Find drills for your next practice, fun games for volleyball camp, and articles covering topics like visualization and playing time philosophy!
A volleyball is a volleyball, right? WRONG! Not all volleyballs are created equally, but most people can’t tell the difference. This is why I’m going to explain the different types of volleyballs, when it is best to use each, and even include a few to avoid if possible.
Read MoreDoes your volleyball team only have 1 hour for practice? Use this full plan as a guide for a fun, high-energy practice session! Bonus: all drills can be adapted to any age with just a few changes!
Read MoreWhat ages will you have come to your camp? And when will camp be? Are the courts even available? How will you check players in? Read through this extensive list of questions to help you plan the best summer volleyball camp!
Read MoreWith the constant threat of being captured, “Prisoner” is a volleyball drill that challenges players to step up and perform under pressure. And because players on the court can rescue their teammates, anyone who’s on the sidelines stays engaged in the drill, cheering loudly!
Read MoreRun this advanced volleyball drill with high school and club teams who need to work on their block coverage! Players will get a ton of reps working on covering the block and will feel confident handling a block in a match.
Read MoreLast week I asked Get The Pancake’s Instagram followers the following question:
“Coaches: What’s one thing you wish you knew in your first season?”
And boy, did you guys deliver!
It’s important to be aware that no matter how much you prepare or how experienced you are as a player, there are going to be some lessons learned the hard way. However, this list certainly gives you a few areas to focus on!
Read MoreThe libero position can be confusing, even for experienced coaches! Learn about libero basics, some of the more complex rules, and get explanations on the most challenging aspects of using a libero.
Read MoreWhat will your team do if your setter goes down with a rolled ankle mid-match? What if your libero gets sick the night before regionals? Prepare for these scenarios before they happen so that your team remains calm during an emergency!
Read MoreDo you need a crash course on the basic rules of volleyball, what skills young volleyball players need to know, and what concepts you need to teach them? Let me walk you through how to coach beginner volleyball step-by-step!
Read MoreVolleyball warm-ups for young athletes do not need to be the long, complicated stretches you remember from PE. Arm circles, butt-kickers, and Frankensteins are fine for older children and adults. But what about your 4th-grade rec team? Check out a basic warm-up for your athletes, and then build your own from there!
Read MoreLibero rules are confusing (and not always enforced properly). Let me give you the technical rules, a summary of those rules, and then explain how I teach my own players!
Read MoreThe phrases for offensive systems used in volleyball aren’t exactly beginner friendly. If you’re here because you’ve been wondering, “what the heck is a “5-1” and what does that even mean…?” you’re in the right place!
While volleyball terms can be tough to grasp for new coaches, some of the most difficult to handle are when someone asks you if you’re going to run a “5-1”, a “6-2”, or a “4-2”. Once you understand the basics of what these numbers mean, you’ll feel confident in talking shop with other coaches in your program.
One of the most popular systems is a 5-1. This system, along with a 6-2, are the most commonly used systems in intermediate to advanced middle school teams, most high school teams, and most club programs.
Read MoreIf you’re a new coach, you’ve probably heard the terms “6-2”, “5-1”, “6-3”, etc… And if you’re like most new coaches (and most new volleyball players), you probably thought to yourself, “ummmm…. what??”
These are all terms for offensive systems, which sounds intimidating at first but is rather simple… AFTER you understand what the terms mean.
Today I’m going to break down a 6-2 offensive system for you, which is basically a fancy way of saying what your players do when they’re standing in different spots on the court.
Read MoreThink back to the first time you were learning a new position. One of the most challenging aspects of learning this new position was probably where to go for defense. Not only do you need to know WHERE to go, you need to learn WHEN to go and how much area you cover!
Players can easily get overwhelmed in this stage of their development, but it doesn’t need to be frustrating! By using this quick and easy drill, I’ve taught players as young as 6th grade how to transition into defense.
Read MoreAhhh, the classic “Sharks and Minnows” game.
If you went to volleyball camps as a child, you probably played this game at least once.
But the hard thing about playing games as a kid, is that you don’t always remember them as an adult!
Let me give you a quick refresher on this classic warm-up game as you start to prepare for summer volleyball camps.
Read MoreIt’s easy to tell your players to look on the other side of the net… However, if they don’t learn WHEN to look, or if they don’t PRACTICE looking, they’ll likely struggle in this process, and likely give up because they just don’t get it.
The beauty of this drill is that you only need to run it once to teach the concept. So although it may go slow while they’re learning, it is very important to use 15 minutes of practice to run this drill.
Read MoreRecently, I posted a question on the Instagram Story for my account for volleyball coaches, @getthepancake. I asked:
“Players: What’s something you wish your coaches or parents knew?”
The range of answers highlights just how unique our athletes are, and I think the players provide some great insight.
When reading this article, please keep in mind the following: “Perception is more important than reality. If someone perceives something to be true, it is more important than if it is in fact true.”
Read MoreI couldn’t WAIT to start coaching volleyball when I was in school. I had helped with camps throughout high school and wanted nothing more than to just finish school so I could coach. I guess I’m obsessed.
But once I finally GOT a coaching job, a wave of incompetence seemed to rush over me.
I literally had no idea what to do. Now, as many of you know, this specific feeling is precisely what led to me writing Coaching Volleyball: A Survival Guide For Your First Season.
And while I obviously recommend my book for new coaches looking for actionable tasks and guidance in their first season as a volleyball coach, I wanted to share my thoughts on the first book I bought when I was looking for how to get started coaching a decade ago.
Read MoreOK, I’m making BIG claims for this drill, but I’m ready to back those claims up!
See, I’m really big on PROGRESSIONS. Progressions start simple, add small pieces of information, and ultimately lead to BIG gains.
The best part about this drill I’m about to share with you is that it will work for ANY age group (even the littles who can’t get their fingers above the net) and your players will LOVE it.
This is also a great volleyball camp drill, for those reasons and more.
Read MoreIf there’s one volleyball drill that just about EVERY volleyball player will play throughout their career, it’s Queen of the Court (or King of the Court/Monarch of the Court depending on who you’re coaching).
Queen of the court is a top volleyball drill because it…
is fast-paced
is FUN
is competitive
is good as a warm-up drill or to end practice with
can be played with as few as 8 players, and up to 16 (or more) per court
If this sounds like a must-have for your coaching binder, I’d have to agree with you. Not only is this a good volleyball drill for practice, you can use it at open gyms and volleyball camps!
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