9 Effective Volleyball Passing Drills for Beginners and Pros

Volleyball passing drills are essential for getting the grip on basics of volleyball. With good passing skills, the team’s offense can succeed, making it easier to win games. That’s why I’ve compiled a list of 9 volleyball passing drills to help them improve their ball control, speed, and accuracy. We’ll cover everything from partner passing and wall passing drills to more advanced drills like competitive passing.

Table of Contents

Drill 1: Triangle Drill

The triangle passing drill for volleyball beginners is simple yet effective and focuses on improving your passing and communication skills. This drill requires three players and a coach or a partner. It requires passing the ball to your teammate in a specific area, enhancing your accuracy and control.

Step-by-Step Instructions for the Drill:

Get into a Triangle Formation: Start by positioning three players in a triangle formation, with one player in front of the net and the other two players on each side of the net.
Receive the Serve: The coach or partner should serve the ball to one of the players, and the player who receives the serve passes the ball to the player opposite them in the triangle formation.
Pass to Opposite Player: The third player in the triangle formation then passes the ball back to the original player who received the serve.
Repeat the Passing Sequence: Keep repeating the passing sequence until the coach or partner initiates the next serve.
Rotate Positions: After each sequence, rotate positions to give all players a chance to practice passing from different angles.

Drill 2: Partner Passing Drill

This drill focuses on building passing accuracy and consistency between two players. By working with a partner, players can focus on their technique and timing while getting immediate feedback.

Here are the step-by-step instructions for the partner passing drill for volleyball beginners.

Start by positioning two players on opposite sides of the net, facing each other.
One player starts with the ball and passes it to their partner.
The partner then passes the ball back to the original player.
Keep repeating the passing sequence, focusing on maintaining a steady rhythm and accuracy.
After a set amount of time, switch roles so that each player has a chance to practice passing and receiving.

Drill 3: Wall Passing Drill

Passing the ball against a wall is an effective way to improve passing skills. This drill is a great way to practice passing skills without needing a partner or a net. It can be done indoors or outdoors. Wall passing drills for volleyball beginners helps to focus on proper form and ball control.

Stand facing a wall with your feet shoulder-width apart and arms outstretched in front of you.
Pass the ball against the wall with both hands, aiming to hit the wall at about chest height.
As the ball rebounds off the wall, move your arms to get in position to pass it again.
Repeat the passing motion, aiming to maintain a steady rhythm and accuracy.
After a set amount of time, switch to passing with your forearms instead of your hands to work on a different type of pass.
To add difficulty, try passing the ball against the wall from different angles and distances.

Drill 4: Pepper Drill

Volleyball passing drills doesn’t always have to be serious and intense. The Pepper Drill is a fun and exciting way to practice passing skills while improving reaction time and team communication.

Start by dividing players into groups of three.
The first player begins by passing the ball to the second player.
The second player then sets the ball to the third player.
The third player hits the ball back to the first player with a spike or hit.
The passing sequence continues with the first player setting the ball to the second player and the second player spiking the ball to the third player, who then sets the ball back to the first player for a hit or spike.
Keep repeating the sequence continuously for a set amount of time.
Remind players to focus on maintaining a steady rhythm and making accurate passes to their teammates.
For an added challenge, increase the speed of the passes or require that each player hit the ball a certain number of times before passing to the next player in the sequence.

Drill 5: Bounce Pass Drill

The bounce pass drill is counted among excellent volleyball passing drills. This drill focuses on accuracy and reaction time, helping players improve their ability to pass balls that come in at unexpected angles.

Step-by-Step Instructions for the Drill:

Divide players into groups of two or three.
The first player starts by tossing the ball to the ground, causing it to bounce toward their partner(s).
The partner(s) must then pass the ball back to the first player, focusing on controlling the ball and maintaining a steady rhythm.
As players become more skilled at the drill, they can increase the distance between themselves and their partner(s) or use a heavier ball to increase the difficulty level.
Players can also switch roles after a set amount of time to allow everyone to practice passing and receiving the ball.

Drill 6: Spider Drill

The Spider Drill is a great passing drill for volleyball beginners that can help players improve their accuracy and speed when passing the ball. Here are the step-by-step instructions for this drill:

Divide players into two teams and position them on opposite sides of the net.
One team starts with the ball and serves it to the other team.
The receiving team must pass the ball back and forth between players using only three contacts.
The ball must pass through each player’s legs at least once before it is passed to the next player.
After the ball has gone through each player’s legs, it can be passed back up to waist height to continue the sequence.
Players should focus on quick reflexes and maintaining a steady rhythm to avoid dropping the ball or making a faulty pass.
After a set amount of time, switch roles so that each team has a chance to practice passing and receiving.

Drill 7: One-on-One Passing Drill

This drill is an excellent way to simulate a game-like scenario. By practicing this volleyball passing drill regularly, beginners can significantly improve their passing skills and become more confident.

Divide players into pairs and have them stand facing each other on opposite sides of the net.
The first player starts with a serve or underhand toss to their partner.
The partner receives the ball with a pass, aiming to return it to the first player.
The first player then sets the ball to their partner, who hits it back over the net.
The first player should pass the ball back to their partner, repeating the passing sequence.
Players should focus on accuracy and maintaining a steady rhythm.
After a set amount of time, switch roles so that each player has a chance to practice passing and hitting.

Drill 8: Pass and Move Drill

The Pass and Move drill is designed to help players develop their passing skills while also working on their footwork and movement on the court. Among other volleyball passing drills, this one involves players passing the ball to each other while moving around the court.

Step-by-Step Instructions for the Drill:

Divide players into groups of four or five.
Have the players form a line on one side of the court.
The first player in line passes the ball to the next player in line and then moves to a designated spot on the court.
The second player then passes the ball to the third player and moves to the spot vacated by the first player.
The third player passes the ball to the fourth player and moves to the spot vacated by the second player.
The fourth player passes the ball back to the first player and moves to the spot vacated by the third player.
The passing sequence continues, with players constantly moving around the court and passing the ball to each other.
To make the drill more challenging, increase the speed of the passes or require that each player hit the ball a certain number of times before passing to the next player in the sequence.
Encourage players to communicate with each other and make quick, accurate passes while on the move.

Drill 9: Competitive Passing Drill

Competitive volleyball passing drill is a great way to add some excitement and pressure to your practice. This drill involves dividing the team into two groups and seeing which group can complete a set number of passes in the shortest amount of time.

Step-by-Step Instructions for the Drill:

Divide the team into two groups and line them up on opposite sides of the net.
Choose a number of passes that each group must complete before the drill is over.
Start the timer and begin the drill. Each group must complete the set number of passes as quickly as possible.
If a ball hits the floor or goes out of bounds, that group must start again from zero.
The group that completes the set number of passes in the shortest amount of time wins the drill.
Repeat the drill as many times as desired, switching up the number of passes required and the starting positions of the groups.

Volleyball passing drills are essential for improving ball control, speed, and accuracy, and this article has compiled a list of nine volleyball passing drills for volleyball beginners. From the triangle drill and partner passing drill to wall passing drills and the spider drill, each drill is easy to follow with step-by-step instructions to help players improve their technique and communication skills. Try these volleyball passing drills to help your team’s offense succeed, making it easier to win games.