Tip by Thom Frock, Carroll County, Maryland.
We love playing SEVEN. It emphasizes finishing, reading, and our "nothing-hits-the-floor" mindset. The game is best played 5v5 without a MH on either side, but can be played 6v6 or even 4v4. Coach initiates each rally with a toss or down ball to the team that lost the previous rally. Scoring is simple: first team to 7 wins (win by 1), and if the ball hits your court untouched your score reverts back to zero.
More often than you might think, the score will flip from 6-0 to 0-1, as the trailing team gets an untouched kill. Any touch of the ball counts as a touch, including a block touch. This game is always one of our players' favorites.