Volleyball team bonding activities can take many forms. I’ve previously shared some ideas for drills and games you can use for on-court team building. In this post I want to share some off-court activities you might be able to use with your squad or club.
The objective of volleyball team bonding activities
While the objective of on-court team building work is to create playing cohesion, resilience, and cooperation, off-court work focuses more on individual morale, inter-personal relationships, and wider group dynamics. It may not result in better match performance. Done well, though, it creates a more rewarding, fulfilling, and enjoyable experience. That’s pretty important too.
I won’t go into all the ways you can look at the concept of team cohesion. There’s an interesting, research-based article here worth looking through. In particular, I encourage you to check out the section on coaching style.
Now let’s get into the different types of team bonding activities you might use.
Team dinners and other relaxed social events
The easiest, and potentially most productive team building activities are simple social events. We’re talking about team dinners and other opportunities for the players to just hang out with each other. You may want to ensure the players get mixed up by assigning places. This avoids the same social groups sticking together all the time, helping limit clique issues. Beyond that, though, keeping things as relaxed and unstructured as possible is probably best.
Ideally, leaders in the team would set these sorts of things up. The best performing team I ever coached – the 2013-14 University of Exeter Women – organized weekly team dinners. Not every situation is suited to that, however. You may have to be the one to put things on the calendar, even if you ultimately don’t have much to do to organize.
Community service projects
Engaging the team in a community service project can help build a sense of shared purpose. They can also develop in the athletes a higher degree of empathy and social awareness, strengthen ties to the local community, and provide opportunities for the players to demonstrate leadership.
Here are 10 local area community service ideas for a volleyball club or school team:
- Organize a Charity Volleyball Tournament
- Volunteer at a Food Bank
- Beach/Park Cleanup Day
- Coaching Clinics for Youth
- Assist at a Homeless Shelter
- Sponsor a Family for the Holidays
- Help at a Senior Center
- Host a Fun Run or Walk
- Participate in a Habitat for Humanity Build
- Mentoring youngsters / school reading programs
Outdoor Adventure Challenges
For a more structured experience, consider taking the team out for an outdoor adventure. This could include activities like a ropes course, obstacle challenges, or even a group hike. These kinds of activities force players to rely on one another to navigate challenges and achieve goals together by demonstrating problem-solving skills in an unfamiliar environment.
These adventures don’t have to be highly competitive. Instead, they should encourage collaboration and teamwork in a different context. They can also be useful in bringing your leaders to the fore, and generally help you gain a better understanding of the group dynamic.
Leadership Development Workshops
Developing leaders within the team is crucial for creating a strong team dynamic. Leadership workshops or seminars focusing on communication, decision-making, and conflict resolution can help players build these skills. Team leaders who are equipped with these tools are better prepared to guide their teammates through challenging moments, whether it’s during a tough match or handling internal team dynamics.
You can host these workshops in collaboration with experienced coaches, sports psychologists, or leadership development professionals. They can provide structured activities or discussions that focus on building leadership potential in players of all levels.
A lot of coaches tend to look at this as a captain type of thing, but I don’t. I see every player in a team as having the potential need to take a leadership role in different ways at different times.
Big brother/sister program
Another way to build bonds off the court is through mentorship or peer support programs within the team or club. Pairing younger players with older ones helps create a support system that can extend beyond volleyball. These relationships foster trust, provide valuable role models, and give players someone to turn to when they need advice or encouragement.
Additionally, this type of mentorship helps more experienced players develop a sense of responsibility and ownership over team/club success. This, in turn, can increase their leadership skills and investment in the overall cohesion.
Guided conversations
Personality type or trait testing (e.g. Myers-Briggs) hasn’t shown any particular legitimacy in the scientific research. As such, I don’t advocate it for the purpose its proponents do. What I will say, however, is when shared and discussed collectively, their use can be a good way for team members to learn about each other. Essentially, it’s a form of guided conversation.
Done in a way that gives everyone a voice – not just those who talk the most – guided conversations can be extremely useful in furthering team cohesion. There are so many different topics you could involve to get players to open up about themselves and gain deeper insights into their peers. Here are some examples.
- Personal Motivations
- Best/Worst Team Experiences
- Overcoming Adversity
- How I Prefer to be Lead
- Off-Court Interests
- Communication Preferences
- Team Success Definition
- How I Handle Conflict
- Memorable Coaching Moment
- Personal Strengths and Weaknesses
Conclusion
Off-court volleyball team bonding activities are about much more than just having fun. They create the foundation for strong interpersonal relationships, develop leadership skills, and foster a sense of unity and shared purpose. Whether through social events, community service, or leadership workshops, or whatever, investing time in off-court activities can significantly improve team morale and long-term cohesion.
Remember, the ultimate goal of these activities isn’t necessarily to win more games, but to create a positive, supportive environment that allows each player to thrive both individually and within the team. And keep in mind that you want to balance you team-building/bonding activities.
Have any other ideas for volleyball team bonding activities? Share them in the comments below!
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