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Tip by Whitney Armistead, Hilton Head Island, SC. Our goal is efficiency in SR and being comfortable being uncomfortable. One of our teams favorite drills that they ask for by name is the Monday Drill (because we do it on Mondays). We adapted this off of a simple SR butterfly, but mad it so that we are tracking the competitive moments that lead to success. It is a SR efficiency game that warms up all of the skills in one shot and we do it at the beginning of practice after warm up to get our competitive, ball control, and...

Tip by Russell "Woody" Halbrook at Father McGivney Catholic HS in Glen Carbon, IL.Hyperventilate (Pursuit Drill)With a tosser on a hitter's box and someone to feed the tosser balls on one side of the net and three passers on the opposite side on net, we're ready to start the drill. The passers start with their feet on the attack line and are attempting to make three passes to complete a freeball or attack and must complete three successful balls (balls inbounds into the opposite court) to rotate out. The tosser should make it tough, tossing balls to the outside of...

Tip by McKenna Skaggs. One of our goals this season was to consistently win in 3 sets (at the Varsity level). We struggled at the beginning of our season with allowing teams to take us to 4 who really shouldn't have, so I created Race to 75.It's is regular 6 on 6 volleyball to 75 points (3 sets of 25). The intention is to make them play through the tiredness.However, to mix things up every now and then I taped index cards randomly throughout our scoreboard that added challenges and advantages to the game such as: "for the next 5...

Tip by Steve Stapay in Gilberts, IL. Sometimes you need to give the players their "soap box" moment. While this is not a physical attribute, the mental side of volleyball is just as or even more important. Give the players a chance to get things off their chest--tell their teammates what they are thinking both positively and critically. If it is criticism, the players have to know it is constructive criticism for the entire team. Do not call out teammates individually (unless it is positive comment), or there will be reciprocating effects. Use a block, a sturdy chair, the bleachers,...

Tip by Scott Reslow, Wheaton College.  This drill/tip is about working on out of system play. Coaches often are so focused on passing well (rightfully so) and in system offense, that they neglect out of system play. Considering that most teams will likely be out of system 50% of the time, it's crucial that it gets worked on almost every day in the practice gym.A nice 6 v 6 drill that utilizes this is a game we call STP Scrim. Here, you have a ball cart and a coach off the court but right behind pos. 6, with the team...