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Tip by Robin Kuhn in Riceville, IA. We play a little game called "Dodge Ball." My assistant coach created this game late one night after not being able to sleep. Divide your girls into teams and prepare to scrimmage 6 on 6. You play the game like any match, except when a player makes an error and their team loses the point, that player has to sit out. The next ball is served, and that team has to play down a player. This continues until one side has all six players eliminated. Players can come back onto the court in...

Tip by Kerri Molitor in Oak Harbor, WA. "Volley-Poker" When playing 6v6 scrimmages, I like to add emphasis on different parts of the game. My teams love to "scrimmage". They like to compete and play the "whole game". In this scrimmage version, Coaches choose the teams, and what emphasis they want to work on. Whatever the emphasis, players will earn cards from a regular deck by completing tasks. For example, if the emphasis is on Blocking, then teams will be awarded a card for every block they complete. Or they could get a bonus card for a Stuff Block. If...

We've compiled the winning tips and Coach Speasl's tips into an audiobook. It has over 75 tips and drills.  You can listen to it on Youtube for free.      If you prefer to listen on a different platform, here are some of those links. Audible: Click here for Audible. Apple Books: Click here for Apple Books. Google Play: Click here for Google Play. Chirp: Click here for Chirp.    

Tip by Kesley Wulf, in Wauseon, OH   My favorite drill is a run-thru drill. Coach tosses from the setters position on the same side of the net as the athletes going through the drill. 4-5 athletes start in right back, running one at a time to the right front position when coach slaps the ball. Coach tosses a low ball that requires player to run thru the ball to pass it up or dive to pass it. Once the ball is passed, they sprint to the end of the line. Repeat until in the line has passed here for...

Tip by Shelley Jones, Commerce, Texas. Game: Smorgasbord This is a game we play with Middle School age through the Varsity level. The girls love it, and it forces them to work on different scoring techniques, while defense has to be prepared for anything. You can change the difficulty of the game by setting different goals or "tasks" for the teams to complete to win the game. Two teams compete, each must complete the different tasks set up by the coach. It's a Smorgasbord of skills. For instance: with the varsity I will set 2 even teams of 5 or...