Coaching Girls Volleyball 101 – Overhead Passing

Over the weekend I spent 10 hours in a volleyball clinic -  a 3 hour session for coaches, and two 3.5 hour sessions for players (I went to the two sessions for 7th grade through High School players).  I decided I would do a brain dump of all the things I remember – both for myself and for any other  coaches who might benefit.  This information is free – take it for what it’s worth.

This post is about Overhead Passing (aka setting):

There are four major keys for overhead passing:

1. Arrive (Hop to the Spot)
   • The player should arrive at the spot before the volleyball
   • The player should plant their feet as they arrive so that it gives them a solid base (this looks like a little hop)
   • Legs should be bent giving the player a lower center of gravity – hence more balance
2. Face the Target
   • The players “nose” and “toes” should point toward where they want to pass the ball.
   • This is different from forearm passing where the player faces the direction the ball came from.
3. Have ball shaped hands
   • The hands should be molded to fit the ball
   • Thumbs should be facing each other
   • Hands should be positioned at about the hairline
   • Hands should go up early – as soon as the player’s feet stop
4. Have a quick release
   • The quicker the release, the farther the ball will go
   • The power comes from hands, elbows, and shoulders – not the legs

A great drill for practicing overhead passing is to have the player sit on the floor and pass.