Your First Volleyball Practice: A Simple Plan That Works

If you only have one practice to set the tone for your season, this is it. Your first practice should not be about perfect technique or running a system. It should get players touching the ball quickly, establish how practice works, and end with something that actually feels like volleyball.

This plan gives you a clean, repeatable structure you can run in 60 or 90 minutes, even with large groups or true beginners.

New to coaching? Start here: Beginner Volleyball Coaching hub

Need more planning structure? Practice Planning & Warm-ups hub

Next step: Run the First 2 Weeks plan.

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The goals of Practice 1

Keep these priorities in mind, and you’ll avoid most Day 1 mistakes.

• Get lots of contacts quickly
  Standing in lines kills engagement and learning.
• Establish gym organization
  Where players go, how rotations work, and how you transition between activities.
• Serve and first contact basics
  Balls going in and up matter more than form.
• End with a game that feels like volleyball
  Players should leave thinking, “I played today.”

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60-minute first practice plan

Use this when gym time is tight or attention spans are short.

Time	Focus	What matters
0:00–10	Warm-up with ball	Immediate engagement, no laps
10–25	Priority progression (serving or passing)	Ball control + confidence
25–40	Second skill (passing or bump-setting)	Playable contacts
40–60	Simple game	Energy, fun, competition

Notes

• Start with underhand serving if needed. Success first.
• Allow catch-and-throw briefly if it helps organization.
• Keep explanations under 30 seconds.

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90-minute first practice plan

Best option if you want breathing room without overloading beginners.

Time	Focus	What matters
0:00–10	Warm-up with ball	Touches + movement
10–30	Priority progression	Serving or passing
30–50	Second skill	Passing ↔ bump-setting
50–70	Free-ball structure	Organization over power
70–90	Game-based finish	Rally feel

Notes

• This is still a simple practice, not a full system install.
• You’re teaching how practice works as much as volleyball skills.

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If you have too many players (station map)

When numbers are high, don’t shrink reps—split the gym.

Common Day 1 stations:

• Serve-in station
• Passing pairs or trios
• Toss–pass–catch or bump-set station
• Small-sided game court (3v3 or 4v4)

Rotate every 8–12 minutes.
(Link: Using stations in your practice)

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If half the team has never played (constraints scaling)

You don’t need separate plans—just scale the task.

Ways to scale down:

• Allow underhand serve
• Shorten distances
• Use catch → toss → contact progressions
• Require only 2 contacts before sending ball over

Ways to scale up:

• Serve from farther back
• Require pass to target
• Bonus points for 3 contacts

Same drill. Different constraints.

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3 games that always work on Day 1

These games keep beginners playing instead of freezing.

1. Serve-to-score
   Only the serving team can score. Forces serves in.
2. 2-pass rally
   Rally only counts after two playable passes.
3. Free-ball bonus
   Free-ball point counts double. Teaches organization fast.

Use short games to 5–7 points so energy stays high.

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Common mistakes

• Too much talking
  Beginners learn by doing, not listening.
• Overcorrecting technique
  “Up and playable” beats “perfect form.”
• No real game at the end
  This kills excitement and buy-in.
• Letting lines grow
  If players wait, redesign immediately.

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FAQs

What’s the most important skill on Day 1?
Serving in. Get proper rallies initiated.

Should beginners hand-set right away?
No. Bump-setting is fine early if it keeps rallies alive.

How long should explanations be?
30 seconds or less. Show, start, adjust.

What if we only have 60 minutes?
One progression + one game. Skip the extras.

Do I need 6v6 on Day 1?
No. Small-sided games often work better.

What should players leave feeling?
Successful, active, and excited to come back.