They run their drill, then the coach reinitiates the start of the drill by entering in a ball. Over the life of a practice, the coach easily wins with the most number of touches.
So what to do about that? Well, for one, the coach needs to realize that the players need to be touching the ball more. Every coach has a different philosophy, but it's fairly obvious that the girls need to get more touches than the coach!
Recently, while attending a volleyball conference of USA professionals, I heard a story about our Junior National team's recent trip to the World Championships. We took the best seniors and juniors across the nation, put them on a team and competed in Tijuana, Mexico. In the end, we tied for 12th place. The question arose, "Why? Why did we not do better?" The U.S. has a population of around 304 million. We were defeated by Cuba (pop. 11 million), Bulgaria (pop. 8 million), Turkey (pop 73 million), Czech Republic (pop. 10 million), and China (1.2 billion). By comparison, Texas has 24 million people--more than most countries! So why didn't we do better? Do we not have better athletes? Do we not have better facilities?
The questions could go on and on, but ultimately, the speaker offered his opinion. We just don't play enough volleyball. Our kids are not getting enough touches. We start playing in middle school for a 2 month season, then rarely touch the ball again until the following year.
"Volleyball is a team sport, however, so it's not one you can practice by yourself....or can you?" he postured.
He then proceeded to give us several ideas on how we can provide more volleyball opportunities for our athletes. Whether they be alone, be with a friend or group of friends. As parents and coaches, we need to let the athletes play. If there is only one athlete, teach them games to play against the wall. If there are two, play over a net/string/rope/fence. If there are three, one girl is setter for both teams. If there are four, play queen of the court. Five? Queen of the court with one setter for both teams. Six? 3 vs 3. And so forth. However, don't play 4 vs 4, instead divide the court up, get another volleyball and play two games of Queen. When you have 12 girls, play 3 games of queen.
Whatever you do, get more volleyballs going and more games happening on one net. You'd be amazed at the number of "touches" your child is allowed at that point and the skill level skyrockets.
So get a ball. Get a game. Let's play.
The 7 easiest ways to help you find your ideal bike size - race faster and ride more comfortably, Use the correct saddle. Guys and girls have different bone structures, so they need different shape saddles. You're going to spend a lot of time sitting on your saddle, so make sure it supports your body well. Go to your local bike dispenser and try out a few to find your best fit.
Sit up straight
If you can't reach the pedals without swinging from side to side your seat is too high, lower it a bit and you'll immediately feel the difference. This will help your knees too.
Heel and toe
When you adjust your saddle height put your heels on the pedals and turn them backward. When your legs are straight, then the saddle is the right height. When you put the ball of your foot on the pedal, your knee will bend a little, and you will get a better pedaling action.
The right handlebars
If your handlebars are not in the right position, it can be a real pain in the neck. If it's too far away, you'll be overstretched. If it's too close, you'll be cramped. Both problems will slow you down.
My knees ache
Is your saddle tilted? Leaning forward puts more weight on your knees, so they start to ache. Is your saddle the right height? See above for help on getting this right. Try moving the saddle slightly backward or forwards to get your knees in the right places over the pedal axle.
Finally, use the right gear for the terrain. If you use a gear that is too high, then your knees are going to keep on top opening bike store complaining until you change it.
Sports doctors recommend using gear that allows you to turn the pedals between 70 and 100 turns per minute.
Foot sore and fancy-free. Wear shoes that are designed for cycling; they have stiffer soles so that the shoes and not your feet take the pressure. Likewise, choose the right gear, so your feet don't take all the pressure.
Wear the right clothes. Proper cycling shorts have no seams to rub and create pressure points. They are padded too, so you don't get saddle sore. When your bike and your clothes are the right sizes, you can go for it!
Size does matter, and the right bike size is the difference between a good ride and a great ride.