A Closer Look at Volleyball Passing Drills
Volleyball passing drills are exercises that encourage volleyball players to “drill” passing maneuvers into their systems so that they become second nature. In order to master these movements, as all athletes know, practice makes perfect! So, we’re going to take a look at some popular volleyball passing drills that can encourage better passing control in both individuals and groups.
When players are coached in passing the ball to another player, they are often instructed to hit the ball from the front of the body. If this position was certain in a game setting, it would be much easier; however most often the players simply don’t always have the luxury of hitting a dead-on frontal shot. That’s why we think it’s a good idea for players to purposely learn how to effectively hit the ball from a side angle. One of the best volleyball passing drills for this is to have the ball thrown from the opposite side of the net to the player’s left side. The idea is that the player is not given the chance to get behind the ball, but rather has to learn to better handle a pass made last-minute at an awkward angle. The player should turn slightly to the left and take a step back with the left foot before making contact with the ball. The difficult part here is turning the forearms so that they angle the ball towards the setter. This drill requires a lot of practice but it’s a very practical skill to learn! When the left side drill shows improvement, repeat the drill from the right side.
Partner volleyball passing drills are a great way to improve player skills on a more intimate basis where there isn’t a lot of distraction. A good starting drill is to take have two players pass the ball back and forth. It’s a great way to practice handling the ball and gaining better control of the player’s aim. In this drill, the first player tosses the ball to the second player who uses a forearm pass to hit the ball directly upwards—so they are passing to themselves, in essence. When the ball comes back down, the player adjusts her footing and angles their arms to pass the ball back to the first player, who them mimics the drill. Once they get going, the duo can form a repetitive cycle of passing.
This same sort of volleyball passing drill can be altered to imitate high passes as well as short and fast-paced passes. Each player can take turns passing the ball at low and high levels as well as slow and fast paces. The players should be encouraged to “switch it up” at impulsive intervals and to keep one another on their toes.
There are also drills designed to help players practice their footwork, which is a very practical skill to have during a game. A great one to start out with requires two players and a ball. The first player should throw the ball about ten feet to the side of the second player and relatively high in the air. The second player’s goal is to get to the ball in time to return the hit without crossing their feet. This method of side-stepping is called “shuffling” and helps the players to gain better agility and control of their feet. Crossing ones legs to get to the ball, especially in the excitement of the game, could actually slow the player down or even cause them to lose their balance.
All of these volleyball passing drills are excellent training tools that, while simple in nature, can seriously improve a player’s basic passing skills.