Read & Close vs. Live Hitter

Steps

1. 01Begin as the pin blocker in ready position while a setter delivers live sets to a hitter attacking off a box or a full approach.
2. 02Read the setter's hands and ball path, then transfer your eyes to the hitter and delay until the approach commits.
3. 03Press aggressively over the tape onto the hitter's side, hands over-and-in to channel the ball down into the court rather than off your hands out of bounds.
4. 04Absorb contact with firm wrists and a stable, shrugged shoulder line so the ball rebounds straight down.
5. 05Land in balance without contacting the net, then peel off two feet into transition with your eyes back to the ball.

Common mistakes

• Reaching up and back so blocked balls deflect out of bounds instead of penetrating down.
• Soft wrists at contact that let the hitter tool the ball high off the hands.
• Drifting forward and touching the net or landing across the centerline into the opponent's court, a net or centerline fault.
• Freezing after the block instead of releasing into transition.