PASSING/DIGGING Passing Basics: 1) Be balanced and in control of your body 2) Efficiency equals Effectiveness

Passing Techniques: Base: “Square” 1) Feet wider than shoulders facing forward 2) Shoulders over knees, knees over toes (low position) 3) Hands in front relaxed (neutral position) 4) Rounded shoulders – keep arms away from the body 5) Face the origin of the ball

Movement: “Knee” 1) Shuffle feet to contact point, keeping shoulders and eyes level *Stay balanced when moving never crossing feet 2) Point shoulder to target 3) Contact ball over the left knee

Platform: “Angle” 1) Solid Platform – thumbs pointing down, arms straight *make sure that thumbs are parallel a) overlapping hands laying one hand over the other b) fingers interlocked 2) Angle platform to target (keeping platform away from the body) “Shift” or “DRIVE” 3) Holding your Angle 4) shift weight to Target

Passing Drills:

Base: Drill: Net - Line Passing

Purpose: Maintain a low position while passing

Goal: Partner pass 10 perfect and switch

Action: Player stands under the net with a partner at or just beyond the 10 foot line. Player under the net starts in ready position, low enough not to touch the net. Off a toss the player has to pass 10 perfect balls to their partner. Switch positions and repeat.

* DEFENSIVE REPS WORK ANGLES - NOT JUST STRAIGHT BACK TO HITTER

Drill: Stationary Partner Toss

Purpose: To improve position when making a pass

Action: Players are paired up, one stands at the 10 foot line while the other stands about 3 feet from the endline. Player at the 10 foot line tosses 10 balls at their partner, switch positions and repeat drill. Next throw to the right of the player 10 times, repeat, finally throw to the left of the player 10 times.

Additions: * Pass to yourself pass to your partner * Pass 10 foot line to 10 foot line touching the net after every contact Footwork Drills:

Drill: Bow Tie Footwork

Purpose: To improve passing footwork and agility through repetition

Goal: 3 min. of continuous passing footwork (shuffling)

Action: Player practices shuffle and drop step movements in a full court bow tie pattern. Players can change direction by starting at A and moving across, diagonal, across, Down etc…. A,B,C,D or A,C,D,B,C,A,B,D,A

Emphasis: Move low with weight forward Same footwork patterns they would use on defense Shuffle steps not crossover steps

Platform Drills:

Drill: Shuffle Passing

Purpose: To improve passing footwork, Passing from left knee

Action: Starting from left back – pass left, middle then right using shuffle steps To pass from the left knee, adjusting your platform angle to deflect the ball to target

Drill: Dowel Passing

Purpose: Footwork and Platform Practice

Action: Holding wood dowel under arms, keeping platform away from your body Pass to target getting your feet to the ball, left knee contact Drill: Run Throughs

Purpose: Passing while moving using proper footwork and platform angle

Action: Start with a line in middle back a target at the net in the setting position and a feeder. Coach toss the ball in front of the player, the player moves creating an angle to the target while finishing by running through the ball. Repeat drill with line starting in left back then right back.

Drill: Butterfly

Purpose: Passing and Serving Warm-up

Action: Starting with 2 servers, Lines of passers and 2 targets. The servers serve the ball to the line of passers, the passer passes to the target, then follows her ball to the target. The target moves to the serving line, serves the ball to the passer and follows her ball to the passing line. If a ball is shanked the target retrieves it and the passer takes the position as the target.

Drill: Passing Percentage

Purpose: To work on passing and communication with 3 players

Goal: To pass a 2.0 to 2.4 ….

Action: Players are split into even teams – 3 players passing and 3 players serving (servers vs. passers). Servers get 10 serves and passers must pass a 2.0 or higher to win. If they pass a lower score the servers win. Passer Points: 1 point = for the ball up 2 points = for a 2 option pass 3 points = for a 3 option pass 0 points = for an ace or overpass Passers receive 2 points for a service error Additions: Can be played on both sides of the court at once Point system can change or the rules