Passing and attacking drills for your practice
No pass, no attack — volleyball is that simple. Yet at many practices the pass only gets indirect attention. These three drills put it centre stage, building from calm to match-real.
Drill 1: Pass to target (basics, 15 min)
Setup: server, passer, setter zone marked with a mat or hoop. Flow: serve at the passer, who passes to the target zone. Scoring: 3 points in the zone, 1 point playable outside it, 0 for the rest; first passer to 15 rotates out. Pitfall: passers reaching for the ball instead of moving their feet — only reward passes made from a stable position.
Drill 2: Pass-and-attack over 3 metres (build-up, 20 min)
Flow: pass from the back line, setter sets, the passer attacks it themselves — so after their pass they immediately run their attack approach. Phase 2: add a block. Scoring: a team of three scores a point for a pass in the zone plus a successful attack. Why it works: the pass-to-attack transition is exactly what outside hitters find hardest in matches.
Drill 3: Car wash under fatigue (match-real, 15 min)
Flow: the passer handles six serves in a row at high tempo, sprinting to the sideline and back after every pass. Then rotate. Scoring: count the on-target passes per series of six; note the score and compare across weeks. Why: you win the fifth set with the pass that still holds up under fatigue.
Do not serve your drill to death. In passing drills, servers are there to serve the drill: 80% in is their standard. If they miss structurally, move them closer — the passers are the target group here.
Frequently asked questions
How many passes per practice should a player make?
In a dedicated passing session a player easily reaches 60–100 ball contacts. More important than the number is the context: at least half under some form of pressure (serve, tempo or fatigue).
How do I involve my middle blockers in passing drills?
Middles usually do not pass in the system, but they are needed: have them finish the attack in drill 2 or set the tempo as servers. That way everyone trains their match role.
What is a good passing percentage to aim for?
At amateur level, 60–70% of passes playable towards the setter is already solid. Above all, measure your own trend with a consistent scoring system — that says more than an absolute norm.
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