OPEN CROSSOVER Learn volleyball skills and volleyball practice from Dr. Gylton Da Matta, a member of the International Volleyball Federation technical development committee. Watch how to integrate this drill into your volleyball lessons. The open-cross-over step block pattern is a combination of a side step (open) plus a cross-over-close step pattern prior to a blocking extension action. Volleyball blocking is defined as deflecting the ball coming from your opponent’s spiker. Blocking is used to deflect the ball coming from a spiker. The goal is to block, intercept and absorb the ball back into the opponent's court.