Volleyball: Beginner Volleyball Ideas

Ursula Yanchak, Contributor

Here are some ideas to get beginners interested in volleyball.

Fun Volleyball Ideas

Weak servers can use any spot to serve from. The closer they are to the net, the better chance they have of getting the ball over.
If a player serves an ace, the serving side runs into center court and does a cheer together (e.g. yells “ACE,” or “PARKDALE”).
If the team is getting behind on points, they yell out “1, 2, 3” and stamp and clap in unison while their opponents serve.
If the opposition gets more than four points in a row, call a team time out to unsettle the server.

Increase the Fitness Component
Try the following to increase the fitness component of volleyball (my beginners once begged to play volleyball during their fitness unit):

If the receiving team doesn't touch the served ball, the whole team runs to the wall, back to the net, then returns to their positions on the court. The serving team can also run on a badly missed serve. (For example, once, an exceptionally good server mockingly yelled, “Get ready to run!” to the weaker opposition. When she missed her serve, her whole team had to run, laughing all the way).
Teams can also run if they don't get two hits on a side, or the ball isn't returned over the net, etc.
Add a “high ten” or “high five” at the net to get both sides involved.
Add a high ten clap over the net (I pull the net down for my little Niners).

Use your imagination and ingenuity. The kids love volleyball now, even though the level of play is incredibly low.

Contributor: Ursula Yanchak was a physical educator at Parkdale Collegiate Institute in Toronto, Ontario.

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