Contents

Fundamental Skill Keys and Progression

General Skill / Ball Control Drills

Competitive Drills

Team Play and Positioning

Forearm Passing

Form Keys and Progression

  1. Platform (arms where they pass the ball)
  2. Keys:
  3. Hands 3 pads
  4. Arms locked
  5. Platform out away from body
  6. Contact ball in mid-line belly button height
  7. Drills
  8. Knee passing
  9. Stance or “Ready Position”
  10. Keys
  11. Feet shoulder width apart and balanced
  12. Knees and hips loaded
  13. Back flat / Head up
  14. Face source of ball
  15. arms out front and wide (like holding a tray)
  16. Drop shoulder to get “eyes”(thumbs) to target
  17. Drills
  18. Partners or coach(depending on group) Toss and pass
  19. Under net toss and pass: player in ready position facing net, partner on opposite side of net on 10 foot line. Player hops to ready positions under net, passes tossed ball and then hops back. Work on staying low and having platform out and away from body.
  20. Toss, pass to right by dropping shoulder
  21. Movement
  22. Types:
  23. Shuffle: short steps, quick, 2 at a time
  24. Run, stop, square up
  25. Drop step
  26. Square to source of ball
  27. Drills
  28. Individual players Toss, shuffle, catch, toss, shuffle catch progress to toss, shuffle pass, shuffle pass
  29. Player square rolls

Run Thrus

Used to play balls that are too difficult to get stopped to play. Players need to run, get platform out, play ball and continue to run.

Drills

Partners: One partner at net with ball, other on end line in ready position. Partner tosses ball and player must call ball and run thru it and pass up and catch. Tossing partner runs to end line and repeat.

Crisscross: Set of 3 players. Two on right back corner of court, one on left back corner. 1 Target and coach in middle of court on opposite side. Coach tosses a ball to middle or left side of court, player from fright back corner sprints to play ball with run[thru then goes to left corner. Coach tosses ball to right side of court, player in left corner runs to play then goes to right corner.

Pass over net:

Very important skill! How to pass a ball over the net when necessary. Player needs to get side to the net, bend knees, get platform out and ready, drop shoulder closest to net and use legs to get ball over. Do not swing. Put ball deep and to 1 zone.

Coach in middle front or middle back of court with balls. Two lines on either side of court in right and left back position. Coach bounces ball and player must get side to net and pass it over. They shag ball and switch lines.

Setting

Form and Progressions

  1. Hands
  2. Keys
  3. 5 fingers on ball
  4. Forehead, wrinkly wrist, bend elbows
  5. Finish High 10 or superman
  6. Drills
  7. Sitting with partner: shape, window, push
  8. Partner Toss: shape, window, catch push
  9. Partner Toss: Shape, window push
  10. Standing toss: shape window, catch push

Serving

  1. Keep it simple: 1-2-3 Serving Technique
  2. Start facing net, weight on right foot, Ball in left hand in front of right shoulder (Position 1)
  3. Load right arm back (Position 2)
  4. Toss, Step, Hit (Position 3)
  5. Keys
  6. Big firm hand
  7. Straight wrist
  8. Punch
  9. Finish with Hand to target
  10. Drills
  11. 10 tosses
  12. 15 wall traps
  13. Partners across net
  14. Partner Toss: Shape, window push
  15. Standing toss: shape window, catch push

Hitting

Form Keys and Progressions

  1. Arm Swing
  2. Big Hand
  3. Left are up, right arm loaded, elbow high
  4. “replace” left with right hand
  5. Shoulder to Shoulder swing
  6. Follow thru to hip
  7. Arm Warm-up with partner
  8. Two Handed Throw: quarter turn to right. Ball in two hands at belly, both hands up with ball over head, turn throw. Work on good reach
  9. Two handed Bounce
  10. One-hand throw: quarter turn to right. Ball in two hands at belly, both hands up with ball over head, pull right arm back and load, left arm up, turn throw. Work on good reach
  11. One hand bounce
  12. Drops: place ball in left hard out front of shoulder. Can start facing forward or quarter turn. Load arm. Swing hit top of ball. Work on good contact on ball then increase arm speed.
  13. Toss to self and swing.
  14. Drills
  15. Rapid Fire: Good to focus on arm swing and no need for hitting boxes. Players stands 6-8 ft off net, facing to right, with arms in loaded position. Coach tosses a ball to left hand (low trajectory toss). Players swings to hit ball under net. Work on good contact, high on ball, follow thru. Then arm speed.
  16. Hitting box work
  17. Have player at 12 foot line in ready position. Coaches toss high ball to 10 foot line. Player loads arms and swings.
  18. Handball/Wallball – toss ball, hit down to floor (snap wrist, follow through across body)so it bounces to wall and back to player, hit again – control and contact

Approaches: 3 step approach:

  • Feet (for right-hander) – Left – Right – Left: start w/ right foot forward, 1st step is a big step toward set, next 2 are quick and together with last right/left almost parallel to net to stop forward motion –
  • Arms with 1st step go forward together, last 2 arms should be back to “load” then use to jump bringing with BOTH arms up and loaded. Body open to setter. As they swing right elbow should be high, hand facing opposite side of court and open, as swinging(cross body), left arm gets pulled into chest, right hand follows through to hip
  1. Drills
  2. Approaches feet only, then add arms
  3. Do with Tennis balls having them throw over net.
  4. 2 Steps – focuses on last two steps. Players starts with weight on left foot and arms out front. Coach tosses and player does right left jump swing.
  5. Kid Go/Coach Throw: have kids approach toward coach and coach times the toss (like a quick) – working on approach
  6. Coach Throw/Kid Go: coach tosses, kids need to time ball/adjust and hit
  7. Pass Tip: Good for foot work. With partners across the net from each other at 10 foot line. One partner tosses across net to partner who passes ball high about 5 feet in front of themselves, does and approach and tips to partner, who passes to self and tips back.

General Skill / Ball Control Drills

Pass Set Hit Warm-up

Players in multiple lines at end line of the court. First Player in line goes to opposite side of net. All others have balls. First player in line tosses about 5 feet forward, move catch ball in mid-line at belly height with feet stopped and balanced, then tosses high to 1 foot line where they run and catch in setting position, they then push ball high and catch overhead, load arms and throw to partner across net. She catches it and runs back to line.

Progress through adding the following:

Pass (rather than catch) first ball

Set (rather than catch) second ball

Jump and throw third ball

Drive third ball

Jump and hit third ball

Passing Series: Put players in groups of 2, 3, or 4. Each group goes through the progression quickly

Coaches at 10 foot line at right front position. Player in left back in left back other in group are waiting. Coach tosses ball player passes to target. Next player. Do five each then next group.

Directly at player

Short tosses: Player moves to ball stops. Platform out, pass high drop shoulder

Deep tosses: Drop step, square up and pass

Inside Out: Player starts at side line shuffles in, stops passes.

Outside In: Players starts in middle of court, shuffles outs, stop passes.

Partner workwith movement:

Players start on baseline and at net. First player tosses ball to partner. Partner passes ball about 10-15 feet forward, then passes to partner, returns back to original position. Partner does same. Works on passing and moving.

Pass forward, set

Pass forward, side pass

Pass forward, turn around, back pass to partner

Pass forward, turn around back set to partner

Pass forward, pass backward, set to partner

25-25-15

Three players around middle of the court, one target and line off back. Coach on opposite side of net. Start with free balls, Coach enters free ball, players call ball and passes to target, Target says 1 if good pass, then takes ball to coach, passing players move to target, new passer steps in. They must get 25 good free ball passes to move onto down balls, then serves (15).

Players must count, coach does not. If player does not call ball or say target or targets name then pass does not count. Ball drops without effort go back to zero.

Butterfly Drill

Line of pass in both left back positions, targets on either side of net, coaches at both right back positions with line of players with balls. Coaches toss or drive ball to passer, who passes to target. Target catches ball and bring to coach at right back on their side. Players follow the ball, i.e. pass, target, coach, pass, target, coach.

Set goal of x number of good passes, can be in a row or not. Can have goal that target must catch ball wherever it is passed.

Free ball movement and communication drill

Drill focuses on all players anticipating the ball and moving to the ball, helping teammates and knowing court boundaries. 5 - 6 players on court in free ball position. Coach enter free balls, players must move, call ball and pass. Enter balls close to lines, out, etc. for players to move to and work together.

Basketball

Players are in groups of 2 or 3. They start at 10 foot line. They need to pass and set together moving the ball down the court towards the basketball hoop. If they set or pass the ball and it contact the backboard or hoop they get a point. They can play the rebound and continue. If they make a basket it is 3 points. If ball hits the ground they go to end of line.

Competitive Drills

Short Court (good warm up drill)

Divide players into 2 teams. Court size is from net to 10 foot line and both side lines. Coach enters balls and they play. After each contact the player must run to end line and back before they can contact the ball again.

R1

Players divide into teams of 3 or 4. Need at least 3 teams. Teams need to assign themselves a letter. 2 teams are on the court, coach enters a ball and they play it out. Winning team must yell their letter and score. If they do not they do not get a point. Losing team exits the court and new team comes on quickly. Coach enters ball to winning team. Can play to 10 or 15.

Pops

3 or 4 players per side with a line of players waiting near standard. Coach can pick a focus area(s), e.g. ready position, calling the ball, execution, etc. Coach enters the ball and girls play. If coach see player not doing focus area they call their name and player must exit. New player enters.

Wave Drills

Divide players into two groups. Place on opposite side of net. 3 players on each side with other players waiting. Coach enters ball and teams play it out for points. Players and teams exit and enter a variety of ways:

Player who players ball over net exits and new player enters.

Players exit every time they play a ball

Losing team exits after each point

Entire team exits when ball goes over net.

Team Play and Positioning

Our philosophy on teaching basic positioning and schemes is to keep is simple but position for the future. For example, even though 11 year olds cannot block we position them to block so when they get older they are ready.

The team positioning that we teach include:

Serve Receive: How they line up in serve receive

Base: Where they go when ball is on the opposite side of the net.

Offense: who is setter and how many hitters. As the complexity increases the more specialization is required. See not regarding specialization below.

Different examples include:

6-6: six hitter and six setters. Person in right front or middle front is setter. Very basic and good for young teams

6-3: six different hitters and 3 setters: Easy for younger teams to execute. Front row setter

4-2: 4 hitters and 2 setters. Setter is always in front row.

5-1: 5 hitters and 1 designated setters. She sets from front row and back row

6-2: 6 hitters and 2 different setters. Setter always comes from backrow.

Defense: Where players go when other team is hitting

Free ball: Where players go when team gives us a ball passed over the net

Specialization is a necessary part of volleyball at the higher levels. It is not necessary at the lower levels but the players need to learn and prepare for higher levels. On the other hands it is important that they remain flexible and understand different positions.

To work into specialization I recommend the following approach:

  1. Identify key positions for each player: OH, MB, S. Hopefully if you have a team of 9 you can identify 3 for each position.
  2. Work at specialization across the front row: setter moves the right front, OH to left and MB to middle.
  3. Once they understand step 2 work to specialize across back row: OH to middle back, setter to right back, middle to left back.
  4. Then you are positioned to work into a 6-2 or 5-1 offense.
  5. Once players know their key positions you can assign them secondary positions and ensuring you can balance playing time.

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