How To Improve Beach Volleyball Passing Where To Pass In The Hot Sand

Three tips on how to improve beach volleyball passing are  1) learn where to stand on the court 2) how to stay on top of the sand 3) why you should pass first

How To Improve Beach volleyball passing; If you can't pass then you can't play the game. This is valid for the indoor game but more true for new beach players learning the sand game. (Ralph Aversen)

To improve your beach volleyball passing accuracy learn

• where to stand on the court
• how to stay on top of the sand
• why you should pass first

How To improve beach volleyball passing accuracy learn where to stand on the court, how to stay on top of the sand, why you should pass first. (April Ross passing by Ralph Aversen)

How to Improve Beach volleyball passing: Line yourself up on the court so you know, where you are in relation to your partner, where the sideline is and how far the service line is behind you. (Aversen)

These are basic guidelines to follow and of course there are adjustments that are to be made based on your personal

• height
• your speed
• the wind
• the other team's tendencies and
• the type of serve the other team is using (if the opposing team is jump serving for example).

In doubles, since you are one of only two players on either side, it's important to line yourself up on the court so you know

• where you are in relation to your partner,
• where the sideline is closest to you and
• how far the service line is behind you

How To Improve Beach Volleyball In regards to where a player needs to stand in relationship to the service line I was taught to be my height's distance away from the back line. (Ralph Aversen)

In regards to where a player needs to stand in relationship to the service line I was taught to be my height's distance away from the back line.

I'm six feet tall which means that I want to be six feet into the court from the service line for my serve receive starting position.

This way, if a ball is served that comes at me that's above my waistline and around my shoulder level then I know that ball is out.

From my sideline, if I were to stick out my arm towards the line, I would want to be several inches more than my arm's length away, so that I know automatically (and with practice) where I am in the court and how many steps it takes me to get to either the side or the service line. 

Compared to indoor it should take me about a little over a shuffle step to get to my sideline.

Here I've given you the guidelines that most players use as a starting point.

What do I mean when I say "Don't Sink, Swim?"

Okay, you don't really want to swim in the sand but you do want to try and keep your feet above and on top of it. 

Beginner beach players have a tendency to sink down in the sand (it feels like quicksand at first, but its not) while waiting to receive serve.

To stay on top of the sand, before the server serves, take two or three baby steps in place, right where you are to insure that you're above the sand and not below it. (Ralph Aversen)

To avoid this tendency, before the server serves, take two or three baby steps in place, right where you are to insure that you're above the sand and not below it.

Some players will literally take 3-4 stomp steps, some small baby marching steps in place to shake off the sand on top of their feet and to be sure they are on top of it. 

Pass First

Unless you are chasing down a ball that's pretty far, you want to concentrate on taking the time to pass first.

What I mean is don't pass and run at the same time if you can help it.

Use the strength of your lower body to deliver a nice volleyball pass to your partner first.

Really concentrate on making each attempt in passing the volleyball the best one you can make.

Force yourself to do two distinct skills,

• run to get to the ball and then
• get stopped and prep yourself to pass.

Use your feet, knees and legs to deliver a nice pass to your setter first and since you can control the speed of the game with your pass, you can also determine to a certain degree how good a set you should get.

So take the time to make it a good one.

How To Improve Beach Volleyball: Pass First. Unless you are chasing down a ball that's pretty far, you want to concentrate on taking the time to pass first. (Ralph Aversen)

Here's why....

If you give yourself a good serve receive pass then you can

• control how much time you have to make a good strong spike approach 
• look at the open spaces on the opposing team's court so you can see where to hit to

If you rush your pass, you rob yourself of these opportunities.

This has been an important message by your favorite volleyball coach! That's me!!

Thanks for visiting.

Be sure to check out more of my volleyball articles by clicking one of the links below!  (April Chapple)

Follow me on Instagram @coach_apchap 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. 

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