How important are mastering the fundamental skills in volleyball?

When we encourage people to sign up for an all-skills volleyball camp or clinic, from time to time, we get a response from middle and high school aged volleyball players and their parents "I or my child already knows the fundamentals".

There's a difference between understanding how to move your body to perform a volleyball skill, it's another to take control and within the rules of the game (striking the ball) direct the ball with consistent precision to execute successful game strategies within the environmental constraints of the sport.

Recently I listened to an interview with the Head Volleyball Coach of a NCAA National Championship Tournament Team. He states "The best never get tired of the fundamentals". He went on to state that even at the highest levels in NCAA Division I, working on the basics of serving, passing, setting, attacking, blocking, and defending/digging are regular components of their practices.

Our goal for each Nor-Cal Volleyball Academy camp or clinic at Butte College will be to help each camper develop and refine their fundamental skills, but more importantly, establish a standard of excellence on how to perform each skill. Each camper will be able to acknowledge how to execute the fundamentals and contribute toward a team strategy that provides success in all levels of volleyball.

We are hopeful that each camper will leave striving to be at their best and never get tired of improving their fundamental skills.