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WORKSHOP

SHARING SITTING VOLLEYBALL WITH THE WORLD

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Who watched the Tokyo 2020 Games?

Who watched some of the Paralympic Games?

Who was aware that Sitting Volleyball is in the Paralympic Games?

Who has watched some Sitting Volleyball before?

VolleySLIDE

“Who has…”

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TUTOR NAME

Insert tutor photo

Insert tutor contact details

Insert tutor background info

Include information about the nearest Club?

Local Contact?

Regional/National Contact?

Insert a local action photo / logo

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VolleySLIDE’s Mission

To support the growth of Sitting Volleyball by providing aspiring and developing Sitting Volleyball programs with a resource that focuses on the inclusive and accessible natures of the sport.

‘The inclusive nature of Sitting Volleyball is a big aspect for me. In this sport, everybody is equal. No matter if they have a disability or not!

Ronja Schmölders (GER)

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Simple – easy to play, you just need a ball and a net

Liberating – playing provides a sense of freedom to all

Inclusive – at club level, anyone can play

Different – sat on the floor, sliding on your buttocks

Enjoyable - a fast, dynamic team sport

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VolleySLIDE resources available to download for FREE from:

https://www.worldparavolley.org/volleyslide/

VolleySLIDE Resources

VolleySLIDE

Full Coaching Resource & Task Cards

(available in 5 languages)

Short Resource

(available in 13+ languages)

Coaching Systems

Getting Started

Case Study

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VolleySLIDE

Learn about the characteristics of Sitting Volleyball
Identify what is needed to facilitate and start a game
Work through the different playing techniques
Consider what coaches should focus on
Try out different variations of game like activities
Signpost to further education opportunities within the sport

Workshop Objectives

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Sitting Volleyball is one of the most entertaining Paralympic sports and it is getting increasing attention as an exciting, fast game, and for its potential to be a tool for positive social change.

Thank you for showing an interest in our sport.

Housekeeping

Toilets,
Fire Alarm,
Emergency Exits,
Mobile Phones,
Practical expectations,
Medical Conditions

Any Questions?

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Schedule

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Any Questions…?

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Schedule (contd.)

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What is it

all about?

Theory Session

(20-30 minutes)

TOPICS

Introduction & objectives
Basic rules & history of the sport
Preconceptions & Differences
Game characteristics
Setting up a court and net

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What sport is this?

Volleyball. So what is

Sitting Volleyball?

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Most people associate these situations with the word ‘Sitting’…

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However, this is ‘Sitting Volleyball’…

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“People who know nothing about Sitting Volleyball always ask me what is it like to play and it is always so hard to explain. It is like trying to explain the taste of Strawberry - you can't explain it, you have to try it!”

Ivan Cosic (CRO)

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Common Misconceptions

Sitting Volleyball is played in a wheelchair.

Sitting Volleyball is a sport only for “disabled” people.

People living with an arm impairment, even with an amputation, struggle to play Sitting Volleyball.

Sitting Volleyball is slow as the athletes are “disabled”.

Sitting Volleyball players just sit still on the floor

and only play the ball when it comes to them.

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All athletes have the same physical impairments

and limitations when playing Sitting Volleyball.

The ball cannot be played using feet/legs.

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Sitting Volleyball – A walkthrough

Name: Danielle Ellis

From: White Rock, British Colombia

Shirt number: 3

Position: Outside Hitter

Debut: 2008

Recent honors:

2022 World Championship - Silver

Taking us through the basics of Sitting Volleyball, how the game is structured, and how to win, captain of team Canada…

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Sitting Volleyball Walkthrough

With photos of Danielle Ellis (CAN)

The ball must not be

caught and must “rebound”/”bounce”

off the body.

Teams start with six players on the court and the rest on the substitutes bench along with the Coaches.

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Sitting Volleyball Walkthrough

With photos of Danielle Ellis (CAN)

Teams have up to 3 touches to create an ‘attack…’

The game starts with a serve from behind the end line…

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Sitting Volleyball Walkthrough

With photos of Danielle Ellis (CAN)

You win the point if you get the ball to

touch the floor on the other side of the net…

Or if the opposition do not get the ball

back (in their allowed number of touches)…

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Sitting Volleyball Walkthrough

With photos of Danielle Ellis (CAN)

You can block at the net, even on

service, and this doesn’t count as

One of your permitted 3 touches…

Blockers can reach over the net when someone is attacking, but you cannot touch the top band of the net….

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Sitting Volleyball Walkthrough

With photos of Danielle Ellis (CAN)

The first team to 25 points wins the set.

Then the first team to 3 sets, wins the match.

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Taken from www.telegraph.co.uk

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THE GAME

Court Size: 10 m x 6 m

Net Heights:

Men – 1.15m

Women – 1.05m

Mixed 1.10m

Players on Court: 6 per team

Game Flow: 3 touches each transition and players can rebound the ball off any part of their body to get the ball up in the air. But they are only touch it twice consecutively when the first touch is a block.

Who can Play: Club level – Anyone, International level – Those who meet the Classification System Rules.

Invented in: 1956

Invented where: The Netherlands

International Federation: World Para Volley

2012 Medalists Male: Gold. Bosnia, Silver. Iran, Bronze. Germany

2012 Medalists Female: Gold. China, Silver. U.S.A., Bronze. Ukraine

Played in: 60+ countries

THE RULES

To win a Point:

1) Ground the ball on their opponent’s court

2) The opposition does not legally return the ball

In and Out: Any part of the ball touches the court/lines is IN

The Net: Players cannot touch the Net Lifting: One part of the players core (buttock to shoulder) must be in contact with the ground,

when playing the ball (Except when a defensive shot)

Starting: A Service is used, which is a one handed shot played with buttocks sat behind the back line of their half of the court. The opposition can block the Service when at the net if they wish.

THE HISTORY

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I was good

Club nearby

Different to all others

Love spiking!

Loved diving and rolling around on the floor

Paralympic opportunity

Why the players play…

Fast / Exciting

Anyone can play

Ultimate team sport

Enjoyed the coaching

It’s volleyball, sat on the floor

Only sport I could take my legs off

Taken from Athletes who competed in

the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

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What do you need to play?

Floor

Ball

Players

Net (a division)

or

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10m

3m

2m

6m

11.66m

Best options for court markings:

[1] It is played on a smooth surface that is free from anything sharp or likely to cause irritation to the skin..

[2] There are no breakable objects in the nearby vicinity (lights, pictures etc), as the ball can go anywhere!

NET

Court Setup Guidance:

Where possible, try and use what is already there

Consider how many participants you have

Choose an appropriate size

Make it safe by ensuring:

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Net Heights

?

Men	1.15 m
Mixed	1.10 m
Women	1.05 m
Junior	1.00 m

The net height is important to get right for the level of the group and the activity you are looking to run.

The LOWER the net:

The more contest you will between players
The easier it is for Attackers to spike
The harder it is for Defenders to keeping the rally going.

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There are lots of miniature versions of the sport used to aid development on the player pathway.

The MORE space on the court, the shorter the rallies will be.

So question yourself, are you looking to teach collaborative (ball control based play) or competitive (winning focused) play?

10m

6m

4m

8m

3m

4m

2m

3m

3.5m

6m

Court Dimensions

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It can be played anywhere…

Whilst getting ready for the next session try to think of other random places that you could play Sitting Volleyball.

The list should be endless!

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Sitting and Sliding

Practical Session

(20-30 minutes)

TOPICS

Court orientation
Different sitting positions
Different ways to move
Moving/playing the ball
Rotation requirements

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Playing

the Ball

Practical Session

(20-30 minutes)

TOPICS

Ball flight judgment
Digging
Volleying
Angles of ease

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Constructing

a Session

Theory Session

(15-20 minutes)

TOPICS

Training dos / don’ts
Specialisation
Communication
Feeding
Flow

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Coaches and players will spend more time training than they ever will playing matches. It is where improvements can be made on techniques (what we have covered so far) and the team tactical side.

Run an engaging ‘starter’ activity that is base sat on the floor and which requires gradually increasing movement

Allow players regular water and stretching breaks

Ensure that you use appropriate language

Start simple, and progress logically towards a more structured game

Positively reinforce publicly and work on individuals. mistakes…individually!

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ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Sitting Volleyball is different!

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Sitting Specifics

Avoid any long movement patterns – it is physically harder to move than you think!

Create a system to retrieve the balls (where possible avoiding the players having to do it)

Always feed the ball in in a ‘game like’ manner

Reduce unnecessary movements (i.e. when attacking, hit 2 or 3 balls before switching)

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Decide on some medium/long term goals
Create a phased plan where you work towards these each session
Allow players regular water and stretching breaks
Always feed the ball in a ‘game like’ manner
Work to identify Setter and Libero players
Keep if fun – even when the work is serious
Ensure that you use appropriate language

(e.g. use sitting/sliding as opposed to standing/running/jumping!)

Always do an appropriate warm-up

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Constructing a Session

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Communication is key, with a court so small everyone needs to know what is going on, so communicate before the service and whilst the ball is in play!

Speak towards those listening (sports hall acoustics are variable)
Explain why, it makes people much more likely to do something!
Talk about what players can do, rather than what they cannot
Avoid bouncing balls when speaking
Agree on ‘communication rules’ (i.e. serve

receivers to call their name before the ball

crosses the net.)

Use player names, and court positions
Be polite, but also clear about what you expect!

[PLEASE]

MOVE

YOUR

BUM!

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Communication

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Feeder/Coach

One of the hardest skills!

(for coaches, and players)

The 2 things that matter when feeding are trajectory and accuracy to target.

Remember, the higher the feed… the more time the receiver has to move!

Avoid Feeding:

from a standing position
from a position that a ball would never come from in a game
before players are ready to receive the ball
So tough so that your area of focus doesn’t get any time to practise/develop

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Feeding

As the coach, only feed you have no players able to do it as required.

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While at the top elite end, specialisation in terms of positions is important and necessary, however at some point in a match every player will need to do every skill. So when starting off it is important to make all players proficient at every area the game (serving, volleying, digging, attacking, blocking and defending). This will bring the best results in the long run.

Do you agree?

Specialisation is: getting each of your players performing their best skills as often as possible. (Ian Legrand, GB Head Coach)

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Specialisation

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Essentially this is the person who ‘sets’ the ball up for an attacker to spike.

Usually when you start this is a set position, however it can also be a person.

These players become the ‘target’ for the Passers and Defenders to try and get the ball to, so they can control the second touch and make it as hard as possible for the opposition to defend the attack.

A coaches aim should be:

…to get the players who are best at certain skills, doing them more frequently.

Then you are more likely to get a higher success rate.

Whilst not endorsing specificity within Volleyball when starting out, it is worth noting that the following two positions do require vastly different skill sets, physical attributes, mental capacity and personal competencies.

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Setter

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The higher the level of Volleyball, the more important the first contact. Teams will develop better Serves and Attacks and this results in the need for better Passing and better Defence.

The Libero:

Must wear a contrasting jersey color
Cannot block or attack the ball when it is above net height
Can replace any of the 3 back court players

A coaches aim should be:

…to get the players who are best at certain skills, doing them more frequently.

Then you are more likely to get a higher success rate.

Whilst not endorsing specificity within Volleyball when starting out, it is worth noting that the following two positions do require vastly different skill sets, physical attributes, mental capacity and personal competencies.

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Libero

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“The uniqueness of volleyball, wherever it is played, is that every point, is a ‘fail’ of one or the other team.

Since every rally results in a point, that is a lot of little moments to fail. Sitting Volleyball players need to be comfortable with losing a point so it doesn’t effect the next one, or five.”

John Kessel, Former World ParaVolley Development Director

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TIME FOR A BREAK!

BACK IN 15 MINUTES…

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‘It's not just "sitting around" waiting for a ball, it's so much more than that: It's extremely fast and you need so much body control. It's exhilarating! You must come and try it for yourself to really know what I mean.’

Corinna Cavier (GER)

‘There is nothing quite

like the feeling of spiking a ball and smashing it into the ground … or at an opponent!

Anton Raimondo (GBR)

‘For me sitting volleyball is a dynamic team game, it is not slow or boring in any way. Playing with and against people without a disability underlines the term of inclusion for me.’

Lukas Schiwy (GER)

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Serving &

Passing

Practical Session

(20-30 minutes)

TOPICS

When to start with a serve
Underarm (channels and targets)
Overarm (Float, top spin)
Passing concept
Setting concept

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Net Play

Practical Session

(30-40 minutes)

TOPICS

Attacking (“spiking” vs “tipping”)
Blocking
Jousting
Defending

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Game Play

Practical Session

(40-50 minutes)

TOPICS

Game like activities
Match play
Scoring
Reflections

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What’s next

Theory Session

(10-15 minutes)

TOPICS

Workforce pathways
Talent ID
Attendance Certificate
Other resources & content

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Sitting Volleyball

Playing…?

Classifying…?

Volunteering…?

Refereeing…?

Coaching…?

Minimum = You become a

Sitting Volleyball ‘advocate’!

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What’s next?

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There is an international education pathway for coaches – this is just the first step!

In fact, each of the four areas below go from Level 1 🡪 Level 3.

For more on what could be your next step, go to: https://www.worldparavolley.org/education/

Coaching

Classification

Refereeing

Technical Official

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Physical – ‘you can’t coach someone to have a big reach!’
Essential	Desirable
Core body strength (able to hold themselves upright when sat unaided on the floor)	Long upper body
Strong upper body	Long arms
Good manual dexterity	Big hands, strong fingers and wrists
A physical disability	Lower limb disability ideally on the opposite side to dominant arm (i.e. if right handed, then left leg disability)
One fully functioning upper limb	Two functioning upper limbs
Decent eyesight	Good, fast reactions
Previous conditioning	Current conditioning
Good power generation with dominant arm	Power generation using a whole body movement

Skills/Experience – ‘you can’t buy experience!’
Essential	Desirable
A good learner	A fast learner
A team player	Strong leadership qualities
A history of playing Sport	A history of Performance Sport
Hand eye coordination	A history of playing Volleyball
Ball flight tracking ability	A history of ‘Ball’ sports (e.g. Basketball/Netball/Rugby/Handball etc…)
Good coordination	A history of ‘Net’ Sports (e.g. Tennis/Badminton etc…)
Agile and Quick	A history of individual arm ‘Striking’ sports (e.g. Rounders/Softball/Tennis/Badminton etc…)
Discipline, Drive and Determination	A competitive nature
Aggressiveness	Perform under pressure

Personal Situation – As important as their spike height or ace count!’
Essential	Desirable
Able to commit to evenings training locally	Financially able to cover some travel costs
Able to commit to weekends for Competitions/Training Camps	Able to be flexible around competition requirements with School/Work
Able to dedicate time away from the court to learn about the game of Sitting Volleyball	Have the support of a family to help prepare and cover things when away from home

Any mixture of the above would make a good high level Sitting Volleyball Player.

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Talent ID

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Attendance Certificate

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Sitting Volleyball…

…is a fun and exciting sport Paralympic Sport
…can be played by anyone at club level
…does not require much equipment so is really accessible
…involves 6 players per team, sat on the floor sliding around keeping the ball off the floor
…has 7 main skills and you can now identify and talk about each of them
…has something for everyone, from classifiers to coaches and much more
…is a growing sport all over the world, supported by VolleySLIDE – a collection of free to use resources and materials

VolleySLIDE

Main Takeaways

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Next Steps:

Complete the VolleySLIDE e-learning:

4 hour free to access course
Focuses on how to coach and what to consider if looking to start Sitting Volleyball

Take a look at the VolleySLIDE Full Resource / Task Cards as these go into much more detail and cover additional topics, such as:

How to organise a competition (including sample worksheets)
Scoring, Line Judging and Refereeing basic information
More activities suitable for each position and skill

Look over the VolleySLIDE page on the WPV website
Follow World ParaVolley on Social Media

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Thank you for your time!