Technical Report (U17 Women’s World Championship 2024) – Returning it to the development category

U17 Women’s World Championship 2024′ Technical Report: Feedback to Document and Carry Forward

I want to share as much as possible about this experience and the emotions from a volleyball perspective, hoping to connect it to the future. Please excuse my disorganized thoughts.

Offense

• Attack Mindset: First and foremost, every player must possess a strong will to attack and prepare to aggressively score points.
• Tempo & Slots: When competing at the global top level, we must anticipate 190-200cm blockers coming in multiple waves with lead blocking. We need to use tempo and slot concepts to create numerical superiority.
• Maximal Jumps: Players must use a powerful approach to maximize their athletic ability and jump high.
• Out-of-System: In out-of-system situations, we emphasized utilizing shots effectively, using the block, creating rallies, and jumping and hitting firmly even when the set is not perfect.
• Fundamental Skills Gap: Many players had virtually no experience with first-tempo attacks, attacking with multiple hitters, or hitting back-row attacks. Similarly, many setters were jumping sets for the first time. We need to normalize these skills quickly, using videos and other tools to transform visualization into power.
• Keys to Success: The consistent use of a high-percentage,立体的な攻撃 (立体的な攻撃 – “multi-dimensional attack,” meaning attacks from various positions and tempos) with middle blockers (MBs) around 20-25% and back-row attacks also around 20-25% was a major factor in our ability to compete and advance globally.
• China Final – Missed Opportunity: In the final match against China, their block employed a spread shift. This meant a single block was committing to middle area attacks. This was precisely the time when we should have consistently run middle and pipe attacks through the center. However, the opponent’s strong serves and our predictable quick attacks, used “only” when available, led to commitments that took away the setter’s options. This bias towards setting outside against a spread-commit block was a significant factor in our loss.
• Tactical Understanding: A major gain was our ability to understand and selectively apply basic offensive tactics like Opening, Over-load, and Set against movement based on the opponent. Developing the awareness to play “against the opponent” is a necessary perspective for enjoying volleyball going forward, and experiencing this enjoyment was a very significant achievement.
• Skill Development: We also worked on acquiring skills such as the Crossbody shot and Wrist away, improving situational awareness, and making quick adjustments to short, tight sets that were off-system.

Net Defense (Block)

• Bunch Read Block: We primarily used a bunch read block, always aiming for multiple blocks against any attack. This is also to broaden our options tactically in the future. To make the choice to not go for a block even when you can, you first need the prerequisite ability to go for it.
• Communication is Key: Blocking is communication. We strived to coordinate with the diggers, determining where to guide the opponent’s hit and what to block, or even just applying pressure by forcing the opponent to change their hitting course.
• Addressing Delays: One major cause of delays was “panicking.” We trained “See & Respond,” allowing players to realize they had enough time.
• Countering Height: To counter taller opponents, we focused on being faster, higher, and more forward. To achieve this, we first worked on acquiring swing block technique, integrating it from training and body control sessions.
• Side Blocker Involvement: For attacks in the opponent’s middle area, side blocker participation in the block is necessary. We conveyed this awareness and the associated techniques (Quick-one, Fast-one), starting with simple drills and building repetition.
• Understanding Block Success: I believe players understood the meaning of a read block only after grasping what constitutes blocking success/achievement. Beyond kill blocks, blocking brings many other benefits, helping the team and pressuring the opponent.
• Adjusting to Specific Attacks: We also worked on adjusting to single-leg back slides, which are rarely seen in this domestic category.

Floor Defense

• Handling Powerful Attacks: To receive high-speed, sharp attacks, players need to handle the ball in front of their bodies.
• Ball Size Adjustment: Some players in this category typically use a size 4 ball. Few players overseas use a size 4 ball, so the fundamental skills differ. Players first need to understand that they can’t run through the ball, don’t have time to swing their arms, and simply aren’t strong enough to return the ball precisely to the intended spot.
• Approach Distance: We strived to ensure all players secured enough approach distance for the initial high first ball. Furthermore, by using jump sets, we aimed to obscure the opponent’s middle blocker’s view and delay their reaction as much as possible, thereby gaining relative time.
• Challenges in Center Back Defense: A primary challenge was center-back defense. Because players weren’t accustomed to positioning based on the block, new challenges emerged as their blocking awareness improved. These included positioning when caught up in a read block, or anticipating and reacting when gaps appeared that the opponent might try to exploit.
• Transitioning to Attack: Many players are typically primary attackers whose connecting role is handled by others, leading to a very common tendency to drop back for an attack approach before focusing on defense or connection. Developing the awareness to circulate the ball and create rallies is another future challenge.

…To be continued ↓↓