Effective communication is the backbone of any successful volleyball team. Without clear, consistent communication, even the most skilled players can struggle to execute plays, cover the court, and respond to opponents’ attacks. As a coach, your role is to cultivate a culture of communication and equip your players with strategies that improve teamwork, trust, and efficiency. In this post, I’ll share 7 practical strategies, complete with drills and exercises suitable for all skill levels.
1. Call the Ball Drill
Objective: Encourage verbal communication and clarity.
Setup: Divide players into pairs or small groups. Use a standard volleyball court.
Execution: During rallies, players must call out “Mine!” or “Got it!” before contacting the ball. Players who fail to call must repeat the point.
Tip: Emphasize loud, confident calls. Start with half-court rallies and progress to full-court drills.
2. Eye Contact & Hand Signal Practice
Objective: Combine verbal and non-verbal communication.
Setup: Use simple hand signals for different plays (e.g., setter signals, defensive shifts).
Execution: Players practice reading signals and maintaining eye contact before executing the play.
Tip: Encourage constant scanning and acknowledgment to reduce miscommunication.
3. Team Huddle Communication
Objective: Reinforce pre- and post-play discussions.
Setup: Gather the team in small huddles during practice.
Execution: Before each rally, one player gives a short strategy cue (e.g., “Shift left on quick sets”). After the rally, a brief debrief occurs to highlight mistakes or successes.
Tip: Keep huddles concise—this mimics real-game conditions where time is limited.
4. Mirror Drill
Objective: Build synchrony and awareness between teammates.
Setup: Pair up players. One player leads, the other mirrors their movement and communication style.
Execution: The leading player performs lateral movements, signals, and calls, while the partner mimics in real time.
Tip: Rotate pairs to encourage adaptability and better team-wide communication.
5. Serve-Receive Communication Drill
Objective: Improve clarity and positioning during serve-receive.
Setup: Set up a serve-receive scenario with 2-3 players in the passing formation.
Execution: Players must call the target and alert teammates of ball direction. Rotate servers to maintain variety.
Tip: Add scoring for successful calls or successful passes to gamify the exercise.
6. Noise Control Game
Objective: Reinforce effective, not excessive, communication.
Setup: Standard court setup with a full team.
Execution: During rally play, only the designated communication words or phrases are allowed. Excessive or unclear chatter results in point loss.
Tip: This trains players to prioritize meaningful communication under pressure.
7. Video & Feedback Sessions
Objective: Analyze team communication and correct mistakes.
Setup: Record full-court drills or scrimmages.
Execution: Review the footage with players, highlighting missed calls, overlapping signals, and moments of strong communication.
Tip: Encourage players to propose solutions and reflect on their own communication habits.
Conclusion
Building strong communication on the court is a continuous process, not a one-time lesson. By integrating these 7 strategies into your training, you can help players develop trust, anticipation, and a shared understanding, which directly translates to better team performance.
For coaches who want to take their volleyball training to the next level, including complete drills, exercises, and strategies for all skill levels, check out the MASTER OF VOLLEYBALL - The Ultimate Coaching Collection
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