Free ball transition
Team drill for 7 to 9 players. Focus: call free; front row off the net; pass, set, swing.
What you need
- Players
- 7 to 9 players
- Time
- 10 to 15 min
- Level
- Intermediate
- Equipment
- Balls, Ball cart
- Ball fed by
- The coach
- Space
- A full court
Setup
- Six players on the near side in defensive base: three at the net, three in the back row.
- The coach on the far side in the middle of the court, with a ball cart.
- Free balls go to the left back and the right back in turn.
How it runs
A full team learns to turn an easy ball into a kill. Six players start in their defensive base with the front row at the net. The coach sends a free ball over from the far side; the team calls it, the front row drops off the net to their approach spots, the setter runs to the target, a back row player passes, and the left side hitter attacks. Then everyone resets to base for the next ball.
Time and reps: 8 free balls per rotation, rotate after every 4.
Coaching points
- Call "free" loudly the moment you see an easy ball coming.
- Front row: drop off the net to the attack line so you have room to approach.
- Setter: release to the target early and give the passer a big target.
- Passers: a high pass to the target makes the rest easy.
Ways to change it
- The coach sends the free ball to anyone, so all three passers stay ready.
- Add a block on the far side so the hitter has to see the block.
- Mix the set between left, middle and right side hitters.
Make it easier or harder
Make it easier
- Send the free ball to the same passer every time and walk through the steps once first.
Make it harder
- Send the ball to anyone and add a block on the far side.
Terms on this page
- Free ball
- An easy ball the other team sends over without attacking it, usually a pass or a set. It gives you time to set up your own attack.
- Attack line (10-foot line)
- The line about 10 feet (3 m) from the net. Back row players take off from behind it when they attack.
- Opposite hitter
- The player who lines up across from the setter in the rotation and usually attacks from the right side of the net.
- Kill
- An attack the other team can’t return, so it scores a point.
- Base position
- Where a defender stands before the ball is hit: knees bent, weight forward, ready to move in any direction.
- Approach
- The steps a hitter takes before jumping: a slow first step, then quicker steps into the jump.
