Your team's top scorers: attack, block and serve
Every team knows its top scorer — or thinks it does. Because who is it really: the opposite with the volume, the middle who dominates the block or the server who delivers two aces every week? Top scorers exist per category, and that's what makes the list interesting.
Three lists, three stories
- Top scorer attack: usually your opposite or best outside hitter — the volume story. It gets interesting when number two creeps closer: your attack is getting broader and therefore harder to defend.
- Top scorer block: almost always a middle blocker. This list is the redemption of the position that never wins the overall ranking — see measuring block points.
- Top scorer serve: the most surprising list, because aces come from unexpected corners. Whoever tops it deserves an early spot in the serving order.
What you do with the lists as a coach
Tactically: the attack list decides who gets the ball at 23-23, the block list who belongs opposite their best hitter, the serve list who should be behind the line in the closing stages. Motivationally: three lists means three players who are the best at something — use that. The middle who will never be team top scorer might have been the block king of the division for three months running.
The pitfall: the public ranking
Share performances individually, never rankings in the group chat. A public ranking motivates number one and demotivates the rest — and it pushes players towards point-grabbing instead of team play (the middle who stops covering and starts hunting block points). The list is a coach's instrument; the compliment is the shareable end product.
Look at points per set, not just totals. The substitute with 30 points across ten short appearances may be more productive than the regular with 40 across full matches. Calculated per set, bench players become visible.
Frequently asked questions
Should I name top scorers in the debrief?
Name performances, not rankings: 'Ruben grabbed five block points today' works; 'Ruben is now second in the ranking' pits players against each other. The nuance looks small and is huge.
Does the top-scorer list say anything about who the best player is?
No — it measures production in three categories, not passing, defense or setting. Your team's best player can fall outside every list; the lists are part of the picture.
How do I handle a player who's too focused on his statistics?
Reframe towards efficiency and team: discuss his error load next to his points and name what his stat-hunting costs the team. And look critically at your own behavior — do you happen to only reward scorers?
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