Volleyball: Dig up off the net

Develop your players' defensive ability from the backcourt area through boosting their movement, ball control and communication skills.

In pairs, the players stand on the service line facing each other. Player 1 has two balls.

Player 1 then throws a ball to his/her partner. Player 2 has to return the ball using an underhand pass to player 1 who has shuffled sideways toward the net.

Both players repeat this action until they reach the net, whereby they continue the action back to the service line.

Players stand in a row in the centre of the court facing the net. There should be two balls on the sidelines, either side of each player.

On the coach's whistle the players shuffle sideways to the ball on their left, imitate an underhand pass, then shuffle back to the centre of the court.

The players then repeat the action but move toward the ball on their right hand side.

One player stands in Zone 3 and spikes the ball into the court.

The other players, starting from behind the sideline, take it in turns to receive the ball, return it to the player acting as the feeder and runs to Zone 1.

Once all the players are in Zone 1, the player feeding continues to spike the ball into the court but the other players must change positions from side to side in the backcourt.

This drill requires one setter and two or more receivers.

The coach or a teammate throws balls from the other side of the net. Player 1 receives the ball by digging it to their teammate who sets the ball, whereby player 1 runs to the net to spike the ball.

When using more than one receiver the person feeding should throw another ball into play the moment player 1 spikes. This way the player covering the backcourt can get into position to dig, move and spike to mimic a game situation.