Volleyball drills are the heart of a solid volleyball practice because they allow players to commit game-specific skills to memory so that they become instinctual in a live match. Drills also allow you to work with individual players to improve any weaknesses they might have. Helping your players understand the fundamentals of how a volleyball drill works and what its objectives are will allow you to better train them and get the most out of each practice.
Basic Skills
Part of drilling, particularly when you are coaching young players, is helping them develop the most basic skills of the game. According to the American Sport Education Program, you need to have a solid understanding of offensive and defensive skills, as well as the rules of the game, when you choose basic drills for your players. Begin the training of your players with basic drills for passing, serving, hitting and blocking the ball. Keep these drills simple and emphasize correct form as the players learn to control the ball movement on the court. You also can incorporate rules into each drill if the players are unfamiliar with the game.
Use Available Supplies
Sally Kus states in her book "Coaching Volleyball Successfully" that having two courts available for practice is ideal, but if you are limited on space you need to be creative with your drilling. If you are limited on space or equipment, have your team break into groups so that one group can drill on the court while the other group does conditioning or some other activity off of the court. If you have multiple courts available, you can designate a specific court for a specific action, like serving or setting. Select your drills based on how many players are attending the practice so that everyone can be involved and make the most of the practice time.
Linking Skills
One of the defining aspects of volleyball is that each team can strike the ball three times while in possession, creating situations in which players must link various skills. Force your players to use the best technique possible for the situation they are in, Kinda Lenberg states in "Volleyball Skills and Drills." For example, you might need to practice having your back line transition forward on a high pass so they can set the ball properly to the hitter. Training linked skills like this will help your players recognize a situation during a game quickly so they can select the most appropriate playing skill for that situation.
Role and Communication
Every player needs to understand her role on the team in a live game, and this understanding comes from drills. Volleyball coaches Larry Bock and Mark Pavlik state in the Rio Rancho High School volleyball handbook that every player, from the varsity starter to the third stringer, needs to be able to read the current game situation and enter the court ready to fulfill whatever role is necessary. Encourage talking between your players during drills so that they are aware of their teammates and what is expected of them. If the mood in practice is low, players should speak encouraging words during drills and ignite competitiveness in their teammates. Each drill should be seen as preparation for an important game rather than just another motion to go through in practice.
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