Volleyball

Week 6 · Development phase · 5th–6th grade · 60 minutes

Serve receive & team defense

W formation · Base defense · Free ball transition

From the Season Curriculum & Practice Plan Guide by Stephanie Abdalla, Volleyball Director

Net
6′ 6″
Ball
Volley-Lite or standard
Serve
5th: Underhand or overhand, from 22 ft6th: Underhand or overhand, from the end line

  1. Warm-up & ball control 15 min

    • Partner passing: increase distance; work on passing while moving laterally.
    • Introduce the “free ball” concept: when the opponent sends an easy ball, your team transitions to offense.

  2. Serving 10 min

    • Serving to specific targets — place cones in the back corners; players aim for them.
    • Competition: team earns a point for every serve that lands within 3 feet of a cone.

  3. Skill focus: serve-receive formation 15 min

    • Introduce the “W” formation — 5 players in a W shape across the back two-thirds of the court.
    • Coach serves; team receives and attempts to run Pass–Set–Hit.

    Swap in from her drill library: Serve Receive Triangle (4th grade and up)

    The W formation

    Five passers form a W across the back two-thirds of the court while the setter waits at the net; the closest passer takes the serve to the setter.

    1. Five players in a W across the back two-thirds of the court. The setter waits at the net.
    2. The coach serves.
    3. The closest player calls “mine” and passes to the setter.
    4. Then run pass, set, hit.
    5. Over the net.

  4. Team play 20 min

    • Full game with live serving; emphasize serve-receive formation before each serve.
    • When a team receives a free ball, coach calls “FREE BALL!” — team must transition to offense.
    Free ball

    When the other side sends an easy ball, the coach calls free ball and the team turns it into pass, set, hit.

    1. The other side sends an easy ball over.
    2. Coach calls “FREE BALL!” The team goes on offense.
    3. Pass to the setter.
    4. Set the hitter.
    5. Hit it over.

The rule for every drill: Every player should touch the ball as many times as possible in every practice. Maximize repetitions. Minimize lines. If players are standing still for more than 60 seconds, restructure the drill.

Week 6 is the midpoint. Pause for 5 minutes and ask players: “What’s one thing you’ve gotten better at this season?” Recognition of personal growth is a powerful motivator.

Coaching tip from Stephanie Abdalla

Recap for parents

Copy this into your team chat after practice.

Week 6 at CSA Volleyball practice (5th–6th grade): we set up to receive serve as a team, served at targets, and learned what to do on a free ball.

Ask her what the team does when the coach calls “Free ball!”

Week 6 for 1st–2nd grade · 3rd grade · 4th grade