Covering volleyball

Aside from the basics, which others have covered well, consider this: Momentum. When a team gets a bit of confidence, you'll be able to see it, even if you can't tell a libero from a middle blocker.

If you're lucky, you'll also have a crowd that picks up on it as well.

 

One high school coach tried to tell me a player could get an assist on any kill attempt, even one that isn't successful in ending the point. He tried calling in stats once reporting that his setter had 113 assists in the match, when his team only scored 75 actual points.

 

Ah forget all the suggestions so far. Focus on the celebrations and team huddles between every freakin point.

 

Seriously, ask one of the girls how long they practiced their "ace" cheer.

 

I don't even attempt to keep my own stats for volleyball, just some general notes on how the point was made. I leave those to thos who know better, even if it is a manager or kid off the JV. Joe is correct on aces, fwiw.

 

These kind of "stats" are usually tabulated by the player's father who chants "DE-FENSE" when the opposing team's server tosses the ball in the air.

 

boundforboston and geddymurphy are spot-on: Even if your technicals aren't perfect with the game of volleyball, experience covering other sports can help you pick up how the game is flowing and how players are reacting to it. That alone can fill a few inches.

SoCal's first answer is an undervalued one but great as well. That first pass makes LOADS of difference in a point, especially in a high school game. A lot of these setters need a near-perfect body foundation — legs feeding into the set — to be successful. If they're near the outside lines trying to launch-set one across the court to another hitter, it becomes harder for that hitter to do anything.

I like to keep a running score and how the point was scored. For example, if Bumblefuck HS is playing Who? HS, and Bumblefuck's #9 gets a kill, I do it like this

B-W
1-0 (B9K)

Also, a good idea for notes is during timeouts. What trends are you noticing? What's the latest run on points? Is the food at the gym awful? Make a note, because I highly doubt you'll be able to hear what coaches are saying so screw it.

Also, if the team loses, try to wait till they're done crying. Hard to transcribe players who can't breathe and are bawling.

 

I covered the crap out of volleyball this year, but when your 4 schools combine for 15 wins in football and you have two state tournament volleyball teams... well, there's no real comparison.

Basically, I noted the moods and the emotion and big runs... did Team A get down 16-9 and make a long run to tie it up? Things like that. Mostly, though, you find the player who takes over the game when needed (If you're at state, your team has at least one girl) and watch her. See how she leads and directs and how hard she hits. Then after the game, get the manager to tell you what stats everyone had and talk to that girl and the coach.

 

As a reader, I'd be interested to know if any of the girls had her bush trimmed into the shape of the school mascot.

 

I would kill for a volleyball coach or player to talk about the real strategy behind their play. I know they are in meetings and practices saying, "Podunk County has two amazing hitters. We need to focus on getting the ball deep and forcing them to make good sets or they'll eat us alive."

But it's like pulling teeth to get *any* conversation that isn't about "communication" and "playing together as a team." Sometimes "unforced errors" if the coach is feeling technical.

 

Several years ago, an area small-school coach had a dynasty going (eight years in a row to state, winning the title the last five times). His philosophy was that his team would focus on its own play and not on the other team's strengths and weaknesses.
It worked very well, but those teams were also blessed with very good to exceptional players -- several earned scholarships, from premier Division I schools to Division II.
Conversely, the coach of a team they often faced in the semis always refused to give us any player stats for the preview tab because, as she said, "I don't want to give him any advantage over us."

 

Then there's those situations when you're waiting for the team's postgame meeting to end and a player or two decides it's a great time to change out of their uniform into a dry t-shirt, leaving them briefly in nothing but a sports bra in the middle of the gym ... eyes down, eyes down.