Volleyball is a sport that requires a lot of skills, teamwork and intelligence. There are many aspects of the game that a player needs to master, but some of the most important are the technical fundamentals: Attack, Serve, Receive, Defense, Set, Cover. These are the skills that make the difference between winning and losing a rally, a set or a match. But what do the best volleyball coaches in the world think about these fundamentals? How do they teach them to their players? What are their tips and secrets for improving them? We will share some of the quotes from some of the most successful and respected volleyball coaches in the international scene. We will not go into the details of each fundamental, but rather focus on what these coaches have to say about them.

Attack

The attack is the skill that allows a team to score points by hitting the ball over the net and into the opponent’s court. It is one of the most spectacular and exciting skills in volleyball, but also one of the most challenging. A good attacker needs to have power, speed, accuracy, timing and vision. Here are some quotes from three great volleyball coaches about the attack:

Karch Kiraly: “Volleyball is not like a formula so we must give players some freedom. I don’t like my hitters thinking too much about hitting. I want them to see what’s happening on the other side of the net and then just hit it.”

Bernardo Rezende: “The attack is not only about power, but also about technique and intelligence. You have to know how to vary your shots according to the situation. You have to be able to hit hard when you have a good set and a clear space, but also to hit smart when you have a bad set or a well-formed block. You have to be unpredictable and creative.”

Lang Ping: “The attack is not only about hitting the ball hard, but also about hitting it with quality. You have to pay attention to your approach, your arm swing, your wrist snap and your contact point. You have to hit the ball with topspin, so it can drop faster and harder. You have to hit the ball with different angles and trajectories, so you can avoid or use the block.”

Serve

The serve is the skill that starts every rally in volleyball. It is the only skill that a player can perform without any interference from the opponent or teammates. It is also one of the most important skills in volleyball, as it can create pressure on the opponent’s reception and defense, or even score direct points with an ace. A good server needs to have power, accuracy, consistency and variety. Here are some quotes from three great volleyball coaches about the serve:

Hugh McCutcheon: “The serve is the first line of offense and the first line of defense. It can set the tone for the whole rally. You have to serve with purpose and aggression, but also with control and precision. You have to serve to specific zones or players, according to your game plan and the opponent’s weaknesses. You have to serve with different speeds, spins and trajectories, so you can keep the opponent guessing and off balance.”

Giovanni Guidetti: “The serve is the most important skill in volleyball, because it can change everything in a second. It can give you an advantage or a disadvantage, depending on how you serve. You have to serve with confidence and courage, but also with intelligence and adaptation. You have to serve according to the score, the rotation, the situation and the opponent’s reaction. You have to serve with different types of serves, such as jump serve, float serve, spin serve or hybrid serve, so you can create different problems for the opponent.”

Massimo Barbolini: “The serve is the skill that can make the difference between winning and losing a match. It can give you momentum or take it away from you, depending on how you serve. You have to serve with pressure and consistency, but also with variation and surprise. You have to serve to different areas or players, depending on your strategy and the opponent’s strengths. You have to serve with different techniques, such as jump float, jump spin or standing float, so you can exploit different weaknesses of the opponent.”

Receive

The receive is the skill that allows a team to control the opponent’s serve and set up their own attack. It is one of the most fundamental and essential skills in volleyball, as it determines how well a team can run their offense and score points. A good receiver needs to have good footwork, posture, platform and communication. Here are some quotes from three great volleyball coaches about the receive:

John Speraw: “The receive is the skill that sets up everything else in volleyball. It is the foundation of your offense and defense. You have to receive with good technique and discipline, but also with anticipation and reaction. You have to receive with good footwork, so you can get in position quickly and efficiently. You have to receive with good posture, so you can create a stable platform with your arms. You have to receive with good communication, so you can call for the ball or help your teammates.”

Zoran Terzic: “The receive is the skill that can make the difference between winning and losing a match. It can give you an advantage or a disadvantage, depending on how you receive. You have to receive with confidence and courage, but also with intelligence and adaptation. You have to receive according to the score, the rotation, the situation and the opponent’s reaction. You have to receive with different types of passes, such as overhead pass, forearm pass or bump set, so you can create different opportunities for your team.”

Debbie Green: “The receive is the skill that can surprise and delight your setters. It can show them that you trust them and that you want them to succeed. You have to receive with precision and consistency, but also with variation and surprise. You have to receive with precision, so you can deliver the ball to your setters in the right spot, speed and height. You have to receive with consistency, so you can build a rapport with your setters and make them comfortable. You have to receive with variation, so you can use different types of passes or plays according to your setters’ abilities and preferences. You have to receive with surprise, so you can catch the opponent off guard and give your setters an edge.”

Defense

The defense is the skill that allows a team to prevent the opponent from scoring points by blocking or digging their attacks. It is one of the most challenging and rewarding skills in volleyball, as it requires a lot of physical and mental toughness, agility and teamwork. A good defender needs to have good reading, anticipation, positioning and reaction. Here are some quotes from three great volleyball coaches about the defense:

Hugh McCutcheon: “The defense is the skill that shows your character and your commitment to your team. It is not easy to play defense, because you have to deal with a lot of power, speed and unpredictability from the opponent. You have to play defense with good technique and discipline, but also with anticipation and reaction. You have to play defense with good reading, so you can see what the opponent is doing and where they are going. You have to play defense with good positioning, so you can cover the most likely areas of attack. You have to play defense with good reaction, so you can move quickly and efficiently to the ball.”

Zoran Terzic: “The defense is the skill that can make the difference between winning and losing a match. It can give you momentum or take it away from you, depending on how you play defense. You have to play defense with confidence and courage, but also with intelligence and adaptation. You have to play defense according to the score, the rotation, the situation and the opponent’s reaction. You have to play defense with different types of blocks and digs, such as soft block, hard block, roll shot, pancake or dive, so you can create different opportunities for your team.”

Massimo Barbolini: “The defense is the skill that can surprise and frustrate the opponent. It can show them that you are not afraid of them and that you are ready to fight for every point. You have to play defense with pressure and consistency, but also with variation and surprise. You have to play defense with different strategies and systems, such as rotational defense, perimeter defense or man-up defense, so you can exploit different weaknesses of the opponent.”

Set

The set is the skill that allows a team to deliver the ball to their attackers in the best possible way. It is one of the most crucial and complex skills in volleyball, as it requires a lot of precision, timing and vision. A good setter needs to have good technique, decision-making and communication. Here are some quotes from three great volleyball coaches about the set:

Debbie Green: “The set is the skill that connects everything in volleyball. It is the skill that makes your teammates look good and makes your opponents look bad. You have to set with good technique and discipline, but also with creativity and intuition. You have to set with good technique, so you can control the ball with your fingers and not your palms. You have to set with good discipline, so you can follow the rules and not double contact or lift the ball. You have to set with creativity, so you can vary your sets according to your hitters’ abilities and preferences. You have to set with intuition, so you can read the game and choose the best option for each situation.”

Giovanni Guidetti: “The set is the skill that can change everything in a second. It can give you an advantage or a disadvantage, depending on how you set. You have to set with confidence and courage, but also with intelligence and adaptation. You have to set according to the score, the rotation, the situation and the opponent’s reaction. You have to set with different types of sets, such as quick sets, high sets, back sets or pipe sets, so you can create different problems for the opponent.”

Lang Ping: “The set is the skill that can surprise and delight your hitters. It can show them that you trust them and that you want them to succeed. You have to set with precision and consistency, but also with variation and surprise. You have to set with precision, so you can deliver the ball to your hitters in the right spot, speed and height. You have to set with consistency, so you can build a rapport with your hitters and make them comfortable. You have to set with variation, so you can use all your hitters and keep them involved. You have to set with surprise, so you can catch the opponent off guard and give your hitters an edge.”

Cover

The cover is the skill that allows a team to protect their attackers from being blocked by the opponent. It is one of the most overlooked and underrated skills in volleyball, as it requires a lot of awareness, sacrifice and teamwork. A good coverer needs to have good reading, positioning and reaction. Here are some quotes from three great volleyball coaches about the cover:

John Dunning: “The cover is the skill that shows your respect and support for your hitters. It is the skill that can save a point or a game when your hitter is blocked. You have to cover with good reading and positioning, but also with reaction and courage. You have to cover with good reading, so you can see where the block is forming and where the ball might come back. You have to cover with good positioning, so you can get close to your hitter and fill the gaps around them. You have to cover with good reaction, so you can move quickly and efficiently to the ball. You have to cover with courage, so you can dive or sprawl if necessary to keep the ball alive.”

Karch Kiraly: “The cover is the skill that shows your commitment and trust for your team. It is the skill that can create a second chance or a transition opportunity when your hitter is blocked. You have to cover with good technique and discipline, but also with anticipation and reaction. You have to cover with good technique, so you can control the ball with your platform or your hands. You have to cover with good discipline, so you can follow your team’s system and rules for covering. You have to cover with anticipation, so you can be ready for any situation and any type of block. You have to cover with reaction, so you can adjust to any deflection or direction of the ball.”

Debbie Green: “The cover is the skill that shows your intelligence and vision for your offense. It is the skill that can turn a bad situation into a good one when your hitter is blocked. You have to cover with good communication and decision-making, but also with creativity and intuition. You have to cover with good communication, so you can call for the ball or help your teammates. You have to cover with good decision-making, so you can choose the best option for setting up another attack. You have to cover with creativity, so you can use different types of sets or plays according to your hitters’ abilities and preferences. You have to cover with intuition, so you can read the game and surprise the opponent with your choices.”

Who are the coaches and what have they done

Karch Kiraly: He is an American volleyball player, coach and broadcaster. He is the only person to win Olympic gold medals in both indoor and beach volleyball, as well as coaching the USA women’s national team to their first Olympic gold medal in 2020. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest volleyball players of all time.

Bernardo Rezende: He is a Brazilian volleyball coach and former player. He is the most successful coach in the history of Brazilian volleyball, leading the men’s national team to three Olympic gold medals (2004, 2016 and 2020), two World Championships (2002 and 2006) and eight World League titles. He also coached the women’s national team to two Olympic gold medals (2008 and 2012) and one World Championship (2006).

Lang Ping: She is a Chinese volleyball coach and former player. She is one of the most iconic figures in volleyball, winning an Olympic gold medal as a player in 1984 and as a coach in 2016, becoming the first person to achieve this feat in volleyball. She also coached USA to a silver medal in 2008 and China to a bronze medal in 1996. She is known as Jenny Lang or Iron Hammer for her powerful spikes.

John Speraw: He is an American volleyball coach and former player. He is the current head coach of the USA men’s national team and UCLA men’s volleyball team. He has won four NCAA titles as a coach (three with UC Irvine in 2007, 2009 and 2012, and one with UCLA in 2018) and one as a player with UCLA in 1995. He also won an Olympic gold medal as an assistant coach with USA in 2008 and a bronze medal as a head coach in 2016.

Zoran Terzic: He is a Serbian volleyball coach and former player. He is the current head coach of the Serbia women’s national team and CSM București, a Romanian club. He led Serbia to their first Olympic gold medal in any sport in 2020, as well as a World Championship title in 2018, two European Championship titles (2011 and 2017) and an Olympic silver medal in 2016.

Massimo Barbolini: He is an Italian volleyball coach and former player. He is the current head coach of Italy’s Conegliano, one of the best clubs in the world. He led Italy women’s national team to two World Championships (2002 and 2010), one Olympic silver medal (2004) and one European Championship (2009). He also coached Brazil to a World Grand Prix title (1998) and China to an Olympic bronze medal (1996).

Hugh McCutcheon: He is a New Zealand-born American volleyball coach and former player. He won three Olympic gold medals as a coach (one with the USA men’s national team in 2008 and two with the USA women’s national team in 2016 and 2020). He also won three NCAA titles as a head coach of UC Irvine (2007, 2009 and 2012) and one as a player with UCLA (1995). He is currently the head coach of both teams.

Giovanni Guidetti: He is an Italian volleyball coach and former player. He is the current head coach of the Netherlands women’s national team and VakıfBank, a Turkish club. He led the Netherlands to a fourth place finish at the 2016 Olympics, their best result since 1996. He also led Turkey to a fourth place finish at the 2019 World Cup, their best result ever. He has won several titles with VakıfBank, including four CEV Champions League titles.

Debbie Green: She is an American volleyball player, coach and broadcaster. She is considered by many as the best setter of all time. She won a silver medal with the USA women’s national team at the 1984 Olympics, where she was named the best setter of the tournament. She also won two NCAA titles as a player with USC (1976 and 1977) and one as an assistant coach with Long Beach State (1998).