The Art of Coaching Volleyball

    Penn State women's coach Russ Rose maximizes reps and court space with his over-the-net pepper warmup drill, which prioritizes ball control and quality touches. Players split into teams of 2, and the court is divided into 3 narrow courts. Teams start opposite each other and pepper across the net. Players switch places with […]

    Clinician: Leisa Rosen, associate head women’s volleyball coach at University of Michigan Purpose: To get the feet moving in a fun warmup How it works: In this move-your-feet drill for four to six players, position two players on each side of the net and start the action by tossing one ball into play. […]

  Clinician: Tom Hilbert, head women’s volleyball coach at Colorado State University Purpose: To train outside hitters to score off the block How it works: This dual-purpose drill uses a full court with a passer and two blockers on each side. One team attacks while the other defends. Points are awarded only when the attacker […]

This is a defensive drill that every passer on the team should go through multiple times a week if not everyday. Passers must be able to read the hitter in order to get that initial edge, that tiny movement in the right direction that puts them into position to make a good pass.  

Salima Rockwell: Creating a competitive culture for female athletes

  Clinician: Mark Rosen, head women’s volleyball coach at University of Michigan Purpose: To give the server an opportunity to play defense How it Works: Four servers take turns serving at one endline to four players in serve-receive on the other side of the net. Each server serves then steps into the court to read […]

  When coaching the serve, Mark Barnard emphasizes speed with accuracy. To train on this, the Australian National Team head coach runs the “500” drill. Using a pocket radar device, he measures each player’s ball speed as they serve. That becomes the server’s score for the round. Players can raise their scores by landing the […]

  Do your players’ ball control skills need work? The ladder passing drill can help! Set up 4 to 5 players along the net, spaced equally and facing the back line. Do the same on the other side of the net. The remaining players shuffle down the row, setting to each person in turn, going […]

  Clinician: Mike Sealy, head women’s volleyball coach at UCLA Purpose: To help players execute two consecutive plays successfully or improve a ball if first contact isn’t good. How it works: On each side of the net, line up one server, one setter, three passers and another player on a box at the outside hitter […]

  Clinician: Steve Colpus, coach at Norco Volleyball Club Purpose: To teach multiple skills in a competitive setting How it works: Divide into two teams of 6-8 players (lining up 3-2-3 if using eight-player teams). Using two balls, both teams serve and receive simultaneously and must receive by contacting the ball with both forearms or […]

  Clinician: Jim Stone, former head women’s volleyball coach at Ohio State University Purpose: To train offensive and defensive skills in a competitive drill that only requires one setter. How it works: Only one setter is needed for this up-tempo, six-on-six drill that features multiple offensive repetitions on one side of the net and defensive […]

Jen DeJarld, head coach at Mother McAuley High School in Chicago, works with players on communication, cooperation and vision in this 4-on-1 drill. Four players — a left, middle and right back passer and server — line up on one side of the net. A server lines up on the other. The server enters the […]

  Teach your attackers to score against the block with the 9-point game. This competitive drill pits 2 hitters against each other. Alternating every shot, they must successfully hit around their opponent’s single block to earn kill points. The first player to 9 wins. Watch to see the drill in action and hear how to […]

    Cilene Drewnick, founder of Instinct Volleyball Club in North Texas, uses this dynamic drill to give her players ball control repetitions from many different positions on the court. Download the description and FastDraw diagram for this drill - FREE! DOWNLOAD DRILL HERE

  Clinician: Bond Shymansky, head women’s volleyball coach at University of Iowa Purpose: To work on ball control as a collective unit in a more game-like situation where the chaos forces communication How it works: This drill involves three players and one ball. It is still a hit-pass-set-hit-pass-set progression. The player who starts with the […]