Art of Coaching Volleyball

Pretzel Passing Drill With Deborah Newkirk

The 3-person drill you’ll see here known as the pretzel passing drill, introduced by Coach ’Em Up founder Deborah Newkirk, teaches players that there’s a lot more to passing than just forming a good platform and directing the volleyball to the setter. Specifically, the drill trains players to focus on the proper movements they should …

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Solo Reps: Unstructured Practice is Great for Skill-building

Solo Reps Stanford Coach John Dunning spends a lot of time planning every detail of his team’s daily practices. However, he also leaves 10 or 15 minutes for extra practice when players do solo reps. His reasoning: Practicing volleyball skills like serving or passing without having a coach on your back is a good way to …

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Blocking: Stay Low and Go by Tod Mattox

Blocking Drill During one Bishop’s High School practice, coach Tod Mattox works with the younger middle blockers on closing more efficiently to the outside blocker. His senior middle, Gretchen Cash, is very good at blocking, but the younger middles are still bending their knees and going down before their jump. That wastes time and often …

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