1. Wall setting
Solo hand-shape practice.
Volleyball Drills for Beginners
Beginners improve fastest with easy, predictable balls and lots of touches. Start with partner pepper and wall setting to build ball control, add butterfly passing and target serving once players can keep the ball going, and end each practice with a small game like Queen of the court. All six drills below need only a net, balls and a few markers.
- Drills here
- 6
- Group size
- 1 to 12+ players
- Equipment
- Net, balls, cones
- Rule of thumb
- Toss before you serve
Tips for coaching beginners
- Toss before you hit or serve. A soft, accurate toss lets players focus on their form.
- Use catch-and-play. Let players catch the ball and then toss it to themselves before passing or setting. Remove the catch as they improve.
- Shorter court, lower stakes. Serve from closer, play on a smaller court, and praise effort and good form, not only results.
- Teach the court early. Calling spots by zone number (zone 5 is left back) makes every drill easier to explain. See Court Zones.
- Play every practice. Even 10 minutes of game play helps beginners see why the skills matter.
Six drills to start with
2. Pepper
Partner control: pass, set, easy hit. Start with "pass-set-catch."
3. Butterfly passing
Group passing to a target with a rotation.
4. Target serving
Start from mid-court and aim at big zones.
5. Approach footwork
Learn the attack steps without a ball.
6. Queen of the court
Short, fun rallies in small teams.
A simple 60-minute beginner practice
| Time | Block |
|---|---|
| 0:00–0:08 | Dynamic warm-up (Warm-Up) |
| 0:08–0:18 | Partner pepper (pass-set-catch) |
| 0:18–0:28 | Butterfly passing with tosses |
| 0:28–0:38 | Target serving from mid-court |
| 0:38–0:55 | Queen of the court, 3 vs 3 |
| 0:55–1:00 | Cool-down and one takeaway each |
Frequently asked questions
What should a beginner practice first?
Passing comes first, because it is the first contact on most plays. Setting and serving can be added in the same practice.
Can beginners play games right away?
Yes. Small games like 2 vs 2 or 3 vs 3 give more touches than 6 vs 6 and are more fun.
How often should beginners practice?
Two or three short sessions a week usually help more than one long one. Our Beginner Volleyball in 7 Days plan gives a simple structure.
Do beginners need knee pads?
Knee pads are a good idea once drills include moving low or going to the floor. See our Knee Pads guide.