How can you help players hone specific skills? Use focus points that help them improve daily. To implement this strategy, ask players to select a skill to work on. Next, have each player break down that skill into two or three smaller aspects. Instruct them to create precise phrases that will help them remember these various points. These are the items they should focus on during practice.
As a way to train hitting deep in the court, for instance, an attacker could use “hit fingers” as a focus point. To achieve a better approach to the ball, a player might think “first step, heel to toe.”
Hear more on this topic from three-time All-American and former U.S. National Team player Juliann Faucette Johnson on how focus points helped her during her playing career.
