Coach Lyndsey Oates, University of Northern Colorado, demonstrates the Setter Rocker Step Wall Drill.

The key to the Rocker Step is weight transfer from left to the right foot.

Ideally, the left would land just as the setter was striking the ball.

In this video Coach Oakes has the players working on their rocker step by setting to the wall.

After the players get a rhythm, she has them alternate between jump setting and rocker step.

This clip is just a small portion of Coach Oates presentation. To see her entire presentation, as well as other great ones, click the link Glazier Volleyball Clinics

The clip below has audio so please make sure that your speakers are turned on. Click the arrow to play the video

Far too often, a practice can turn into more of a social event and becomes less about playing with aggressiveness and intensity.

In this video from three-time Division III National Champion coach Amber Warners, demonstrates her No Fluff Hitting Drill that is designed to get players to ultra-aggressive.

In fact, in this drill, they are forced to hit the ball hard every time.  There are no “fluff” shots allowed.

If during the course of a point a player hits a ball that is struck hard the other team wins the point.

Coach Warners believes it is important to do this to give the players the freedom to see how hard they can hit and to teach them to be aggressive.

If you are interested in running intense, game-like practices, then you might want to check out the video that this drill came from. Coach Warners excels at teaching others how they can take their practice drills and tweak them to keep players more focused and self-accountable.

To learn more about Coach Warners’ instructional video click the link: How to Develop Match Simulation Opportunities in Practice to Increase Practice Intensity

The YouTube video below has audio so please make sure that your speakers are turned on and that you have access to the site. Note that some schools block access to YouTube

 

Consistency in serve receive is one of the most important factors in being able to run a fast-paced offense in volleyball. In order to be most effective players must be able to receive overhand.

In the video below, two-time national champion coach Mick Haley addresses the overhand serve receive.

One of the most consistently difficult serves to deal with as a serve receiver is a ball that comes high toward the chest. Coach Haley demonstrates how to take that high ball.

In receiving the serve overhand coach Haley stresses that it is not a set, but rather more of a grab and throw. Players should grab the ball and get it as high as possible. The goal is to get the ball on the same trajectory as a pass. The ball should be “thrown” high

To do this players must keep their hands high and in front. He shares the following key coaching point. “On serve receive the line of force should be through the body and out your back” This will allow players to have force back into the ball.

The teaching progression that coach Haley uses is as follows.

First, he instructs the players to drop and load. He then throws the ball high and asks then to simply catch the ball. Next, he asks the player to catch the ball, keep it high and take it back high to him. Then finally he asks the player to bring the ball back to him.

This clip was taken from Coach Haley’s DVD entitled Teaching Serve Receive Techniques and Patterns. To learn more about that DVD click here

The YouTube video has audio so please make sure that your speakers are turned on.

Communication is a critical skill in volleyball. This Don’t Drop the Baby Drill will force your players communicate with each other in order to be successful.

In the video below Coach Penny Isenbart from Kit High School (CO) shares her “Don’t Drop the Baby Drill” which forces players to think, communicate and use their peripheral vision in order to play out a point.

The drill can be played with many variations, but the one demonstrated below is a 3v3 drill. Two of the girls on each side of the net are holding a “baby” which in this case simply a white volleyball. A blue ball is being used to play out the point.

In this version, the players are just setting and passing the ball over. The players are forced to communicate with each other because as the ball approaches a player with a “baby” the one teammate without a “baby” must communicate with her teammate so that she locate here and pass the “baby” to her receiving the ball.

This presentation and hundreds of others like it are available at Glazier Clinics Volleyball Vault

The video below has audio so please make sure that your speakers are turned on. Click the arrow to play.

 

There are three basic components to effective transition: How you move well, how you see well and how you communicate well.

In the video below University of Washington head coach Keegan Cook demonstrates his 3 Ball Game designed to enhance your understanding of the transition game and to improve your offense’s success during rally play.

Coach Cook has had a successful career as evident by the following:

• 2x Pac-12 Champions (2015 & 2016);
• 2x NCAA Elite Eight appearances (2015 & 2016);
• 2018 U.S. Junior Women’s National Team Head Coach;
• 2016 U.S. Collegiate Women’s National Team Head Coach

The 3 Ball Game is just taken from his instructional DVD in which he teaches: