Monkey in the Middle
Passing drill for 3 players. Focus: set back to the passer; hitter and setter exchanges.
What you need
- Players
- 3 players
- Time
- 5 to 10 min
- Level
- Intermediate and advanced
- Equipment
- Balls
- Ball fed by
- The players
- Space
- Half a court
Setup
- Three players stand in a line with one ball. The player in the middle starts as setter.
- One end player downballs to the other end. The receiver passes to the middle, gets the set back and hits across.
- After that hit, exchange the hitter and setter. The incoming setter sets the pass from their own downball.
How it runs
Three players pepper in a line with a setter in the middle. An end player downballs to the other end, who passes to the middle and gets the set back. After that player hits across, the hitter moves into the middle and the previous setter takes the vacated end. Repeat in the other direction.
Time and reps: 5 to 10 minutes.
Coaching points
- Set back to the player who just passed.
- After hitting, move into the middle while the previous setter takes your end.
- Keep the downballs controlled so the receiver can pass to the middle.
- Give the exchanging players room to pass each other.
Terms on this page
- Pepper
- A warm-up for two players who keep one ball up by passing, setting and hitting it softly back and forth.
- Setter
- The player who usually takes the second contact and sets the ball to a hitter.
