Thursday, August 13, 2020

Team Building Activities

 https://www.signupgenius.com/sports/team-building-sports.cfm?pp=1


Pass the Hula Hoop (A team vs. B team): Have kids stand with one child holding the Hula Hoop over his or her arm. Have everyone join hands and work together to shimmy, shuffle, and shove the Hula Hoop over their arms, shoulders, and legs to pass it to the partner next to them without breaking the chain.

Blanket VolleyballDivide the group into two. Hand out a large sheet to both groups and have each member grab a side of the sheet. Send the ball over to the other team using the sheet to “pop” the ball over the volleyball net. The whole process forces reach group to not only work together to send the volleyball back over the net but to also communicate to move in place as a unit.

Human Knot. Have the group stand in a circle. Each person grabs another person’s hand across the circle. Repeat with remaining hand. Then the group must work together to unravel the massive human knot. It’s a game of humor—and flexibility—that gets the kids giggling yet working hard to find a solution to a problem.

Wheelbarrow Races. This classic relay race has become a go-to team-building exercise for decades, for good reason. While it not only gets kids moving (who wouldn’t love an exercise that encourages fitness?), it also gets them moving together, working to reach the end of the race.

Scavenger Hunt. The Amazing Race isn’t just for adults. In fact, creating a scavenger hunt for a group of young teens encourages not only critical thinking, but teamwork a la The Goonies.

Lap Sit. This game of trust is best for larger groups of 10 or more. Have the group stand in a circle, facing counter clockwise with each person facing the person’s back in front of them. Have everyone put his right leg in towards the circle. Have everyone move in to shrink the size of the circle more; keep moving in closer until each person is touching the other person on each side of them. On the count of three, have everyone put their hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them and slowly sit down. If done correctly, everyone should end up sitting on each other’s lap.

Mine Field. In a large, open room or field, lay out various objects such as tennis balls, soccer balls, bats, and other sporting equipment. Split the group into pairs with one person in each pair blindfolded. The blindfolded person cannot speak. Have the non-blindfolded partner stand outside the mine field. This person will direct the blind folded partner through the mine field using verbal directions. If the blind folded partner steps on a “mine,” he or she needs to start over.

Helium Stick / Hula Hoop. Split the group into two teams. Line teams up shoulder to shoulder with one hand, palm up, out in front with pointer finger straight out. Place a long rod so it rests evenly across each person’s finger. On the count of three, have the team slowly try to place the rod on the ground without it falling.

Circle Trust Falls: One person stands upright in the middle of 4-5 players.  The person in the middle puts their hands over their eyes.  Players standing in the circle puts hands out in front of them.  Person in the middle says, "ready", players in circle say "fall", middle says "falling".  Girls in the middle needs to stay stiff like a board as players move her upright when she falls.



Saturday, August 8, 2020

Track and Smack: Using opposite hand to track the ball

  • Coach tosses ball and players all stand out in front and use the opposite hand to track the ball as it bounces up and down or is tossed up. 
  • Player stands in front of coach and coach tosses the ball up in front of her.  Player must Track the ball and then Smack the ball over the net.
  • Note: tracking hand is up, hitting hand replaces the tracking hand and pull with the tracking hand to add power.

https://www.theartofcoachingvolleyball.com/track-and-smack-hitting-tutorial/

Scramble Drill: Bounce ball in as first hit (like virus)

 Coach initiates ball to a side with a bounce.  That is the first touch.  Second player needs to pass to an outside or back row hitter.  Freeball play continues from there.  2 points if you score on that out of system ball.  1 point if you win the rally overall.


Eye Sequencing

 Teaching players to read the other side of the court.

Call (on, off, over / on, off -for younger players) before the other team passes the first ball.  Call right, left, middle after ball is set.

Hitters vs. Hitters (+1 for good hit / -1 for hit error)

 The coach determines which hitters are live (or able to score) each round. A team’s score increases by 1 every time their live hitter gets a kill and decreases by 1 every time any hitter makes an error. If a non-live hitter gets a kill, the score stays the same. The coach starts play by initiating a free ball and alternates free balls until one team reaches a score of +7.

Setters have to manage how often they set the live hitters because it's easy to burn them out with too many consecutive attempts. Non-live hitters have to stay low-error to help their team win the round.

https://www.theartofcoachingvolleyball.com/plus-7-hitting-drill-by-mark-barnard/

Fix it Drill

 However the last point was lost is where the next ball is initiated.


Rolled Ball Hustle Drill

 Coach will row balls into the court from the other side of the net.  One player in gets a point for every ball she saves.  Once one ball gets out of the court without a touch means they are done.

https://www.theartofcoachingvolleyball.com/individual-roll-ball-drill-with-genny-volpe/


4 ways to Bond Teams Together

1. Open Mics Monday: one day to really say whatever is on your mind (on court or off)
Truth, Love, & Honesty

2.  Celebration for one player: after a drill, everyone really showers one player with love and celebrates things this player does.

3. Honesty and Care: After a tough loss or drill, players can really be real with eachother.  "I really need more of this... from you.  I think we could do this...)


Double of Nothing 1 Minute Frenzy

 Play freeball (or serve/serve receive) for 2 minutes.  Keep track of points as normal.  At 2 minutes, put in last freeball.  Team that wins that ball gets to double their points or switch scores (golden ticket)



Freeball / Downball Drill: Only score on Downball

Butterfly Passing

 

3 C's drill: Communication, Coverage and Celebration

 In the video, it is explained that a team of 6 will play to 25. They can earn up to three points from each freeball by:

  1. Communicating;
  2. Covering; and
  3. Celebrating

You have to define what the girls need to do in order to win each point before you start the game. For example, here's how I defined each point with my girls:

  1. Communicating
    1. Everyone must yell "free!" when the freeball comes over;
    2. Every passer must call the ball and say who they are passing to;
    3. The setter must call the ball and say who they are setting to; and
    4. The hitter must call the ball (we've had a problem with hitters running into each other) while everyone else yells "cover!"
  2. Covering
    1. Everyone must be low and moving towards the hitter
  3. Celebrating
    1. Everyone must immediately turn into the middle of the court following the hit (whether it was successful or not);
    2. Everyone needed to say something; and
    3. Everyone should give a high-five or pat on the back to at least two teammates


https://getthepancake.com/drills-and-tips/the-3-cs-drill-communication-coverage-and-celebration

Hitting with Snaps under the net

 Split players into 2 groups (one hitting and one shagging)

Players in the drill will form in 1 line behind 10 foot line.  First player up stands just in from of the 10 foot line.  Player will quickly draw arms up for hitting and then snap the ball so it goes under the net and has a high bounce.  

https://www.theartofcoachingvolleyball.com/attacking-drill-for-young-players-bounce/ 

In the Cart Passing

 Two players or one player on her own gets a certain number of balls or for a certain time.  Coach can do freeball, down ball or serve.  All players not in the drill will be shaggers or handers.  Players will count the number of balls that are high enough to set and hit the cart.  

Winner doesn't have to shag the rest of practice or gets some other award like pick the next drill / game to do... (Would be a great pair with Strikeout as player chooses next drill and you get to play that game until 5 strikeouts)


Peeling an Orange Explained for Topspin

 https://www.theartofcoachingvolleyball.com/youth-hitting-drill-peel-the-orange/

Short Court / Long Court Warm-up game

How it Works: Positioning a third antenna midway along the net, create two narrow courts. At the start, limit the narrow court even more by making the 10-foot line the endline. Each court plays its own two-on-two game. Start by tossing or serving from behind the 10-foot line then play out with normal scoring. Play to five points or for two minutes. Next, lengthen the court to the normal endline and play a normal point. 

https://www.theartofcoachingvolleyball.com/short-court-long-court-warmup-drill-for-teams-with-limited-rosters/

Dig & catch Drill

 Players start at left back / coach is in right front.

When coach slaps the ball, the player drops and drives.  Coach hits the ball to the player who must dig the ball up so she can catch the ball in front of the 10 foot line.

To do this successfully, players will need to drop and drive into defense while still keeping weight forward to be able to control the ball.

2 person 2 touch pursuit drill

 https://www.theartofcoachingvolleyball.com/two-ball-defensive-pursuit-drill/

2 players on the court

Coach will initiate the first ball anywhere (including out of bounds)

Rules to get a point:

  1. Each player must get a touch on the ball
  2. Ball must go over the net
Get 2 points if 2nd contact is a drive or hit

Go to 0 if ball hits the floor without a player on the floor as well.

Strikeout Drill

Team is allowed to play their favorite game until they get 5 strikes.  Coach will set the cause of a strike: not calling, ball hits floor, passes over the net rather than hitting... 

Could play after water breaks or with the number drill / weiner drill

https://www.theartofcoachingvolleyball.com/strikeout-drill/

1, 2 3 Passing (Calling out foot movement)

 Players must call out 1 - 2,3 before catching the ball and freeze once catching the ball

After catching is good, have players call out 1-2,3 and then freeze when passing the ball.

Another call could be 1-2,3 shuffle through


https://www.theartofcoachingvolleyball.com/improve-your-passing-footwork-by-saying-1-2-3/

Different ways to initiate ball into wash drill

  •  Toss to team to freeball over the net
  • Freeball over net
  • Joust
  • Toss to hitter
  • Toss to Setter
When doing wash drill, what do you want the focus to be?
That is how you need to initiate it.


Great Hitting Progression: arms, 2 step, 2 step hit vs. Defense

 Players are taught hitting.  Half team is hitting off coach toss.  The other team needs to just catch the ball.

Hitters don't get points, they get to hit

Other team gets points:

Hit in net = 1 point

Hit out of bounds = 1/2 point

Catch = 1 point

Catching team must get 15 points before they get to catch.

Progress on to Hitters on 6


https://www.theartofcoachingvolleyball.com/teaching-spiking-to-beginnersintermediates/

Tic, Tac, Toe

 Play freeball wash drill.

Team that wins gets to add something to the tic tac toe board or take something away.

All in or Bingo

 Volleyball Drills: Bingo

In an effort to provide more access to drills for coaches, here is one we started using in our practices to work on shots during six-on-six play.

Each team gets a bingo card.  They can strategize or just go by luck.  Teams get to cross something off ever time they are able to do something.  First team to Bingo wins.  Variation: Teams can only cross off something if they win the rally.

W Triangle Setter Drill

 

Warm-up or Just Fun volleyball Games

 Hand Soccer

Swedish

Speedball

Queen of Court (3 or 4)

Round the Wagons (steal the ball in the middle of the circle)

Shoe Relay

Pass the volleyball Relay (with feet)


Team Pepper both sides of the net

 Middle back, left back, left front and setter.  Players control the ball to get ball to pass over the net (with pass, set, hit).  Each time it goes over you count it.  When ball goes over the net, everyone rotates (players standing out could come in middle back.  Setters could just change each time and rotate without changing setter...). Program wins when you get certain number of points in a row (usually 4-8).  


Catch, toss, spike: Out of System

 Players will first toss to each other and catch out of system balls to get the feeling / lining up the feet.  Players will then work up to hitting downball from toss and then work up to approach and hit ball.


https://www.theartofcoachingvolleyball.com/catch-toss-spike-game-for-beginners//

Scrap Drill (Digging ball out of the net)

Coach throws ball in the net to initiate, players on that side dig it out and hit over the net (only get 2 touches at this point).  Score points as a team (get 10 in bounds), individual (if you were part of team of 2 to get it over you get a point), Team vs. Team (2 points if you score on the dig out of the net.  6 are on the other side.  If they are successful with 3 touch combo, they get 1 point.  First team to 8 wins), Freeball: ball is initiated in this way but 6 on 6 play it out. 



Friday, August 7, 2020

Reverse Side-out

 - Scoring starts 15-15
- Any regular scored point = 1 point
- Scored off serve receive (1st ball kill) = 2 points
- Missed Serve = 2 points for other team

Loser of the Rally has to serve again so winning team has chance to score 2 points.


Lines straight / Lines Tilt

Passer (moves back and forth to pass the ball)


Tosser                                                Tosser


1st Time: pass straight back to tosser (2 balls)
2nd Time: Pass to other tosser using tilt in platform (1 ball)