When there’s a ball that seems to be just out of reach that could cost your team a valuable point, diving is an essential skill for a volleyball player. Teaching your players how to dive and dig at balls can help your team become better defensively.
Basic Diving Drill
Newer players may be a little more hesitant to learn how to dive for fear they might hurt themselves in the process. To help newer or more timid players become familiar with diving, try a basic diving drill with a gymnastics mat. Toss a ball out in front of the first player in line. Have the player dive and dig the ball as she falls on the mat. If the player misses the ball, have her go back and try again. Players should make some sort of contact with the ball. Once the player makes contact with ball, have her go to the back of the line and have the next player dive at the ball. Repeat the drill until each player has had a few chances to dive at the ball.
Hit the Deck
This drill helps players lose their fear of diving to the floor and helps them develop quick reaction. Stand at the net with your players spread out facing you. Have them jog in place quickly as you hold a volleyball in both hands. Each time you blow the whistle, players must dive in the direction you point the ball as if they were diving to perform a dig on the ball. Alternate the time in between each whistle and the direction you point the ball in order to keep players on their toes.
Dive and Roll
The dive and roll drill helps players not only react to a ball they need to dive in order to reach, it also teaches them the proper way to roll out of the way in order to help create room for their teammates to make a play on the ball. Stand on a chair or a box on one side of the net with a ball. Have your players line up on the baseline. As each player steps to the front of the line, spike the ball so that the player has to dive in order to dig at the ball. After diving and digging at the ball, the player must then roll toward the outside of the court to get out of the way of the play. Do the drill in rapid succession so that players have to hurry and roll in order to get out of the way of the next player participating in the drill.
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