Volleyball Coaching Info

1, 2, 3, 3, 2, 1

Purpose: Teach hitters to hit high and hard on consecutive attempts, while also having to focus on ball control.

Set-up: Coach Setter, Left Front, Left Back, waiting player, 1 ball.

1. The coach (C) stands on a platform on the other side of the net and attacks cross-court at left back and left front.

2. Left front (LF) or left back (LB) must dig a ball, to the setter and transition off the net to hit a ball.

3. The left front moves to the left back when the turn has been completed. The left back steps off the court; a new player steps in at left front.

4. In order to get out of the drill, the hitter must dig and hit a ball clean once (no net tape), then twice in a row, then three times in a row, then three times in a row again, then two times in a row, then once.
5. If the hitter fails during a series (e.g. the second ball of the attempt at three times in a row), the series must still be completed (finish out the third ball).

6. A player does not advance to the next series (e.g. from two in a row to three in a row) until the series is successfully completed. If the series is not successful, the player simply moves to the next position (left back) and tries again on the next attempt at left front.

7. This drill can also be done with right front or middle hitters, but they will not pass any balls.

8. Another variation is to go 1, 2, 3, 4, 4, 3, 2, 1, or add a single blocker.

Trouble Shooting Choking Under Pressure When Serving

Most players train serving technique, but they don’t train serving tactics or serving under pressure. Therefore, when the player is put in a pressure situation such as serving for match point, the player chokes. As the coach, you can train your players to serve successfully under pressure.

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Serving Timed Point Scoring Serving Drill

Purpose: To give players a lot of repetitions in serving while competing and having a goal in mind.

Key Words:

• Ready Position
• Low toss (in front of striking arm)
• High Elbow
• Contact and freeze to target

1. Give the team a time limit (about 12 minutes). The player receives 2 points for serving in the correct area, 1 point for serving in the court (if it is not in the correct area), minus 1 point if the ball is served out (long or wide), and minus 2 points if the ball is served in the net or does not go over the net.

2. The person behind the server in line tells the player what position to serve. You may also use coaches may also give the positions to serve. The player serves and runs to shag the ball. Each player keeps track of one’s own score and at the end of the time limit, the player with the most points wins.

3. You may put incentives on certain points (those under 10 points do 20 push-ups, etc.). Point scoring gives them a sense of competition and it puts some pressure on them to get their serves in the court.

Half Court Triples

Purpose: To have players play a specific, competitive, controlled drill.

Set-up: Mark off playing areas with tape or cones going right down the middle of the court; 3 players on each side of the net, 1 ball.

1. After the playing area has been marked off, make up teams and have them play three on three on half of the court.

2. Play will begin with a true serve. All rules apply except for the size of the playing area.

3. Have the teams play games to 7 points rally scoring and then switch up teams. Use this drill to start off practice in a fun, competitive and controlled way.

Blocking Drills

Drill 1

Purpose: To train your blockers to read the hitter’s body and hitting arm. The blockers’ goal is to line up chest to chest with their attackers to take away the strongest attacking angle.

Setup: Two blockers, a tosser, an attacker, a ball. You may run two groups on one net.

The tosser will start at the 10 ft. line with the blockers on the same side. The attacker is on the opposite side from the tosser and blockers.

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Middle Hitter Transition

Purpose: To have middles trained for a quick transition and make themselves available as much as possible.

Set-up: Three blockers, tosser (on each side), hitters, shaggers, basket of balls.

1. Have a tosser, setter and two lines of hitters on one side of the net. On the other side, have three blockers (the right side blocker should be the setter) and a tosser.

2. The tosser on the hitting side initiates the drill. The tosser tosses to the setter who sets to the outside hitter. The middle blocker on the other side closes the block to the right side blocker.

3. Once the ball is attacked the middle immediately transitions off the net (the middle should find the ball while transitioning) and approaches for a 1 set (quick set in the middle)

4. The tosser on the blocking side should toss balls various heights, speeds, and places along the net.

5. The job of the middle is to be available for the set no matter where the pass takes the setter.

6. Once the middle attacks that ball, the tosser on the hitting side tosses to the setter who sets back to the right side hitter.

7. The drill is repeated as before.

8. Once a middle goes through that circuit, the middle should rotate out and the next middle steps in. This should be treated as both a technical drill and a conditioning drill.

A Tip for Middle Hitters

Middle hitters (MH) love to get the set in the middle of the court with one blocker up. They have the option to hit to the right or left and should be able to put the ball down the majority of the time. However, most teams try to block the middle attack with two blockers. Obviously, one of those two blockers will be the middle blocker (MB), while the other one will come from the right or left (RF or LF). The double-block sometimes presents a problem for the attacker.

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Forearm Passing Under the Net

Purpose: To teach the passer to stay in a low, mobile position while forearm passing.

Setup: 1 passer, 1 tosser, 1 ball.

1. The tosser will stand on the 15 ft line facing the net.

2. The passer should start at the net on the other side. When the tosser slaps the ball the drill begins

3. The passer then drops lower than the net and passes the ball back to the tosser.

4. The tosser will toss 10-20 balls and the two will switch.

You can modify this drill into a defensive drill in which the tosser backs up and tosses a ball to the 20 ft line. The passer then becomes a defender and moves low and quickly to dig the ball. This drill would force the defender to start and stay low.

Figure Eight Passing (Forearm)

Purpose: This drill is used for conditioning, communication and passing technique. This type of drill is usually used as a warm up.

Set-up: 3 players, 1 ball.

1. Two players stand facing each other at least 20 feet apart. They will be stationary in this drill.

2. The third player will start next to one of the stationary players. The opposite stationary player will toss the ball.

3. The third player will pass it back to the tosser and proceed to run around the two players in a figure eight pattern while passing at each end.

4. The passer will either go for a certain number of repetitions or for a time period. Encourage players to call for the ball and work on proper technique. The same drill using overhead passing may also be performed.

Partner Short / Deep Passing

Purpose: To work on the different technique when passing short and when passing deep.

Set-up: 2 players, 1 ball.

1. The two players would start on each side line. The first player tosses the ball to her partner and runs to her to receive a short pass. The sequence of passing should go “short, short, deep, short, short, deep, etc.”

2. When passing short the player should work her feet to get into position in which her bottom is dropped low so that her platform is parallel to the floor.

3. In passing deep she should work her feet so that her shoulders are forward (in front of knees) so that her platform angle is facing the target.

4. The drill should go for a time limit, a certain number of touches, or as a warm-up.