Most volleyball players have probably heard over and over again how they should focus on few principles when practicing volleyball passing.

1. Getting to the ball by shuffling
2. Stopping the movement and having a well balanced position with the both feet on the ground
3. Making contact with the ball directly in front of the body

However – in the world of powerful jump serves and more accurate serves to seams and corners - how often the passer is able to keep the ball directly in front of the body?

Next time when you watch high level volleyball, pay attention to the passing techniques – you’ll be surprised how often the pass actually happens outside that “perfect passing form”.

And if it occurs constantly, wouldn’t it make sense to practice those other than “perfect passing forms”? Absolutely it does – and coaches should pay great deal of attention for it.

Before getting into volleyball passing drills details, please notice these passing forms are absolutely acceptable and have become a norm in modern volleyball. This is not teaching questionable volleyball techniques to the players – these techniques are the must when competing against tougher serves.

As always when teaching technical volleyball skills to players, they should be exposed to them piece by piece. It is not a good idea to dump new complex skills at them - and expect them to learn those skills correctly. Progressing one phase at the time, players will learn things correctly and coach is able to move to the next phase quickly.

On the first phase coach starts teaching these volleyball passing techniques by directing the ball always to the left side of the passer only.

If the coach is teaching beginning volleyball players, the ball could be just tossed to the player; tosser/target standing approximately 15 feet away from the passer. For more experienced players the coach can start throwing or serving the ball over the net. It is a good idea NOT to go all the way behind the backline. That way the coach is able to keep up fast tempo and have accurate serves.

It is important the toss or serve to be accurate and hitting constantly the left side of the player. Keep in mind it is fully acceptable for the player NOT to move all the way behind the ball – remembering the purpose is to practice controlling the ball on the side.

When players pick that up the coach should start placing the ball further away from the player – so player has to shuffle towards the ball, but leaving the ball to the left hand side. On this stage the drill starts to mimic the real game – the player has to take few quick steps - and pass the ball from the left side because s/he DID NOT have enough time to move all the way behind the ball.

When the left side is done, coach can start working the right side of the player. We have noticed players progress faster when working one side at the same. Also it is a good way to notice if player has problems passing from the particular side – and gives a change to pay more attention to it. It is very common that players have a weaker side.

Naturally coaches need to pay attention to footwork issues – when passing the ball from the side, the player logically faces (little bit) towards the sideline. For example when passing the ball from the left side, the player opens up the body towards the side line - possibly taking a little step back with the left foot, toes pointing in the direction of left side line.

When taking these volleyball passing drills to another level and using game-like drills (like combining serve receive with offense etc) – it is good idea to require players to perform these passes. To make serve receivers perform “odd passes” in practice is the only way to prepare players to use these techniques in the matches also.