Clinician: Jesse Mahoney, head women’s volleyball coach at the University of Colorado
 
Purpose: To train setters on defense and staying “neutral” when setting
 
How it works: This “setters only” drill uses half the court and two players—a passer in zone 6 and a setter between zones 1 and 2. From zone 4, the coach may hit at either player. The receiver attempts to dig the ball so the setter can set it. No matter who handles the first ball, the setter must take the second ball—even if this requires consecutive touches.

Prior to the set, the coach will call out the set he thinks the setter is going to play. If he’s right, he wins; if he’s wrong, the setter wins. The idea is for the setter to maintain a neutral body position so the coach (or the other team in a game) doesn’t know which way the set will go.
 
Requirements: 2 setters, a catcher, a cart of balls, a half-court and a coach