Soft Block

A soft block, also referred to as a touch block or deflection block, is a defensive blocking technique in volleyball where the blocker makes contact with the attacked ball but intentionally or unintentionally deflects it upward or backward into their own court rather than directly downward into the opponent's court, serving as a crucial component of a coordinated team defense that keeps the ball in play for back-row defenders to dig and transition into offense. Unlike the stuff block which aims to reject the ball forcefully into the opponent's court for an immediate point, the soft block recognizes situations where complete penetration and a kill block are not achievable and instead focuses on slowing down the attack, reducing its power, and directing it to areas where defenders are positioned and prepared to make a play. The soft block represents an important evolution in defensive philosophy because it acknowledges that not every blocking attempt will result in a point and that maintaining possession and extending rallies can be equally valuable, particularly when facing powerful attackers who are difficult to stuff block consistently or when blockers are at a height disadvantage. The execution of a soft block differs from a stuff block in several key technical aspects: hand positioning tends to be less aggressive with palms facing more upward or backward rather than sharply downward into the opponent's court, penetration over the net is often reduced either because the blocker cannot achieve full extension or deliberately pulls back to create a deflecting surface, the blocker's timing may be slightly late resulting in contact after the ball has already begun its downward trajectory, and the blocker's intent shifts from rejection to redirection with the goal of creating a favorable situation for their back-row defenders. Communication between blockers and defenders is absolutely critical when employing soft blocking strategies because defenders must be aware that the ball will likely come off the block and into the court, requiring them to position themselves in zones where deflected balls are most likely to drop, maintain readiness to react quickly to unpredictable deflections, and coordinate their coverage responsibilities so that all potential landing areas are protected. This coordination is often facilitated through pre-match planning where teams establish blocking assignments and defensive formations, verbal communication during play where blockers call out what they see, and non-verbal cues such as hand signals that indicate blocking intentions. The strategic applications of soft blocking are numerous and context-dependent: against powerful hitters who are difficult to stuff block, a soft block approach acknowledges the attacker's advantages and focuses on disruption rather than rejection, in situations where blockers are mismatched in height or reach against taller attackers, soft blocking with good deflection technique can be more effective than attempting futile stuff blocks, when facing quick attacks or combination plays where timing is difficult, a soft block at least gets a touch and potentially slows the ball, and during long rallies when energy conservation becomes important, a well-executed soft block that keeps the ball in play may be preferable to an aggressive but unsuccessful stuff block attempt that leaves the court vulnerable. The concept of blocker coverage or defense behind the block is intrinsically linked to soft blocking, as teams must organize their back-row defenders in formations specifically designed to dig balls that deflect off their own blockers, typically involving the libero taking the primary responsibility for balls deflected deep into the court, wing defenders covering balls deflected toward the sidelines, and the setter or non-blocking front-row player covering balls that drop short near the attack line. The unpredictability of soft block deflections presents both challenges and opportunities: defenders must read the blocker's hand position and the ball's trajectory off the block to anticipate where it will land, the deflection can take significant pace off powerful attacks making them easier to control, but erratic deflections can also create difficult plays that require exceptional reaction time and ball control. Different volleyball systems and coaching philosophies approach soft blocking with varying emphases: some teams train extensively on soft blocking as a deliberate tactic with specific hand angles and techniques designed to deflect balls to predetermined zones, other teams view soft blocks primarily as unavoidable outcomes when stuff blocks are not achievable and focus training on defending these situations, and elite programs often develop sophisticated schemes that combine aggressive stuff blocking attempts in favorable matchups with tactical soft blocking in challenging situations. The psychological dimensions of soft blocking differ markedly from stuff blocking: while stuff blocks create immediate momentum shifts and intimidate attackers, soft blocks demonstrate resilience and defensive commitment by keeping balls alive and forcing opponents to win points through extended rallies rather than quick kills, which can be equally demoralizing over the course of a match. Training for effective soft blocking and coverage involves several specialized components: blocking drills that deliberately practice deflecting balls at specific angles to simulate game situations, defensive drills where back-row players react to live or coach-initiated deflections to improve their coverage positioning and reaction time, communication exercises that reinforce the verbal and non-verbal signals used to coordinate blocking and coverage responsibilities, video analysis sessions where teams review their soft blocking effectiveness and coverage patterns to identify areas for improvement, and situational scrimmages that recreate specific game scenarios requiring soft blocking approaches. Statistical analysis of soft blocking can provide valuable insights though tracking these plays is more complex than counting stuff blocks: metrics might include total touches on blocks even when not resulting in immediate points, successful digs following soft blocks which measure the effectiveness of the block-plus-coverage system, transition attack efficiency following soft blocks which indicates whether the team is converting these defensive plays into offensive opportunities, and soft block effectiveness against specific opponents or attackers which can inform tactical game planning. Common errors in soft blocking situations include blockers becoming discouraged and not attempting to block at all which removes a crucial layer of defense, blockers jumping with incorrect hand positions that deflect balls at uncontrollable angles or into undefended areas, defenders failing to adjust their positioning based on the blocking situation which leaves coverage gaps, and teams not communicating effectively about blocking intentions which causes confusion in defensive assignments. The relationship between soft blocking and offensive transition is another critical consideration because keeping the ball in play creates counterattack opportunities: a well-defended soft block can lead to high-quality sets and attacks that put the blocking team on offense, teams with excellent defensive systems built around soft blocking can frustrate opponents by consistently converting their attacks into transition opportunities, and the ability to score from soft block transitions can offset the lack of direct stuff block points. Advanced teams may employ deceptive blocking tactics where blockers show aggressive stuff block positioning but actually execute soft blocks to deliberately channel attacks to areas where elite defenders are waiting, or alternatively show soft blocking positioning to encourage attackers to hit aggressively before surprising them with full penetration stuff blocks. At the highest levels of volleyball including international and professional play, the soft block is recognized not as a failure but as an integral component of sophisticated defensive systems that maximize ball control and create multiple opportunities to score points throughout extended rallies.