What is court vision and how does it help your game?
Have you ever wondered how some players seem to always find the open court. They can shoot the ball around or blast to the beautiful open sand. This is done by players that can actually look to the other side of the court, also known as court vision.
Whether you are playing offense or defense, developing court vision is always a competitive advantage. By learning how to see where the other team is and anticipate their next move, you too can cultivate this magic super power and improve your game.
What is Court Vision?
Simply put, court vision is the ability to gather information and find a competitive advantage by looking at what the other team is doing.
As an offensive player, court vision is your ability to look for open places on the court so you can strategically place the ball and take apart the other team’s defense. As a defensive player, court vision is your ability to read the other team’s hitter to anticipate where the ball is going, forcing them to hit the ball right to you.
An often overlooked skill, learning to focus on the other team and developing your court vision can be your secret weapon.
3 easy ways to use court vision to help your game
1. Taking a peek - improve your offensive game
When just starting out, practice taking a peek at where the other team is right before you hit the ball. Many players are so focused on getting the ball over the net that they don’t have any idea of where the other team’s defense is. If you are just hitting the ball over with no awareness of where they are then you are most likely hitting right to them. This is never a great strategy if you want to win.
Taking a peek allows you to gather much needed information for quick decision making. Next time you are on the court I want you to practice taking a peek to the other side of the court to see what the opposing team is doing. It may feel awkward at first but starting to incorporate this into your hitting is the first step to developing court vision.
2. Look at the hitter’s shoulder - improve your defensive game
As a defensive player, when the other team is going to hit being able to anticipate where the ball is going is a huge competitive advantage.Instead of focusing your attention on the ball, focus on the hitter’s shoulder.
The hitter’s shoulder will tell you everything you need to know about what they are trying to do. What direction is their shoulder facing - the corner? straight on? Are they set on or off the net? Is their approach fast or slow? Learning to read the other team’s offense will help you develop your defensive court vision and seriously impact their ability to score.
3. Call out shots - help your teammate
As a hitter you want to try to read the other team’s defense. However if you’re the setter and your teammate is going to hit, being able to call out what the other team is doing is a huge help.
Whether you are telling them if there is a blocker or calling out an open shot they should take, focusing on how to set your teammate up for success will greatly improve to ability to work together for a win.
Hopefully this information helps you understand what court vision is and why it is so helpful. Stay tuned for more blogs where I’ll go into more detail about how to train your court vision and when to use it.
See you on the beach!
Matthew
