Here is an extremely versatile and competitive drill that maximizes each player’s contacts by cutting down transition time.

This drill was provided by Coaching Volleyball

By John Forman

Coach Forman is currently the assistant volleyball coach at Midwestern State University. Before that he was the Head Coach of the professional women’s team at Svedala Volleybollklubb in Sweden.

Synopsis: This variation on Winners looks to maximize contacts but cutting down transition time.

Age/Skill Level: This game is suitable for all levels.

Requirements: Court, 8 players, 3 balls.

Execution: Divide the players into 4 teams of two, with two teams on each side of the net – one on the court, one behind the end line. The two “off” teams each have a ball, as does one of the “on” teams. The on team with the play starts play with a serve and the teams rally normally from there. The team that loses the rally immediately vacates the court and the off team on that side serves and enters the court to begin a new rally. The winner of each rally scores a point, with the game played to some predetermined point total.

Variations:

• Teams of 3 or more can be used.
• More than 4 teams can play if necessary.
• You can use a full or reduced sized court.
• For lower level teams where serving is inconsistent, the coach can initiate the ball to start each rally.
• Attacking can be limited to certain types, such as back row only.

You can see a 4-player team version of speedball in the USA Volleyball video below. (Note video has audio, so please make sure that your sound is turned up. )

Additional Comments:

• By incorporating requirements into the play – must have 3 contact, all players much touch the ball, bonus points for quick set kills, etc. – you can adapt the game to work toward the training objectives you have for the session.
• If you are playing 2s or 3s on a full court you likely want to use beach rules in terms not allowing open-hand tipping and requiring sets to be straight forward or back (no sideways dumps over the net). Alternatively, you could just not allow such attacks in front of the 3 meter line.

Here is a very simple volleyball passing drill that can serve as an alternative to Butterfly Drill.

In the video below Nabil Mardini,Director of Operations with Los Angeles Volleyball Academy and Pierce College Head Coach demonstrates a drill he uses in place of the popular Butterfly Drill. Coach Mardini is a 3x CCCAA California State Champion and a 2x AVCA National Two-Year College Coach of the Year.

This volleyball passing drill is taken from Coach Mardini’s instructional DVD entitled Best of Club Volleyball: Passing & Serving. For more information about that DVD click the link above.

The YouTube video below has audio, so please make sure that your volume is turned up. Click the arrow to play the video. If you are viewing in a school setting, note that some schools block access to YouTube.

Serve receive is an absolutely critical component of your team’s success. Here is a drill and a competitive game that you can use to practice this crucial skill.

In the video clips below Kirsten Bernthal Booth, Creighton University Head Coach; 2016 VolleyballMag.com National Coach of the Year – 3x National Coach of the Year; Back-to-Back-to-Back Big East Regular Season and Tournament Champions (2014-16), shares video of a live practice session.

In the first clip, she shows a serve receive drill called “Dive Ball and Bombers”.

In the second clip, she demonstrates a serve receive competitive game.

This clips are taken from a live Creighton practice and are just two examples of what you can get in the coaching DVD entitled All Access Volleyball Practice with Kirsten Bernthal Booth

The YouTube videos below have audio, so please make sure that your volume is turned up.

Click the arrow to play the video.

Note that some schools block access to YouTube

The first line of defense for setter improvement is learning how to identify problems. What if the outside set is consistently high? Here is a simple tweak to fix.

In the video clip below Courtney DeBolt Slinko, All American setter and a four-year letterwinner at Michigan State, discusses a simple tweak that will improve the outside set. Too often setters take the ball right on top of their head. While this doesn’t impair their ability to back set, it often causes the outside set to be too high.

This tweak is just one of 10 tweaks ethat Coach Debolt Slinko addreses in her full length DVD entitled 10 Tweaks to Take your Setter to the Next Level.  Just click this link to find out more information regarding her instructional DVD.

The YouTube video below has audio, so please make sure that your volume is turned up. Also note that some schools block access to YouTube.

Here is a digging and setting drill that can be used to get your players multiple repetitions and reinforce critical fundamentals.

In the video clip below you will get a look at a live practice drill from Dan Fisher,University of Pittsburgh Head Coach;2017 ACC Coach of the Year;2017 ACC Champions; former Concordia -Irvine University Head Coach,2012 NAIA National Championship (perfect 38-0 record), National Runner-Up finish in 2011;NAIA/AVCA National Coach of the Year (2011).

In the video Coach Fisher is conducting his triangle dig and setting drill. The clip is taken from a live University of Pittsburg practice.

Thisdrill is just one of many contained in Coach Fisher’s coaching DVD. For more information about that DVD click the link All Access Volleyball Practice with Dan Fisher

The YouTube video below has audio, so please make sure that the volume is turned up and that you have access to the site. Note that some schools block access to YouTube. Click the arrow to play the video