Volleyball
Beginner Passing Practice
A 75-minute progression from platform control to moving, calling seams, and using a pass in a three-contact rally.
Today's goals
- Build a simple, repeatable forearm platform.
- Move behind the ball before contact.
- Call the ball early and pass toward a useful target.
Equipment checklist
- 1 volleyball per pair
- Volleyballs
- 2 cones
- Hoops or floor spots
- Net
Run of show
Minute-by-minute plan
| Time | Activity | Purpose and cues |
|---|---|---|
| 0:005:00 | Movement and platform warm-up5 min | Prepare players to stop balanced before contact. Beat the ball to the spot. | Balanced before contact. |
| 5:0017:00 | Toss-Pass-Catch12 min | Create controlled first contacts. Platform early. | Quiet arms. |
| 17:0029:00 | Shuffle and Pass12 min | Move to balls outside the midline. Move, stop, pass. | Face the ball first. |
| 29:0041:00 | Pass to the Hoop12 min | Connect platform angle to a visible target. Angle to the target. | Use your legs. |
| 41:0053:00 | Seams and Names12 min | Decide who owns balls between passers. Call early and loudly. | The louder call wins the ball. |
| 53:0070:00 | Three-Contact Challenge17 min | Use passing inside a simple game. Control the first ball. | Help the next teammate. |
| 70:0075:00 | Passing recap5 min | Make the core cues memorable. One clear takeaway is enough. |
Courtside detail
How to run each block
Movement and platform warm-up
5 minutes
- Shuffle, stop, show a platform, and return to ready position on the coach's signal.
Say this: Beat the ball to the spot. | Balanced before contact.
Toss-Pass-Catch
12 minutes
- Run the linked drill.
Say this: Platform early. | Quiet arms.
Shuffle and Pass
12 minutes
- Run the linked drill in two or more groups.
Say this: Move, stop, pass. | Face the ball first.
Pass to the Hoop
12 minutes
- Run the linked drill and rotate roles often.
Say this: Angle to the target. | Use your legs.
Transition: Remove hoops and place pairs in serve-receive lanes.
Seams and Names
12 minutes
- Run the linked drill with tosses before serves.
Say this: Call early and loudly. | The louder call wins the ball.
Three-Contact Challenge
17 minutes
- Award a bonus point when the first contact reaches the setter area.
Say this: Control the first ball. | Help the next teammate.
Transition: Gather the team with balls still.
Passing recap
5 minutes
- Ask players to repeat the three cues: move, platform, target.
Say this: One clear takeaway is enough.
Coach throughout
- Correct feet before arms.
- Use catchable tosses before live serves.
- Keep a target visible throughout the session.
Make it fit
- For new players, allow a catch after the pass.
- For intermediate players, replace tosses with controlled serves.
- For a small team, use groups of three with a rotating target.
"Good passing starts before the ball arrives: move early, build a simple platform, and help the next player."