Errors add up

I've been thinking about ways to minimizing as many *simple* errors as possible. Every point scored against us should be earned and not just given away. In close fought games those simple errors may add up to aggravating losses. Let's face it, we're not going to be blowing away every team we face in semi-finals and beyond so we need to play smart and treat every round like it's game point. There are a few things we do that give teams easy points that can be solved with better communication.

On serve returns, we need to communicate/remind that the non serving player needs to watch that far front corner and the server defends the backcourt for the first few kicks then float back to the regular lateral formation (or whatever the situation dictates). Sure, it can be argued that it's rare to be dinked in that spot right after the serve but I think that's pretty weak (and lazy) especially since the solution to the problem is to just simply take a few steps past center court to cover that area.

Also, when we happen to be in the "I" formation defensively, I think the rear player should call out who defends the incoming shots. When I defend front and center I am not always aware of where my partner is behind me. When the shot goes deeper than expected but still just within my reach I will still swing at it. What happens often is that my partner may have been in a better position to get a controlled dig/bump (vs a wild, half blind weak outside kick from me) starts to swing at the bag the same time I do, then we see each other - and we both stop and the shot scores an easy kill! I think that a simple call from the rear defender to coordinate the defense can minimize this problem. I say rear defender because he has view of the entire court and knows where everyone is. The only shots the front player should call are blocks, dinks and easy bumps within his range.

With that said, if a defender takes the initiative to rush the net to make a play, he should call it just as a head's up to his partner. The partner, if he hadn't read the play already, should then rotate over to the middle (or wherever he may think the shot is going) to defend the open area. If there is no rotation, it easily leaves half the court wide open.

One final way I can think to minimize simple errors is to defend shots headed for lines aggressively. There are way too many uncontested shots/serves that hit the line because we assume it's headed out. I say we play the lines like they were a foot wide and we defend EVERYTHING unless the shot is ridiculously out of bounds. Singles finals at the last WCC was an excellent example of this as Cory and Jerbear defended deep shots that may have been just out of bounds. They didn't take any chances and turned what could have been easy uncontested kills into long rallies. How many times have you let a shot fly past you only to land in bounds and you get pissed at yourself for not doing anything? This should NEVER happen. EVER. Challenge the shot! Do not give away points! Sure you may still shank it but at least you've given yourself a chance at making a play. If you just watch you don't give yourself much of a chance and leave it all to luck. Fuck that.

Discussion is welcomed.