The rules of the game have a direct impact on how athletes learn to play, and ultimately, how they perform.
I was recently in Europe where I had the chance to watch a volleyball game between two professional men’s teams – and what I saw caught me totally off guard.
The footwork was all over the place. Some would walk up to the ball and jump; others (right-handed attackers) would leap forward with their left foot to then jump off their right foot (goofy footed) and most would extend their left foot forward to then shorten their left-right footwork and jump under the ball. I was left puzzled and wondered why the footwork would be so different than the American game.
It looked undisciplined. But the more I watched, the more I realized – it wasn’t sloppy. It was coached.
The goal over there? Stop at the ball
It became clear: these players weren’t trying to approach and jump behind the ball to create angles or hit around a block. Their whole approach was designed to stop forward momentum and simply jump vertically, muscle the ball, and power it down.
They must have learned this as kids. It was coached and it was deliberate.
And now, thanks to Canada’s increasingly diverse coaching scene, this approach is showing up here too—especially with coaches from overseas. It’s a different philosophy: lead with the left foot, shorten your steps, stay under the ball. Why? What does Canada have in common with European countries when it comes to the sport of volleyball?
Because their athletes grew up learning to hit off tight sets—sets that brought them dangerously close to the net. Stopping forward movement reduced the risk of injury.
The American game is built on acceleration
Now let’s compare that with the U.S. style: a smooth, accelerating approach with an explosive broad jump behind the ball. Cue words like small to big, slow to fast—all designed to build momentum into the swing.
But why the huge difference in coaching philosophy on something so simple?
It’s not just a coaching preference. It starts with one rule: the net height.
Lower net height = Higher risk?
In Canada (and most of Europe), the net is lowered for younger age groups. That makes sense on the surface—smaller players, lower net, right?
But here’s the problem: as soon as you lower the net, young setters are encouraged (whether they mean to or not) to deliver the ball right on top of the net. It feels like success when a teammate tips it over or slaps it in for a kill.
But the long-term result?
1. More tight sets.
2. More collisions under the net.
3. More injuries.
I’ve seen it too many times—players landing on an opponent’s foot, tweaking an ankle, or worse, blowing out their knee when their ankle is locked in an ankle brace. It’s avoidable.
To cope, coaches start teaching their attackers to stop at the ball, jump straight up, and avoid drifting under the net.
Sound familiar?
Meanwhile in the US…
…they don’t lower the net.
Kids grow up learning to set off the net, because tight sets won’t get the ball over. Setters develop real touch. Hitters learn to approach behind the ball and hit angles. The movement is natural, fluid, and safer.
And what’s the bonus? Less strain on the shoulders and lower back from trying to hit straight up, which often leads to overuse injuries.
Watch a high-level NCAA game—you’ll see athletes flying into their broad jumps, hitting off the net, creating angles, and attacking in rhythm. It’s a beautiful game.
One rule. Big ripple effect.
Change one rule—the net height—and you change:
- How kids set
- How attackers move
- What coaches prioritize
- How often players get injured
- And, as witnessed by the match I saw on television between the two professional men’s teams – how beautiful (or robotic) the game looks later on
Final Thoughts: Don’t be afraid to raise the net
I’m not saying you have to go full NCAA with 12-year-olds. But if you’re a coach, try raising the net during training. Teach your setters to deliver off-the-net balls. Train your attackers to accelerate and broad jump through the ball.
If your 10-year-old can swing confidently from 6–8 feet off the net, imagine what they’ll be doing at 16.
Coach Luc Tremblay is the Founder and Head Coach of Volleyball Winnipeg & Volleyball Calgary.
Luc has been coaching for over 30 years across all age levels and abilities. He leads the VISION coach development program and designed many of the training methods used in our programs. click here.