These are just a few of the blocking and defensive plays us AVP players run. Again, my job is to bait them into thinking and swinging towards an open angle, but I close down the angle last minute. I flash four fingers, show angle early, and then dive block into the angle. The strategy is to bait my opponent into thinking line is open for a hard swing, but I dive into the line last minute and clamp down for a block.Ĥ- This blocking strategy is the opposite of the three call. Flashing three fingers, I will make a dive block towards the line. Blocking may be a defensive strategy but I see this play as an offensive move and I’m going for the point.ģ- Strategy gets a little crazier now. Holding a closed fist means I’m going to read and block the ball, and my defender will read and dig what she sees. If I decide to pull because of a bad set, then I will pull in the angle direction.Ĭlosed fist- The closed fist comes into play when my scouting report and confidence is strong against a hitter. Now, if the set is off the net and I decide to pull back for defense (and am ready to use my hands to dig ?), then I will pull line down the line.Ģ – For the two finger signal, I’m blocking angle and my defender will slide into the line to dig line. Next up… the decryption of the numbers and signals.ġ – This signal means I’m going to block line and my defender will play defense in the angle. Confused yet?!? Stick with me and we can figure this out together. The sign on your left hand corresponds to your left side of the court (the athlete playing right side), and the sign on your right hand corresponds to the right side of the court (the athlete playing left side). When you see a player flash a number behind their back they are communicating with their teammate on what their block and defensive play will be.
While teams may have different signals for specific plays, here is the Hand Signals 101 that majority of teams use. Those numbers are all signals for defensive plays and strategies.
These are from the Torexe Play Book and used by all our teams.Many fans wonder, “What’s the madness behind the numbers the athletes hold above their back side?” Well, I’m going to solve one of the biggest mysteries for the average volleyball fan and give you some inside information on what is being communicated. Have fun in your team by setting up your own moves, if you are new to Torexe, then please have a look at the following documents. Others interesting hand signal would be the 61 shoot, the slide, the cross over, the tamdom, the list goes on. If we converted these to the Torexe moves, we would have (L to R): 41, 22, (this is a wagging finger) so a quick 31 short, 42 meter ball. Unlike the blocking signals, the attack signal are not standard and could mean anything. Peter Bakare, no 1, middle photo has an open hand, on this move he doesn’t think much of the hitter, so he is going for the ball.įor the attack, the setter signals the first play of any rally, making sure that the opposition can not see (hence pulling out the shirt). On Saturday I went and watched Polonia London against Team Northumbria & Sheffield take on Team Northumbria at this years Cup Final.ĭefense hand signals (behind your bum) are standard throughout the sport: 1 for blocking the line, 2 for cross court for us normal people. So last Fridays we ran through the Torexe Topguns hand signals, which you all had fun with.
Along with the net numbering system, all good teams use attack and defense hand signals to call the next move.