Chapter 6 - Recovery Shots

Roger G. Burton

The term "recovery" implies immediately that the shots or skills covered here are attempts to regain control of the ball. You have been thrown off balance or out of position by a bad "break," your own mistakes, or by the expertness of your opponent's placement. A ball you must play has reached a position where you are unable to use the safe, sure, and controlled chest pass but must resort to a more difficult play. To win in volleyball, you must move defensively so that you may always execute a controlled chest pass or else learn to use in emergencies a recovery skill which will at least neutralize an opponent's placement advantage or a team mate's mistake. It follows that since the former course (perfect performance) is impossible, then the latter is essential to success in competitive play.

Bounce the Ball

Each recovery shot is herein named a bounce because it is so important to concentrate on merely meeting the  ball squarely when making a recovery. The chances for control of a recovery shot are slim unless this is done. The chest pass allows for the delivery of force and control because the hit is with a shaped surface comprised of ten fingers which encompass a wide area. However, besides the chest pass and the set, in no other play may the ten fingers be used to pass the ball without chancing a call of foul for lifting, throwing, or carrying the ball. Surfaces employed for recovery plays include the butt or heel of the hands, the back of the hands, the forearms, the lower legs, and the feet. In each case the movement of the body part utilized may be likened to that of the bat in baseball's execution of a bunt. The striking surface is placed in a position to intercept the ball squarely and then moved to strike the ball only enough to insure placing the ball to the spot desired. A full swing of the arm, or forearm, or leg, is not advisable. A bounce of the ball into the air sufficiently to allow a team mate to make a good set or placement is the purpose of the recovery shot. The ball responds easily and effortlessly to force applied directly to its center.

One should be aware of the fact that bounce or dig passes are now a fundamental and common part of the game. To a large degree among skilled players, these passes are part of the offensive as well as defensive system and are therefore more than just recovery shots. De Groot and Odeneal both emphasize this point. "Wrist and two-arm forearm passes are quite accurate and are used a high percentage of the time now." 1 "It is not uncommon for a hard spike, after coming off the block, to be dug up with one or both hands and thereby set up high and ready for a spike." 2

Study Lines of Force

The skilled performer seems to have a kinesthetic sense, so that his appreciation of angles and forces gives him great performance. Therefore, the serious student will reflect upon these. They are vital to effective serving, passing, spiking, blocking, and recovering. Besides the effects of the speed at which the ball is traveling and of how much force you must apply to counteract it, four factors are involved in your correct bounce recovery. Two of these are determined by the situation—the line of flight as the ball approaches you and the line of flight you must give the ball to make an ideal play. The other two factors are the incline angle of your recovery-bounce-surface and the direction line of your applied force. For maximum control, your line of force should carry through the axis of the ball—should be applied not just to the surface but directly through the ball—and your bounce surface must be set at the correct angle.

The Two-Arm Forearm Bounce

Many coaches feel that the two-arm forearm bounce is the most efficient of the underhand recovery shots. When a ball is hit directly toward a player at such an angle that it is impossible to bend down and use the chest pass, the two-arm forearm bounce may be used. The hands are quickly clasped, the elbows are rotated inward to align the forearms side by side, and the body crouches with knees slightly bent. The forearms are placed low in a position to intercept the ball and held at an angle which will cause the ball to be squarely struck and bounced into the air. As the ball strikes the forearms, the knees and body are slightly straightened with an easy motion calculated to give an upward bounce to the ball.

The One-Hand Bounce Pass

The one-hand bounce pass made from an underhand position is often called a dig pass. The principles are the same as in the forearm bounce. The solid surface of either hand (the butt or heel surface) is placed in the path of the ball, with great concentration being exerted to watch the ball closely so that it may be struck squarely in the center. The fingers of the hand are slightly closed in almost the normal position of the relaxed hand. As the ball contacts the butt of the hand, the wrist is snapped upward with the amount of force necessary only to counteract the force of the ball and to bounce the ball into the air. As in fielding almost any ball, the body should be in readiness on the balls of the feet, crouched, with the knees slightly bent to allow straightening of the body simultaneously with contact and to give easy moving grace to the play.

Illustration #9. Jean Gaertner, Santa Monica Mariners, executing the popular two-hand dig pass.

This pass may also be executed with a closed fist. The ball is hit on the combined surface of the heel of the hand and the clenched fingers. Such a pass is one of the safest to use in net recovery shots.

Occasionally, you see players use a two-hand closed fist pass. They hold both fists together and bounce the ball up. The difficulty here is to hit the ball simultaneously with both fists.

Some players use the back of the hand, placing the hand in a position to intercept the ball squarely and giving a flip of the wrist to bounce the ball at contact. If the first two joints of the fingers are flexed but the third joints held straight and in line with the back of the hand, a broad smooth surface is formed which becomes quite effective for bouncing.

In teaching underhand bounce passes, Wickstrom makes the following recommendation: "Attention should be focussed upon the position of the hand or hands at the moment of contact with the ball, so the student may see the proper way of utilizing the full hitting surface." :i

When the play to be made is at a ball going overhead and dropping behind the player, every effort should be made to backpedal fast to get into position to use the chest pass. Failing in this, the one-hand bounce pass should be used. A ball overhead, as any other ball handled with a recovery shot, should be watched carefully. The butt of the hand should be placed directly behind the center of the ball and a punch with easy wrist action delivered to send it into an arc through the air.

Illustration #10. Jean Gaertner, Santa Monica Mariners, executing the one-hand dig pass.

The Foot Bounce

A few years ago the rules forbade striking the ball with the leg below the knee. Kicking the ball was feared. Today's rules allow a foot bounce, and good ball clubs will make occasional saves in this manner. A player caught out of position or off balance may skillfully reach out his foot to intercept the ball and bounce it into the air for a team mate to play. The instep (on top of the toes and just behind them), formed into a flat surface by depressing or extending the toes, should contact the ball in its center and administer an easy bounce or punch to the ball to lift it in an arc to a team mate. The leg should not swing forcibly, nor should the toe of the shoe strike the ball. As in any recovery shot, a hard-driven ball need be met only firmly and squarely; a softly hit ball must be given more of a bounce or punch.

Net Recovery

The volleyball net stands like a marker above a graveyard of lost opportunities for recovery shots. Fundamentals here are threefold. First, know your net. A ball striking near the cable at the top will drop almost straight down; a ball striking midway in the net will be pushed out by the recoiling net and will drop a foot or two out from the net; a ball striking near the rope through the bottom of the net will be held by the net and will be gently tossed or rebounded well out from the net before dropping. A player should experiment to become familiar with this pattern and know it well. Second, if the net recovery shot is only the second contact, then the ball should be bounced back away from the net and high. This will guard against the common failure of hitting the ball back into the net and will also place the ball high where a team mate can be deliberate about spiking it or making a placement. Third, by being alert to watch the ball strike the net, the net recovery-shot artist will move to the correct position, turn one side toward the net, and, crouching, will wait until the ball has bounced as far from the net as possible before playing it. The possibility for him to make a good recovery shot increases as the distance between the net and the ball increases. Many net recoveries are made to look easy if the ball is allowed to drop almost to the floor before being played. This pause also gives the wise player more time to be ready to perform a good bounce.

Quicken Your Reactions—Here's How!

Playing a game in which at close range you must react to a ball traveling faster than Bob Feller's fast ball traveled in baseball, you must seek to quicken your reactions. Train them to alert you to move to intercept the ball. Learn to time your bounce pass so that a team mate may make a good set or spike.
Practice alone, bouncing the ball against a wall and keeping it up so it strikes the wall 10 to 15 feet above the floor. Use a variety of recovery shots as each successive rebound from the wall gives you opportunity. Emphasize meeting the ball squarely—practice—practice—keep it up and bouncing —challenge yourself to count your bounces until you can rebound almost endlessly.

Practice with a partner. Toss the ball into the air so he may spike it at you. Have him spike it easily at first so you may employ your bounce recovery shots and may attempt to bounce the ball back into the air toward him. He, in turn, may spike it again at you. As you develop this practice, seek to use the two-hand chest pass whenever you can. Employ the bounce recovery to return his spike when you cannot get in position to use the chest pass. This is practice for a spiker's timing; his spike should be directly at you, while your aim is to quicken recovery-bounce reactions. A net is not used in this practice.

Practice with a group in a circle warm-up exercise, using recovery shots as a pepper-drill in keeping the ball bouncing about the circle. In pregame warm-up while team mates are taking turns spiking, get them to spike directly at you and stand crouched in varying floor positions to attempt to use recovery bounces to field their spikes.

Set your personal goals high enough to really challenge your abilities. Then, practice—practice—practice to become a perfectionist.

References

De Groot, Lt. Col. E. B., Jr., personal correspondence, July 11, 1959.
Welch, J. Edmund, ed., 1960 Official Volleyball Guide (Berne, Ind.: USVBA Printer), p. 164.
Wickstrom, Ralph L., "How to.Teach the Underhand Pass in Volleyball," Journal of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation, January, 1959, p. 20.

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