Register TODAY! for my
Coach April's
May 16 -17 and 30 -31

Spiking and Hitting clinics

COACH APRIL’S MAY
HITTING CLINICS
AT ITS ALL VOLLEYBALL

For serious players ages 11–17 who want to improve:
- approach footwork
- hitting mechanics
- power
- ball placement
- attacking confidence

Perfect for:
NYS players
newer club players
club travel players who need more focused hitting work

DATES
May 2–3
May 16–17
May 30–31

TIMES
10am–11am ages 11–13
11am–12pm ages 13–15
12pm–1pm ages 15–16
1pm–2pm ages 16–17

$40 one session
$80 two sessions
$120 three sessions

Email info@improveyourvolley.com
to register today
COACH APRIL’S MAY
HITTING CLINICS
AT ITS ALL VOLLEYBALL

For serious players ages 11–17 who want to improve:
- approach footwork
- hitting mechanics
- power
- ball placement
- attacking confidence

Perfect for:
NYS players
newer club players
club travel players who need more focused hitting work

DATES
May 2–3
May 16–17
May 30–31

TIMES
10am–11am ages 11–13
11am–12pm ages 13–15
12pm–1pm ages 15–16
1pm–2pm ages 16–17

$40 one session
$80 two sessions
$120 three sessions

Email info@improveyourvolley.com
to register today
COACH APRIL’S MAY
HITTING CLINICS
AT ITS ALL VOLLEYBALL

For serious players ages 11–17 who want to improve:
- approach footwork
- hitting mechanics
- power
- ball placement
- attacking confidence

Perfect for:
NYS players
newer club players
club travel players who need more focused hitting work

DATES
May 2–3
May 16–17
May 30–31

TIMES
10am–11am ages 11–13
11am–12pm ages 13–15
12pm–1pm ages 15–16
1pm–2pm ages 16–17

$40 one session
$80 two sessions
$120 three sessions

Email info@improveyourvolley.com
to register today
COACH APRIL’S MAY
HITTING CLINICS
AT ITS ALL VOLLEYBALL

For serious players ages 11–17 who want to improve:
- approach footwork
- hitting mechanics
- power
- ball placement
- attacking confidence

Perfect for:
NYS players
newer club players
club travel players who need more focused hitting work

DATES
May 2–3
May 16–17
May 30–31

TIMES
10am–11am ages 11–13
11am–12pm ages 13–15
12pm–1pm ages 15–16
1pm–2pm ages 16–17

$40 one session
$80 two sessions
$120 three sessions

Email info@improveyourvolley.com
to register today

Email: info@improveyourvolley.com for info or to register for this weekend's clinics! 



You Knew Another Name For The Bump Set Spike Volleyball Drill is the Pepper Volleyball Drill, Right? 

When a player says "lets play the Bump Set Spike volleyball drill" they're a beginner who's probably had less than 6 months playing experience. An experienced player says
"let's pepper."

  Watch How Carmela and Kenny Pepper Do The       Bump Set Spike Volleyball Pepper Warmup Drill 


I think its funny when I hear young players say let's play the Bump Set Spike drill. 



Because its clear when an inexperienced player who's just learning the game and the warmup drills says to their warmup partner "lets play the Bump Set Spike volleyball drill".

They haven't had enough time to learn the commonly used slang for a lot of the drills and skills done in practices.

An experienced player would just say two words to their warmup partner ...and those two words would be ..."let's pepper."


Bump Set Spike Volleyball Drill vs
The Pepper Volleyball Drill 

souvbsetterdiggingwithabumpsetfromthegroundalcasephoto


The Bump Set Spike volleyball drill which is also called the Pepper warmup drill is one of the first partner drills every high school and club player learns because its done to increase and improve your ability to control the ball using the bump set spike volleyball skills.

Every opportunity you have to touch the ball should be used to contact the ball correctly.

Many players take pepper for granted and since the ball is coming at them slowly, they flake, and ignore using the proper technique.


The Bump Set Spike Volleyball Drill
The Set




The bump set spike volleyball drill is usually started when one pepper partner standing 6-8 feet away from their partner overhand sets the ball to their partner. 


The Bump Set Spike Volleyball Drill
The Bump 


The second contact is usually a bump or a dig depending on how advanced the players are.

These have to be "controlled" contacts meaning the set goes right to the partner, ideally without making the partner move. 

The pass (the bump) goes right back to the first partner who just set the ball, ideally targeting the ball to fall right on the forehead of the partner so they dont have to move or chase the ball. 

In private training sessions I make sure players remember...

  • To bend your knees so your hips are below the level of the oncoming ball,
  • Keep a straight platform with shoulders over your knees while digging
  • although people like to call this a bump its actually a dig to be more precise 





The Bump Set Spike Volleyball Drill
The Spike




Hitting the ball with a low elbow in pepper means you increase the chance you’ll hit the ball with a low elbow in hitting warm-ups and continue hitting the ball low in a game.

You want to do your controlled spike hit keeping your elbow high but controlling the ball to your partner instead of hitting the ball straight down the way you would when you are hitting over the net. 

This is how you control the ball keeping it in play between the two of you. 

Here are a few more tips for you to use during your bump set spike volleyball practice drills.

  1. Practice keeping your elbow high during your pepper hitting armswing.
  2. Imagine you have to clear the height of a net even when you pepper.
  3. Contact the ball at its highest point, always reaching and extending your elbow high-while controlling the ball speed to your partner.  Your body remembers every movement you make especially while doing slow controlled movements. Hitting the ball low (by your ear) in pepper will mean there’s a good chance you’ll hit the ball low in hitting warmups and then continue to hit the ball low in a game. 
  1. Set goals with your pepper partner.
  2. Determine how many "pass-set-hit" combinations or in this case "bump-set-spike" volleyball contacts you both can do in a row while 
  • controlling the ball 
  • without either partner taking more than one step in any direction

Passing the ball with your legs, setting the ball high giving your partner time to swing and reach high to hit back at you... all these volleyball pepper techniques should be practiced in your pepper warmup so that at game time-- you've already performed these skills so many times that that your muscle memory is automatic and you begin to perform these skills the same way you need to perform them in competition.


Thanks for visiting. Be sure to check out more of my volleyball passing articles by clicking one of the links below! (April Chapple)Thanks for visiting. Be sure to check out more of my volleyball passing articles by clicking one of the links below! (April Chapple)

Do You Follow Me on Pinterest?

Private or semiprivate volleyball indoor/sand lessons are an excellent way for young Las Vegas high school volleyball players to quickly improve their individual skills through a private or semi-private coaching experience.

These lessons are conducted by former pro volleyball player, former USA Volleyball High Performance instructor and Evaluator and Tstreet Vegas 18s head Coach April Chapple on a weekly basis.

Sign up now!Private or semiprivate volleyball indoor/sand lessons are an excellent way for young Las Vegas high school volleyball players to quickly improve their individual skills through a private or semi-private coaching experience. These lessons are conducted by former pro volleyball player, former USA Volleyball High Performance instructor and Evaluator and Tstreet Vegas 18s head Coach April Chapple on a weekly basis. Sign up now!


Follow me on Pinterest Volleybragswag to improve your game even faster!

I share alot of individual, partner and easy-to-do volleyball serving drills we do in class with my followers.

Many of these volleyball practice drills you can do at home by yourself or try at your next practice with your teammates.

If you're a B team or JV player trying to make varsity next year...your goal should be to complete 1000 reps a day of at least three of the basic skills on your own...volleyball passing, serving and setting should be at the top of the list. 


Bump Set Spike Volleyball:
Where Do You Go Now?


Okay here's where you need to go now! There are three options: 

  1. Learn more about Digging and Defense by clicking the Related Links below. .
  2. Follow the suggested reading on our Sitemap page Learning How To Play (Sitemap)
  3. Or visit the pages in the How to Play Volleyball section in the drop down menu at the top of the page to get started. 
  4. Before leaving this page Say "Hi" to Miss O.I Gotchu the Octopus wearing the #8 jersey below.  Miss O.I. is the libero for the All Beast VolleyBragSwag All Star team.


Miss O.I. Gotchu, the volleyball libero for the All Beast VolleyBragSwag All-Star team knows all about what is peppering in volleyballMiss O.I. Gotchu, the volleyball libero for the All Beast VolleyBragSwag All-Star team knows all about what is peppering in volleyball

You might like these
bump set spike volleyball pages. 



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.

Ebook_How_to_Clean_Up_Your_Passing_and_Get_More_-linkedin-profile-cover-1.jpeg

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.

AUTHOR BIO

April Chapple is an elite private volleyball trainer, former USA National Team member, and University of Tennessee Hall of Fame inductee who has coached in Las Vegas for 15+ years, training hundreds of athletes and helping numerous players reach college volleyball, including Division I standouts.

She's also the head coach for girls and boys 18s at Squad VBC and offers coaches consulting on technical teaching and player development. Connect with April on LinkedIn or at ImproveYourVolley.com, where her eye for overlooked talent sets her apart.


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.

Be sure to subscribe to my email newsletter so you can learn more each week!

Stay strong! Stay motivated!

-Coach April


 SUSCRIBE  to my email newsletter below!

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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!
In It To Win It Tournament,
May 2-4, 2025 Tournament
A-1 Vegas Volleyball Club 
Gold Medalists, 18s Premier Division

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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