Tools for volleyball coaches

Clinic by Angelique Willems and Bart Schmeits for the NVVO

Coach:
Posted on:

On the 11th of January 2015, Angelique Willems and Bart Schmeits gave a clinic for the Dutch association of volleyball coaches (NVVO). Angelique and Bart are both experienced coaches of CMV teams. CMV is a form of volleyball for small children developed in the Netherlands.

The practise session was performed by CMV players of Flamingo's '56 from Gennep, the Netherlands.

1. Warming up and agility training

1.1. Agility training with hordes

There's a line of hordes (40cm high) on the court. They're placed about half a meter apart.

Assignments:

  1. Step over the hordes with your left foot first.
  2. Step over the hordes with your right foot first.
  3. Step over the hordes sideways with your left foot first.
  4. Step over the hordes sideways with your right foot first.
  5. Step over the hordes backwards with your left foot first.
  6. Step over the hordes backwards with your right foot first.
  7. Jump over the hordes without stopping in between hordes.
  8. Jump over the hordes while holding a ball above your head.

1.2. Getting used to touching the ground with hordes

Place a low (10cm) and a high (50cm) horde at a distance of about one meter. The players have to move over the first horde and under the other. With this exercise, young players get used to the idea of moving towards the ground with their hands first.

1.3. Individual agility training with hoops

For each player, the coach rolls a hoop from one side of the court to the other. The players run alongside the hoop and fulfil the following assignments.

Assignments:

  1. Step through the hoop with your left foot as ofter as possible.
  2. Step through the hoop with your right foot as often as possible.
  3. Touch the ground through the hoop with your left hand as often as possible.
  4. Touch the ground through the hoop with your right hand as often as possible.
  5. Overtake the hoop and let it roll through your legs.

1.4. Agility training with hoops

For each pair of players, the coach rolls a hoop from one end of the court to the other. The pairs of players fulfil a number of assignments while running alongside the hoop.

Assignments:

  1. The players pass each other a ball through the rolling hoop.
  2. The players throw a ball back and forth through the rolling hoop.
  3. The players bounce a ball back and forth through the rolling hoop.

1.5. Getting used to touching the ground with hoops

For each player, the coach rolls a hoop from one side of the court to the other. The player runs alongside the rolling hoop and tries to dive through the hoop as often as possible, without touching the hoop.

2. Core I

2.1. Second action while throwing and catching

Diagram for the volleyball drill 'Second action while throwing and catching'

Each player stands between two safety markers holding a ball. The player throw their ball upwards and put one of the markers on top of the other before catching the ball.

Variations:
The players have two balls. One ball is placed on the floor on one of the safety markers. The players throw the other ball up and put the other safety marker on the ball that is on the floor before catching their ball again.

2.2. Handling two balls at once

Diagram for the volleyball drill 'Handling two balls at once'

Each player in a pair of two has a ball. They throw their ball across the net at the same time and catch the other player's ball afterwards.

Variations:

  1. The player on one side of the net decides what the other player will do. If the player who throws first throws the ball over the net, the other player will have to throw to ball under the net. If the player who throws first throws the ball under the net, the other player will have to throw the ball over the net.
  2. The ball has to be caught with one hand.
  3. The ball has to be caught with arms completely extended in front of the body at the height of the hips and has to be thrown back over the net from that position.
  4. Each pair of players has one ball. One player throws the ball over the net. The other player awaits the ball with his arms extended, bumps the ball on one arm, and catches the ball.

2.3. Feet position for forearm passing with a hoop

Each player has a ball and a hoop. The players stand with their feet about shoulder width apart and one foot slightly in front of the other. One foot is inside the hoop and the other is outside. They throw their ball up and bump it once without making a step.

Variations:

  1. The players try to bump the ball consecutively as often as possible while keeping one foot inside the hoop and the other outside the hoop.
  2. The players try to bump the ball consecutively as often as possible while keeping one foot inside the hoop, the other outside the hoop, and their arms as still as possible.

2.4. Forearm passing with the upper body

Each pair of players has one ball. One player is on his knees on the ground. The other has the ball and stands. The player with the ball throws the ball towards the other player, who bumps the ball back.

Variation:
The ball is bumped back as straight as possible by ensuring that the fingers point downwards while bumping the ball.

2.5. Bumping across the court

Diagram for the volleyball drill 'Bumping across the court'

Each player has a ball. Their goal is to reach one end of the court from the other end, while bumping the ball. Whoever makes a mistake has to start again.

Variations:

  1. Bumping sideways from line to line.
  2. Bumping backwards from line to line.

2.6. A single bump with additional assignments

Diagram for the volleyball drill 'A single bump with additional assignments'

A throws or serves the ball to B, after which B bumps the ball once and performs an assignment.

Assignments:

  1. A throws and B bumps the ball forward once and catches it.
  2. A throws and B bumps the ball upwards, claps his hands between his legs and catches the ball.
  3. A serves and B bumps the ball upwards, touches the ground with one knee, and catches the ball.
  4. A throws the ball and B bumps the ball and catches it above his head in such a way that he could overhand pass it.
  5. A throws the ball and B bumps the ball upwards, performs a catch-and-set movement, and overhand passes the ball over the net.

The catch-and-set movement is part of CMV. It is performed by catching the ball and immediately throwing it from a position above the head in one single movement. CMV is a Dutch variant of volleyball for young children.

3. Core II

3.1. Two players playing two against two

Diagram for the volleyball drill 'Two players playing two against two'

A forearm passes the ball to B and moves towards the net. B performs a throw-catch movement towards the new position of A and moves to the three-meter line at the other side of the net. A overhand passes the ball to B and moves towards the setting position at the other side of the net. The exercises is now back where it started and continues in the same way.

Adults and older kids could perform this exercise with a set instead of a throw-catch movement.

The throw-catch movement is part of CMV. In short, a player performs a throw-catch movement by catching the ball and immediately throwing it again in one single movement. CMV is a form of volleyball for small children developed in the Netherlands.

3.2. Penetration for CMV

Diagram for the volleyball drill 'Penetration for CMV'

The coach (T) throws the ball in the middle of the court. One of the players behind the cones move beneath the ball and overhand passes the ball straight ahead. The player at the net catches the ball and moves at the end of the line of spare players behind the coach. The player that passed the ball takes the part of the player that caught the ball.

CMV is a form of volleyball for young children developed in the Netherlands.

3.3. Penetration for CMV extended

Diagram for the volleyball drill 'Penetration for CMV extended'

The coach (T) throws the ball into the middle of the court. A moves beneath the ball, overhand passes the ball to B, and moves to the middle of the net. B catches the ball, tosses it upwards above himself, and overhand passes the ball back to A. A overhand passes the ball back to B.

B becomes the spare player behind the coach, A takes the part of B, and the first spare player takes the part of A.

Extension:
After B plays the ball to A, he moves backwards to prepare for an "attack." He jumps and catches the ball that A plays to him.

CMV is a form of volleyball for young children developed in the Netherlands.

4. Conclusion

4.1. 4x4 with penetration for CMV

Diagram for the volleyball drill '4x4 with penetration for CMV'

The starting positions for the team that serves and defends are as follows: Two players are positioned at the net and two are in the back of the court. The player on position 1 penetrates when the opponent plays the ball into their court. When the player on position 1 has to defend the first ball, the player on position 5 penetrates.

The passing team takes the following starting positions: Three players are responsible for passing. The fourth player, the one on position 1, penetrates and sets.

By choosing to play with a penetrating setter, CMV (a Dutch form of volleyball for young children) stays dynamic. Additionally, it's a good preparation for playing volleyball at a later age.