Volleyball Agility Drills

Volleyball players require specific skill sets to excel in their sport. Proper court placement is critical, since volleyball plays require careful set-up and execution. Good fitness is a positive quality, as well, since some matches can last hours. Developing suitable agility is another important step in the process, allowing players to cover more of the court. Players can work on drills that will help them improve in this area.

  1. Dot Drill

    • The dot drill helps players improve their footwork. The coach begins the drill by placing five dots on the court, creating a one-yard-by-one-yard square with the fifth dot placed in the middle. In one exercise, players begin on the bottom right dot, then lunge to the middle dot before moving to the front right dot. They then sidestep to the front left dot before returning to the middle dot and down to the back left dot. Another sidestep takes them to the back right dot, completing the circuit. Another drill sees the players begin at the middle dot, then jump to the back left corner before returning to the middle. The drill continues with the player jumping to each of the four outside dots, returning to the middle each time.

    Fan Drill

    • This drill involves the use of three cones, which are spread out along the 10-foot line in the middle of the offensive or defensive court. One cone is placed on the left side of the court, another on the right side and the third is set between them. The coach yells out which cone he wishes the player to touch, and she runs from the middle of the baseline to the desired cone, touching it with the hand which matches the side of the court the cone is on. For the middle cone, players are encouraged to switch hands each time out. Players return to the baseline after each touch using a defensive shuffle. The drill continues for 20 or 30 seconds.

    Thunder Feet

    • The thunder-feet drill helps players become better at making quick decisions. One player begins the drill on the baseline while another stands at the net. When the player at the net says "Go", the player on the baseline sprints toward the net. When the teammate at the net points in a direction, the sprinting player must stop and move in that direction. Players should use side shuffles for left and right movement, sprints for forward movement and a defensive shuffle for backward movement. The drill ends when the player at the net yells for the player on the baseline to run to the half-court line.