Best Volleyball Female and Male Players in Europe

By Georgetown Volleyball Research Team

Volleyball is played all over the globe. There are people who play professionally in the north and south hemisphere. This article is going to be about some of the best international volleyball players in Europe. That said, let’s talk about some of the best female and male volleyball players in Russia, Germany and Serbia (three of the best countries in Europe).

A ton of volleyball players are in these countries, but who are the best? This article will share who are the top female and male volleyball players in these countries as well as some tips these players have shared. If you want to learn more, continue reading.

Russia

A great top middle blocker in Russia is Dmitriy Muserskiy. He was born in October, 1988 and is a part of the men’s volleyball team for Russia. He has gotten many medals in his lifetime, especially in the early 2000s. He’s gotten many silver and gold medals. One of the plays he is good at is mirror blocking. This is one of the more popular ones due to it having a simple concept behind it. This drill requires two players and each of them on either side of the net. To perform this block, Player A does a blocking movement on their side and Player B does/ mirrors Player A’s movement. For example, if Player A jumps to the right at a forty-five degree angle, Player B should do the same thing to block the ball. What’s the purpose of this drill you may ask? It helps with more specific kinds of blocks being thrown your way due to you having to be precise. Something else he is good at is known as the jousting drill. No, this does not have to do with medieval times, but you could say it has a similar concept. Similarly to the previous one, two players should be at opposite sides of the net. From there, the coach will toss the ball into the air and whoever pushes it to the other player’s side first is victorious.

Russia also has a female team. They are also very talented. Their main blocker is Irina Vladimirovna Koroleva. She is known for her amazing blocking skills. For example, she is known as the block on the box. This requires three people which are the blocker and two hitters. From there, the two hitters will be standing on opposite sides of the court on the blocks like how it says in the name. Then, one at a time, they will pass, spike or do some kind of shot to the blocker so they can have more opportunities to hit the ball at different speeds, velocity, angles and more. There is one important reason for why this drill is popular and that is because it has to do with having good form. The blocker should be rebounding it to the court.

Germany

One of the most famous setters in volleyball originating in Berlin is none other than Sergey Grankin. He plays on Berlin’s national team. Let’s look at some statistics of him. Sergey was born on January 21,1985 in Berlin. He likes to talk about the importance of warming up. Examples include the seal jump, twisting hops and more For example, a warm-up is known as the seal jack.

Start by standing straight up. From there, let’s start with the footwork. You are going to want to jump in a way with your feet that make them crossways. For example, you start off with your left leg back and your right foot forward. After, you switch feet so you can feel a stretch. For your arms, you are going to want to start them off with being out and then coming in. They should be a little bit crossed. You are going to do said exercise for one set and thirty reps.

Someone who is a well-known female blocker is Antonia Schmücker. Blocking requires you to think about all the possibilities of where the ball may land. If you touch the ball, will it end up back in your opponent’s court or will he/she be able to make it so it ends up back in your court? Though there are many kinds of blocks, we will be going over the most basic kind so you can go on from here. This is what he teaches many, though he makes it seem so simple.

After hours of practice, things do become simpler for you without, perhaps to say you realizing it. However, it’s the onlookers who notice the change. She also talks about the importance of warming up. An example is the twisting hops. Similarly to the last exercise, start by standing up. You are going to want to start with the footwork. Begin by hoping to the side in one spot. So, you are ultimately pivoting from left to right using your heel but hopping instead of standing still. For your arms, let them be loose and naturally swing side to side. You are going to do this exercise for one set and twenty reps.

Serbia

One of the best setters in Serbia is Aleksandar Okolic. Through his play, there are many things you can learn about serving. Why serving?, you may ask. Most setters and basically all players on the court need to know how to serve due to rotations. It’s important to learn about the different types.

There are two main types and they are known as the underhand and overhand serves. This section will explain the stance required to do each serve. To do an underhand serve, firstly, step with your non-dominant foot forward. Then with your opposite hand (also known as your dominant hand) swing it forward while holding the ball with your non-dominant hand. Make sure your hands are flat.

Finally, One of the top females is Maja Ognjenović. By watching her play, you can learn about spiking approaches. Where you start your approach is an important place to keep consistent. It is recommended to start your approach slightly off the court so the angle can be better. Also, where you start your approach can determine the amount of power your attack will have as well as the range of the attack. The spike should start about three to four steps behind the three- meter line. On the other hand, if you were doing a spike from the front row, it should start off three to four steps in front of the three meter line. This is what you can observe from her style of play.

 

Thank you so much for reading this article. We hope that learning about these players will inspire you in your volleyball journey. Remember that each part should feel right to you. Best of luck!