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Volleyball clinics · Ages 5–18

Volleyball

Passing, serving, setting, and footwork, taught with clear cues and lots of reps.

Our volleyball clinics are built around the skills that decide most rallies: a steady pass, a serve that goes in, and footwork that gets an athlete to the ball on time. Athletes get high repetition with specific feedback on platform angle, hand shape for setting, the serving toss, and the timing of an attack approach. Older athletes finish with the drills and game situations they are likely to see at junior high and high school tryouts.

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Why technique matters

Good mechanics are what hold up under pressure.

Our technique-first approach →

Volleyball is a rebound sport. The ball can’t be held, so every contact is a short, precise redirect. A pass that comes off a well-angled platform (the flat surface your forearms make when you pass) goes where it’s aimed; a pass that comes off swinging arms goes wherever the arms happened to be. Good mechanics are what make a skill repeatable, and repeatable is what holds up when the gym is loud and the score is close.

Correct form also matters for the body. Landing from a jump on two feet with bent knees, using a controlled final approach step instead of a broad jump toward the net, and serving with a full, relaxed arm swing all spread the work across the legs, hips, and trunk instead of loading one joint. Poor mechanics put extra, unnecessary stress on shoulders, knees, and backs, so we teach sound habits early, before bad ones have to be retrained. Any question about pain or injury belongs with a licensed health care provider.

At tryouts, coaches usually have a short window to see a lot of players. In volleyball they tend to watch for the basics done well: a ready position before the serve, a pass that goes up and toward the target, a serve that lands in the court, and an athlete who moves their feet to the ball instead of reaching for it. Those are teachable skills, and they are what our clinics focus on.

What we teach

The volleyball skills we build.

Each skill is taught with the cues our coaches use at every station — short phrases athletes can repeat to themselves at home.

Passing

The forearm pass is the first contact on serve receive and most free balls. A good pass gives the setter options; a poor one ends the play before it starts.

  • Ready position: feet wider than shoulders, knees bent, weight on the balls of the feet
  • Build the platform early: wrists together, thumbs parallel and pointing down, elbows straight
  • “Ball, base, target”: track the ball, beat it to your spot and get stopped, then send it to the setter
  • Angle the platform with your shoulders and keep the arms quiet
  • “Shuffle, don’t cross” so the hips stay square to the ball

Setting

The second contact, made with the fingers above the forehead. Setting is about hand shape, getting to the ball early, and squaring up to the target.

  • Hands up early in a “window” shape above the forehead
  • Contact on the finger pads, not the palms
  • Feet to the ball first, then face the target
  • Extend arms and legs together toward the target and finish high

Serving

The one skill a player controls completely. We teach the underhand serve first, then the overhand float serve as athletes are ready.

  • “The toss is the serve”: low, consistent, and in front of the hitting shoulder
  • Step toward the target with the foot opposite the hitting arm
  • Contact the middle of the ball with a firm, open hand
  • Finish with the hand pointed at the target, then step into the court

Attacking

Hitting combines approach footwork, timing, and arm swing. We teach each piece on its own, then put them back together.

  • Approach footwork for right-handers: left, right-left (reversed for lefties)
  • “Slow to fast”: the last two steps are the quickest
  • Both arms swing back on the approach, then up together on the jump
  • Draw the hitting elbow back high, like drawing a bow, and contact the ball in front of the hitting shoulder
  • Land on two feet, balanced, without drifting into the net

Defense

Digging is playing the ball off an opponent’s attack. Good defense starts before the hitter ever touches the ball.

  • Be stopped, low, and balanced before the attacker makes contact
  • Read the hitter’s approach angle and hitting shoulder
  • Keep the ball in front of you and dig it up toward the middle of the court
  • Present the platform to the ball instead of swinging at it

Footwork and communication

Every skill depends on getting to the ball on time and letting teammates know who has it.

  • Shuffle for short distances; turn and run only when the ball is far away
  • Call the ball early and loudly: “mine” or “me”
  • Return to your base position after every contact
  • Know your rotation spot before every serve
By age band

What volleyball looks like at every age.

5–8

Foundations

Ball familiarity, catching and tossing, simple movement games, and a first look at the passing platform and underhand serve with age-appropriate balls. The goal is comfort with the ball and a lot of fun.

9–11

Builders

Correct forearm passing, overhead setting, and serving mechanics, with plenty of repetition and feedback. Athletes also learn basic rotations and what each position does.

12–14

Pre-Tryout

Tryout-ready serve receive, consistent overhand serving, approach footwork, and position work. We run the passing, serving, and hitting lines athletes are likely to see at junior high and freshman tryouts.

15–18

Varsity Prep

Refinement and speed: passing tougher serves, setting off a moving pass, attacking with a full approach, and reading the other side of the net. Athletes work on decisions under pressure and the details varsity-level coaches watch for.

Common fixes

The habits we correct most.

Most mistakes are habits, not ability. Here’s what we see most often in volleyball — and the fix we coach.

The habitSwinging the arms to pass
The fixWe keep the platform still and let the legs and shoulder angle direct the ball. Cue: “quiet arms, angle to target.”
The habitCrossing the feet to reach the ball
The fixFor short distances we teach a shuffle step that keeps the hips and platform facing the ball. Cue: “shuffle, don’t cross.”
The habitAn inconsistent serving toss
The fixMost serving errors start with the toss, so we practice a low, repeatable toss before adding the arm swing. Cue: “the toss is the serve.”
The habitSetting with the palms
The fixWe shape the hands into a window above the forehead and contact the ball on the finger pads so it comes off clean. Cue: “hands up early, look through the window.”
The habitBroad-jumping into the net
The fixWe teach a final approach step that plants and turns forward speed into a vertical jump. Cue: “slow to fast, then up, not out.”
A clinic, day by day

What a volleyball clinic covers.

Weekend Clinics run Days 1 and 2. The Tryout Intensive adds Day 3: tryout-style drills and game situations.

Day 1

Ball control and serve receive

  • Dynamic warm-up, movement prep, and ready-position footwork
  • Passing: building the platform and “ball, base, target”
  • Serving: toss, step, and contact, underhand or overhand by age band
  • Setting basics: hand shape, footwork to the ball, and squaring to the target
  • Controlled small-sided games with a passing focus
Day 2

Attacking, defense, and putting it together

  • Warm-up and a passing review of the Day 1 cues
  • Approach footwork and arm swing, first without a ball and then with one
  • Defense: digging position and reading the hitter
  • Rotations, communication, and calling the ball
  • Game play with coach feedback on the day’s cues
Day 3Tryout Intensive

Tryout simulation

  • Tryout-style warm-up and skill lines, run the way many tryouts run them
  • Serve receive under evaluation: passing tougher serves to target
  • Serving and hitting stations with targets
  • Game situations: rotation play, free-ball transition, and scrimmage
  • Individual feedback and a short list of what to keep working on before tryouts
Marked moments

When volleyball tryouts usually happen.

We schedule volleyball tryout intensives in the 2–6 weeks before typical tryouts, which usually means June and July for girls and around winter break for boys.

Full tryout calendar →
High school season
Fall (girls) · Spring (boys)
Typical tryout window
Girls: typically late July – mid-August (some programs hold summer evaluations earlier) · Boys: typically January – February
Junior high
Middle school volleyball timing varies by district and school, so check the school website or ask the athletic office as soon as the school-year calendar is posted.

This reflects the typical CIF Southern Section calendar; LA City Section schools and individual programs vary, so confirm dates with your school’s athletic department.

Upcoming volleyball clinics

Clinic dates are being set for volleyball. Join the list and we’ll email you the moment registration opens near you.

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Clinic day

What to bring.

Bring your own equipment if you have it. Questions about gear? Ask us.

  • Kneepads
  • Court shoes with non-marking soles
  • Comfortable athletic clothes
  • Water bottle, labeled with your athlete’s name
  • A healthy snack for breaks
  • Hair ties, and jewelry left at home
Volleyball FAQ

Questions about volleyball clinics.

Does my child need club volleyball experience?

No. Many athletes come to us from rec leagues, school PE, or no organized volleyball at all. Athletes are grouped by age band, and coaches teach fundamentals from the ground up, so a first-timer and a club player can both get useful reps. Club volleyball is a good fit for families who want a year-round commitment; a clinic is a shorter, focused block of instruction.

My child is a complete beginner. Is that okay?

Yes. Foundations and Builders sessions assume very little experience, and coaches adjust drills to each athlete’s level. Beginners usually start with the underhand serve and simple partner passing before moving on. What matters most is a willingness to try and to listen for the cues.

Will my child work on a specific position?

Everyone works on passing, serving, and basic setting first, because every position needs them. In the Pre-Tryout and Varsity Prep bands, we add position-specific reps for setters, hitters, and liberos (the defensive specialist who wears a different-colored jersey and focuses on passing and digging). If your athlete is aiming for a particular position at tryouts, let the coaches know on the first day so they can point them to the right stations.

Is this the same as a tryout?

No. A clinic is instruction, not an evaluation for a team, and Elevate does not field teams. The tryout intensive includes a tryout-style day so athletes know what to expect, but no clinic can promise a roster spot. Our goal is that your athlete walks into tryouts prepared and confident.

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Registration opens county by county

Get your athlete ready for volleyball season.

Join the list with your sport, age band, and city. We’ll email you when a clinic opens near you — no commitment until you register.

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