Every coach asks for new drills to make their kids better, searching the web, attending clinics and by reading drill books. After decades of coaching, creating and collecting, here is a list of the top 166 drills.

Since basically you want to play the game of volleyball, part of the way to provide the fun and variety for practice needed to emphasize an area of the game, focus on improving weaknesses and such, is to simply change the scoring. Here then is my list of scoring variations I have come up with over the last 30 years. There are many other variations of wash and X/Y scoring you can come up with, so get creative!

The research is clear that the game teaches the game, few drills teach the game. Gamelike training is the BEST way to get the skills in practice to transfer to the matches you will play. The idea is to increase the opportunities to respond, those chances for the players to TOUCH the ball, not watch someone touch it. Of course, the kids want to play, but this does not mean that you will stop teaching proper technique or skill performance as they play. Indeed, too often kids can perform with the technique you seek in a non-game like drill, but not in the game. Players must perform the skills in competition, in the games you develop, not in drills. This teaching games for understanding skills is used for kids in their first experiences of the sport, and by the USA national teams.

Scoring and Game Ideas (PDF)

Top 166 Drills

  1. Volleyball
  2. Volleyball
  3. Volleyball
  4. Volleyball
  5. Monarch of the court
  6. Volleyball
  7. Volleyball
  8. Volleyball
  9. Volleyball
  10. Volleyball
  11. Volleyball
  12. Volleyball
  13. Volleyball
  14. Volleyball
  15. Volleyball
  16. Volleyball
  17. Volleyball
  18. Volleyball
  19. Volleyball
  20. Scored like football
  21. Volleyball
  22. Volleyball
  23. Volleyball
  24. Volleyball
  25. Scored like softball
  26. Volleyball
  27. Volleyball
  28. Volleyball
  29. Volleyball
  30. Scored even wash
  31. Volleyball
  32. Volleyball
  33. Volleyball
  34. Volleyball
  35. Volleyball
  36. Volleyball
  37. Volleyball
  38. Volleyball
  39. Volleyball
  40. Volleyball
  41. Scored 3-2 wash
  42. Volleyball
  43. Volleyball
  44. Volleyball
  45. Volleyball
  46. 6vs3
  47. Volleyball
  48. Volleyball
  49. Volleyball
  50. Volleyball
  51. Volleyball
  52. Volleyball
  53. Volleyball
  54. Volleyball
  55. Volleyball
  56. Volleyball
  57. Volleyball
  58. Started by scored pull out of a hat
  59. Volleyball
  60. Volleyball
  61. Sitting volleyball
  62. Volleyball
  63. Volleyball
  64. Frying pan scoring
  65. Volleyball
  66. Volleyball
  67. Volleyball
  68. Volleyball
  69. Volleyball
  70. With a golden ball worth doubles points
  71. Volleyball
  72. Volleyball
  73. 6vs1
  74. Volleyball
  75. Volleyball
  76. Volleyball
  77. Golf serving
  78. Volleyball
  79. Volleyball
  80. Volleyball
  81. Volleyball
  82. Volleyball
  83. Scored bucket of balls
  84. Volleyball
  85. Volleyball
  86. Volleyball
  87. Volleyball
  88. Scored by hoops
  89. Volleyball
  90. Volleyball
  91. Volleyball
  92. Volleyball
  93. Volleyball
  94. Volleyball
  95. Volleyball
  96. Volleyball
  97. Volleyball
  98. Volleyball
  99. Four group passing triplets scored by passers vs servers
  100. Volleyball
  101. Volleyball
  102. Volleyball
  103. Volleyball
  104. Volleyball
  105. Volleyball
  106. Volleyball
  107. Volleyball
  108. Volleyball
  109. Doubles on sand
  110. Volleyball
  111. Volleyball
  112. M&M chair target
  113. Volleyball
  114. Volleyball
  115. Volleyball
  116. Volleyball
  117. Volleyball
  118. One-minute serving
  119. Volleyball
  120. Volleyball
  121. Volleyball
  122. Volleyball
  123. Volleyball
  124. One-minute serving to hit a flat target, the coach
  125. Volleyball
  126. Reverse coed six person
  127. Volleyball
  128. Volleyball
  129. Volleyball
  130. Volleyball
  131. Volleyball
  132. Volleyball
  133. Volleyball
  134. Volleyball
  135. 4vs4 deep court exchange
  136. Volleyball
  137. Volleyball
  138. Volleyball
  139. Volleyball
  140. Volleyball
  141. Volleyball
  142. Sibling doubles
  143. Volleyball
  144. Volleyball
  145. Mother/daughter volleyball
  146. Volleyball
  147. Volleyball
  148. Triples on any service
  149. Volleyball
  150. Front back spiking off pass at 3-meter line
  151. Volleyball
  152. Volleyball
  153. Volleyball
  154. Corner to corner alternating four-person pepper
  155. Volleyball
  156. Volleyball
  157. Reverse coed doubles
  158. Volleyball
  159. Volleyball
  160. Volleyball
  161. Father/daughter doubles
  162. Volleyball
  163. Volleyball
  164. Volleyball
  165. Father/son; mother/son doubles
  166. VOLLEYBALL

I will share a classic example of “always teaching” as they play volleyball games in practice. Most coaches want their right and left back row players to go from a “base” position, waiting for first ball over then the setter dump shot on two, to a deeper/more perimeter position before the third contact/spike. This base to back to base forward and backward movement is expect in EVERY rally as the team goes from offense to defense. Yet in drills, like pepper, this movement is not emphasized. Moreover, in the game of Monarch of the court, where it is the game, this base to back movement, and return, is again NOT emphasized. Get them to move in the games as you want them to, or else stop complaining when they don’t in the game, for you get what you teach/emphasize. At the same time, you should be teaching them to read/anticipate by sharing with them “why you knew that would happen” moments, and “where would a better place to put the ball have been” questions. Help them learn what you know, for it is not what you know that matters in the match, it is what your players know.