NOVEMBER Group Training with Coach April
Registration is NOW open for Group Training Sessions with me Coach April For BOYS on SATURDAYS 11/8, 11/22, 11/29
For GIRLS on SUNDAYS 11/9, 11/23, 11/30
From 10-11am at the Its All Volleyball gym.
Email: info@improveyourvolley.com to register or for more information- Improve Your Volleyball with Coach April
- Volleyball Tips on Playing Better and Improving Your Basic Skills
- Advanced Volleyball Passing Checklist
Advanced Volleyball Passing: Turn Good Passes into College Offers
Tired of being a good passer who gets overlooked? College scouts want advanced volleyball passing skills, not just basic technique. Here's what they see...
I spent years watching good passers get overlooked while average players with advanced passing skills got college offers.
Here's what makes the difference...
Proud of my starting senior libero Athena Zhen who at the beginning of her last club season was undecided on going to play volleyball in college and restored her love for the game and hopes in playing in college by the end of our 2024-2025 season.
Athena trained with me all summer of 2025 to prep for her freshman season at Molloy University.
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Most players think good passing is enough for college recruitment, but scouts are actually looking for advanced passing skills that work under pressure and make offenses run perfectly.
Are You a Good Passer Who Gets Ignored by College Scouts?
Your basic passing is solid and coaches trust you to handle serves.
You get most balls to your setter and rarely mess up badly.
But when college scouts are watching or you face really good servers, your "good" passing shows it's not good enough for college level.
College coaches don't want good passers—they want players with "smart passing skills" that make their team's offense work great every time. (photo of Molloy University freshman recruit taken by Shots by Shanty)Here's the truth about getting recruited:
Every pass that's just okay, every time you handle average serves but struggle against great ones, every moment scouts think "she's fine" instead of "we need her"—these aren't just missed chances.
They're "skill gaps" between high school okay and college-level amazing.
Stop being okay with good enough. Start learning the passing skills that get you recruited.
Are You Tired of Being "Good" When You Want to Be "Recruited
Coaches like that you're reliable and try hard in practice and games.
But when college coaches look at players, you're in the "good player" group instead of the "we have to have her" group. (photo Shots by Shanty)You work harder than most players and keep getting better at passing.
Coaches like that you're reliable and try hard in practice and games.
But when college coaches look at players, you're in the "good player" group instead of the "we have to have her" group.
Here's what I learned coaching lots of players who got college scholarships:
The difference between good high school players and recruited players isn't talent—it's "smart passing techniques" that work great under any pressure.
Does this sound like you?
- Your passing works fine against average teams but struggles against great servers
- College coaches think you're "good" but not "amazing"
- You wonder what makes recruited players different from good ones
- Your basic skills are fine, but you don't have the smart techniques that wow scouts
- You want to get way better at passing but don't know how
The gap between good and amazing is smaller than you think—but you need to learn the right way.
If your athlete struggles with consistent serve receive, gets subbed out, or is overlooked for playing time—this is the fix you’ve been looking for.
Struggling with passing consistency?
I help talented passers tired of getting pulled from games because of inconsistent serve receive skills BUILD passing confidence without expensive private lessons using the same 3-step system that's helped dozens of my athletes get recruited.
Download my eBook for $17.99 and start building the passing confidence that keeps you on the court—and gets you seen by college coaches.
Meet the Coach Who Learned Elite Passing at the Highest Level
USA National Team players outside hitter April Chapple with 4-time Olympian, Silver and Bronze medalist middle blocker Paula Weishoff and Italian National Team member opposite hitter Cristina Boselli, during the A-1 Division I championship finals (finale dello scudetto) playing for Braglia Cucina Reggio Emilia against 5-time champion Teodora Ravenna. All of us in a serve receive ready position with right foot slightly forward, shoulders over knees and knees slightly bent ready to move in any direction
Hi, I'm April Chapple—and smart passing techniques helped me succeed at championship levels.
My Elite Passing Background
As the only player to start every game for 3 championship teams in 4 years at Tennessee, I had to learn passing skills that worked against the best servers in college volleyball.
My passing background:
- Started every game for 3 championships —had to handle the best servers in the country
- 3-time All-American who faced amazing servers every day
-USA National Team member —played against the world's best servers
-Hall of Fame for being great at all skills
My philosophy:
Great passing isn't about handling what comes to you—it's about controlling every part of serve receive perfectly.
What I Do Now: Help Players Get Recruited
For 15+ years in Las Vegas, I've helped good high school players learn the smart techniques that get college coaches' attention.
Recent success stories:
Stanford 4-year starter, USA National Team
(Gatorade Player of the Year, got college scholarship)
- Lots of players earning scholarships
- Many players going from "good" to "recruited" by learning smart techniques
Coach April Head Coach Tstreet Las Vegas -18s
2022 College Commitments
 Coach April Head Coach Tstreet Las Vegas -18s 2022 College Commitments for Seniors Libero Brooke Paige, Cal State Los Angeles |
 Coach April Head Coach Tstreet Las Vegas -18s 2022 College Commitments for Seniors Setter Rilee Read, Cal State Monterey Bay |
Coach April Head Coach Tstreet Las Vegas -18s
2023 College Commitments
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The 5 Smart Passing Things That Get You Recruited
Watch as my client college middle blocker Ariana Robinson in a passer vs server drill working on freezing her platform after making contact with the ball.
Advanced Volleyball Passing:
✅ #1: Read the Server Before They Serve
What it does:
Gives you extra time to get ready
Why it's smart:
Most players wait until the ball is hit; great players know what's coming first
How to learn it:
Watch how servers stand, where they toss, and how they approach
Quick check:
Can you guess where the serve is going before they hit it?
Watch as Brooklyn reads my serving body language and moves her feet quickly based on where she "reads" where the ball will land once its served and takes big quick moving steps to beat the ball to the spot its going to land.
Advanced Volleyball Passing:
✅ #2: Perfect Platform Angle Control
What it does:
Put the ball exactly where your setter wants it
Why it's smart:
Good passers hope for good direction; great passers control exactly where it goes
How to learn it:
Learn the right shoulder angle and body position
Quick check:
Can you pass to the same spot with your passes even under pressure?
Advanced Volleyball Passing:
✅ #3: Handle Great Servers
Volleyball passing, also known as bumping or passing the ball is the first thing that needs to be completed in order for a team's offensive strategy to be successful. It involves using your forearms to contact the ball, guiding it accurately to your setter so they can run the team's offense. Developing a strong passing technique is crucial for maintaining control and facilitating accurate offensive plays. In this drill, passers are in middle back, also called zone back and receive four serves from me working on consistently using the correct passing technique that gets the ball to the target without making the target move.
What it does:
Stay consistent against the best servers
Why it's smart:
Good passers handle average serves; great passers beat weapon servers
How to learn it:
Practice against great servers, use your legs for power
Quick check:
Do your passes stay good even against the hardest servers?
Advanced Volleyball Passing:
✅ #4: Build Automatic Skills
What it does:
Make your passing work without thinking about it
Why it's smart:
Basic practice builds general skills; smart practice builds automatic precision
How to learn it:
Do 500+ wall passes daily with accuracy goals
Quick check:
Can you pass accurately even when you're tired and stressed?
My tips on How to do wall passing drills...
Volleyball wall passing and wall setting drills can be done daily at home with a goal of at least 250 - 500 reps of various drills to keep your
- passing or setting technique,
- angled platform work,
- ball contacting skills and
- control of the ball.....extremely sharp!
Pick a brick, a specific spot on the wall or mark a big X in chalk on a wall or use a basketball net or backboard ...no matter what you decide to use as your target... anybody walking by.... should be able to see exactly where the spot is that you are aiming for EVERY...single....time .
Do 3 to 5 sets of 100... five feet from the wall ....then side step two feet and repeat. Then step back and repeat.
Complete 300 to 500 passing repetitions
Advanced Volleyball Passing:
✅ #5: Attack Serve Receive
What it does:
Show confidence that impresses college coaches
Why it's smart:
Good passers hope to survive serves; great passers attack them
How to learn it:
Stand strong, move early, go after every ball
Quick check:
Do you attack serve receive or just try not to mess up?
Why "Good Enough" Passing Hurts Your College Chances
When you only work on basic passing:
- It works against average teams but fails against great servers
- You become "good" instead of "amazing"
- You react instead of controlling what happens
- You're consistent but not precise enough to impress scouts
I like to work on this 3 person "Dodgeball" drill where the person in the middle has to choose which side to get their midsection out of the way of the oncoming ball that's being tossed at their chest before they present their passing platform with an angled shoulder positioned towards the target.
When you learn smart techniques:
- Works against great competition--that college coaches care about
- Makes you amazing--instead of just good
- You control what happens--instead of just reacting
- You get precise--in ways coaches can easily see
I tell players who want scholarships:
"College coaches have lots of good passers. They recruit passers who make their offense amazing."
Get Your Advanced Volleyball Passing System - $7
Transform from solid high school player to recruitment-worthy athlete with advanced volleyball passing techniques that college coaches actively seek.
Click to Download Your Platform Excellence Foundation:
🎯 Advanced Passing Technique Guide - $7
Build elite-level platform control and targeting precision
Build Your Platform Excellence Foundation:
🤝 Perfect Platform Mastery Checklist - $7
Master hand position fundamentals and systematic formation techniques
Download To Fix Your Passing Error Percentage:
📋 Passing Error Correction System - $7
Fix the platform mistakes that sabotage your passing consistency
DOWNLOAD
YOUR
VOLLEYBALL SERVING TACTICS
CHECKLIST
✓ Fix errors that keep you on the bench
✓ Practice efficiently with targeted solutions
✓ Track progress with professional checkpoints
✓ Access instantly—print or keep on device
✓ One-page format for quick reference
DOWNLOAD
YOUR
VOLLEYBALL SERVING MISTAKES
CHECKLIST
Bench Or Starter? 5 Volleyball Serving Mistakes Costing You Play Time
(Agnieszka jump float serve height by zorro2212) ✓ Fix errors that keep you on the bench
✓ Practice efficiently with targeted solutions
✓ Track progress with professional checkpoints
✓ Access instantly—print or keep on device
✓ One-page format for quick reference
Contact:
info@improveyourvolley.com
Online Resources:
ImproveYourVolley.com
Ready to develop recruitment-worthy passing skills? Your advanced development starts with elite-level techniques.*
🏐🎯🚀
From Lady Vol to Legend: Coach April Honored At UTK Champions Weekend
Lady Vol volleyball legend and record holder Coach April Chapple a University of Tennessee, Knoxville Hall of Fame Inductee, 3-time All American, 3-time SEC Champion, SEC Tournament MVP, 2-time All SEC Team is celebrated with her 1984 SEC champion teammates at Neyland Stadium during Champions Weekend on November 1-2, 2024.
- the first First Round Draft Pick for the first American pro indoor women's league
- named to the first First Team All-Pro team for Major League Volleyball in USA volleyball history
- former USA National team member
- one of the few American women players named as an Italian Pro League D-I Championship Finalist, Italian Cup Finalist and Cup of Cups Tournament Finalist
April Chapple The first First round Draft Pick For Major League Volleyball the first American Women's Pro League Honored At Athlete Unlimited Pro Volleyball Match
Coach April's 2025-26 Private and Semi private Volleyball Training
Pre-Registration now open for 2025-26 Private and Semiprivate Training Sessions with Coach April . Get prepared for club tryouts or train with me during club season!
Email now for information on semiprivate or private indoor skills, individual or small group training volleyball classes and my Breakfast Club for College Players training for 2025-26.
Invest in your improvement while preepping for your next level and college goals while working hard and training smart.
Email me right now to register or for more information.
info@improveyourvolley.com
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Targeted Volleyball Checklist Bundles by Skill Level ($27 each)
Bundle #1:
Complete Beginner Serving System - $27
Complete Beginner Serving System: The Ultimate Support System for Beginners
From Lady Vol to Legend: Coach April Produces Powerful Passionate Players...is that you?
What Are You Looking For?
Click to Download Your Pre Serving Ritual Mastery Checklist pdf:
🎯Volleyball Pre Serving Ritual Guide -
Players! Learn How To Transform Your Serve from Weak to Weapon
Click to Download Your Parent's Volleyball Serving Checklist pdf
🎯Parent's Volleyball Serving Checklist Guide
Parents! Help Your Player Develop Championship Serves (Even If You've Never Played)
Hi there!
Thanks for stopping by. Hope you learned something today that will help you reach your volleyball goals.
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Stay strong! Stay motivated!
-Coach April
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Congratulations to my seven Boys-18s Vegas Volley club players who played in two state championship finals yesterday, the 3A and 5A State champinship finals at Sunrise Mountain High School.
TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS!
A-1 Vegas Volley VBC
In It To Win It Tournament
May 2 - 4, 2025 Tournament
Gold Medalists
18s Premier Division
Vegas Volleyball's Unsung Heroes: Celebrating Moms with Peace Love Volleyball Shirts
Ready to energize your volleyball mom journey?
Subscribe to my 'Producing Powerful Passionate Peaceful Players' email list above on ImproveYourVolley.com.
You'll receive energy-boosting tips, exclusive insights from me, Coach April Chapple on maintaining momentum in volleyball.
Let's power up the Vegas volleyball scene together!
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