Forearm Passing aka Digging
The forearm pass is used for receiving serves, hard-driven spikes, down balls, and balls that go into the net.
Player first moves to intercept the ball’s path, keeping the head up to follow the ball as it approaches, the player assumes a ready position with the feet shoulder-width apart and slightly staggered and with the toes forward and knees bent. The hands should then be placed together, with the thumbs and wrists together. The fingers and palms can be held in a cupped position, in a fist-wrapped-in-a-fist position, or with the palms facing each other and the fingers interlocked. This is to enable the player to create an even platform with the flat surface of the forearms to ensure that the ball rebounds to the target. As the player makes contact with the ball, she remains slightly bent at the waist and flexed at the knees; shifting the weight slightly forward onto the balls of the feet or steps slightly toward the target onto the lead foot to begin the weight transfer. The player’s head and shoulders should be positioned slightly in front of the knees. The arms should be relaxed and extended in front of the body, maintaining an even platform with the forearms. As the ball drops to approximately waist level, the player contacts the ball on the forearm platform, from above the wrist to below the elbow. The ball should be contacted from below and behind the ball. The player stops her arms on contact, maintaining a “frozen” position with the platform, body, and feet all facing the target and with the weight shifted toward the target. The platform should remain frozen at eye level or below.
Common Performance Errors
- Ball too close to the body
- Contacting the ball on the hands
- Not moving to the ball (poor foot work)
- Uneven platform
- Contacting the ball to the side of the body