Volleyball stands out as the ultimate team sport due to the high degree of cooperation and communication it demands among teammates. As opposed to individual sports, volleyball's success hinges on the collective efforts of all team members working toward a shared objective. Each player carries a specific role, and the team's triumph relies on everyone effectively fulfilling their responsibilities. Hence why having effective volleyball coaching lessons is so crucial. 

What truly sets volleyball apart as a great team sport is the constant need for communication. Teammates must consistently communicate to coordinate movements, call out plays, and provide support. This level of communication fosters a strong sense of camaraderie and unity among team members, as they rely on each other both on and off the court. 

In addition, the fast-paced and dynamic nature of volleyball necessitates quick decision-making and adaptability, both of which are significantly enhanced by teamwork. Players must be constantly aware of their teammates' positions and movements to make split-second decisions and adjustments during a game. 

Overall, the combination of communication, trust, reliance, quick decision-making, and adaptability makes volleyball the ultimate team sport. It not only promotes physical fitness and skill development but also fosters essential life skills such as working collaboratively, effective communication, and adaptability. 

While this is all true, many volleyball coaches that they get better results during practices when they train in smaller groups, as opposed to the whole team. Ashlie Hain is among them. 

Coach Hain is the Head Women's Volleyball Coach at the University of California Irvine (UCI). Hain, a two-time team captain and setter for the Anteaters, played at UCI from 2001-04 and is still the career leader in assists with 5,698. She returned to UCI after coaching at American River College (ARC), amassing 127 wins in six years there and being voted the Conference Coach of the Year as well as the Northern California Coach of the Year in 2013. 

Coach Hain’s ‘Inside Volleyball Practice Vol. 2 featuring Coach Ashlie Hain’ course covers numerous techniques and drills with an emphasis on high-intensity repetitions within small groups. This video is an excellent resource for volleyball coaches or players at any level of competition.

Bowling Series

Teaching volleyball players how to serve can be a deceptively daunting task. 

Regardless of what level you’re teaching at, there’s a good chance that your players have already picked up poor serving habits and techniques that could cost your team when the games get underway. And if these habits aren’t quelled by a coach, they’re only going to worsen over time. 

Volleyball serving drills are a great way to hone your players’ serving skills. But in order for these drills to make an impact during the game, you need to get crystal clear on how to actually teach your players how to serve the volleyball.

This is why we've compiled a few of the best lessons on serving the internet has to offer. These three courses will give you a great idea of how to develop your volleyball players’ respective serves and help fix any flaws they have accrued on past teams.

And because these courses are taught by elite coaches who have decades of experience under their belts, you can be sure that their teachings have produced innumerable aces. 

Volleyball Serve: Basic Serving Technique

Given volleyball’s nature, it can be difficult to construct a practice plan that doesn’t feel monotonous. 

But finding a way to do so is crucial when it comes to keeping your players feeling both engaged and excited about showing up and improving each day. 

Not to mention that if your players aren’t focused during their practices, it will be that much more difficult for them to flip a switch and become prepared for the pressure that comes when the lights are bright and the games begin to count in the season. 

Yet, what part of playing volleyball do players find the most fun? Playing in games, of course. And remembering this allows coaches to kill two birds with one stone (so to speak), by making their practices as game-like as possible. 

And Genny Volpe is the perfect person to teach you how to do so. 

2024 was Coach Volpe’s 21st season as the head women’s volleyball coach at Rice University in Texas. Genny Volpe has established the Owl volleyball program as a power in the Southwest, having taken them to eight NCAA tournaments (2004, 2008, 2009, 2018, 2019, spring 2021, fall 2021, 2022), the only eight appearances in Rice's history.

Volpe was inducted into the Rice Athletics Hall of Fame on October 27, 2023. The sixth head coach in Rice volleyball history, Volpe holds the program record for both career wins (394-210 overall) and highest career winning percentage (.652). The 2020-21 AVCA Southwest Region Coach of the Year and also a two-time C-USA Coach of the Year (2008 and 2018), Volpe has led the Owls to five conference championships under her watch (Conference USA: 2009, 2018, 2020-21, 2021, 2022), and has coached 16 All-Americans and 64 all-conference selections. 

Coach Volpe’s ‘Game Ready! Implementing Game Situation in Daily Practice’ course is a masterclass when it comes to getting your players excited for each practice while preparing them for actual games. Her practice plans and drills are exactly what you need to not only set your team apart, but have them winning endless sets this season. 

General Principles for Planning Practice

There isn’t enough time in the day for volleyball coaches to perfect every aspect of every one of their players’ respective games. 

Each player needs something different in order to improve their specific skillset, and every team will be comprised of different players that will require different coaching methods and techniques. 

And even if a coach has the exact same roster of players for two consecutive seasons (which is all but impossible), those players are going to be different from who they were one season ago, and will therefore also require different coaching.

While this can seem daunting, the reality is that no coach (or player or team) is going to be perfect, and there will always be more for teams to work on. This is why having a few fundamental volleyball drills that are proven to improve and help round out a team’s skillset is all a coach needs to rely on. 

And there are few coaches better to rely on than Michael Kane. 

Coach Kane has been the Dripping Springs High School women’s volleyball head coach for over 26 years. During this time, he has acquired many accolades; most recently winning the 6A state championship (being just the first season Dripping Springs competed in the higher division), which takes his total state titles to six. Coach Kane also holds the title of the winningest coach in DSHS history. With more than 800 high school career wins, this makes Kane one of the winningest coaches in Texas volleyball history. 

Setting Coach Kane apart is the culture he creates with the student-athletes. They feed off Kane’s investment and love of the game; which is proven by the Dripping Springs volleyball program averaging 35% of its players going on to play at the collegiate level.

While Coach Kane surely has access to elite athletes, the way he runs his practices — specifically, the drills he decides to utilize on a daily, weekly, and yearly basis — has contributed to this staggering success. 

This is why his ‘Volleyball Skills and Drills’ course is vital for any volleyball coach who wants to extract the most success out of their players as possible. 

Pass to Yourself, Jumpset to Your Partner

The jump serve has become a distinguishing factor between the elite and average volleyball player. Jump serves, although newer to the sport, can intimidate opponents and bring serious points to your team. Being able to consistently perform jump serves will help to set yourself apart from other players and help develop your attacking style when on the net.

There are two types of jump serves: The top spin jump serve and the floating jump serve. Learning both of these techniques explained in this article will help you in becoming a more versatile competitor.

The Top Spin Jump Serve

The top spin jump serve should be the first jump serve that you try to master. The technique for performing this serve is closer to the attacking technique that you use on the net, and will set the foundation for the other type of jump serve – the floater. The cons to using this type of jump serve are that your serve will be more predictable to your opponents and harder for you to control. Pros to this type of serve are that your serves will have a noticeable topspin, have more power and be harder for your opponents to pass.

The technique:

1.    Setting up for your jump serve should be like attacking. Give yourself enough room to do your left-right-left (right-left-right if you are left handed) approach between you and the serving line. My serving ritual included standing on the serving line and actually stepping my approach to find where I needed to start.

2.    Assume your approach position, with your feet shoulder with apart, dominate foot slightly in front and hold the ball in front of you. You can either hold it with one or two hands. Two hands will give you more control. Toss the ball 12-15 up, at an angle that will let it fall in front of you when you do your jump approach. Try tossing it up, wait for the ball to hit its peak, then do your approach and catch it in the air to find where you need the toss.  

3.    Once you have found your rhythm with the toss you should try full out serves. Set up, toss, approach, jump (left-right-left, arms swung back then forward to propel you up), arms lifted, attacking hand pulled back by your ear, eye contact with ball, swing. You should make contact with the ball at about arm’s length above in front of you, making sure to follow though and flick the wrist to add topspin.

The Floating Jump Serve

Personally, I find the floating jump serve to be easier to control, and more damaging to the other team on the court. Since you don’t have the long, drawn-out approach that the top spin serve requires, you can confuse the opposing team with your quick, powerful movements. It is also harder to read your serve. Your movements are quicker, and the ball itself will move either left, right or down midair, making it harder to be received by the opposing team.

The technique:

1.    You will not need the same amount of space to do your approach for this serve. Repeat the first step of a top spin serve, but with a shorter, quick step approach (this can equate to about half the length of your full length approach).

2.    With this jump serve, you will toss the ball with only one hand. Hold the ball out in front of you in your non-dominant hand. Keep your feet shoulder length apart, with your DOMINANT foot in front (This is the quick step approach).

3.    Step left foot forward as you toss the ball two feet above, and slightly in front of, your head. Right leg will have to quickly follow as you assume your pre-jump squat. Jump up and attack ball. Make your contact slightly above and in front of your head. With this attack you do not have to make a full follow-through swing (that will make it float more), but flicking your wrist and following through will give it a slight top spin giving you an almost hybrid jump serve. It is also important that you have a strong core, as using your core strength will add power to the serve.

Second to being 6’4”, the most intimidating thing you can do is jump serve during the five minute serving period pre-game. It is important that you master the top spin jump serve before attempting the floater serve in order to have a good basic foundation. The floater jump serve is more relaxed, and will allow for more personalization – allowing for you to develop your own personal serving technique that works best for you. 

Check out more serving courses on CoachTube:

Perfect your serve with Coach Gimmillaro

Serving featuring Coach Santiago Restrepo