Another Use for a Timeout

So this past week, I did something I’ve never done before with a timeout.

Of course, I’ve had other thoughts on timeouts– Increasing Timeout Efficiency, Breaking Old Habits: Timeouts, Practical Implementation of Alternate Timeout Strategies.

But…after 25+ years as a head coach, I used a timeout in a new way last night.

The situation–back and forth set. We’re down (roughly) 18-21…I’ve used all but two subs and I’ve got a DS in the back row who will HAVE to come out in the front row (two rotations from now). We get the sideout so it is 19-21. The other team’s big hitter has just come front row (big = she’ll be Area POTY again this year–she’s *great*). I have a player going back to serve who is a good blocker, a good hitter, and good passer–but she’s been erratic with her serve this month (to the point of being ineffective).

Do you let the erratic player serve–or do you sub her out for a player who is okay in the back row but who has been consistently tough as a server over the past dozen matches.

Frankly, I wasn’t sure what to do but I DID know this was the key moment of the match–that this decision and what came from it could likely determine things. I was internally debating what to do–sub or not. Officials aren’t going to wait forever and I REALLY wasn’t sure which was the best option.

So I called timeout. It wasn’t to give tactical advice to the players–that was easy…put a block in front of the POTY, etc, etc. I simply wanted more time to think through the decision rather than make a rushed choice that I could realize was not optimal after the ref blew the whistle. The timeout gave me time to realize that I could put the server in, then sub the other player back in. We’d be out of subs, but if we didn’t catch back up, the game would likely be over before that DS reached the front row. The time also permitted me to realize how we could hide the DS if necessary/we got to that point.

In the end, it sort of worked. We got to 21-21 but then they were able to get the ball to POTY and she did what POTYs do–put it down. They took it to 24-21, we got a sideout but POTY put another down and we lost 22-25.

I’m not sure I’ll need to do something like this again–but I’m glad I did it. I won’t forget I’ve done it, either. Timeouts–use them however is necessary if it will increase your team’s chances of success!