Most coaches have a variety of Setter Drills that are designed to teach the proper technique or fundamentals of setting. Great skill, however, is only one aspect of being a great setter. Setters must also be great decision makers. They need to be able to read the defense and make the appropriate set.

In the video clip below Ray Bello, assistant volleyball coach at Fordham University, demonstrates a progression of Setter Drills that he utilizes to to train his setters to read the defense and make the appropriate set.

He begins with a series of Setter Drills that are designed to help train the setter to take her eyes away from the ball and then find it again. He progresses from what he calls eye work, to actually reading the movement of the middle blocker and making the appropriate decision in order to create a single block.

This clip is from a presentation that Coach Bello made at a recent Glazier Volleyball Clinic in which he details many Setter Drills designed to teach technique and decision making. For more information about gaining access to his entire presentation, as well as hundreds of other clinic presentations and Premium Content, click the link Glazier Clinic Vault

Setter Drill Progression

Eye Work

1. Rock Paper Scissors
Have two setters face each other and set the ball to each other. After each player sets the ball, they will hold up a hand and signal Rock, Paper or Scissors. The other set must look for the hand signal and call out what she sees. She then takes her eyes of the hand and finds the ball so that she can set it. After setting the ball, she will also signal Rock, Paper or Scissors for her partner.

2. Rock Paper Scissors Progression- Turn and Look
Have a player stand behind one of the setters (you could put a player behind each). The player behind the setter will signal Rock, Paper or Scissors while the ball is in the air. The setter receiving the ball must turn away from the ball and see the signal. She must make a verbal call of the signal she got and then turn back and find the ball and set it to her partner.

3. Rock Paper Scissors at the net
The drill set up is essentially the same as the second drill. The difference is now you place the setter at the net and the player signaling rock paper or scissors is on the other side of the net ( she is simulating the middle that the setter must read). The ball is passed to the setter who must take a peak across the net and read the signal (rock, paper or scissors). If she reads rock she sets outside. If she reads paper she sets back. If she reads scissors she dumps.

4. Creating the Single Block
In this drill the setter will receive the ball set it to herself once before reading the middle blocker and setting opposite. In this progression the middle blocker will now move one direction or the other, the setter must read and set opposite.

5. Creating the Single Block Progression
Have the setter make the read and set the ball on her first touch. You can also have the setter move in from their serve receive position to set the ball rather than being stationary.

The video has sound so please make sure that your sound is turned on and click the play arrow to see it.

 

The serve is obviously a critical skill in volleyball. Players need to be able to serve into different zones and players need to be able to execute more than one type of serve. Therefore coaches need to be able to all serve variations.

In the clip below Todd Dagenais,University of Central Florida head coach, instructs you how to teach four different serve variations. You will see a demonstrations of the standing float and topspin serve as well as the jump float and the jump topspin serve. Coach offers very clear teaching points for each of the serve variations.

The clip is from a a DVD that is a complete guide to improving your teams serving. The DVD includes instruction on how to become a more powerful and more accurate server. You can learn about a fifth type serve(not seen in the clip) that you can use to increase power and ball movement. He also teaches eight rules to take advantage of your team’s serving strengths. For more information about this DVD click the link Techniques and Tactics to Win the Serve

The YouTube video below has sound, so please make sure that your sound is turned on and that you have access to the site. Some schools block access to YouTube. If you are unable to view the video from school,please contact your network administrator.

Four Serve Variations: Key Coaching Points

Standing Float Serve
Strike the ball at the equator or midline with a firm hand.
The ball should be tossed in front of the hitting shoulder.
Take one step with the opposite leg (left leg for right handed players) and toss.
The ball should be struck hard

TopSpin Serve
Strike the ball below the midline with a loose wrist.
The hand is rolled up and over the ball
The toss is above or slightly behind the hitting shoulder
The ball should be tossed with some top spin.
Step once with the opposite leg (left leg for right handed players)

Jump Serves

The biggest difference here for both the jump float and the jump topspin is that there will be an approach to the ball.
The ball should be tossed higher and further into the court than on a standing serve.
The players will use a left-right-left approach (for right handed players)

 

Today’s post is a collection of 7 drills provided by Coaches Choice. These drills were taken from an eBook entitled 101 Winning Volleyball Drills From AVCA edited by Kinda S Lenberg. The entire eBook may be found at the Coaches Choice Volleyball Coaching Library

 

DRILL #1: BLIND RECEPTION

 
Number of Players:Two

Number of Balls: Twelve

Objective: To develop the athlete’s quickness, reaction and recovery time, as well as communication skills.

 

 
Directions:

• Drape a blanket across the middle of the net, as shown in the diagram.

• The coach (C) tosses one ball at a time to the two receiving players (P1, P2).

• Balls may be tossed deep, short, and side-to-side.
• Balls may be tossed as rapidly as deemed necessary.

 

DRILL #2: FREEZE THREES

Number of Players: 6–8

Number of Balls: Ten or more

Objective: To force players to focus on platform control and ball contact on defense in a competitive situation.

Directions:

• The coach (C) initiates the drill by hitting a ball (preferably from across the net) at three deep defenders (X1-X3, P1-P3). The player digging the ball must freeze his or her platform and look at it after contact with the ball, while counting “1-1,000” loud enough for C to hear.

• The ball is played out in three vs. three or four vs. four play (optional fourth player is a setter [S] on each side).

• Each first contact in the rally requires the player to follow the “freeze” rules described above.

• The rally ends immediately if a player does not meet the “freeze” requirement; otherwise, it continues until its natural conclusion, following normal volleyball rules (players may be allowed to hit front row or be limited to back row only). The team winning the rally scores a point.

• For the next rally, C brings the ball in to the opposite team. Rally score is kept to 15, with teams switching sides at eight so that each faces C as both a right-side and a left-side attacker.

 

DRILL #3: LUNCH COVERAGE

 

Number of Players: Nine or more

Number of Balls: Ten

Objective: To improve coverage off the block. Players learn to dig lower and more quickly. An inherent level of intensity is involved in the drill, whereby no ball falls to the floor, no matter how hard the block.

Directions:

• The coach (C) tosses a free ball to a regular six-person team (X).
• Blockers (B) are at the net, holding a school lunch tray, and the hitters hit into the block.
• Teams must cover and dig every ball. (The velocity of the ball coming off the tray makes a game situation come very easily.)

 

DRILL #4: NARROW COURT TWO-ON-TWO GAMES

Number of Players: Four

Number of Balls: One

Objective: To stress the use of the overhand pass and set. It is a great

drill to develop the skills of young players.

Directions:

• Players compete in a game-like situation, with three hits on a side (no spiking). The court is either 15 feet wide and 10 feet deep or 10 feet wide and 10 feet deep. (Tape must be added to define interior sidelines

[see diagram].)

Variations:

• The court can be divided in half by length.
• Scoring can be switched to rally.
• The ball can be put in play with a toss or a serve from a player or a coach.

 

DRILL #5: NET PEPPER

 

Number of Players: One

Number of Balls: One

Objective: To encourage solid ball control and to provide a good cardiovascular workout for individual players.

Directions:

• One player (X) passes, sets and hits to himself/herself, using the volleyball net as a partner. The key is to hit the bottom of the net so the ball pops out, then use a “j” stroke to get the ball up. To increase difficulty and emphasize movement, have the players hit side-to-side.

• The player peppers for a set amount of time.

 

DRILL #6: OFFENSIVE COVER

Number of Players: Nine

Number of Balls: Six or more

Objective: This drill stresses covering hitters each time and works on

getting a second attack if there is a block.

Directions:

• Three coach/players (C/P) with a ball each stand on a stable platform. On cue, C/P holds the ball over the net.
• The opposing hitter (H) approaches, jumps, and swings, while the team gets into offensive-cover positions.

 

• C/P releases or pushes the ball as the hitter swings (or shortly thereafter).
  • All hitters transition, and the setter (S) sets away from the previous block.
  • The team covers again.

   

   

  DRILL #7: OVER-THE-NET PEPPER

  

  Number of Players: Twelve

  Number of Balls: Thirteen

  Objective: To utilize a more game-like version of traditional pepper to warm up the players adequately, help the hitters develop line-and-cut options, teach the digger to learn to read those actions.

  Directions:

  • Move the antennae in to create three separate narrow court boundaries (see diagram).
  • Position three teams of four players each (X) on the court. Begin the drill with standing spiking and then move to jumping and hitting.
  • Remind the players to hit both line and cut shots over the net, not just the usual “facing the digger” shots.

  Scoring:

  • The number of net crossings calculates scoring. The group with the highest score of three-hits-in-a-row net crossings is declared the winner.

  Variations:

  • The drill also works well with three players per team, with the setter at the net ducking back and forth for both sides.
  • The diggers/hitters can swap after every net crossing to help players move more.
  • The coach can increase the challenge by defining what an attack is:
    (a) low level—simply control the ball;
    (b) medium level—standing spike to jumping and spiking;
    (c) high level—aggressive hitting only.

  

   

  Find more great volleyball coaching e-books at Coaches Choice Volleyball Coaching Library

  
  

Blocking, like all skills, requires some athletic ability and sound fundamentals. In the clip below Joel Walton, Head Coach at Ball State University, demonstrates a simple yet effective drill that he uses to teach the fundamental foot work of swing blocking. He also discusses some of the advantages swing blocking as opposed to other systems.

The swing blocking drill is from his his DVD dedicated to blocking. The dvd includes instruction on how to stop opponents from hitting the ball into the vulnerable parts of your defense and the proper mechanics of swing blocking. In addition, he covers strategies to prevent balls from going through the block and eliminate “cheap” points. He also includes a section on how to plan your blocking based on your opponents tendencies.

For more information about that DVD click the link Individual and Team Blocking Skills and Strategies.

The YouTube video below has sound, so please make sure that your sound is turned on and that you have access to the site. Some schools block access to YouTube.

The swing blocking drill begins with the lines on players. A line of right outside blockers, a line of middle blockers and a line if left outside blockers. For this drill the outside blockers are instructed to “pinch” towards the middle blocker and keep their weight on their outside foot.

The drill is quite simple. The coach, standing on the opposite side of the net points either to the left, the right or middle. The players then execute the proper footwork and move to the appropriate spot and execute the swing block.

If the players block to the left then the middle and left outside blocker execute the block and rotate out. Two knew players move in for them and they go to a different line. The opposite hitter will move into position to cover. He will not rotate out of the drill. The hitter that covers stays in until the block is directed to their side.

Key teaching points on the footwork are as follows.
If the block is towards the middle the outside hitter on that side and the middle will use a hop step to close the gap. If the block is to the outside then the the blockers must use a big crossover and a second step to get out and execute the block. The remaining blocker must also move into position to cover.

Coach Walton believes pinching middle and using the crossover step to get outside, helps to reduce injuries as both players are moving in the same direction.