Purpose:

To help with proper position, technique, and mindset when digging a hard hit ball.

What You Need:

  • Line the players up into one line on the court
  • Set 3-5 balls next to a coach that is about 10 yards away from the players

How It Works:

  1. The coach simply puts a little juice behind the ball and hits it towards the players
  2. The first player in line has to get to the ball, get under it, and pop it up for a good pass towards the net
  3. The coach will quickly hit another ball towards the players
  4. Now the second player in line needs to quickly do the same thing – getting under the ball for a good pass towards the net
  5. Once your players understand how the drill works and each player can complete a proper dig, you can divide players into smaller groups of 3-5 to get in more repetitions

Results & Tips:

  • Digging the ball on a big hit requires a little fearlessness and will make your team better defensively
  • This is also a basic drill that many teams use as a game time warm up
  • Make sure to teach proper digging technique – getting low, lifting through, and not swinging the arms
  • Players should be able to control the pass on most hits if they absorb the ball rather than try to meet it with contact