Six-on-Six Wash Drill

A wash drill is a 6v6 game played in short sequences of rallies. In the basic version, one team receives a serve, then the coach sends a second ball, and a team must win both rallies to earn a "big point." If each team wins one rally, it's a wash: no big point, and you start the next sequence. Big points decide the game, so teams learn to win back-to-back rallies, especially the rally after the serve: the focus is on the second ball and on transition, not just one good play.

Focus

Serve receive, transition, consistency

Level

Intermediate

Players

12 (works with 10–14): 2 teams of 6 on court, extras rotate in or feed balls, plus 1 coach on the sideline

Equipment

A cart of 10+ balls next to the coach, and a way to track big points (whiteboard, flip scoreboard or a player calling the score)

Space

A full court

Time

15–25 min (a game to 5 big points takes about 10–15 min)

Print this drill

Setup

Team A starts on one side in its normal serve-receive formation; Team B is on the other side and serves from behind the end line, with the server behind zone 1. The coach stands with the ball cart on the sideline, near the net post on Team A's side.

Big point Wash

Big point

Wash

◀ Back ▶ Play Next ▶ ↺ Restart Step 0 / 4

How to run it

The basic “two-ball wash”:

1. Ball 1, serve. Team B serves to Team A. The rally is played out.
2. Ball 2, free ball or down ball. As soon as rally 1 ends, the coach tosses or hits a second ball from the sideline into Team A's court (the team that received serve). That rally is played out.
3. Score it. Award the big point, or call a wash (see Scoring).
4. Rotate. After each sequence, the team that won the big point rotates one position (or both teams rotate every few sequences, as the coach chooses).
5. Choose who serves next. Coaches run this one of two ways: alternate the serving team after every sequence so both teams practice receiving, or let the team that won the big point serve the next sequence (after a wash, the same team serves again). Pick one and tell players before you start.
6. Play to a set number of big points, such as 5 or 7.

Scoring

Each rally is a small point. If one team wins both rallies of a sequence, it earns 1 big point. If each team wins one rally, it's a wash: no big point, and the next sequence starts. Only big points go on the scoreboard. First team to 5 or 7 big points wins.

Common scoring variations

• Three-ball wash: a serve, then two coach balls. A team must win 2 of 3 (or all 3) rallies for a big point.
• Four-ball wash: the coach enters four balls, two to each side. A team that wins at least 3 of 4 gets the big point; a 2–2 split is a wash.
• Bonus wash: score the basic wash, and also tally every rally won with an ace or a stuff block. If big points are tied at the end, the team with more bonus rallies wins.

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.

Team agreement: Before the first sequence, the coach and both teams agree on the scoring version, who serves next and when teams rotate, and write them on a whiteboard so nobody argues mid-game.

Safety

This is full-speed play with lots of jumps. Warm up first, keep spare balls in the cart (not on the floor), and pause play if a ball rolls onto the court. Teach players to call the ball to avoid collisions. See common injuries and warm-up.

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: a 6v6 wash drill from The Art of Coaching Volleyball

6v6 Wash Drill - Christy Johnson-Lynch - Art of Coaching VB

Video: The Art of Coaching Volleyball on YouTube. Here the first ball is a coach attack instead of a serve. Learn Volley is not affiliated with this channel.

Coaching this drill

What success looks like

The team that received serve also wins the coach's second ball: it transitions, passes and finishes with a controlled attack instead of sending a free ball back. Track big points, and note how many second balls end in a three-contact attack.

One cue

“Next ball.” The moment a rally ends, get ready for the coach's ball.

One common error

Front-row players stay at the net after rally 1. When the coach's ball arrives, nobody is back to pass it or ready to hit. Adjustment: cue “transition feet”: front-row players back off the net fast as soon as the rally ends.

Make it easier

Score every rally as a point (no washes), and add the big-point rule once teams can keep the second ball in play.

Make it harder

The coach's second ball is a down ball or an attack instead of a free ball.

When to progress

A practice suggestion: when the receiving team wins the coach's ball in most sequences over a game (for example, 6 of 10), make the second ball harder; if washes almost never turn into big points, make it easier. Adjust the measure to your group.

More cues and common mistakes

• “Win the first ball.” The serve-receive rally sets up the sequence.
• “Talk.” Call every ball, every time, so nobody hesitates.
• “Reset in two seconds.” Keep talks between sequences short so the pace stays high. Long gaps between balls make the drill lose its pace. Fix: the coach enters the second ball right away.
• Too hard a second ball. Teams can never win both rallies. Fix: match the coach's ball to the level.
• Same server every time. If teams rarely rotate, one player does all the serving. Fix: the serving team rotates servers every sequence.
• No rotation. Some players only practice one position. Fix: rotate on a set schedule.

More ways to make it easier or harder

• Easier: play 4v4 or 5v5 on a full court, or have the coach send a free ball for both rallies instead of a serve.
• Harder: a big point counts only if the team won at least one of its rallies with a kill.
• Harder: play to 25 big points across the whole practice and track them by rotation.

Deep dive: why wash drills work

In a normal scrimmage, one great serve can give a team a point without the rest of the team doing much. A wash asks for more: the team has to win again on the next ball. That puts the focus on receiving, transitioning and attacking more than once, which is how real sets are won. Because a split sequence produces no big point, games can run long. Coaches can cap the drill by time.

Frequently asked questions