This guide helps youth coaches, small teams and PE teachers decide what to buy, in order. Most volleyball practice needs only plenty of good balls, a pump and gauge, cones and a whistle, so buy those first; training aids such as spike trainers, targets and blocking pads help players repeat one skill many times and can come later. Ball machines are powerful but expensive, so they're usually club or school purchases.
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Starter kit: what to buy first
For a new youth coach or a small team, start by listing what the venue already provides: court space, a suitable net, balls and safe storage. Then plan the session. Equipment should solve a specific training problem, such as players waiting too long for a turn, rather than fill a shopping list. Then buy in this order:
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Enough suitable balls: ideally one per player, at least one per two players. Count the players and decide whether each drill needs one ball per player, per pair or per group. Use the same model where you can, so players don't change ball feel every repetition, and buy one sample before a team-sized order if the model is new to you. Use light balls for 12 and under.
Cones or flat disc markers for targets, zones and drill lines. Use storage and court-safe markers the venue allows, and keep loose equipment away from landing and running areas. For example: AdvertisementEco Walker 10-inch flat spot markers, set of 6 on Amazon.com ↗
First-aid kit with instant cold packs, plus an emergency-contact sheet for every player (full first-aid list).
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.
Wait on specialist training aids. Leave ball machines, net-mounted blockers and premium practice stations for later. Rebounders, target nets and ball machines help in particular sessions, but first name the skill you want to practise and how the device improves your existing drill. If you can't, spend the budget on court time and suitable balls.
No specific pick: a magnetic tactic board (any volleyball-court board works; we couldn't find one we could check that is available) and a first-aid kit: build one from the list below. Tape, pre-wrap and cold packs: Tape & Cold Packs.
For PE teachers: a class kit
For a class of about 30 students:
15 or more balls (one for every two students). Lightweight trainer balls or soft volleyballs work best for beginners; beach balls are fine for a first lesson.
2–4 nets or ropes for small courts. Badminton nets or a rope between posts work, set lower than a regulation net.
20–30 cones or poly spots, plus hula hoops or floor tape for targets.
Bibs (pinnies) in 4–6 colors, a whistle and a timer.
The full six-lesson unit, with this equipment list and safety rules, is in PE Lesson Plans.
Specialist equipment: when you need more
These help in particular sessions once the starter kit is in place. Ordered from the cheapest, most useful aids to the big club purchases:
Quick comparison
Model
Best for
Price tier
Notes
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
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 blocking pads
A coach “blocking” hitters from a box
Mid-range
Firm foam pads with hand straps
Tachikara hammock ball cart (BC-HAM)
Storing and carrying practice balls
Mid-range
Holds 24 balls, folds flat
Bownet Volleyball Practice Station
Serving, setting and hitting without a full court
Premium
Doesn't return the ball to a solo passer
Park & Sun Sports Spectrum Classic
Outdoor and park sessions
Premium
No lower youth height
Sports Attack Skill Attack
Youth clubs, private trainers
Club purchase (entry level)
Fixed, low release; leather balls only
Sports Attack “Attack”
School, university and club teams
Club purchase
Two wheels, topspin or float; large and heavy
AirCAT
Cordless setting and coverage drills
Club purchase (price on request)
Air-powered toss, 10-ball feeder
Hitting, passing and setting trainers
A ball held on a pole lets a hitter repeat the approach and contact without a setter.
A handheld target gives passers and setters an exact spot to aim at.
Heavy setter balls are full size but much heavier, for building hand strength (setting only).
Tandem Sport Spike Trainer (classic or collapsible)
Mid-range
Best for: teaching arm swing and contact at camps and practice.
What stands out
Holds a ball on a pole at whatever height the holder chooses; the collapsible version packs down
Watch out for: needs someone to hold it, and a still ball doesn't train timing on a real set.
Video: Bownet Sports on YouTube. Learn Volley is not affiliated with this channel.
Rebound nets: 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.
Olybeaka volleyball rebounder, 7 × 4 ft
Mid-range
Best for: solo passing and setting at home when no wall is available.
What stands out
A 2.1 × 1.2 m net on a steel frame with six angle settings
Anti-slip feet for hard floors and stakes for grass, according to the listing; folds flat
Watch out for: it needs space around it; keep it outside the court and walkways. A wall does the same job for free.
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Video: AVCA Volleyball on YouTube. Learn Volley is not affiliated with this channel.
Park & Sun Sports Spectrum Classic
Premium
Best for: outdoor and park sessions.
What stands out
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
XDsports portable outdoor net system
Mid-range
Best for: backyard, park and grass sessions without fixed posts.
What stands out
Complete set: 9.75 × 0.9 m net, push-button steel poles with three heights, boundary line, a ball, a pump with needle and a carry bag
The listing gives heights for men's, co-ed and women's play
Watch out for: measure the net height with a tape before you play: recreational sets aren't certified to official heights. Made for grass and sand, not gym floors.
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The 30 m (100 ft) tape; longer reels share the listing.
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.
Club and match equipment
Club or school purchases, not starter-kit items. Check what your venue already supplies before buying.
Champion Sports collapsible volleyball cart
Premium
Best for: clubs and schools that keep balls in the gym.
What stands out
Aluminum frame with a canvas bag; holds up to 30 balls
Swivel casters, and the frame folds for storage
Watch out for: larger and pricier than the hammock cart above, so it's usually a club purchase.
EVER ADVANCED rolling ball cart (20 balls)
Mid-range
Best for: teams that move balls from storage to the court.
What stands out
Holds up to 20 volleyballs; a 30-ball size is a separate option
Folds to about 84 × 13 × 13 cm, with lockable swivel wheels
Watch out for: a smaller brand with fewer ratings than the big sports names; lock the wheels before players take balls.
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A set of 2 flags with a case; a match with four line judges needs two sets.
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 jump training. Read the evidence below before using them with young athletes.
A ladder or hurdles help when your plan includes footwork drills; on their own they don't make anyone faster in a match. Bands: Resistance Bands & Warm-Up.
SKLZ Quick Ladder
Budget
Best for: planned footwork drills.
What stands out
4.6 m long with 11 plastic rungs, 43 cm wide
Folds into a carry bag
Watch out for: use it on a dry, clear surface and away from other drills.
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One adjustable rope; choose the handle color on the listing.
ProsourceFit slam ball
Budget
Best for: coach-led throws and slams in strength sessions.
What stands out
Sand-filled rubber ball that doesn't bounce, sold in several weights
Textured shell for grip
Watch out for: it isn't a volleyball or a weighted setting ball, and it doesn't rebound off a wall. Start light: the link opens a heavy ball, so choose your weight on the listing.
Garmin HRM 200 heart-rate strap
Mid-range
Best for: tracking heart rate in conditioning sessions.
What stands out
Chest strap that sends live heart rate to a compatible Garmin watch, app or gym equipment
User-replaceable battery; two strap sizes (XS–S and M–XL)
Watch out for: it measures heart rate only, not jump height, and needs a paired device nearby. Some customers report connection problems.
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Choose XS–S or M–XL; it needs a compatible Garmin device or app.
What the evidence says
The NSCA’s 2009 youth resistance-training position statement emphasizes qualified supervision, a suitable dynamic warm-up and progression matched to the young person. Equipment does not replace coaching or justify automatically adding work to existing team training. NSCA 2009 (PDF).
Landing-mechanics measurements, such as knee angle, are not the same outcome as diagnosed injury rates. No training aid on this page guarantees injury prevention.
Video: Hospital for Special Surgery on YouTube. Learn Volley is not affiliated with this channel.
Stats and video analysis
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.
Filming practice: a phone on a tall stand behind the end line or at the side shows the whole court. Keep the stand outside the court and the free zone around it, away from walkways, and follow your club's and venue's rules on filming players, especially children.
Ulanzi ST-02S phone mount
Budget
Best for: attaching a phone to any standard tripod.
What stands out
Aluminum clamp for phones about 66–94 mm wide, upright or sideways
Standard tripod thread underneath and an accessory shoe on top
Watch out for: it's a clamp only, with no tripod, and some customers found the grip less secure than expected.
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Video: Elevate Yourself on YouTube. Learn Volley is not affiliated with this channel.
Coaching reading
Two books for coaches who want more drills and session ideas. Both are older than the current rules, so check rule details in the current rulebook; our free printables and drill library cover the basics too. We haven't reviewed them ourselves; the details below come from the listings.
The Volleyball Drill Book (AVCA)
Budget
Best for: coaches looking for more drills to fit a session plan.
What stands out
By the American Volleyball Coaches Association; Human Kinetics, 2012, 256 pages
Watch out for: published in 2012, so some rule references are dated.
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Video: Brian Vorst on YouTube. Learn Volley is not affiliated with this channel.
Safety and first aid
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.
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.
How we choose and price tiers
We compare product specifications and, for products with an Amazon link, their Amazon rating and Amazon’s summary of customer reviews to help you choose equipment. We have not personally tested these products.
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.
How we choose: we don't test products ourselves. We compare makers' specs with independent reviews and coaching sources, such as the videos on this page. Some picks on this page have Amazon affiliate links, each labelled as an advertisement; commissions don't decide which products we pick or their order, and no brand pays to be listed.
Frequently asked questions
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, Sports Attack lists its machines at roughly $1,500 to $4,400. 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.
