Hitting

Rapid Fire - Emphasize quick arm swing!

• Hitter stands by the net with coach, bucket of balls and someone to hand balls. Need lots of shaggers!

• Coach tosses lots of balls just high enough for hitter to reach high and swing, hitting the ball UNDER THE NET.

• Can hit a specific number of balls then switch.

• Part of the fun is to have hitter grunt to hit it harder :)

Gun

• Hitters stand on 10 ft line or a few feet behind facing AWAY from the net. 

• Coach slaps ball and hitter turns around and takes LAST TWO STEPS of the approach to hit. 

• Focus on places to hit.

• Last two steps to make adjustment to hit.

Scrap Drill

  Middle Hitter transition drills:

• • MH starts in middle, transition left to block coach (tosser tosses from behind coach to LB, LB passes to setter, after blocking MH transitions to hit slide

  • Same concept but middle transitions right and blocks, and hits a 3

  • Same concept but middle blocks middle and hits a one or rip

  OH transition drills:

• Same as middle hitter above – block LS transition to hit 4 or shoot

• Block middle and hit a hut or 3

• Pull back & cover tip hit a 2 or “loop”

  RS transition drills

• Same as above  but block RS and hit a five or rip

• Block middle and hit a slide

• Cover

Outside Hitter Drills

•   Swing Hitter's Five Star Drill - Objectives:

  • Practice hitting in tough situations and get them to use a wide variety of shots effectively.

    1. Coach tosses a high outside set.

    2. Outside hitter hits.

    3. Outside hitter transitions off the net.

    4. Hitter continues until they get five stars.

  • Hitters get stars for:

  • Tooling the block, deep corner (either one), Cross court (inside the 10' line)

Variations:

1. Hit from the right side.

2. Have hitter pass a free ball before each hit.

Noodle blocking

• Use pool noodles to simulate blocking arms that the hitter must read.

Burn

Practice finding defenders and find an open area to tip to based on where the defender is.

1. Coach tosses a ball high outside.

2. Outside hitter takes an approach to the net.

3. Defender decides whether to charge the tip or stay deep and cover deep tips.

4. Next person in the line helps outside hitter by telling them whether the defender is deep or short.

5. If the defender is short the outside hitter has to tip over the head of the defender. If the defender is deep then the outside hitter must tip short.

6. After the tip outside hitter becomes the defender. Defender gets back in line.

Variations:

• Have the outside hitter pass a free or down ball,and use a setter

• Move the defender to left front.