Volleyball Drills for Beginners

Beginners improve fastest with easy, predictable balls and lots of touches. Start with tossed-ball passing and setting in pairs (Partner Passing and Partner Setting) and Wall Setting to build ball control, and learn the underhand serve from close to the net. Add Butterfly Passing and Target Serving once players can keep the ball going, and end every practice with a small game like Queen of the Court. You need balls, a net, a wall and a few cones.

Drills here

9

Group size

1 to 12+ players

Equipment

Balls, net, wall, cones

Rule of thumb

Easy tosses before live serves

Pick a drill

Nine drills to start with

A simple 60-minute beginner practice

Wall Setting and Approach Footwork aren't in this plan: give them as homework, or use them as a short station when you have spare minutes. Once players can pass and set to a partner, swap the partner block for Pepper. Short on time or players? Swap Butterfly Passing for Pepper in pairs, and play 2 vs 2 instead of 3 vs 3.

How to choose, progress and coach beginner drills

Choose by what breaks down first, not by the order of the table. If the ball won't stay up, start with Partner Passing, Partner Setting or Wall Setting. If serves don't reach the other side, start with the Underhand Serving Progression. Once players can keep the ball going, add Butterfly Passing, Target Serving or Pepper. Check the group size and equipment too: Wall Setting and Approach Footwork work alone, while Butterfly Passing needs at least six players and a net.

• Feed by hand first. Start each drill with soft, accurate tosses from a coach or partner, so players can focus on form. Switch to served or hit balls once most contacts go where they should.
• 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.
• Change one thing at a time. Make the ball faster, the distance longer or the target smaller, but not all at once, so the drill keeps its purpose.
• Use each drill's readiness check. The drill pages suggest a check under “When to progress”. Treat its numbers as starting points for your group, and go back to the easier version when contacts stop being controlled.
• 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. Small games like 2 vs 2 or 3 vs 3 give more touches than 6 vs 6 and are more fun.

Safety

Warm up first (Warm-Up), keep loose balls off the court, and give each group room to move. Use knee pads once drills include moving low or going to the floor.

Health note: General information, not medical advice. Young athletes should train under a qualified coach, and anyone with pain or an injury should see a doctor or physical therapist.

Frequently asked questions