Here's How You Do 3 Versions of My Servers vs Passers Volleyball Drill

My servers vs passers volleyball drill can be as simple as skinny court coach server vs passer or player server vs passer or as complex as full court two passers vs two servers. 

I have a slew of ways to do a servers vs passers volleyball drill with my intermediate and advanced clients.

Usually I like to begin a progression of sets and reps where I stand at half court either in Zone 5 passer area (left back) or Zone 1 (right back) passer area and serve to a passer who's working on 

• reading the server's body language to understand how, when and if the ball is coming to them
• then focusing on the ball to understand when to move their feet, drop their hips and put their platform together
• how much do they need to drop their shoulders in order to create the angle needed to get the passed ball "20 and 10" which is twenty feet in the air and on the ten foot line. 

For my first set of 15 we'll warmup with just me throwing the ball to the passer, keeping my elbow high so I mimic the same armswing/baseball throw as someone who's serving the ball. 

The point is for the passer to warmup the brain as well as the body and learn "how to read' the ball coming from the server.

"Reading the ball" means the passer is looking and understanding and interpreting the body language of the server who's interacting with a ball that's about to come towards the passer and then making a series of movements (shuffle steps if needed) and adjustments (angle the platform arms)  based on what they see is happening  and then moving accordingly so they know how to position all their body parts to intercept and in this case pass the volleyball to their intended target.  

The next set of 15 I'll serve to the passer from midcourt. I like standing at midcourt first for a set of 15 - 20. Then gradually for each next set of passing reps I move my way back towards the service line. 

By starting midcourt, the passer has less time to read and react to the served ball so all brain activity is forced to function faster. Body parts have to move faster, Platform arms have to be created faster and shuffle steps have to be made with faster feet if I serve to the right or to the left of the passer.

Two passing lines- Left Back and right back
Two players on deck behind them in each line

Two servers on the opposite court
Two servers behind them on deck
One target on the passer side

Both servers alternate and take turns serving cross court.

👉🏾Passer passes and then follows the passed ball to become the new target.
👉🏾Target catches passed ball and goes under the net cross court to serve.
👉🏾Server after their serve runs along their nearest sideline to get into the passing line on the other side.

Both servers alternate and take turns serving 

After 2-3 minute warmup , start a count/set a goal for 50 good settable balls.
Variations you can try:

• with a time limit (50 settable passes in 3/4/5 minutes)
• At 30 passes two shanks in a row is minus 1
• At 30 passes no overhead passing
• At 40 passes one passing error is minus 1
• At 30 or 40 passes servers can mix in short cross court serves
• At 45 passes one passing error is minus 2

Ella works on jump serving to the 5/6 seam which is the area between the left back passer and middle back passer while the passers are working on who takes what. 

The left back passer should be taking anything short in front of them and immediately to their right and deep seam line. 

The middle back passer in Zone 6 should be taking the short ball in front, the short seam between her and the right side passer and the deep left back seam where that ball landed between middle back and left back passer. 

A volleyball passing drill can help you work on reading the server, learn your passing responsibilities and how to cover the court faster.   

The Volleyball Passing Drill For Beginners: Wall Drills To Become A Better Passer

Doing almost any volleyball passing drill will help you focus on 

• how to hold your arms together for a good straight armed platform grip
• how to move your feet to beat or anticipate where the ball is going to land once it crosses the net so you're there before the ball hits the floor
• learn what areas of the court you need to cover when you're in right back middle back or left back passing positions 
• read and react to what the opposing server is showing and doing when they contact the ball to serve a standing float, jump float or topspin serve 

How can you get better at volleyball passing?

You can start building better passing skills by paying attention to the body positioning of the server on the opposing team.

When a player is ready to serve the ball, they will give you some indication of where they plan to serve.

If you are on the team that is receiving the serve, you should be checking the position of the opposing team's server's lower body, her feet and especially her hip position which will provide you some clues as to where the server will serve. 

-Take two big steps away from the wall
-Pick a spot on the wall that's 2-3 feet above your head.
-Use a piece of tape or chalk or identify the brick that you are going to pass EVERY ball to.
-Start passing to that spot.
-Every time the ball doesn't get to that spot, stop and start again.

Do not finish until you've passed 25 balls to that spot. They don't have to be in a row at first. Just get 25 no matter how long it takes.

Once the whistle is blown and the server starts bouncing the ball and is ready to toss......

that's when you really need to focus on the ball. Like a dog chasing a ball your eyes need to stay on that ball with razor sharp focus and track it as it crosses the net, and enters your court.

Then you should move quickly to the spot where you think its going to land before the ball does.

This volleyball passing drill is one of the best ways

* the best way to improve your ball control,

* they help you improve your skill and technique,

* they can be used to help condition an athlete and

* they can help you understand the team building process

Controlling the pass, also called "controlling the ball" or "ball control" is a big part of becoming a very good volleyball passer.

One way we teach passers to control the ball is to drop their hips lower than the level of the oncoming ball which helps you contact the ball to forearm pass it from a lower point.

With your hips lower than the oncoming served ball you can get under it and give it lift from a better angle with your legs.

Whether you do drills at home by yourself, or doing them in practice with your teammates, it's best to get in the habit of setting mini goals for yourself to reach in order to complete each drill.

For example, let's say you have to get 50 perfectly passed balls to the target before stopping one drill and going on to the next.

Not only will you discipline yourself to perform the volleyball drills correctly, but you will replicate the pressure you will feel in a game-like situation when you absolutely have to do the skill right.

A good passer in volleyball faces the net, drops the inside shoulder, angles their platform 

A Good Passer in Volleyball Will Face The Net, Drop The Inside Shoulder and Angle Their Platform

Keep shoulders facing the net, drop your inside shoulder and angle your platform to the target, which is Zone 3, where the setter is waiting to set the ball. 

Some of your passing problems happen when you bump a volleyball because you watch the ball when its on your side instead of when it's in the server hands.

A Good Passer in Volleyball Will Angle Their Platform To Their Target When Passing

Keep your shoulders parallel to the net when you pass the ball. Avoid turning and facing the target as you are passing the ball.

  Coach April Chapple's Volleyball Passing Tips For Youth Volleyball Players

MY PASSING EBOOK QUICKLY HELPS YOU IMPROVE YOUR PASSING SKILLS. Learn how to perform one of the most important skills you need to know to gain more playing time on the court!

Learn Passing Secrets!

 

 

 

 

Follow me on Instagram @coach_apchap 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. 

Your three options are: 

1. You can learn more about Drills by visiting 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. 

1. Improve Your Volleyball Performance with Vegas VB Coach April Chapple
 ›
2. Drills For Setters, Hitters, Liberos, Passers and Blockers
 ›
3. Volleyball Drills For Passing Two Person Volleyball Drills For Passers

ShareFacebookTwitterPinterestTumblrRedditWhatsApp