Drills for Middle-School Volleyball Tryouts

Coaches holding tryouts for middle-school volleyball should organize a set of drills to test prospective team players. That allows them to show off their individual skill sets. A successful player can bump, serve, spike and also follow instructions while still retaining capabilities as a total team player. The different drills conducted ideally show where each player's strengths and weaknesses lie.

  1. Bumping

    • Bumping, also known as passing, requires players to put their hands together and hit the ball upward -- allowing another player to spike it over the net. Have athletes line up single file and toss them a ball, watching them bump the ball back to you. For a greater challenge, have two players practice bouncing the ball back and forth. Focus only on bumping for this exercise and don't involve the net just yet.

    Serving

    • Require each person to serve the ball over the net, calculating how many serves fall in-bounds, or between the lines labeled on the court. For additional skills, place masking tape or large circular items on the floor and require each player to land the ball in those locations.

    Setting

    • Setting requires players to place their hands together over their heads, forming a triangle by touching together index fingers and thumbs. Then the ball is tapped upwards using that finger formation. Line up players, having them set the ball to each other with the goal of keeping the ball in the air as long as possible. A variation on that includes one player setting the ball and passing it to the remaining team members.

    Spiking

    • Spiking entails jumping in the air and hitting the ball over the net, using the palm of an open hand. Begin by setting, then spiking, the ball in bounds, or tapping it aloft by forming a finger/thumb triangle above the head, to players standing on the left, middle or right lines designated on the court. The spike should remain in bounds each time. Evaluate the performance for each position, having players rotate until they have all had the chance to spike in all positions.

    Bump, Set, Spike

    • Allow athletes to demonstrate all three skills -- beginning with bumping/passing upwards with closed hands, then setting by keeping a ball aloft with triangulated fingers/thumb raised over the head, and spiiking by jumping up to hit it over the net with an open palm. Pair them up, with the first player bumping the ball to the second, where it's then set back to the first person, who spikes it. Then, have them switch roles and repeat, evaluating the consistency of each performance.

    Wall Drill

    • For a group drill, have members simultaneously hit balls against a designated wall height repeatedly. Observe who makes the mark, as well as which people make a dedicated effort and/or try to improve.