This template is based on an 8 week season with 2 practices prior to the first game

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1 Volleyball Practice Format: (Can use as much or as little as you want)

Coaches can follow these practices to the letter or use it as a guideline for planning your own practices. Regardless, with each skill focus of the day, each practice needs a character building focus of the day as well. This can be taught with a quote of the week or short story or however you wish to convey it. (A parent volunteer may be a good person to help focus on this aspect.)

This template is based on an 8 week season with 2 practices prior to the first game Practice 1) Passing Form-discipline

- 3 full laps around the volleyball court - Stretch

- Partner passing: pair up with one ball per pair. Have on girl toss nice and easy to partner. Partner then passes back to throwing partner who catches and repeats until passer makes 10 perfect passes.

- Progressive serving: partners stand at ten foot lines, across the net from each other. Players take turns tossing the ball and hitting straight over the net to his/her partner. As they improve they should take steps away from the net.

- Freeball pass to target: have all players’ line up at middle back. One at a time, toss a ball that the player must pass back to target.

- Run-Throughs: Same as freeball pass but the ball is not in their area. Player must run through where the ball is and pass to target.

- 2 person freeball passing: Same as freeball passing but with 2 players instead of one. Players must communicate to figure out who is going to pass the ball. (An exercise may be added to the drill for balls that isn’t touched)

- Pressure Serving: Every player must serve one ball over the net. (The first week they may stand close to the net as well as serve underhand)

Practice 2) Serving Form-discipline - 3 laps

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2 - Partner passing: pair up with one ball per pair. Have on girl toss nice and easy to partner. Partner then passes back to throwing partner who catches and repeats until passer makes 10 perfect passes.

- Rotation: Teach the players what the zones of the court are (1-6). Explain what the responsibilities for each zone are and what ball is theirs to go after. Also, explain that the setter should be getting the passes and they need to try to set their hitters. Walk the players through where they need to be on a serve receive and where they need to be on a free ball play.

- Serve to Receive: Set 6 players in their positions on the court and have the rest of your players serve to them. (Possibly have to complete a certain number of rallys before moving on).

- Freeball Passing: Same drill as above but add the element of a free ball coming over the net on a toss. (Could add an exercise for dropped balls: Sit ups, pushups, etc). This is to be done in a healthy manner.

-Pressure Serving: Every player must serve one ball over the net. (The first week they may stand close to the net as well as serve underhand)

Practice 3) Serve Receive-responsibility - 4 laps

- Stretch

- Partner Passing: pair up with one ball per pair. Have on girl toss nice and easy to partner. Partner then passes back to throwing partner who catches and repeats until passer makes 10 perfect passes.

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3 - Free Serve: Let the players practice their full serve for a few minutes.

- Serve Relay: Split teams up evenly, if odd number, have one person go twice. Each team has one ball. First player on each team must serve the ball over and in. If the serve is good, the player sprints to retrieve the ball, hands it to the next player, and sits down. If the serve is not good, the player must sprint to retrieve the ball and continue serving until it does go over and in. Once all players on one team are sitting down, that team wins. (A good motivation is to have the winning team choose the punishment for the losing team).

- Pressure Serving: Every player must serve one ball over the net. (The first week they may stand close to the net as well as serve underhand)

Practice 4) Movement to the Ball-effort

- Simon Says Shuffle: Have girls spread out on one side of the net. Coach stands at the net and points which direction that the girls should shuffle. Make sure that every girl stays low and moves quickly. As the weeks progress add a point straight down so they have to dive and point straight up to do an approach.

- Partner Passing: Same as before but add an element to this practice in order to emphasize movement first; have the partner that is to pass the ball catch it instead at their waist with wrists and hips touching. This will make them move to the ball instead of worrying about their form.

- Run Throughs: Same as freeball pass but the ball is not in their area. Player must run through where the ball is and pass to target.

- W drill with Shadow Passing: Typical w drill is just as it sounds, each player would start at 1 and move in a w pattern to pass each ball tossed by the coach. For the purpose of this practice’s focus, have cones set up instead of tossing the ball. Each player, one at a time, must run to each cone, staying low, and pass an imaginary ball. This gives you, the coach, the opportunity to critique form and reminding the players to stay low.

- 2 person Freeball Passing: Same as freeball passing but with 2 players instead of one. Players must communicate to figure out who is going to pass the ball. (An exercise may be added to any ball that isn’t touched)

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4 - 3 person passing to setter: Same as 2 person just add a setter and have a full back row.

(Eventually add a hitting line, when they progress to that level)

- Freeball Passing: 6 players on one side of the net receiving tossed free balls from coach they must then play out.

- Pressure Serving: Every player must serve one ball over the net. (the first week they may stand close to the net as well as serve underhand)

Practice 5) Movement of the Ball-Goals

- Follow the Leader: Start lined up at the end line. Make someone (or yourself) the leader to run, jog, lunge, hop, carioca, sprint, and approach, whatever you can think of, down each line of the court. My suggested route: hop side to side down the sideline, bob from side to side under the net, back pedal to the end line, sprint to the sideline, carioca to the net, run crouched under the net to the opposite sideline, and lunge to the end line.

- Stretch

- W Passing to Target: W drill being sure to have the player pass to the setting position and not to the tosser.

- Butterfly Drill: have players divide into 6 positions on the court—4 lines, 2 on each side of the net at the ten foot line, and 2 players at the 3 spot on either side of the net. Opposite lines will need balls. These lines will throw ball over the net to the other line who will then pass the ball to the setter who in turn catches the ball and gets into the throwing line on his/her side of the net. It’s important for everyone to hustle as well as follow their ball. Thrower runs around the net to get in the passing line, the passer moves up to be target and target moves to be thrower. The whole drill should look like a butterfly on the whole court. Everyone should be moving at the same time. (Great warm-up or precision drill—cannot move on until x amount of perfect passes are made)

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5 - Serve Receive to Target: 6 players on the court must pass serves to the setter. Setter may set to a hitting line if capable. Goal should be established before starting, i.e. 10 perfect passes or 10 3 touch balls over the net.

- Freeball Pass to Setter: Same as above but have passes off a freeball as well as serve. - Freeball Scrimmage: 6 on rest constantly throwing freeballs to one side and then the other as each ball gets played out.

Practice 6) Diving and Hitting Forms-pick yourself up

- Follow the Leader: Start lined up at the end line. Make someone (or yourself) the leader to run, jog, lunge, hop, carioca, sprint, approach, whatever you can think of, down each line of the court. My suggested route: hop side to side down the sideline, bob from side to side under the net, back pedal to the end line, sprint to the sideline, carioca to the net, run crouched under the net to the opposite sideline, and lunge to the end line.

- Diving Technique Demonstration: This can be done in many ways. How I have taught the diving in the past is to just do it and then have the players imitate. Start with the sprawl— where the ball is too far in front and they just flop on the floor diving forward to pancake the ball. Also do the side barrel roll—diving to either side in a lunge and rolling sideways to land back on your foot to push back up. Finally do the tuck—where the player turns his/her head to the side to roll over the shoulder and flip up into passing form again.

- Simon Says: Have girls spread out on one side of the net. Coach stands at the net and points which direction that the girls should shuffle. Make sure that every girl stays low and moves quickly. As the weeks progress add a point straight down so they have to dive and point straight up to do an approach.

- Run Throughs: Same as freeball pass but the ball is not in their area. Player must run through where the ball is and pass to target. This week change it up so sometimes they have to dive to get a touch on the ball.

- Freeball Scrimmage: 6 on rest constantly throwing freeballs to one side and then the other as each ball gets played out.

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6 - Serving Relay: Split teams up evenly, if odd number, have one person go twice. Each team

has one ball. First player on each team must serve the ball over and in. If the serve is good, the player sprints to retrieve the ball, hands it to the next player, and sits down. If the serve is not good, the player must sprint to retrieve the ball and continue serving until it does go over and in. Once all players on one team are sitting down, that team wins. (A good motivation is to have the winning team choose the exercise for the losing team).

Practice 7) Coverage-back each other up

- Simon Says Shuffle: Have girls spread out on one side of the net. Coach stands at the net and points which direction that the girls should shuffle. Make sure that every girl stays low and moves quickly. As the weeks progress add a point straight down so they have to dive and point straight up to do an approach.

- Run Throughs: Same as freeball pass but the ball is not in their area. Player must run through where the ball is and pass to target. This week change it up so sometimes they have to dive to get a touch on the ball.

- Base-Release-Serve: This drill emphasizes the movement without the ball. Refresh the placement of the player in each zone for serve receive. Then explain how to move once the ball is on the opposing side—front row moves to the net ready to block or cover and back row moves to cover, this is the base. Now explain how to move when you see it will be a free ball—front row drops back to pass, setter opens to the court, back row moves to their coverage areas, this is release. After everyone understands what each position is supposed to do, test the players by yelling out “base”, “release”, “serve”.

- Coverage Rotation: Once the players get the basic base-release concept, they can now understand how to cover. Coaches will decide which coverage rotation is best but I like the rotation where there is one block and everyone else covers with the middle back getting any ball that is shot deep. Rotate and practice without the ball until everyone knows each position’s responsibilities.

- Freeball with Block: 6 players on one side of the net receiving tossed free balls from coach they must then play out. This drill is different; every time the ball makes it over the net the

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7 coach then tosses a short ball to reenact a blocked ball. This will ensure that every one is

covering every ball. (Possible exercise for not being in coverage)

-Serve vs Receive: 6 players must get 25 points before the servers get 10. Practice 8) Intensity in Everything-be all you can be

- Simon Says: Have girls spread out on one side of the net. Coach stands at the net and points which direction that the girls should shuffle. Make sure that every girl stays low and moves quickly. As the weeks progress add a point straight down so they have to dive and point straight up to do an approach.

- Partner Pepper: By now the girls should be able to have perfect passes off of an easy toss so have the girls pass back and forth to each other 50 times then set back and forth 50 times.

- Butterfly Drill: have players divide into 6 positions on the court—4 lines, 2 on each side of the net at the ten foot line, and 2 players at the 3 spot on either side of the net. Opposite lines will need balls. These lines will throw ball over the net to the other line who will then pass the ball to the setter who in turn catches the ball and gets into the throwing line on his/her side of the net. It’s important for everyone to hustle as well as follow their ball. Thrower runs around the net to get in the passing line, the passer moves up to be target and target moves to be thrower. The whole drill should look like a butterfly on the whole court. Everyone should be moving at the same time. (Great warm-up or precision drill—cannot move on until x amount of perfect passes are made)

- Hitting Lines: Have the players divide into 2 lines on either side of the net in the outside hitter position. Take turns having players be setter. Everyone must chase their ball. - W Drill: W drill being sure to have the player pass to the setting position and not to the tosser.

- Scrimmage: 6 on 6 to 25. Winner chooses loser’s exercise. Play as much as needed and change up line-ups

- Pressure Serving: Everyone must serve the ball overhand before practice can end. Practice 9) Fun-volleyball is just a game

- This practice is the last practice so make it fun and let the players choose their favorite drills and enjoy it.