Queen of the Court

Queen of the Court is a fast, competitive game where small teams battle to stay on one side of the net, called the queen's side or winners' side. Challengers rally against the queens; if they win, they cross under the net and become the new queens. It keeps everyone involved in short, game-like rallies — reading, transition and finishing points — with lots of touches per player and a clear, fun reason to compete. It works with 6 to 20 or more players.

Focus

Game play, transition

Level

Beginner–intermediate

Players

6–20+: at least 3 teams of 2–4 players (6+ players for 2v2, 9+ for 3v3)

Equipment

A net and a cart of balls next to the coach

Space

A full court, or a narrowed court for 2v2

Time

15–20 min, near the end of practice so players finish with game play

Also known as: King of the Court, Monarch of the Court, Winners.

Print this drill

Setup

• Choose one side as the queen's side. The first team starts there.
• The challenger team goes on the other side. In 3v3, players usually cover zone 4 (left front), the setter spot between zones 2 and 3 (right front) and zone 6 (middle back). See court zones.
• The other teams wait in a line beside the challengers' side, near the end line, so they can step on fast.
• The coach stands off the court beside the queen's side with the balls and sends the first ball of every rally to the challengers, so the queens always defend first.

Challengers win Queens win

Challengers win

Queens win

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How to run it

1. The coach sends an easy ball (a free ball or down ball) to the challengers.
2. The teams play out the rally with normal rules: up to three contacts per side.
3. If the challengers win the rally, they run under the net (or around it) to the queen’s side. The old queens leave the court and go to the back of the waiting line.
4. If the queens win, they stay. The challengers leave, and the next team in line steps on as challengers.
5. The next ball goes in right away. Keep the pace fast.

Scoring

Rule required by the named rulebook. Team agreement a choice this team makes; other teams may choose differently. Practice cue a simplified instruction for practice.

• Queens score 1 point for each rally they win while on the queen's side. Challengers who win a rally don't score; they take over the queen's side.
• The first team to 10, or the team with the most points when time runs out, wins.
• Team agreement: House rules that settle the usual arguments: any error by the queens, including on the first ball, is a rally won by the challengers, who cross over. If two teams are tied when time runs out, they play one tiebreak rally. Agree on these before the first ball.

Safety

Players crossing under the net must wait until the ball is dead and go under at the antenna side or around the post, not through the middle. Waiting lines stay off the court. This game includes jumping and quick direction changes, so warm up first (see warm-up), land on two feet with soft knees, and see common injuries.

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.

Watch: Queen of the Court in practice

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Coaching this drill

What success looks like

Teams make the right choice for the ball they get: with a good first contact they use three contacts to attack; with a poor one they send a controlled ball deep to an open spot instead of forcing a swing. Count rallies won by a three-contact attack or a deliberate placement, not rallies won only because the other team made an error.

One cue

“Three contacts.” Use pass, set, attack whenever possible.

One common error

One player takes every ball. Teammates get few touches and stop moving. Adjustment: require three contacts, or count a point only for three-contact rallies.

Make it easier

For kids and beginners: 2v2 on a narrow court, allow one catch per side, and start every rally with a soft toss.

Make it harder

Challengers must win two rallies in a row to take over the queen's side.

When to progress

A practice suggestion: when about half or more of the last 10 rallies include a three-contact play and teams change over in a few seconds, add one change from the list below. Adjust the measure to your group; if rallies keep ending on the first contact, make the starting ball easier.

More cues and common mistakes

• “Hustle on and off.” The next team should be ready the moment a rally ends. Slow changeovers leave players standing around and the game loses its pace: the next ball goes in as soon as the new team steps on, and teams in line stand ready at the sideline.
• “Talk.” Call every ball and the plan (“I'll set,” “free ball”).
• “Read and go.” Watch where the attacker is facing and move early.
• Rallies that end on the first contact. Nobody gets to practice transition. Fix: make the starting ball easier (a free ball instead of a serve).
• Unequal teams. One team stays on the queen's side all game. Fix: mix teams so each has a stronger and a newer player, or reshuffle every 5 minutes.

More ways to make it easier or harder

• Easier: play cooperatively first (count how many rallies each team keeps alive), then competitively.
• Harder: start each rally with a serve from the queens to the challengers instead of a coach's ball.
• Harder: 4v4, or keep a setter fixed on each side.
• Harder: back-row attacks only, or a bonus point for a kill after a three-contact attack.

Deep dive: why players love it (and why coaches should too)

Queen of the Court packs a lot of decisions into a short time. Every rally starts fresh, so players face many different situations — easy balls, scrambles, overpasses — and must figure them out with only two or three teammates. Because teams of three cover a big court, each player touches the ball often and learns to transition from defense to offense.

With fewer players on each side, every player gets more contacts than in 6v6. The competitive format adds the pressure that ordinary drills lack, which helps practice carry over to matches.

Frequently asked questions