Volleyball coaching drills

Volleyball Drills for Practice

Ball control, serve receive, and attacking drills to build confident, competitive players.

Volleyball is a game of controlled touches, and practice time should reflect that — lots of reps on passing, setting, and hitting technique before adding full-speed, competitive play. The drills below move from controlled ball-control work into game-like pressure, which is the progression most volleyball coaches build a session around.

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Pepper Drill

Pepper is the classic volleyball warm-up: two players work through passing, setting, and hitting in a continuous exchange, building touch and control…

Ball ControlFundamentals
8–10 minutes
Ages 8+

Queen of the Court

This competitive game adds pressure and consequence to rally play, motivating players to execute fundamentals under game-like stress while…

CompetitiveGame Play
15–20 minutes
Ages 10+

Serve Receive Passing Lanes

This drill trains passers to read a serve early, move into the ball's path, and deliver a consistent, controlled pass to a target — usually the…

PassingServe Receive
10 minutes
Ages 10+

Approach & Attack Footwork Drill

This drill isolates the approach footwork that powers an effective attack, building the rhythm and timing players need before adding a set and a live…

HittingFootwork
8–10 minutes
Ages 11+

Hitting / Transition Drill

Works on converting a pass to a quick attack opportunity and then recovering for transition defense — useful for training both hitters and back-row defenders.

HittingTransition
10 minutes
Ages 11+

6v6 Sideout Drill

A controlled 6v6 rotation emphasizing serve receive formations and sideout execution — great for applying learned skills in a game-like context.

Game PlayServe Receive
15–20 minutes
Ages 12+

Block Timing Drill

Work on penetration and hand positioning to close down hitters and control attacking angles.

BlockingTiming
10 minutes
Ages 11+

Service Ace Drill

Practice serve placement and power to create aces or force weak returns.

ServingAccuracy
10 minutes
Ages 11+

Defensive Dig Drill

Train low defensive position, platform control, and controlled recoveries on hard-driven attacks.

DefenseDigging
8–12 minutes
Ages 10+

Sideout Transition Drill

Practice transitioning from serve receive to sideout attack, focusing on quick decision-making and setter distribution.

TransitionSideout
12 minutes
Ages 12+

Balloon Volleyball Control Drill

Slowing the ball down with a balloon gives the youngest players extra time to get their body and platform in the right position, building confident…

Ball ControlFundamentals
6–8 minutes
Ages 6+

Read Blocking and Shot Selection Drill

An advanced hitting drill that trains attackers to read the block in real time and choose the correct shot — tool the block, hit around it, or go…

HittingAdvanced
15–18 minutes
Ages 13+