Equipment Needed
- Volleyballs
- Net
- Scouting notes or targets (optional)
Keep the serves coming
A multi-pack of training volleyballs means strategic serving reps don't stall out waiting to retrieve balls.
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- Servers work from the service line with a simulated or real receiving lineup on the other side.
- Identify specific targets: a seam between two receivers, a weak passer's zone, or a deep corner.
Instructions
- Before each serve, call out the intended target and the reason for choosing it.
- Execute the serve (float, topspin, or jump serve) aiming specifically for that target.
- Track whether the serve achieved its strategic goal, not just whether it landed in bounds.
- Rotate through several different strategic targets over the session.
Coaching Points
- A serve that's technically good but hit to the other team's best passer is often a worse choice than a simpler serve to a weaker zone.
- Seams between two receivers create hesitation ("mine" vs "yours") that a serve down the middle rarely produces.
- Consistency matters more than pure power for strategic serving — a serve that reliably finds its target beats an inconsistent bomb.
- This is a decision-making drill as much as a physical one; talk through the reasoning before and after each serve.
Variation
Use real scouting information about an upcoming opponent's passers if available, or run a competitive point system rewarding serves that hit the called strategic target.