Football and Volleyball blog

Volleyball Tactics Attacking tactics in volleyball - the serve and the spike in volleyball are two main attacking tactics in volleyball. The serve is an important attacking shot because it’s the first shot of the point. Therefore playing a good serve is vital because it then puts your opponents under pressure from the start so that you can start with the upper hand. Also the spike is a great attacking shot/tactic because it is a fast lethal shot that is played in a downwards motion. This shot is the last shot usually that is playing in the rally and wins you the most points. If you still don’t win the point then it still puts your opponents under pressure. Defensive tactics - Blocking is a defensive tactic in volleyball, using the block is a good defensive tactic because if you perform a well timed and effective block then it will diffuse the opponents attack. The reason for the block is to stop the opponents spike from being complete and scoring the point. The aim o...

Intercepting in football Intercepting in football is the most common way of getting the ball off your opponents. It allows you to release the pressure your under by winning the ball back and applying pressure to your opponents. Most of the time intercepting is mostly all about timing, positioning and quick thinking. To intercept a pass for example you need to make sure you’ve scanned the surrounding area to make sure when you try and make the intercepting you haven’t left a gap that the other team can exploit. This is a main factor as you need to make sure that throughout the game that you have the correct positioning. Make sure when you try to intercept as a team that you all talk and move as a unit so that you have a better chance of winning the ball back. Timing is one of the main factor when you are going to make an interception. This is because if you time the interception wrong then you’re allowing your opponent to exploit the gaps that you’ve left in the defense so ...

Football skills Communication - Communication is important in football because you need to talk to your teammates throughout the game, this is a vital part of the game because you need to communicate tactics and you also need to be able to talk to your players too tell them if they’re doing something wrong that you can help them with. Agility - Having agility is good in football because it means you’re more able to do things on the ball, this can involve turning on the ball and being able to cut inside and perform quick changes of direction. This can benefit the team because it allows you to create more chances and also allows your team a better chance to win the game. Speed - Having speed is a good aspect to have in football. This can be either how fast you’re able to switch the ball and your speed on the ball to your running speed. This helps because you’re able to open spaces up in games, for example quick passing opens space up on the pitch that can be used ...

Volleyball Skills Communication -  Communication is a vital skill in volleyball, you need to be able to speak to your teammates throughout the whole game, this involves talking to your teammates about who is going for the shot or talking to them about where to stand. This also has a positive impact as you can also tell your teammates to set you up for certain shots to benefit the team in more ways that one. Communication is also important on the tactics part as you need to communicate throughout the game to input your tactics to the game to make them work. Agility - Agility is an important skill in volleyball, this is because you need to be able to move quickly and easily if the ball is either spiked or deflected to keep the ball in play and to retain the point. This also is important in volleyball because you need to be able to move freely and quickly around the court during a point, this is because if you are unable to move quickly and freely around the court ...

Marking in Football Marking in football is used as a defensive strategy throughout the game and can be used in two ways, either zonal marking or man marking. Both do the job of marking but they do it in a completely different way. Zonal marking is where you mark a defensive zone of the pitch  rather than man to man marking, this is mostly done throughout the game and can be performed at anytime in the game. Zonal marking can cover multiple players at once if they’re in the same area, but it can also go wrong if someone doesn’t do there job right. To perform zonal marking you need to be given a zone to mark, when the ball enters that zone you need to attack the ball and win it back, you shouldn’t leave the area that you’re defending even if the ball is close to you but not in your area, this is because it will leave gaps open that can be exploited by the opposite team. Man marking is different as it states in the name, instead of marking a zone like zonal marking you n...

Setting in Volleyball Set in volleyball, what is a set? A set in volleyball is a shot where the aim of the shot is too set the ball up to your teammate to perform the spike shot. This is in volleyball so you can set your teammate up to spike the ball. This is where the player tries to place the ball near the net to assist the spiker in killing the ball in the opponent’s half. Setting is a skill that must be practiced with many repetitions. Setting isn’t mainly either an attacking or defensive shot, it is mostly a simple shot which is usually performed in every point. The pass should be made overhead and is used to change the direction of the dig to allow the spiker to spike the ball. Eyes should always be on the ball throughout performing the shot, knees should be bent so you can create height on the ball when you get contact with your fingers, the ball should remain under your forehead for the correct connection point. You need to push the ball overhead towards the pe...

Turning in Football There are many different turns that can be done in football from simple turns like a drag back to more complex turns like a Maradona turn or Mcgeady spin. The art of turning is good for a players agility and can also help you lose your man. First screen the play to make sure people aren’t near you that could be a threat to your turn and that could tackle you. Keep your body shape open so that you can either turn left or right once you receive the ball, have your knees bent so that you can optimize your balance during the turn and to also generate power from the legs to turn quicker. Keep your eyes on the ball at all times before, while and after the turn to make sure you don’t fall over the ball or get tackled. Move your feet to where the ball is coming from to make sure you can get the ball under control from when it has been passed to you, always receive the ball on the back foot so that you can turn faster and not be interrupted during your turn, t...

Dig in volleyball Dig in volleyball,  what is a dig? A dig shot is vital in the defensive part of volleyball, where you prevent the ball from hitting the ground after your opponent has performed an attacking shot against you. This shot is performed by anticipating your opponents spike/attacking shot, before it has taken place this helps to keep your team in play and to not lose the point this is being played by either throwing yourself or waiting for the ball to come to you. Make sure your head is inline with the ball when going to perform the shot. Make sure your body is also inline with the ball when you’re going to perform the shot. Place your arms out straight in a locked position and make sure when you connect with the ball your arms are straight and not bent of the shot won’t be performed correctly. Make sure your hands are in a clasped position also. Have your chest beneath the ball and engage the chest during the shot, have your hips braced and your knees bent to crea...

Spike in volleyball Spike in volleyball, what is a Spike? A spike is an attacking shot in volleyball which is aimed to gain a point for your team. It is performed by slamming the ball aggressively and effectively into the opponent's half to gain the point for your team. This is usually the final shot that is played by a team in volleyball before giving possession away to the opposite team. First you have to watch the setter when they’re about to set you, you need to hit the ball with a strong palm, follow through with the shot to create as much power that is possible. Flick the wrist to get the ball to move downwards when the shot is played. Make sure when you hit the ball you get contact with the top of the ball and not underneath it, bend knees upon landing to prevent injury and to absorb the power made during the performance of the shot. Make sure you jump in time of the setter setting you so that you perform the shot in the correct time frame, take your first step ...

Creating Space in Football Creating space in football is vital as you need to be in space to receive the ball off players from your team. Creating space can be for either you to go into or space you’ve vacated so  the ball can be placed there instead. These two types of space creating are very popular in today's game. Creating space for yourself can be done by either asking for the ball in the space you’re already in or by moving off an opponent to apart of the pitch where no one is. This is done so that you have time and space when you receive the ball so that you’re not under pressure and so that you don’t end up losing the ball to an opponent. Creating space for the ball to go into is done in a different manner to creating space for yourself. For example to create space for the ball to be played into, the striker can move to the right and pull the defender with him allowing space to the left of them to become available so that the centre mid can play the ball throug...

Block in volleyball A block in volleyball is a move that is performed while at the net. The aim of the shot is to stop the opponents shot from going over the net into your half of the court. To perform the block firstly you have to be at the net, your eyes must be on the ball at all times to predict the play, you need to angle your hands towards the floor the net and the opponents so you don’t parry the ball down into your own half, you need to be half an arms length away from the net, your knees need to be bent and shoulder width apart, you need to move along the net by side stepping, make sure you’re balanced when about to make the block and mainly you need to be in time with your opponents spike or you won’t be able to make the block as the ball will have already passed you.  

Tactics in football Attacking tactics - subs can be used as an attacking tactic in many ways, from the time the player is brought on, to the position the player plays on the pitch. The idea of an attacking sub is to bring more life and a better chance of changing the game for a better result that what the score was before the substitution. This usage of an attacking sub can be either to add fresh legs to the attack in a like for like manner i.e. swapping a fast winger for another fast winger, this is to keep the same tempo throughout the attack. Or the substitution can be used to allow a more unorthodox change i.e. a tall hold up striker can be subbed for a quick striker to allow a different style of play to be played to give a better chance of changing the tempo for the benefit of the game to get the result you want. Defensive Tactics - The offside trap is a defensive tactic as its aim is to play a high line and push up just before the ball is played to catch the att...