Category Archives: Volleyball

MAXIMUM PRESSURE FOR MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE AT ALL TIMES

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Whether it’s a volleyball, football, basketball, playground ball, water polo ball, soccer ball, rugby ball, etc., etc., all inflatable balls feature a maximum pressure stamped right into the ball.  This number can usually be found in close proximity to the inflation valve on the ball.  A lot of individuals completely ignore this number until that fateful day when the ball they are inflating explodes in their hands, a scary and dangerous situation.  Other see this number as a warning only.  DO NOT INFLATE TO MORE THAN XXX POUNDS OF PRESSURE.  At least they will not have to worry about the previously mentioned explosion.  To those of us in the know however this number is more of a “sweet spot”, the pressure at which that particular ball will perform its best.  In some cases you may find that a slightly different pressure performs better to you, your own custom “sweet spot”.

Don’t think that ball pressure is that important to your game?  Have you ever bounced an under inflated basketball?  Ever tried to get a spiral out of a football that needed some more air?  Try spiking an under inflated volleyball.  Ever kick a soccer ball and wonder why it didn’t travel in the correct direction.  Under inflation could have been the problem.  Inflation pressure is important not only to the longevity of the product but also its performance.

A lot of research money has gone into making sure that the bladder and valve on your ball will hold air correctly.  Huge amounts of money have gone into developing new bladder technologies, that’s how important air retention is when it comes to inflatable sports balls.  The sports balls of today don’t require nearly as much re-inflation as they used to which is good news.  Another big stride taken against under inflated sports balls is the ability to purchase some very small hand pumps to keep your sports balls inflated to the proper level even on the fields.

Many products are available and they can all get the job done.  The pocket pump, pocket pistol, double action hand pump, the 10”ball inflator.  There are dozens of styles to choose from.  There is one problem with most designs however.  They can inflate the ball but they don’t tell you the current pressure.  You need a separate inflation gauge for that.  That is until now. 

The new Pocket Pump With Gauge offers the handy size and easy to use design of the pocket pump with a built in pressure gauge so that you know when you have inflated the ball to its “sweet spot”.  You can pick up your Pocket Pump With Gauge at www.morleyathletic.com where you will find all of the supplies and equipment you need to run a successful sports program.

VOLLEYBALL TRAINING IN A SMALL PACKAGE

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Anyone involved in the sport of volleyball knows that there’s no lack of available volleyball training aids.  Block trainers, spike trainers, jump trainers.  The majority of these items are relatively large items which makes them expensive and bulky.  That’s not to say that they’re not worth it.  Most of them have been on the market for years and a lot of coaches swear by the technique that they teach.  Sometimes training devices that take up a little less space and require a little less investment are sought after by the individual player so they can practice in the back yard or local gym.  Here is a short list of a few items that won’t drain your wallet but will still offer some good training.

The Pass Rite is an easy to use training tool that utilizes a durable elastic band that attaches to the passer’s wrists and ankles preventing excessive upward arm movement. The small, lightweight Velcro wrist cuffs were designed to minimize ball contact interference. The elastic band is adjustable to accommodate any passer’s height.   This simple device is lightweight, easy to use and helps with muscle memory to ensure proper form on the court.

The Volleyball Pal is a useful device that allows for hours of practice without the need of another person. It consists of a Velcro strap that secures around the waist, a neoprene pouch that holds the volleyball, and an elastic cord connecting the waist strap to the ball pouch. The smooth action of the elastic cord guides the ball back to the player every time. Use the volleyball pal to practice serving tosses or arm swing technique without ever having to chase a ball! The volleyball pal is really an efficient way to practice.  Not having to chase volleyballs around means more time for focusing on skills.

Like the Pass Rite above the Perfect Passer is a must for every volleyball coach. The original perfect passer was developed as a learning tool to eliminate excessive upward arm movement while performing a fore arm passes. Durable elastic bands are attached to passer’s wrists and ankles. Color coded Velcro® cuffs with symbols for hands and feet reduce confusion for 1st time users. Easily adjusts to accommodate different student heights. Made in the USA by the original designer. It’s the hand and foot symbols that set this model apart making it perfect for younger or beginner players.

Tachikara’s TB-18 “The Setter” Volleyball is a popular weighted training ball that was created to specifically help setters build hand/finger strength through repetitions.  This “pound of volleyball” is a vital training aid for teams that are serious about improving their setting skills.  The additional weight helps build a setter’s strength while helping them develop proper position and form.

That’s four training items that are easy to use, can be used by a single player and won’t break the bank.  In fact you could buy all four of these items for the price of one larger piece of training equipment.  You will find the four training items above along with all of the more traditional types of volleyball training equipment and your other volleyball needs including custom uniforms at www.morleyathletic.com.

Quality Fund Raiser Item

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Are you looking for an item you can sell as a fundraiser but you are sick of selling junk food and items that are tacky.  Then you should look into the custom logo locker room stools.  

Custom logo locker room stools are not only classy but will last for a long time.  These stools are compact and comfortable.  They have a padded seat top that features a durable vinyl cover. The stools frame is made of heavy duty steel for long lasting value.  The stools also fold compact for easy storage.  They are available in 11 frame colors and 9 vinyl colors giving you a wide variety of color combinations to create any combination you like.

Since these are custom stools you can get your school logo or mascot printed on them. If you have a club or some other logo you want to use no problem.  You can do up to a four color logo on these stools so pick whatever you want the sky is the limit.  The custom stools will make a great souvenir that can be used in the homes of the people that buy them.  These locker rooms stools would make a great addition to a fathers garage or a grandmothers sewing room.  They will remind buyers of their family member who was in a specific sports program or a club for years to come. Chess club could do a fund raiser with these awesome stools.  I can see a nice black knight chess club logo in my head already. Just think of all the different areas these stools could be used.  I think people would rather get something useful and memorable when purchasing a fund raiser item,don’t you?  These stools are just that item.  They look awesome and are durable as well.

Before you sign up with some people that tell you to sell junk food to raise funds look into the custom locker room stools to sell.  Go to morleyathletic.com and check out the stools and the helpful video that is offered.  Why sell people who are donating to your program junk food, when you can sell them a high quality memorable custom stool that instills pride in your organization.

Practice Like a Warrior

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Soldiers in every country train for battles.  Sports players practice for games.  What they do is very different but the reason they do it is not.  There are psychological and physical benefits to practicing for situations of high stress like battles and games.  Psychologically we train to build confidence under pressure.  We also train so that we become offensive and head into battle rather than shrink from it.  While sports are less life threatening than battles the same principles apply.  A football scrimmage with other team mates will help you mentally prepare for a game with an opposing team. 

But the real benefit of practicing is the physical side.  You can have all the confidence in the world but if you can’t get the ball in the goal you do not have a chance.  Muscle memory is where the big advantages come in.  Doing a task a few thousand times will help get it ingrained into your muscle and into your brain. Shoot a layup 2000 times and you will be able to do it like clockwork.  The greats of the greats like Michael Jordan spent a lot of extra time on the basketball court practicing.  He was out on the court after everybody left and this simple fact made him possibly the greatest basketball player of all time.  Once you do something enough it almost becomes an instinct.  Soldiers practice shooting, rushing bunkers, and jumping out of planes.  They do this so that when they go to battle they will have that instinct and the edge over the enemy.

The more you practice the better off you will be.  You do want to make sure that you train or practice the correct way as well because if you do it wrong 2000 times you will not have the advantage but a great disadvantage.

I would suggest checking out some coaching videos that will help you learn how to practice the right way.  You can find hundreds of them at www.morleyathletic.com.  There are videos on baseball, basketball, field hockey, football, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track & field, volleyball, water polo and wrestling.

Morelyathletic.com also has the equipment you need to practice with.  Get the gear and the info and start practicing like a warrior today.

Catch-It To Increase Volleyball Practice Time

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Volleyball is a fast paced sport and to become a good player you need to practice a full range of drills.  Passing, spiking, serving and setting are all important parts of the game.  The problem is to practice these drills you need to hit the ball and when you hit the ball you then need to go get it before you can hit it again.  Of course you should have a couple of dozen balls to hit but chasing them around the gym can really eat up practice time.  I know, I know use one of the balls on a cord right?  Well those are great but not effective for all your drills.  The solution is the Catch-It. 

The Catch-It develops the skills of passing, setting, serving and spiking that need constant perfecting.  The Catch-It is an adjustable target that collects balls for more efficient use in drills.  The Catch-It’s multiple adjustments make it ideal for refining players skills in less time.  The Catch-It is made of durable materials and adjusts easily.  It’s large opening size offers a generous target for training novice and experienced players alike.

Some accessories are available for the Catch-It such as the Bask-It which is a rolling ball cart that fits under the unit to make the balls readily available to keep the action going.  The Bask-It will hold up to 25 balls making it perfect for use with the Catch-It.

The Catch It Partner is a net that attaches over the top of the catch it allowing balls to rebound back to the player.  The target area can be set at the exact point that the hitter will contact the set.  This precise target area gives immediate feedback of the position and accuracy of the set.  Great for practicing high outside setting, shoot setting and quick set offenses continuously with only one ball.  Also great for a multitude of passing and serving drills.

The Catch-It Targ-It is designed for very high level programs to refine the skill of passing.  The Targ-It reduces the opning of the Catch-It to a 2 foot diameter circle so that you can practice real precision in your shots.  Attach the Catch-It Targ-It over the top of the Catch-It to reduce the target area from 4′ x 4′ to a 2′ diameter circle.

The only drawback of the Catch-It system has been its large size.  It is really designed to be used in one location.  There is a solution however, the Catch-It Jr.  The Catch-It Jr. is a lighter version of the Catch-It. Slightly smaller than the original Catch-It, the Catch It Jr. Trainer is perfect for club programs or those programs with multiple gyms. The Catch It Jr. Trainer’s multiple adjustments make it an ideal tool to refine the skills of passing, serving, spiking and setting. The smaller size will fit thru most gymnasium doors. Assembles in minutes. Carry bag included.

When it comes to increasing your practice time you can’t go wrong with the Catch-It or Catch-It Jr.  Either model along with their available accessories can be purchased at www.morleyathletic.com where you will find great pricing on all of your other volleyball needs as well.