Volleyball hitting training device

Abstract

A volleyball training apparatus has a laterally extending arm supported on a riser. A resilient member such as a spring is operably connected within the arm. The resilient member is connected to a flexible connector, such as a cable, that is connected to a volleyball. A series of spacers retains the volleyball away from the rigid arm. The height of the arm may be adjustable to locate the volleyball at a desired height. After a user strikes the volleyball, the volleyball is displaced from its original static position, but quickly is snapped back into the static position by the resilient member pulling the volleyball toward the arm against the spacers.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A volleyball training apparatus comprising:
 a base including a first end and a second end;   two feet mounted to the base proximate to the first end, wherein the feet comprise shock absorbers;   a riser extending upwardly from the base;   a rigid hollow arm extending horizontally from the riser, the hollow arm having a proximal end proximate to the riser and an open distal end spaced apart from the proximal end;   a resilient member having a first end and a second end, the resilient member extending at least partially through the hollow arm and operably connected to the arm at the first end of the resilient member;   an end cap covering the open distal end of the hollow arm, the end cap including a central opening; and   a flexible connector having a first end attached to the second end of the resilient member and extending through the central opening in the end cap whereby a second end of the flexible connector is operably connected to a volleyball.   
     
     
         2 . The volleyball training apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the base comprises a first cross member at the first end a second cross member at the second end, and wherein the feet are mounted to the first cross member. 
     
     
         3 . The volleyball training apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein rollers are mounted to the base proximate to the first end of the base. 
     
     
         4 . The volleyball training apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the riser is mounted to the base proximate to the second end of the base. 
     
     
         5 . The volleyball training apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising a handle mounted to the riser to aid in moving the training device by rolling it on the rollers. 
     
     
         6 . The volleyball training apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising spindles mounted to the base proximate to the first end of the base, whereby the spindles are adapted to support weights when the training apparatus is in use to add downward force on the feet and thereby resist wandering by the training apparatus. 
     
     
         7 . The volleyball training apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the handle is adapted to support the weights when the training device is being moved. 
     
     
         8 . The volleyball training apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the shock absorbers each comprise a mounting mechanism attaching a spring to the base at an upper end of the spring and a lower cap attached to a lower end of the spring. 
     
     
         9 . The volleyball training apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the lower cap comprises a non-marking high friction material. 
     
     
         10 . The volleyball training apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the shock absorbers each comprise a resilient member and a floor engaging member. 
     
     
         11 . The volleyball training apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an adjustment mechanism for adjusting a vertical position of the rigid hollow arm relative to the riser and a gauge that indicates a height of the volleyball based on the vertical position of the rigid hollow arm relative to the riser. 
     
     
         12 . A volleyball training apparatus comprising:
 a base adapted to rest on a floor;   a vertical riser supported by the base;   a horizontal arm supported by vertical riser, the horizontal arm having a proximal end proximate to the riser and a distal end opposite from the proximal end;   a volleyball resiliently connected to the horizontal by a resilient member that urges the volleyball towards a static position at the distal end of the horizontal arm;   an adjustment mechanism for raising and lowering the horizontal arm relative to the vertical riser; and   a gauge with regularly spaced markings positioned to show a relative position of the horizontal arm relative to the vertical riser, wherein the regularly spaced markings are labeled to indicate a height of the volleyball above the floor when the volleyball is in the static position at the distal end of the horizontal arm.   
     
     
         13 . The volleyball training apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the base comprises a first end and a second end, the training apparatus further comprising:
 shock absorbing feet mounted to the base proximate to the first end;   rollers mounted to the base proximate to the second end; and   wherein the vertical riser is mounted to the base proximate to the second end.   
     
     
         14 . The volleyball training apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising a spindle proximate to the first end of the base for supporting weights that increase pressure on the shock absorbing feet during use to discourage wandering by the volleyball training apparatus. 
     
     
         15 . The volleyball training apparatus of  claim 14  further comprising a handle on riser adapted with a grip portion and a shaft portion, wherein the grip portion is adapted to be grasped while moving the training apparatus by rolling on the rollers and wherein the shaft portion is adapted to support the weights to facilitate moving the weights with the training apparatus when the weights have been removed from the spindle.