What Coach Lea looks for

The checklist she runs on every defense clip

A real email from Coach Lea: the one thing to fix, how to fix it, and a drill to start on.

Coach Lea watches every rep herself and decides what matters, in what order, and what to change first. Working on the whole position? See Libero training.

She checks

Base position: low, weight forward, arms out and apart
Read: moving to the spot before the hitter contacts, then stopping
Platform on a hard ball: angled up and to target, absorbing not swinging
Emergency skills: collapse dig, sprawl, overhead dig with a firm platform
Recovery: back to the feet and ready for the next contact
Communication and seam responsibility (team film only)

Common errors

What usually shows up on defense film

From Coach Lea's checklist, in plain words. Your athlete probably has one or two of these, not all six.

Digging too low or flat

The ball is dug hard and low, straight back at the net or out of system. Usually the platform swings or is angled down.

Fix: cushion the ball with a softer platform angled up; think "dig high to the middle."

Standing up at the hitter's contact

The defender rises as the ball is hit and loses the first step.

Fix: be stopped and low at contact; move before, not during.

Reaching instead of moving

Feet stay planted and the arms chase the ball, so the platform is crooked.

Fix: short, quick steps to get the body behind the ball.

Late read

Eyes on the ball instead of the hitter's approach and shoulder, so the defender is still moving at contact.

Fix: read setter, then hitter, then ball; be set before the swing.

Afraid of the ball

The head turns or the body bails on hard swings, so contact is off the arms.

Fix: progressive reps from a box at increasing pace, head still, eyes through the ball.

No recovery

After a dig the defender stays down, and the next ball is lost.

Fix: dig, roll or push up, and be back in base before the ball crosses the net.

Coaching references:

How to film defense

The angle that lets us see it

From behind the defender's own end line, elevated if possible (bleachers), so you can see the hitter and the defender together
Whole body in frame
5–10 digs against a live hitter or a coach hitting from a box
For liberos, a second clip of serve receive goes to the passing analysis

Full filming guide

Coach Lea's Quick Check

$40 per clip

Coach Lea's email within 48 hours

A real email from Coach Lea: the one thing to fix, how to fix it, and a drill to start on. One athlete, one skill, one clip.

One athleteper submission

One skilla second skill is a second Quick Check

One clipa file or a shared link

30 sec – 2 minclip length

5 – 10 repsof the same skill

Whole body in frameside view for hitting and serving

Send a clip How to film

No payment on this site: after you submit, Coach Lea confirms your clip and sends payment details. Unusable clip (angle or lighting)? One free re-submission.

Every Quick Check is watched and written up by Coach Lea Conner — FHSAA Coach of the Year, 17 years coaching, with a 2018 National Championship season on the University of Tampa staff. Meet your coaches →

Not sure which one is yours? Send a clip.

One defense clip, Coach Lea's read in 48 hours. Related: Passing analysis · Blocking analysis.

Send a clip of your defense

← Back to Quick Check

Volleyball defense analysis: digging and floor position