Volleyball Drills
Passing Fundamentals

Explore "volleyball drills passing" -section for tips how to learn proper passing fundamentals.

Before learning about the volleyball passing, it is helpful and quickens learning, if the player has already learned shuffling and basic stance.

To learn about shuffling and basic stance, go to Volleyball Skills

Volleyball Drills Passing - One Common Technical Fault

The most common fault on passing technique is the player heavily swings the ball with arms. A served ball approaches fast; therefore the player should never swing at the ball - it is enough just to place arms under the ball to direct the platform toward the target.

Plenty of attention should be paid on arms to avoid swinging. If a player needs to put extra power behind her bump pass, it could be done by a very light push with legs, body and arms - still by keeping the arms almost steady - just by directing the ball with arms.

Serve Receive or Toss Over the Net - Teaches Correct Passing Techniques

It helps coaches to teach correct passing skills when receiving the serve or toss over the net as soon as possible.

When serve receiving at the net, it helps players to realize the ball travels quite fast, so there is no need to swing with arms or push the ball heavily with legs.

How to Practice Volleyball Pass?

Introduction (mimic)

Coach introduces the skill and makes sure a player does the technique correctly without the ball.

Coach could use a chair (or similar) and ask the player to sit on the edge of the chair, having the weight on the toes, her arms extended to pass (bump) the ball. This could help player to visualize the basic passing form. Naturally, it can be done without the chair also.

Coach asks the player to take the basic passing position and mimic passing (bumping) by placing the platform under the imaginary serve and directing to toward the setter.

The player may use a very light push with legs and arms when directing the ball to the setter. There is no need for extensive arms swing or push with the legs.

If extra power is needed to push for example a free ball to the setter, the player may use a push "through the body", in other words a light push with legs, body and arms to bump the ball to the setter.
Swinging the ball heavily with arms makes the pass inaccurate.

Volleyball Drills Passing - Adding the Toss

On this progression, the coach takes a ball into play and tosses it to the player.

The coach tosses the ball to a player who takes the basic passing position. (If a chair is used, the player could be sitting on the edge of the chair.) When ball approaches, a player performs a pass.
These next phases should be fairly quick. The coach should progress as soon as possible to toss or serve the ball over the net. In this phase the speed of the ball is not very high, so players may learn unnecessary habits, like swinging the ball with arms, if this kind of drills are repeated too much.

A player can repeat the pass 5-10 times before giving her rest.

It could be tough for a beginner player to repeat several passes in half squat position, so give her enough rest and don’t repeat more than 4-5 sets.

Volleyball Drills Passing - Passing with Footwork

This progression with a footwork need a little bit more practice and could be repeated in several practices. However, it is recommended for the coach to move the players to perform passing with footwork at the net as soon as possible.

The coach starts tossing the ball a little bit to the left or right side of the player. The player performs shuffle steps to keep the ball in front of her body.

The coach should pay attention to shuffle steps; steps should be short, weight on the toes (in other words forward) and cross over steps are not allowed. While moving to the ball the arms should be unattached - "in front of the body", ready to be attached.

The coach should also pay attention to the fact that a player stops completely and has a balanced position before she passes (bumps) the ball back to the coach.