21 Tips For Players To Improve Their Volleyball Passing Skills

21 tips for players to improve their volleyball pass skills with step by step passing instructions from what to watch to how to hold your hands before the serve 


These 21 volleyball pass tips describe how you should pass the ball starting from when the ball is in the opposing server's hands until you completely finish your passing action. 


21 Tips For Players To Improve Their Volleyball Passing Skills

What is the Correct Way To Pass A Volleyball?


Keep your feet shoulder width apart with your legs slightly bent.

  • Having your right foot - inches in front of the left lets you move quickly in any direction. 

Do the opposite if you’e a lefty. 



Present your platform by wrapping your left hand around your right fist, thumbs pointing straight down to the ground. 

  • This positions your elbows and arms in a straight platform. 


Contact the ball on your forearms. 

  • Check that your thumbs are always pointing to the ground, maintaining the straight platform needed to pass the ball. 


Keep your elbows straight while passing. 

  • Straight elbows maintain a wider platform, giving you maximum control of the ball


Press both wrists together when passing, without breaking them apart no matter how hard or easy the serve



Make ball contact above the wrists and below the elbows. 

  • Contacting the ball on your wrists won’t allow you to control the ball



Face your body to the net and angle your platform towards the target before contacting the ball.

  • This eliminates adjusting your arms once making contact with the ball

Keep both arms together when passing the ball.

  • Keeping them together instead of breaking them apart and passing with one arm helps guide the ball better to the target




21 Tips For Players Who Need To Improve Their Volleyball Passing Skills


Remember your goal is to keep from swinging your arms during your passing action.

  • Most serves in high school, club or college are fast enough so very little additional arm movement is needed for the ball to reach the target.



Finish your pass with your serve receive platform below your shoulders not above your head.

  • This allows you to control the ball when keeping your arms and shoulders within your body range. 

Move your feet first to position yourself behind the ball.

  • Get your body behind the ball instead of reaching with your arms
  • If you’ve heard your coach say “pass with your feet first” that means to let your feet not your arms be first in guiding you in serve receive. 



Run with your arms apart to get in position. You’ll move faster.

  • You want to be stopped before you pass the ball to avoid running and bumping simultaneously.
  • You are not controlling the ball when you run and bump together, and it usually goes right back over the net. 


Present your platform after you’ve stopped running.

  • Your feet need to be in a balanced position first. 



Focus on the ball in the opposing server’s hand, not on the server’s face.

  • It’s the ball you need to pass.
  • Focus on it as soon as the server gets it in her hands to serve. 



Keep your eyes on the ball as it comes across the net.

  • Taking your eyes off the ball as it travels over the middle of the court increases the chances of getting aced. 
  • You may also be unable to make minor adjustments to your feet to accurately pass the ball to your target. 




Volleyball Passing Tips: Learn the Do's and Don'ts on Passing In Volleyball

Volleyball Passing Form: When Passing  Face The Net,  Drop The Inside Shoulder and Angle Your Platform

Passing in Volleyball: When Passing Avoid Turning To Face Your Target When You Bump A Volleyball

Passing in Volleyball: When Passing Beat The Ball Dont Time The Ball

Passing Don'ts in Volleyball: When Passing Dont Turn To Face The Target Just Angle Your Platform

Passing in Volleyball: When Passing Dont Turn To Face The Target Keep Shoulders Parallel To The Net

Passing in Volleyball: When Passing Track The Ball When Its In the Opposing Server's Hands Slo Mo



21 Tips For Players Who Need To Improve Their Volleyball Passing Skills


Anticipate where you need to be. Get there with fast feet BEFORE you start passing the ball.

  • By focusing early on the ball while it’s in the server’s hands you get an early indication on whether she is going to serve short, cross court, or down the line. 



Keep your eyes on the ball. Visually track it as it leaves the server’s hand, crosses the net, and all the way into your platform.

  • Many passers get distracted, taking their eyes off the ball or tracking it once it crosses the net, which is late.
  • Focusing on the ball early lets you anticipate necessary minor adjustments in your platform or with your feet. 


Remember to keep your shoulders squared to the net and angle your platform to the target before contacting the ball.

  • Do it early, so you won’t have any more arm adjusting once you make contact with the ball. 


As needed for deep serves, shift your body weight from your back (left) foot to your front (right) foot when contacting the ball, without swinging your arms.  

  • Lefties do the opposite. 



Pass with both feet on the volleyball court floor rather than doing the “jump- bump.”

  • You can make small adjustments with your feet on the ground which you can’t do with your feet in the air. 

In practices, maintain good passing technique all the time, especially for the easy serves.

  • You’ve taught your body the proper passing positioning and will automatically react with the correct technique no matter how hard or fast the serve is. 


Work on foot speed and agility drills. 

  • You’ll be able to get behind each ball quickly with your feet first by increasing your short distance speed, giving yourself plenty of time to present your platform, lower your hips under the ball and make the perfect pass.




Volleyball Passing Skills: 
Where Do You Go From Here?


Your three options are: 

  1. You can learn more Volleyball Pass Tips in 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. 


Explore My Volleyball Passing Skills Guide in the pages below



  1. Improve Your Volleyball Performance with Vegas VB Coach April Chapple
  2.  ›
  3. How to Improve Volleyball Skills: Pass, Serve, Set, Hit, Block and Dig
  4.  ›
  5. 21 Tips For Players Who Need To Improve Their Volleyball Passing Skills

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