Volleyball Drills

Volleyball Drills

Form:

“Ready Position” – feet should be just outside shoulder width apart, bent at waist (able to touch the ground), shoulders straight ahead in front of toes (able to see under net) – arms out front and wide (like holding a tray)

“Passing Position” – right-handers should have right hand under left (criss-cross), thumbs next to each other parallel pressing elbows so that create a nice flat “platform”, left foot slightly ahead of right – focus on NOT swinging arms but using legs to “lift” when soft pass – contacting ball in mid-line (belly button height) staying square to source of ball

“Setting Position” – hands should be around “wording” on ball – between triangle and rectangle shaped using all fingers to control ball, right foot ahead of left so when at net keep shoulders/ball out of net, bent knees to use leg strength

“Serving Position” – right-handed – feet about shoulder width apart, left foot about in front of right, hips square to net, right hand should be on top of ball, straight wrist, open fingers, very strong (younger kids I even have them hit ball to make sure wrist is strong and not moving) – before tossing right hand goes back, keeping elbow high (above ear), again make sure hand is open to court ahead (not turned to side)

“Warm Up for Arms” – face to face partners, right-handers face left shoulder to partner – start with ball on left hip (both hands on ball), pull up and back rotating right shoulder, stretching through stomach, at extension point, snap ball with wrists to “throw” to partner

-  Play “catch” following through across body

-  Slam ball (“bouncing”) between you and partner focusing on extension and snapping wrists

-  Have ball held in left hand about waist high, hit to floor, focusing on spread fingers, strong wrist, good contact

-  Hold ball high above head and hit it out of your hand (again to floor between partner)focusing on contact and wrist snap

-  Make sure not a lot of “twisting”, controlled contact and forward wrist snap – never back

Passing:

Partner Passing(forearm passes):

·  Either coach or partner pass: overhand throw at lines (ready position) or partner – work on strong platform, calling it, calling coach/partner name, no swinging – 10x

·  Toss to partner(nice high, freeball toss), stay low, good platform, call it, call partner/coach name, good foot movement – 10x switch

·  Ball control: - once good passers, tosser tosses nice, high freeball toss, passer passes controlled pass to themselves, then turns sideways and passes back to partner (stay low, call it, no swinging)

·  Partner starts on stomach, tosser slaps ball, partner gets up as tosser tosses – stay low, call it, no swinging

Partner Passing (setting):

·  Have partner on knees, initially have ball on ground, get good hand position, lift up, partner (standing) takes ball out of hands then lifts ball up and down having partner on knees “push” ball up from forehead position, extend out, make sure start low and ONLY push up – not up and down (25x – slow and controlled)

·  Have one partner sitting on ground (criss-cross), standing partner “tosses” ball to sitting partner – CATCHES focusing on good hand position, then “pushes” ball back – 10x

·  Have one partner sitting on ground (criss-cross), standing partner “tosses” ball to sitting partner – SETS ball back to partner – 10x – make sure to call it

·  Partner tosses nice, high toss to other and ball is set back – call it, use legs (10x)

·  Partner tosses nice, high toss, set to self then set to partner – control and strengthen (use legs) – 10x/switch

Passing Drills:

Run Thrus: start in left back, target up at net (right front position), coach tossing from left front, kids “run thru” passes; go to target, target shags and goes to end line (stay low, call it, call target’s name, no swinging) – go thru 3x, move to middle back, then right back

2 Person Pass (can have 3 if working toward serve receive): 1 line out of middle back – 2 kids out on court, target in right front, coach punches ball from opposite side of net (like free ball), kids need to talk, stay low, no swinging – after pass, go to target, target to shag, shag to back of line

Front/Back pass(work on “opening up”): have kids get in front/back positions (left, middle or right) – I usually start with just one position – coach punches ball from other side of net – focus on opening up if not going to pass ball, yell “help”; open to inside of court – NO DUCKING, talk to each other

Free Ball Passing: to get 3rd hit over when not set up – depending on strength (age)either overhand “push”; forearm pass or driven down ball – kids start in middle back, ready position (1 line), coach up by net, bouncing vb hard off ground so kids need to get to the ball, call it, if passing, stay low, turning shoulder toward net, using legs get ball over

Serve Receive/Free Ball: have 6 out; either coach or kids serving at group – if get good 3 contact over, get a free ball, rotate – keep working serve receive, transition, base defense, free ball

Setting Drills:

Live Setting: circle drill, some kids line up from right-front (setting position), target in outside hitting position, rest shag, coach in middle of court tossing to “setter” – call it, keep shoulders square to hitter, right foot slightly ahead, use legs, set to target, target to shag, shag to set

Set against the wall: work on soft hands, stand 1-2’ from wall, low, tight, quick setting into wall – similar to dribbling

Older girls: have them start at 10’ line and as slap ball, run to net and set to target (outside hitter)

Serving:

Partner “catch” – line up on 10’ lines across from each other, play catch, focusing on “reaching” and snapping wrist – opposite foot should be forward, making sure as throw back foot stays down

Partner “serve” – extend weak hand up with ball in fingertips, hit out of hand to partner – work on contact (wide hand, spread fingers, strong wrist (no floppy), weakside foot forward, transfer weight as contact, no twisting through waist/shoulders)

Toss and Serve – again start at 10’ line across, take 3-5 steps back until warmed up

Serve and Catch – serve one line on one side, opposite side one line trying to catch the ball – circle through using entire court

Wall Traps – stand arms length from wall, toss and “trap” the ball against the wall; working on contact, swing hard

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

Toss Practice – all kids line up on line with weakside toes(left) just barely on line, ball in weakside hand (left), toss ball 1 handed (just high enough past outstretched fingertips), no bending of waist, no bending of knees, toss should land just in front of strongside hip(right), just in front of toes – left hand should stay up and weight should shift as if to hit – 25x

Serve/Serve Receive Practice – have 3 across back, 1 target – serve and play, circle through

Approach/Hit/Blocking:

3 step approach: (for righthander) – Left – Right – Left: start w/ right foot forward, 1st step is a big step, next 2 are quick and together with last right/left almost parallel to net to stop forward motion – arms with 1st step go forward, last 2 arms should be back to “load” then use to jump bringing with BOTH arms. As swinging right elbow should be high, hand facing opposite side of court and open, as swinging(cross body), left arm gets pulled into side – practice w/out ball

Approach and Throw: go through approaches and throw a kneepad/tennis ball over net – snapping wrist

Kid Go/Coach Throw: have kids approach toward coach and coach times the toss (like a quick) – working on approach

Coach Throw/Kid Go: coach tosses, kids need to time ball/adjust and hit

Arm Swing: stand near 10’ line, coach tosses lower toss, kids swing and hit ball under net, work on contact, snap

Block Jumps: hands/arms start wide; gather feet together/arms together, jump and press (over net)with thumbs parallel and spread wide

Block Jump/Transition: footwork off net is (for righthander) – Right – Left – Right so ready to go right into approach – start at net, coach slap ball, block jump, transition, approach

Quicks/Slides/Shoots

Miscellaneous:

·  make sure practice running ball “out” – foot should be ON THE LINE so absolutely sure ball is out

·  positions on court (1-6) – rotate clockwise – “right/left” is per the back of the court facing the courts