Why use a 3-ball rotation?

• It will reduce the down time during a volleyball match.
  • The average volleyball rally is 5-7 seconds with the average time in between 12-15 seconds.
• The focus will be play on the court instead of getting the ball back to server.
• It will help your team keep momentum when you’re on a run.
• Your team can focus on the next play and not run around the gym shagging volleyballs.
• Your Athletic Director will thank you. 
• Your players will thank you as they will have more time to finish their homework and get more sleep.
• Coaching staff will get home earlier too!

You already have personnel in the gym.

• Use a team sitting out to be the ball crew
  • Varsity does freshman match
  • Freshman does JV match
  • JV does Varsity match.
• Ask local grade school teams to provide the ball rotation crew for a match.  Celebrate them sometime during the evening.
• Identify 7-12 younger players to serve as your ball crew staff at home matches.  Provide specially designed T-shirts.  Recognize them at the match.
• Have your school’s boys volleyball team serve as the ball crew at home match.  Recognize them at the match.

How do you implement the 3-ball rotation?

• You will need 2-3 people in most gym.  Two players stand and/or sit outside the playing areas (See diagram).  They each have one volleyball.  The down officials will roll the ball to the team serving first in a match. 
• The goal is to make sure both shaggers have one ball in their hands to introduce to the server.
• Add a 3^RD member.  In some gyms, you may need an additional ball crew member to help relay the ball from end to end safer.  The third person will be behind the referee’s stand near the bleachers.  (See diagram). 
• Larger gyms may need 2 additional shaggers on each end of the court opposite the givers. They are responsible for quickly shagging the ball off the court and get it back to the ball crew.

• NOTE – Ball crew members may need towels to wipe sweat off the ball in hot gyms.