Players line up in backcourt area.
The feeder throws the ball to either Zone 1, 6 or 5. Players' must dig the ball back to the feeder.
However, the player standing in Zone 6 must move to receive the balls sent to Zone 1 and 5. The player standing in zone 5 must move to receive the ball thrown into 1 or 6 and so on.
The two players not in the zonal area the ball has been thrown to must communicate with each other to see who will return the ball to the feeder.
This drill will build the communication between players and improve how the players support the zones they are not standing in.
Start throwing the ball into the zones using an easy, looped pass and progress to throwing it faster and lower.
Most teams win the dig and then hand the point straight back with a slow, predictable transition swing. The best 2026 sides treat the moment after the dig as their sharpest scoring chance, feeding the middle in transition and running first-tempo attacks off a defensive ball.
When the first pass breaks down, most teams collapse into a high ball straight into the opposing block. The best 2026 sides are building structured out-of-system offences that turn broken plays into scoring chances using libero sets, left-side options and disciplined hitter routes.
The modern pipe attack has evolved from a high middle-back set into a flat, fast weapon that arrives at quick tempo. Coaches at every level are now drilling it as a primary scoring option, forcing blockers into impossible decisions and unlocking four-hitter offences.