Three  areas that all coaches would like their middle blockers to be better at are blocking, pressing and  tracking the ball.  In the video clip below Keylor Chan, head coach of Samford and former head coach at Northwestern, demonstrates a progression of drills that he utilizes to train his middle blockers.

Coach Chan shows you five drills that he uses. He begins with three drills that utilize a weighted ball that he makes his blockers press across the net to him. He then demonstrates a live ball blocking drill using a volleyball that requires the players to read and use the correct hand. He ends with a drill to teach middle blockers to  track the ball and then accelerate to it.

The video was provided by volleyballsolutions.com and is posted on the AVCA YouTube Channel For more great volleyball training ideas click in either or both of the above links.

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)

Serving is so critical. Its the one shot that you have total control over. Its a fundamental that needs to be practiced correctly thousands of times to be mastered. Its not enough to hit a bunch of serves, players need to hit a bunch of serves correctly. They also need to be able to hit more than one type of serve in order to be more effective. In the clip below from the Team USA YouTube Channel, Legendary Oregon State and National Team Coach Terry Liskevych shows you the proper way to hit a Floater, Standing Topspin and a Jump Topspin serve.

For more great instuctional videos like the one below, visit Team USA’s YouTube Channel

They video below has sound, so please make sure that your sound is turned on and that you have access to the site (some school block access to YouTube)

Hitting effectively is obviously a crucial aspect to your teams attack. In the video clip below Coach Chris Poole, Head Coach at Florida State University, talks about teaching the basic volleyball arm swing and approach.

In the video Coach Poole takes you through a hitting progression that he uses with his team. Beginning with simple arm swings and progressing to the full approach and ending with power tips to open court.

For more training videos and from AcuSpike check out their Youtube Channel or to learn more about this training tool you can visit www.acuspike.com

As Coach Poole mentions in the video, if you like the progression, you can do the drills by tossing the ball or with other resources that you may have on hand.

The YouTube video 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 the site)

In order for your middles to become more involved in your offense, they are going to have to work hard to transition to get off the net and make themselves more available. In the clip below former Georgia Tech Head Coach, and current Texas Associate Head Coach, Tonya Johnson explains the principles of spacing of the middle hitters. Coach Johnson explains why it is important to open a lane between the passer and the setter. She demonstrates her Spacing Drill to teach this concept.

For more information about the DVD that this clip came from click the link Using Middles Effectively in Your Offense

The YouTube video has sound, so please make sure that the sound is turned on and that you have access to the site (some schools block access to YouTube)

Below is a drill designed to help your defense and passing, but also increase the intensity and energy level in the gym. Anytime you can run a drill that teaches a skill and increases your intensity and energy level, you should consider adding it to your practice. These type of drills not only teach a skill, but effectively increase the effectiveness of subsequent drills in practice.

In the clip below Nancy Dorsey, St. James Academy (KS) Head Coach;2015 AVCA National High School Coach of the Year and 7-Time Kansas Class 5A state champion; demonstrates what she calls “Hyperventilate”. The drill comes from a complete DVD to help you with your practices. For more more information about the DVD click the link High School Volleyball: Dynamic Practice Design and Drills

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