Volleyball, a fast-paced game, requires quick reactions and good teamwork. One of the best ways to train players for the scenarios they will encounter in a volleyball match is to have them practice drills focused on specific skills. Committing these skills to muscle memory, as well as allowing players to better analyze the playing situation at any given time, allows them to make the best play possible to win the rally.
Serving
Accurately serving the ball is critical to the success of a team because it is the first motion made when putting the ball in play. One drill advocated by Volleyball.com for improve serving accuracy is the dead fish drill. For this drill, players are divided into two teams and continuously serve to the other side. When a player misses a serve, they lay on the floor on the opposite side of the court and are out of the game until a player from their team hits them with a ball. The team with the most players left standing at the end of a set time limit is the winner.
Setting
Being able to quickly set the ball up for an attack hit helps teams score more points. One drill that can teach players to move quickly into setting positions is the set-set-hit drill from Y-Coach.com. During this drill, a setter, passer and outside hitter all start laying face down at the baseline. The coach hits the ball over the net to the center of the court. After the ball has been hit, the three players must quickly get into position to retrieve the ball. The passer sets the ball close to the net where the setter should be positioned. The setter then sets it to the outside and the outside hitter strikes the ball over the net, scoring a point if it lands within the limits of the opposing court.
Attacking
University of Washington volleyball coach Jim McLaughlin notes in "Volleyball Skills & Drills" that "the average number of kills per game and hitting efficiency are the two highest coefficients to winning." This means that you want your attackers to hit as hard and as accurately as possible. One simple drill that can improve their skills is to set up an even number of cones in each corner of the court. A setter on each side of the net then sets balls, and two opposing attackers attempt to knock over all of the cones on the other side of the court. This drill improves accuracy and forces the hitter to quickly analyze the situation to make a correct strike.
Blocking
Effective blockers can keep an opposing team on the defense and thus force more errors during a rally. To carry out the job efficiently, a blocker must possess speed and stamina to get to the net quickly. One drill that builds stamina and a quick reaction time is the get-out-of-the-hole drill. In this drill, two hitters stand on one side of the net, and a blocker stands on the other side of the net centered between them. The coach stands behind the blocker so he can see the hitters. When the coach points to a hitter, she bumps the ball up and makes an attack hit over the net. The blocker must move quickly to block the shot. After the block is attempted, the blocker moves back to her centered position facing the hitters. The drill continues until a set number of stuff blocks are achieved. The farther apart the hitters are placed, the quicker the blocker will have to move to be successful.
References
- "Volleyball Skills & Drills"; American Volleyball Coaches Association; 2006
- Volleyball.com: Drill Archive
- Y-Coach: Youth Volleyball Drills
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