By [1] [4] Andrea Fryrear

To be a good defender you have to genuinely want the ball to be hit your way, and you should delight in digging a hard-driven ball and frustrating the opposing attackers. You should be confident that you can get almost any ball that comes over the net.

But this zen-like attitude won’t happen overnight, because only with a solid foundation of defensive moves can you be sure that you’re going to be the amazing defender that you want to be. So in a nutshell, the libero’s fearless attitude comes from his/her knowledge that they’ve done the work, put in the time and have the skills to dig anything.

To achieve this confidence, here are some things you can work on:

1. Court awareness: Get comfortable with the court size and your position on it. This will help you let balls go that are heading out and will also allow you to help your teammates by calling the ball in or out.
2. Quickness and agility: There are tons of resources on plyometric drills, which will vastly improve your quickness if done regularly. For something simpler go for jumping rope or sprinting.
3. Ball control: Above all else a libero must have outstanding ball control. Be the first to arrive an the last one to leave practice while having your coach or friends throw/hit balls to you all over the court. No matter what kind of drill you’re doing make sure you have a target position in mind and that you are driving yourself to improve everyday.
4. Touch everything: Don’t give up on a ball, no matter how far out of reach it may seem. Your goal should be to touch every ball in your vicinity. As you get faster you’ll be amazed at the saves you can make.
5. Learn to dive and roll properly: Most liberos dive, roll, sprawl and fall frequently, so it’s vital that you know how to fall correctly and without hurting yourself. Most defensive players prefer the shoulder roll for a quick recovery, and the pancake is a must-have move for all liberos!

If you’re looking for a more in-depth guide to libero success, check out my volleyball [2] skills newsletter. You get a year of volleyball instruction (one e-mail per week) absolutely free!

Andrea Fryrear is the Managing Editor of Volleyball-Life.com and a 17-year volleyball veteran. She’s played high school, Junior Olympic, NCAA and international volleyball and loves to share her knowledge and experience with other players.

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Article Source: [4] Andrea Fryrear

[5] The Volleyball Libero Attitude