Smarter Volleyball : Principles and Strategies for Winning Doubles [Paperback]

Mark Tanner (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 1998

The purpose of this book is to help the experienced player take his/her game to the next level. Most people who play doubles are unaware of the higher principles of the game. This lack of understanding is largely due to the fact that those principles have never been established in writing for people to study, discuss, debate and apply. Once you learn and begin to apply the higher principles to your game, you will improve and find yourself beating teams that were accustomed to beating you.

And won't that be fun!

Editorial Reviews

Review

The book, which includes photos and drills, assumes you know the basics and is geared for serious players. -- VOLLEYBALL Magazine, February 1999

About the Author

Mark Tanner didn't start playing beach volleygall until he was 31. He earned a AAA rating at 35 and has remained a competitive player well into his 40's (47 to be exact!).

Tanner, the older brother of Olympic gold medalist Troy Tanner, has attributed his success to his emphasis on strategy. The Northern California based-attorney has shared much of that strategy in a new book entitled "Smarter Volleyball", focusing on the higher principles behind winning doubles.

Product Details

• Paperback: 84 pages
• Publisher: Morris Publishing; First Edition edition (August 1, 1998)
• ISBN-10: 1575029170
• ISBN-13: 978-1575029177
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.2 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,136,332 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Big Let Down......Wish I hadn't bought it., February 16, 2000

By 

Scott Hansen (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Smarter Volleyball : Principles and Strategies for Winning Doubles (Paperback)

This book is a huge let down to the people it claims will benifit the most. I am currently an A ranked player on the beach and have played on all surfaces. My biggest concern was to improve the skills that I have. This book claims that it assumes the reader already knows how to pass, set, and hit. What it should say is that it assumes that you JUST learned how to pass, set, and hit. The problem is that anyone who has played beach volleyball knows the general ideas of beach play. In this book all he talks about is the general aspects of the game. For example, I wanted to improve my ability to read a hitter. The book simply states that in order to improve your reading ability you must practice reading players. Well, this is not any new ground breaking news to anyone who knows what "reading" a hitter is. Every statement he makes in this book is a "no-brainer." All volleyball players know these statements he makes. This book could be wrote just like this:

Hitting--------Practice

Setting--------Practice

Digging--------Practice

(nothing new here........very disappointing book) If you look to improve your game check out: "Beach Volleyball" By Karch Kiraly is a much better book that can help you move to a new level. It has many drills and can help you find your mistake areas.......unlike this book.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars What a disappointment, May 20, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Roseville) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Smarter Volleyball : Principles and Strategies for Winning Doubles (Paperback)

Wanting to take my game from BB to A and feeling like I had the skillset, but lacked the smarts to do it, I was awaiting my order for this book eagerly. What a let down. Possibly 1) the author doesn't really know VB strategy as he claims, 2) does know it but has no business writing for lack of skill in that area, or 3) the strategy side of volleyball is 2% to the the 98% skills and ability. I have a feeling it's a blend of 1 and 2. The description is effectively a lie: 3 pictures (2 "no's", 1 "yes") on defensive posture. There are absolutely no drills. No blocking strategies. No ways to id weaknesses, just how to exploit them. About 50 pages of large type. How do I give it no stars?

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Bién organizado., March 31, 2007

By 

eduardo - See all my reviews

This review is from: Smarter Volleyball : Principles and Strategies for Winning Doubles (Paperback)

Este libro es para quienes ya tienen algún tiempo jugando. En el libro, se hacen referencias directas (sin más explicación) a ciertas posiciones en la cancha que solo quienes tienen experiencia podrán comprender, de lo contrario, tendrás que usar tu imaginación para descifrar lo que se quiere decir.
El libro está bién organizado en secciones claras y bién descritas.
Las pocas fotografías (3) son pésimas y las ilustraciónes --a base de caricaturas-- muy malas.
Sin embargo, es el único libro (que yo sepa) que trata de manera técnica la forma adecuada de ganar más partidos, trata pués, del juego en si.