Partner Passing
One partner tosses, the other forearm-passes back to the tosser's forehead.
Volleyball Drills
Pick a drill by the skill you want to improve, your level, and how many players you have. Each drill page explains the setup (using court zone numbers), how to run and score the drill, what to say while it runs, the mistakes to watch for, and how to make it easier or harder.
Filter the drills
Skill
Level
Group size
All drills
Passing
Butterfly Passing
A rotating toss-pass-catch pattern on both sides of the net that keeps everyone moving.
Pepper
Two players take turns passing, setting and hitting to keep one ball going.
Serve-Receive Triangle
Three passers share the back court and learn who takes the balls between them.
Setting
Wall Setting
Repeated sets against a wall to groove hand shape and soft, even contact.
Partner Setting
Two players set one ball back and forth, from toss-set-catch to sets on the move.
Serving
Underhand Serving
Learn the underhand serve close to the net, then step back line by line to the end line.
Target Serving
Servers aim at marked zones and score points for accuracy.
Serving Under Pressure
Serving games with consequences so practice serves feel like match serves.
Hitting
Approach Footwork
Step-by-step practice of the attack approach without a ball, then with one.
Hitting Lines
Attackers take turns hitting set balls from the left or right side.
Blocking
Blocking Footwork
Shuffle and crossover steps along the net, finishing with a well-timed block jump.
Defense
Dig to Target
Defenders dig controlled attacks and aim them high to the setter target.
Team / game-like
Queen of the Court
Small teams battle for the winners' side in short, fast rallies.
Six-on-Six Wash
Full-team scrimmage where a team must win two rallies in a row to earn a point.
Free-Ball Transition
Players move from defense to offense on an easy ball and run an attack.
Keep It Up
A kids' team game: keep a balloon or beach ball in the air and beat your group's record.
Conditioning
Agility Ladder
Quick-foot ladder patterns that match volleyball movements.
No drill matches all of those filters yet. Try removing one filter, or check the regressions on a nearby drill — many can be run with fewer players.
Sample 90-minute practice plan
For 10–12 advanced beginners on one court. Focus: serve receive.
| Time | Block | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 0:00–0:10 | Dynamic warm-up | Jog, skips, lunges, arm circles and short shuffles. See Warm-Up. |
| 0:10–0:20 | Ball-control warm-up | Pepper in pairs, 2–3 minutes per variation. |
| 0:20–0:30 | Passing basics | Butterfly Passing — goal: 25 passes caught at the target. |
| 0:30–0:40 | Serving | Target Serving — each player serves 10 balls at zones 1 and 5. |
| 0:40–0:45 | Water break | Short cue reminder: “Feet first, then platform.” |
| 0:45–1:00 | Main drill | Serve-Receive Triangle — servers vs. passers, first to 15. |
| 1:00–1:20 | Game play | Queen of the Court, 3 vs 3; every rally starts with a serve. |
| 1:20–1:30 | Cool-down & wrap-up | Easy stretching, one thing each player did well, one goal for next time. |
Shorter practice? Cut the serving block to 5 minutes and the game to 15 minutes for an 80-minute session.
How to run a good practice
- Plan the session around one or two main goals. “Better serve receive” is a goal; “work on everything” is not. Pick drills that serve the goal and drop the rest.
- Warm up with the ball, not just running laps. A short dynamic warm-up followed by ball-control drills like pepper prepares the body and the hands at the same time. See Warm-Up.
- Keep lines short. If more than three or four players are waiting for a turn, split into two groups or add a second ball. Players learn by touching the ball, not by watching.
- Go from simple to game-like. Start a skill with tossed balls, then live balls, then a scored game. Each step should look a little more like a real rally.
- Give one cue at a time. Short phrases (“platform to target,” “freeze your finish”) stick better than long explanations. Save details for a water break.
- Keep score often. A clear goal, such as “10 good passes in a row” or “first group to 15 points,” turns repetition into competition and shows players they are improving.
- Finish with play. End most practices with a game such as Queen of the Court or Six-on-Six Wash so players leave having used their skills in rallies.
- Cool down and check in. A few minutes of easy movement and stretching, and a quick question (“what went well today?”), close the session well.
Deep dive: blocked, random and game-like practice
Coaches often talk about three ways to practice a skill. In blocked practice, a player repeats the same action many times in a row, such as 20 tossed passes. It builds the basic movement quickly and feels good, which makes it useful for beginners and for fixing one detail. In random practice, the type of ball changes from one rep to the next — short, deep, left, right — so the player has to read and adjust every time. Game-like practice goes one step further and adds the things that happen in a match: a real server, teammates, a score.
Most players need a mix. A simple rule: spend a little time on blocked reps when a skill is new, then move to random and game-like drills as soon as players can keep the ball under control. The drills in this library list progressions that follow the same path.
Drill categories
- Passing drills — Drills for forearm passing, from first contact with the ball to receiving real serves.
- Setting drills — Hand-contact drills that build a clean, repeatable overhead set.
- Serving drills — Ways to make your serve more consistent and then more accurate.
- Hitting drills — Approach, arm swing and shot choice for attackers.
- Defense drills — Digging, reading the hitter and getting the ball up to target.
- Blocking drills — Footwork along the net, timing and hand position.
- Team drills — Game-like drills that connect several skills and teach players to work together.
- Conditioning drills — Movement and fitness work done with volleyball footwork in mind.
- Beginner drills — A starting set for new players and new coaches.
- Drills for kids — Games-based activities for ages 8–12.
- Solo drills — Drills you can do at home with a wall or a rebounder.
Help: how to use this library
- Drills in the library
- 18
- Skills covered
- 9
- Levels
- Beginner and intermediate
- Group sizes
- Solo to full team
- Sample plan
- 90 minutes
- Start with the skill. Use the skill filter to see drills for passing, setting, serving, hitting, blocking, defense, team play, warm-up or conditioning.
- Match the level. “Beginner” drills work for players still learning the basic movement, with easy, predictable balls. “Intermediate” drills assume players can keep a ball going with control and add speed, reading or scoring pressure.
- Check your numbers. Filter by solo, partner, small group (3–6 players) or team (7+ players). Partner and solo drills need only one or two players, and most drills list a way to run them with more or fewer people.
- Use the easier and harder versions. Every drill page has a “Make it easier or harder” section, so one drill can grow with your players for a whole season.
Frequently asked questions
How many drills should I use in one practice?
Four to six drills is plenty for a 90-minute practice. Fewer drills with more reps usually help players more than many short drills.
How long should each drill last?
Most drills work well at 8–15 minutes. Stop or change a drill when players stop improving or start losing focus.
Do I need special equipment?
A net, volleyballs and a few cones or floor markers cover almost every drill here. See our Coaching Equipment page for optional extras.