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Register TODAY! for my
Coach April's
May 16 -17 and 30 -31
Spiking and Hitting clinics
Email: info@improveyourvolley.com for info or to register for this weekend's clinics!
- Improve Your Volleyball with Coach April
- The Best Volleyball Drills
- Drills for Volleyball
Hitting and Digging Drills for Volleyball That Help You Play Better
Having problems hitting a ball over the net or digging a ball to your setter? Our hitting and digging drills for volleyball help you improve spiking and digging.
Hitting and Digging Drills For Volleyball: The 'Hit and Dig" volleyball drill is used in warmups to improve hitting technique and digging technique skills.
We do alot of versions of basic drills like the warm up "Hit and Dig" drills in our practices, classes and semi-private volleyball training.
Usually done in warmups, I adapt this drill to use in
- one on one
- two on one
- two on two drills
to improve hitting technique, hand placement on the ball and digging technique and platform placement skills.
'The Classic'
Digging and Hitting
Drills For Volleyball
Jacob the hitter works on the Hit and Dig drill with Adlai the digger in Breakfast Club class.
They're working on..
- Reaching high with a quick arm rotation
- Contacting the top third of the ball with flat palm and wide fingers that control where you want the ball to go and so the ball travels from high to low (stays in the court)
- Practicing hitting line ... working on contacting the ball in front of your hitting shoulder
- Maintaining a loose shoulder with a slightly bent elbow but contact is made with elbow ABOVE the level of the ear
- Hips and shoulders stay open to the wall on the right until after the toss. After contacting the ball arm finishes downward motion with the thumb to thigh
The "Hit and Dig" drill is one of the basic hitting and digging drills for volleyball we do in our practices, classes and semi-private volleyball training.
"Coach on Three"
Drills For Volleyball
Digging and Hitting
Coach on Three Drill
Defensive digging drill with 3 groups of 3 players.
- One group digs
- One group shags balls positioning themselves around the court they keep balls from interrupting the drill.
- One group is target for diggers to dig to. .
Establish a goal a number the digging group of 3 as to get that many balls to the target without making the target move...to finish the drill. Or.... go for time...
Hitting coach should remember to hit from different zones in the front court so the diggers work on platform angles, reading and believing what they see.
Drills For Volleyball
How To Touch More Balls When You're Digging
- Keeping your platform arms a ball’s distance away from your body and
- putting your hands together once you’ve landed in your adjusted defensive position
is the key to touching more balls hit right at you and controlling those balls so they’re more likely to reach their target .
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Follow me on Pinterest Volleybragswag to improve your game even faster!
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.
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
Coach April's 2026-27 Private and Semi private Volleyball Training
Pre-Registration now open for 2026-27 Private and Semiprivate Training Sessions with Coach April . Get prepared for club tryouts or train with me during club season!
Email now for information on semiprivate or private indoor skills, individual or small group training volleyball classes and my Breakfast Club for College Players training for 2026-27.
Invest in your improvement while preepping for your next level and college goals while working hard and training smart.
Email me right now to register or for more information.
info@improveyourvolley.com
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Can't hire a private trainer?
Get my Targeted Volleyball Checklist Bundles by Skill Level
(only $27 each)
Bundle #1:
Complete Beginner Serving System - $27
Complete Beginner Serving System: The Ultimate Support System for Beginners
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You'll Get
- ✓3-bounce physical preparation setup system
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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?
What Are You Looking For?
Click to Download Your Pre Serving Ritual Mastery Checklist pdf:
🎯Volleyball Pre Serving Ritual Guide -
Players! Learn How To Transform Your Serve from Weak to Weapon
Click to Download Your Parent's Volleyball Serving Checklist pdf
🎯Parent's Volleyball Serving Checklist Guide
Parents! Help Your Player Develop Championship Serves (Even If You've Never Played)
Hi there!
Thanks for stopping by. Hope you learned something today that will help you reach your volleyball goals.
Be sure to subscribe to my email newsletter so you can learn more each week!
Stay strong! Stay motivated!
-Coach April
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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!
A-1 Vegas Volley VBC
In It To Win It Tournament
May 2 - 4, 2025 Tournament
Gold Medalists
18s Premier Division
Vegas Volleyball's Unsung Heroes: Celebrating Moms with Peace Love Volleyball Shirts
Ready to energize your volleyball mom journey?
Subscribe to my 'Producing Powerful Passionate Peaceful Players' email list above on ImproveYourVolley.com.
You'll receive energy-boosting tips, exclusive insights from me, Coach April Chapple on maintaining momentum in volleyball.
Let's power up the Vegas volleyball scene together!
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