Price tiers:Budget (small items most coaches can buy themselves) · Mid-range (team equipment) · Premium (bigger items a club or school usually funds) · Club purchase (major equipment such as ball machines). Prices vary a lot by country.
Last checked: October 2026.
Most volleyball practice needs only plenty of good balls, a pump and gauge, cones and a whistle. Training aids such as spike trainers, targets and blocking pads help players repeat one skill many times. Ball machines are powerful but expensive, so they're usually club or school purchases. Buy in that order: balls first, gadgets later.
Units
Best first buy
Enough good balls
Solo practice
Rebound net, wall
Skill reps
Trainers, targets, pads
Ball machines
Club purchase
Quick comparison
Model
Best for
Price tier
Notes
Sports Attack “Attack”
School, university and club teams
Club purchase
Two wheels, topspin or float; large and heavy
Sports Attack Skill Attack
Youth clubs, private trainers
Club purchase (entry level)
Fixed, low release; leather balls only
AirCAT
Cordless setting and coverage drills
Club purchase (price on request)
Air-powered toss, 10-ball feeder
Tandem Sport Spike Trainer
Arm swing and contact
Mid-range
Needs someone to hold it
Tandem Sport Handheld Target
Passing and setting accuracy
Mid-range
Netted ring on a telescoping pole
Tandem Sport Pass Rite
Beginners who swing their arms when passing
Budget
Short blocks of reps only
Tachikara TB18 “The Setter”
Setters building hand strength
Budget
Setting drills only
Bownet Volleyball Practice Station
Serving, setting and hitting without a full court
Premium
Doesn't return the ball to a solo passer
Tandem Sport blocking pads
A coach “blocking” hitters from a box
Mid-range
Firm foam pads with hand straps
Park & Sun Sports Spectrum Classic
Outdoor and park sessions
Premium
No lower youth height
Tachikara hammock ball cart (BC-HAM)
Storing and carrying practice balls
Mid-range
Holds 24 balls, folds flat
Starter kit for a new youth coach
In priority order:
Enough good balls: ideally one per player, at least one per two players. Use light balls for 12 and under (Volleyballs).
Hand pump with spare needles, plus a pressure gauge.
Mesh ball bag, or a folding ball cart if the club will fund it.
Cones or flat disc markers for targets, zones and drill lines.
Whistle, clipboard or tactic board, and training bibs (pinnies).
First-aid kit with instant cold packs, plus an emergency-contact sheet for every player.
A free stats app and a phone tripod to film practice.
When the budget allows: blocking pads, a handheld target or a spike trainer, an agility ladder and jump ropes.
Leave for later: ball machines, net-mounted blockers and premium practice stations.
Ball machines
Wheels or air: wheel machines throw the ball with spinning wheels and can add topspin or float; air machines toss the ball with compressed air.
Release height matters: a higher release looks more like a real serve or attack.
Faster isn't better for youth: a lower-speed machine is easier to learn against.
Power and balls: most machines need mains power, and some makers specify leather balls only. Check before you buy.
Sports Attack "Attack"
Club purchase
Best for: school, university and club teams; full-speed serve receive and digging.
What stands out
Two throwing wheels give topspin or float
Adjustable release point (about 1.8 m to 2.8 m), so it suits both men's and women's net heights
Can also deliver sets and attacks
Watch out for: large and heavy, so it needs gym storage and one dedicated operator.
Also in the family: Attack II (women's-height version) and Total Attack (elite level).
Rebound nets (no single pick): a framed elastic net, usually around 1.2 × 2.1 m, that returns the ball for solo passing and setting. Most are generic brands, so look for a sturdy frame, several angle settings and ground stakes. A plain wall also works for setting and passing.
Telescoping aluminum poles with push-button men's, co-ed and women's heights
Rope boundary and carry bag included
Watch out for: no lower youth height; the boundary is recreational, about 9.1 × 18.3 m, slightly larger than an official 9 × 18 m court.
Tachikara hammock ball cart (BC-HAM)
Mid-range
Best for: storing and carrying a team's practice balls.
What stands out
Holds 24 balls and folds flat into a bag
Net-mounted blocks (Tandem Block Blaster or Bungee Blocker) give hitters a fixed block to hit around. Price tier: Mid-range–Premium.
Also useful: antennas; boundary lines for outdoor courts; a net-height measuring stick. Official specs: the net top is 2.43 m for men and 2.24 m for women; antennas are 1.80 m long and stick up 80 cm above the net. See Court & Net Dimensions.
Agility and conditioning
Cheap and versatile: cones, an agility ladder, mini hurdles, jump ropes, a reaction ball and resistance bands (Budget–Mid-range). No brand needed.
Plyo boxes: for young or new athletes, choose soft foam boxes and keep them low. A common coaching landing test uses boxes only 15–46 cm high.
What the evidence says
Strength and conditioning experts (for example the US-based NSCA) consider plyometric training safe and worthwhile for young athletes when it's well taught and supervised, progressed gradually, and done 2–3 times a week on non-consecutive days after a dynamic warm-up.
Research shows that landing-technique training increases knee and hip bend on landing and reduces the inward knee collapse linked to ACL injuries.
Stats apps: SoloStats offers a free tier for phone or tablet stat-keeping. Paid plans add multi-device use and exports (see the maker's site for current prices).
AI video analysis: Hudl Balltime (Balltime joined Hudl in 2025) turns match video into stats and highlights; Hudl Assist is a service where Hudl staff tag your film.
Low-tech essentials: whistle, clipboard or magnetic tactic board, printed rotation sheets (Formations), a timer and training bibs (pinnies).
First-aid kit:
emergency contact cards for every player
gloves
instant cold packs
elastic and triangular bandages, gauze, adhesive bandages, tape and pre-wrap
antiseptic, scissors, tweezers, eyewash, hand sanitizer
a CPR mask
your local emergency number and the address of the nearest hospital emergency department
Check the stock regularly.
Concussion training: take a concussion course. Many national federations and sports bodies offer one. In the US, a free example is the CDC's “HEADS UP to Youth Sports” online course for coaches.
Safety
Ball machines:
adult supervision only, and one operator at a time
keep hands, hair and loose clothing away from the wheels
switch off and unplug before clearing a jam
nobody walks in front of the machine
throw test balls first
keep the guards on
keep the machine away from water, wet floors and damp balls
use a properly earthed (grounded) socket and a heavy-duty extension cord rated for the machine
Youth and ball machines: start at low speed with plenty of reaction distance, and increase speed gradually.
Before each session: check net cables and pole padding, antennas and anchors, carts and stands, and ball pressure, and make sure the floor is dry and clear of loose balls.
Plenty of good balls, a pump and pressure gauge, a ball bag or cart, cones, a whistle, a clipboard or tactic board, training bibs and a first-aid kit. Training aids and ball machines can come later.
How much does a volleyball ball machine cost?
They're a major purchase, so they're usually bought by clubs and schools. In the US, machines from the main maker cost roughly $1,500 to more than $4,000. Elsewhere, prices depend on the importer, shipping and taxes, so ask a local supplier.
What's the best volleyball training equipment for home practice?
A real ball and a wall go a long way. Add a rebound net for solo passing and setting, or a spike trainer if someone can hold it.
Is plyometric training safe for young volleyball players?
Experts consider it safe and useful when it's well taught and supervised, starts with landing technique, uses low or soft boxes, and progresses gradually with rest days between sessions.
What should be in a volleyball coach's first-aid kit?
Emergency contact cards, gloves, instant cold packs, bandages and tape, antiseptic, scissors, eyewash, and your local emergency number with the address of the nearest hospital emergency department. Check the kit regularly.
