12 Best Youth Volleyball Drills

The skills that your volleyball players develop during their youth years will remain with them as they pursue their passion for the sport and improve their abilities.

Therefore, the youth volleyball drills you incorporate into your practices or tryouts should focus on three key areas:

1. Basic Technique: Body positioning, hand-eye coordination, and footwork
2. Strength & Conditioning: Endurance, speed and mobility
3. Perseverance: Building focus, confidence, and resilience

In this blog, we round up the top 12 youth volleyball drills to help your players grow both physically & mentally, setting them up to become well-rounded players.  

Youth Volleyball Serving Drills

Serve Competition

Set up:

• Divide players into teams of four.
• Have one player on each team stand on the opposite side of the court (at the service line) with 5 balls each.
• The remaining three players on each team will spread out and sit down on their half of the court. 

Execution:

• The servers will take turns serving the ball to their teammates.
• If a teammate catches the serve, they will then stand up and move to the opposite side of the court to become a server.

Serve competition drill

Partner Serve

Set up:

• Pair up your players.
• Each pair will stand on the serving lines of their respective sides, directly across from one another.
• One partner in each pair will have a ball.

Execution:

• On your whistle, the players with the ball will serve to their partner. 
• The receiving partner will try to catch the ball with limited movement.
• The goal of this drill is for each pair to make 10 consecutive & successful serves.

Note: The server must utilize a strong hitting arm and follow through with their serve, allowing for the receiving partner to catch the serve with limited movement.

Bombs Away

Set up:

• Pair up your players.
• Three pairs at a time will perform this drill on the court.
• The servers will be on one side of the court while the passers will be on the opposite side, both on the serving line.
  

Execution:

• On your whistle, the server will attempt to make a serve as short as possible.
• The passer will quickly make a run towards the ball, trying to catch it before it hits the ground.
• If the passer fails to catch the ball, the server will get one point.

Youth Volleyball Passing Drills

Triangle Passing

Set up:

• Group your players into three.
• Groups will spread across the court, making a triangle formation. *All players should be 3-4 feet apart from each other in their “triangle.”
• One athlete will be the hitter and the other two will be the tossers.

Execution:

• Without moving, the hitter will pass the ball to Tosser A.
• Tosser A will quickly shuffle laterally until they are directly in front of the hitter.
• As soon as Tosser A receives the ball, they will pass it back to the hitter and immediately shuffle back to the starting position.
• The hitter will then repeat this sequence with Tosser B.
• Run this drill for 4-6 minutes.

Note: This drill focuses on quick footwork, timing, and hand-eye coordination: all essential components of successful passing.

Flip-flop Passing

Set up:

• Group your players into three.
• Two players will be the tossers and one will be the passer.
• The tossers will stand about 10 feet apart from each other on one side of the court.
• The passer will stand in the middle, first facing Tosser A.

Execution:

• Tosser A will pass the ball to the passer in the middle.
• As soon as the passer receives the ball, they will rotate 180 degrees to face Tosser B and make a pass.
• Once received, Tosser B will return the ball to the passer.
• The passer will rotate 180 degrees again, facing Tosser A and passing the ball back.
• After several passes, players can rotate roles.

Flip-flop passing drill

Overhead Toss

• Pair up players.
• Each pair will stand on opposite sides of the net, about 1 foot away.
• Players will pass the volleyball back and forth to each other (overhead passing only) without dropping the ball.
• After 10 successful passes back and forth, the pair will each take 3 steps back and repeat the drill.

Youth Volleyball Attacking Drills

Four-step Attack

• Line up players in a single file line.
• The first player will start 6-8 feet behind the net.
• On your call, player #1 will take four steps (right-left-right-left) and then jump up to mimic spiking the ball.
• Tip: The first two steps should be adjustment steps (helping the player get into position to make an optimal play), while the last two steps are really fast.

Reach & Snap

Set Up:

• Line up players in a single file line.
• The first player in line will be 1-2 feet behind the net.
• Have a tosser stand a few steps to the right side of the first player in line.

Execution:

• On your whistle, the tosser will throw the ball to player #1.
• Player #1 must jump high and quickly snap their wrists to ensure the ball goes over the net.
• The next player in line will take their turn.
• Run this drill for 5-7 minutes.

Note: A wrist snap helps create a backspin on the ball, making the ball drop faster and more abruptly (making it harder for the opposing team to react).

Reach & snap drill

Rotating Hit

Set Up:

• Have players kneel down on their right knee.
• Players will be positioned 6 feet away from a wall.
• All players will have a volleyball in their right hand with their right arms bent at a 90-degree angle.
• To begin, their bodies will be fully rotated to the right (including torso, chest, and hips).

Execution:

• On your whistle, players will slowly rotate their bodies towards the wall.
• Once facing the wall, they will straighten their arms and forcefully throw the volleyball towards the wall.
• Run this drill for 3-5 minutes.

Note: The transition from a bent to a straight arm should be a fast “snapping” motion. The more power generated in the arm, the further the ball will travel—ensuring it hits the wall and bounces back.

Youth Volleyball Blocking Drills

Mirror Blocking

Set Up:

• Pair up players.
• Players will be on either side of the net, both without a ball.
• One player will be the “performer” and the other player will be the “follower.”

Execution:

• The performer will perform a blocking movement. I.e., A swing block with a side step or a cross-over step.
• The follower will mirror the performer’s movements.
• After 2-3 minutes, allow players to switch roles.

Note: This mirror-blocking drill helps players react to their opponent’s movements swiftly & effectively.

Jump and Block

• Pair up players.
• Players will be on either side of the net.
• One player will have the ball.
• The player with the ball will toss it over the net to their opponent.
• The other player will jump up to block the ball, focusing on form, footwork, and timing.

Note: Players should jump up in an explosive motion (rather than jumping forward). When players jump up, there is a higher percentage of them getting their hands over the net, the key to a successful block.

Lateral Lung Block

• Pair up players, with one on either side of the net.
• One player will have the ball.
• The player with the ball will pass to either the left or right side of their opponent, without indicating which side.
• Their opponent will lunge sideways and block the ball based on where it is received.

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FAQ — Youth Volleyball Drills

Can these volleyball drills be practiced individually, or do they require a team setting?

Many of the youth volleyball drills are designed for both individual and team practice. Players can benefit from solo sessions to enhance their skills, and coaches can also incorporate these drills seamlessly into team training sessions.

Do these drills focus on specific aspects of the game?

Yes. These youth volleyball drills are diverse and cover various aspects of the game, including blocking, passing, and tackling. This comprehensive approach ensures a well-rounded skill development program.

Are there modifications available for players with different skill levels?

Absolutely! These youth volleyball drills offer room for modification to accommodate different skill levels. Coaches are encouraged to tailor the intensity and complexity of the drills based on the abilities of the players.

Is SkillShark suitable for volleyball players at all levels?

Absolutely. SkillShark’s athlete evaluation app is versatile and applicable at all levels of sports. Whether in amateur or professional settings, the insights gained contribute to player and team development, enhancing overall performance.

How does SkillShark improve volleyball evaluations compared to traditional forms?

With SkillShark, coaches can evaluate athletes directly from their mobile phones or tablets. Data is automatically calculated and stored in report format, making it instantly accessible. Compare & rank players at the click of a button; no legwork required on your end.