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- Improve Your Volleyball with Coach April
- Ways To Improve Volleyball Skills
- 5 Beginner Passing Drills Volleyball Players Should Know
5 Beginner Passing Drills Volleyball Players Should Know
These are 5 beginner passing drills volleyball players need to see that show how to improve your serve receive skills
While passing many beginner passers think its a good idea to bend their elbows to scoop the ball to the target or they swing their platform when passing thinking that's what's going to help get the ball where they want it to go.Are your passes flying out of bounds?
Getting frustrated with serves that seem impossible to control?
As a volleyball coach working with beginners, I see these challenges every day - and I know exactly how to fix them.
These five beginner passing drills address the most common mistakes I see players make, from swinging platforms to bent elbows.
Through my private training sessions and team practices, I've identified the exact techniques that help beginners develop consistent passing form.
Let me share the same fundamentals captured by 'Shots by Shanty' Shantalle Demerjian that have helped my players transform from uncertain passers into confident ball control specialists.
5 Beginner Passing Drills: Essential Tips to Fix Common Passing Mistakes
These are 5 beginner passing drills volleyball passers should remember to do or not do in order to improve their passing skills including
- avoid scooping your arms and winging your platform
- keep platform arms straight and don't bend elbows
- don't keep your arms too close to your body
- beat the ball to the spot don't time the ball
Are you shanking passes?
Can you control the ball when you're being served by the opposing team?
One of the most common mistakes I see beginners make is swinging their platform.
Here's how we fix that...
During Your Beginner Passing Drills Volleyball Players Should
Avoid Scooping or Swinging Your Platform When Passing
While passing many beginner passers think its a good idea to bend their elbows to scoop the ball to the target or they swing their platform when passing thinking that's what's going to help get the ball where they want it to go.
You want to keep from doing either of these two movements because you won't be able to control the ball especially when you come up against tougher faster serves.
Keep your elbows straight when passing no matter what...
If your passes are flying everywhere except to target, you might be bending your elbows.
Let me show you the technique that helped my Vegas Volley players and assistant coaches develop consistent ball control..
While Doing Your Beginner Passing Drills Volleyball Players Should
Keep Straight Platform Arms and Avoid Bending Elbows
When you form your platform with your forearms and thumbs pressed together side by side and pointed to the ground this keeps your elbows straight.
When passing you always want to keep your elbows straight and not bend them when you're contacting the ball.
Having trouble with passes that go straight up in the air instead of inside the ten foot line or with balls that go back over the net?
Here's how proper platform positioning solves this common problem...
While Performing Your Beginner Passing Drills Volleyball Players Should
Avoid Swinging Their Platform
When Passing
Your "platform" is where the ball contacts your forearms in order to transfer the ball to your intended target.
During Your Beginner Passing Drills Volleyball Players Shouldn't
Swing Arms Or Keep Your Platform Too Close To Your Body
When using correct passing technique you want to avoid swinging your arms when you pass because you are in less control of the ball and you increase the probability of the ball going right back over the net or staying close to you instead of being directed to the setter who's waiting at the net.
So lets solve the net issue. Do you always feel like you're late getting to the ball once it crosses over the net after being served?
This next technique has helped my players develop perfect timing...
During Your Beginner Passing Drills Volleyball Players Should
Beat The Ball And Work on
Not Timing The Ball
As a passer you should work on
- reading the server's body language,
- armswing, then
- tracking the path of the ball
and getting enough information from what all these things are showing you so that once the ball is served you visually follow the path of the ball when its travelling to the net and then move to where you see the ball is going to land once it gets to your side ...and move fast enough to that spot BEFORE the ball gets there.
That's what we call beating the ball to the spot....
If you get to the spot at the same time as the ball ..that's considered "late' because now you have to rush to pass the ball but if you're at the spot BEFORE the ball it gives you more time to get set up and create your perfect passing platform.If you get to the spot at the same time as the ball ..that's considered "late' because now you have to rush to pass the ball but if you're at the spot BEFORE the ball it gives you more time to get set up and create your perfect passing platform.
Beginner Passing Drills: Your Path to Passing Success
These fundamental passing techniques have helped countless beginners overcome their passing challenges. They're the same drills I use every day with my Vegas Volley teams and private clients - proven solutions that work.
Ready to develop more advanced passing skills?
Check out my articles on 'Basic Volleyball Passing Drills' and 'Volleyball Partner Passing Drills' for your next steps in passing development.
Want to improve your passing technique faster?
Join my email list for weekly training tips and be the first to know when I post new drills and techniques that can help solve your passing challenges
Coach April Chapple's Volleyball Passing Tips For Youth Volleyball Players
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I share alot of individual, partner and easy-to-do volleyball serving drills we do in class with my followers.
Many of these volleyball practice drills you can do at home by yourself or try at your next practice with your teammates.
If you're a B team or JV player trying to make varsity next year...your goal should be to complete 1000 reps a day of at least three of the basic skills on your own...volleyball passing, serving and setting should be at the top of the list.
Beginner Passing Drills Volleyball Players Need To Know:
Where Do You Go From Here?
Your three options are:
- You can learn more about Drills by visiting the Related Links below.
- Follow the suggested reading on our Sitemap page Learning How To Play (Sitemap)
- Or visit the pages in the How to Play Volleyball section in the drop down menu at the top of the page to get started.
The Best Passer On The Team 8 Volleyball Passing Fundamentals Drills
These 8 volleyball passing fundamentals drills will help you become the best passer on the team who reliably delivers dimes to the setter to run the offense.
What Important Things Do A Volleyball Passing Drill Help You Improve
A volleyball passing drill can help you work on reading the server, learn your passing responsibilities in each position and how to cover the court much faster.
5 Volleyball Pass Drills Improve How You Bump A Ball To Your Setter
Volleyball pass drills are important because passing a tough serve well with good technique and clean body movements makes it easier for your setter to set.
Volleyball Partner Passing Drills You Can Do To Improve Ball Control
These volleyball partner passing drills we do in Boot Camp classes are drills you can do at home in order to improve your consistency and ball control skills.
Volleyball Drills Passing Exercises For Players To Learn To Pass Fast
The volleyball drills passing liberos are good at doing after learning how to pass a tough server consistently with good technique and clean body movements.
Volleyball Drills For Passing Two Person Volleyball Drills For Passers
These 9 player volleyball drills for passing are warmup drills done at the beginning of practice and meant to prepare you to improve your serve receive skills.
Passing Drills Volleyball Players Do To Improve Ball Control Skills
These passing drills volleyball players do at home to improve ball control skills also help to increase your focus, concentration and to get 1000 reps done.
4 Passing Drills For Volleyball To Improve Passing Skills Very Quickly
These are 4 good passing drills for volleyball to improve pass skills which answers the question for any players asking "how do I improve my passing skills?"
What Does A Good Passer in Volleyball Do To Get The Ball To The Target
A good passer in volleyball faces the net, drops the inside shoulder, angles their platform, avoids turning to face the target, keeps shoulders facing the net.
Easy Volleyball Passing Drills We Do In Boot Camp and Breakfast Club
There are a series of easy volleyball passing drills we do in warmups and in the main part of my Breakfast Club and Happy Hour practice to improve technique.
Basic Volleyball Passing Drills For High Floater Serves That Rise Up
With these basic volleyball passing drills remember to anticipate where the ball will land, keep elbows straight, stay in athletic stance, angle your platform
Passing Drills in Volleyball For Groups of Three Players To Do At Home
These three player passing drills in volleyball areeasy to do at home or in practices and help you to work on controlling the ball and passing accuracy.
Passing Drills For Volleyball Practice You Can Do With Your Partner
Here are some fun passing drills for volleyball practice. These bumping drills are for partners working in small groups doing a series of drills for passing.
If your athlete struggles with consistent serve receive, gets subbed out, or is overlooked for playing time—this is the fix you’ve been looking for.
Struggling with passing consistency?
I help talented passers tired of getting pulled from games because of inconsistent serve receive skills BUILD passing confidence without expensive private lessons using the same 3-step system that's helped dozens of my athletes get recruited.
Download my eBook for $17.99 and start building the passing confidence that keeps you on the court—and gets you seen by college coaches.
AUTHOR BIO
April Chapple is an elite private volleyball trainer, former USA National Team member, and University of Tennessee Hall of Fame inductee who has coached in Las Vegas for 15+ years, training hundreds of athletes and helping numerous players reach college volleyball, including Division I standouts.
She's also the head coach for girls and boys 18s at Squad VBC and offers coaches consulting on technical teaching and player development. Connect with April on LinkedIn or at ImproveYourVolley.com, where her eye for overlooked talent sets her apart.
From Lady Vol to Legend: Coach April Honored At UTK Champions Weekend
Lady Vol volleyball legend and record holder Coach April Chapple a University of Tennessee, Knoxville Hall of Fame Inductee, 3-time All American, 3-time SEC Champion, SEC Tournament MVP, 2-time All SEC Team is celebrated with her 1984 SEC champion teammates at Neyland Stadium during Champions Weekend on November 1-2, 2024.
- the first First Round Draft Pick for the first American pro indoor women's league
- named to the first First Team All-Pro team for Major League Volleyball in USA volleyball history
- former USA National team member
- one of the few American women players named as an Italian Pro League D-I Championship Finalist, Italian Cup Finalist and Cup of Cups Tournament Finalist
April Chapple The first First round Draft Pick For Major League Volleyball the first American Women's Pro League Honored At Athlete Unlimited Pro Volleyball Match
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Bundle #1:
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Complete Beginner Serving System: The Ultimate Support System for Beginners
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Transform Your Serve from Weak to Weapon
Stop letting pressure situations destroy your serves?
You'll Get
- ✓3-bounce physical preparation setup system
- ✓Mental routine for target pre-selection and visualization
- ✓Technical execution checklist for automatic consistency
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- ✓Pressure-proof strategies that eliminate serving errors
Click to Download Your Parent's Volleyball Serving Guide Help Your Player Develop Championship Serves (Even If You've Never Played) Checklist pdf:
🎯Parent's Volleyball Serving Guide Help Your Player Develop Championship Serves Guide - $7
You'll Get:
✓Learn exactly what to look for in your player's serving form so you can provide meaningful feedback.
✓Discover how to provide encouragement that actually improves performance and mental toughness.
✓Know exactly what to ask coaches to show you're engaged and help your player develop properly.
✓Simple, effective drills that don't require a gym or expensive equipment.
✓Understand the language coaches use so you can better support your player's development.
✓Help your player develop the psychological aspects of serving that many coaches don't have time to address.
From Lady Vol to Legend: Coach April Produces Powerful Passionate Players...is that you?
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🎯Parent's Volleyball Serving Checklist Guide
Parents! Help Your Player Develop Championship Serves (Even If You've Never Played)
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Congratulations to my seven Boys-18s Vegas Volley club players who played in two state championship finals yesterday, the 3A and 5A State champinship finals at Sunrise Mountain High School.
TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS!
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