I have been coaching for almost 30 years and one story I have heard over and over again is how a kid learned to serve overhand by serving the ball over and over against the side of a garage or even a barn.
The point? While the more modern expression "Perfect practice makes perfect" is true, the formerly used expression "Practice makes perfect" also has some merits. That is, many repetitions, even if all are not perfect, does create muscle group strength and muscle memory. I am not advocating bad repetitions or technique. Rather, the best technique that a parent untrained in volleyball teaching can muster from their child. No goofing around, no bad 'I can't do it that way' attitudes. Just good, consistent repetition with reasonable overall form.
So, how do we use outdoor time in the summer to get kids better at volleyball? Here are some suggestions that might help.
1. Use a basketball court
Setting - Once a player gets the concept of how to contact a ball to make a clean set, all that is left is height and direction. Both come from the muscle strength gained by repetition. Here are three drills to help with that:
a. set for height - have a player stand about 5 feet from the basket in the foul lane. Have the player toss the ball to themselves and set it straight up, attempting to make a basket. Doing that about 20 times will help strengthen those arm, shoulder and hand muscles.
b. set for distance and accuracy - have the player stand at the foul line (or for older players, the top of the foul circle). Stand about 8 feet from the basket and toss the ball to the player who has to set the ball over your head, trying to make a basket. If a player wants to practice this themselves, they can toss the ball (relatively high) to themselves and set the ball into the basket. For players trying to become setters, you can stand on the sideline of the court about 10 feet from the endline. The player stands at the top of the foul circle. You toss balls to them and they have to move their feet and get their shoulders square to the basket and set the ball in the basket. Obviously, all your tosses should be high and somewhere between you and player.
Passing (bumping) - The player starts at the top of the key and some stands on the end line and tosses them a ball which they try to bump into the basket WITHOUT hitting or going beyond the backboard. The basket represents the perfect pass and the backboard represents passing the ball over the net, not a good thing. The tosser standing on the end line simulates the ball coming from the other side of the net. A passed ball can't go into the basket if it passed too low or straight up or off to the side. Parents who are adept enough can increase the strength of drill by throwing the ball at the player, simulating a spike or a hard serve. The goal is still the same: pass the ball high and get it to the net, but not over it.
2. Go to the sand
Sand courts are everywhere. Find a sand court and work out. Any movement you do in the sand is worth 2-3 of the same movements in a gym or even on the grass in terms of muscle development. Moving to the ball and jumping high, two things most young players need to work on, are just that much harder in the sand. Plus, it is fun being outdoors. The only caution I will give you is don't let the player's form disintegrate. When young players make the transition to sand play they tend to want to not move their feet. This leads to bad and lazy contacts. The goal is to have fun in the sand while still improving your game. This can only be done if you use the same form as you use indoors. The player will have to move their feet more quickly, anticipate better and put in a maximum effort jump every time just to be at the same level they can do routinely in the gym. But that's the point, really. Sand quickens your game and teaches you the importance of maximum effort.
3. If you build it, they will play
Buy a cheap volleyball set and put it up in your backyard or take it to a local park and set it up. The only proviso here is that you should bring enough extra rope and spikes to brace both net poles so the net is straight across and at least 7'4" high. No saggy nets! This is not picnic volleyball, this is volleyball training. If you want to teach a player to serve just bring a 50 ft tape measure and draw a line 30 feet from the net, having the player stand behind it and serve the ball over the net. They can also practice spiking if you learn to toss the ball to them. I advise starting over close to your player and tossing the ball close to straight up and have them approach and spike. Be careful not to let them land on your feet!
For the more industrious people you can build your own cheap, easily storable volleyball system. Here is how it is done:
1. Get two relatively large (at least 2") hollow PVC pipes, at least 12 ft long with a thick wall. Inside that find how many smaller PVC pipes you can cram into the inside of that large pipe. The goal is to add strength to the large PVC pipe by putting other, hollow, smaller PVC pipes inside. Then get four collars designed for the large PVC pipe and hollow them out on the inside so they can slide over the larger pipe. Get four heavy eye bolts. Set one of the collars at 10'6" and the other at 7'6". Drill through the collars and the pole and then slip the eyebolt through and tighten it down with washers and nuts. You can buy a decent, LIGHT WEIGHT, quality outside nylon volleyball net (with the top cord running through the top of the net) for under $25 on the internet. Get one that is at least 33' wide but not much wider. In your backyard, after checking with the utility people, dig two holes 35 feet apart and 2 feet deep. Get PVC that is just enough bigger so that the large PVC fits EASILY in side of it. Cut 2' sections of the larger pole, cap them at one end and seal those ends well. Bury those in the ground, capped end down, leaving only a small amount of the top end above ground, just enough to put another cap over the exposed end. Then you can insert your volleyball pole in each hole and put up your net. Provide tension by roping each pole with two stakes and the rope.
You have just created an under $50 volleyball net system that will last for years (mine has lasted for 6 years and it is still going strong and it is generally up from April to November every year). Even the pipe is the ground is not a problem if you cap it when you are not using it! If you want lines for the court you can get four more plastic spikes and 200' of yellow pool line and create your own lined volleyball court, if you have the room. The pool line lasts about 3 years if you don't repeatedly run over it with your lawnmover.
2. If you don't want to go to all that work get a clothes line and two strong poles. Hang an old sheet over the clothes line as the net and have your player serve or spike over the top of the clothes line.
There it is. Sorry for the long post but it is relatively easy and cheap to get your kiddos out there keeping their skills up over the summer. Most of the work can be done by them, as well, as tossers are optional to most of the drills above.
