Practice Volleyball Anywhere with the Pepper Drill

Last Updated: Feb. 12, 2013

In This Article: Two-Person Pepper Pepper Skills Adding More Pepper

It's always the right time to Pepper. This simple volleyball drill is an essential for spur-of-the-moment practice, encouraging teamwork and keeping reaction times sharp. After the players have been warming-up and stretching, Pepper is usually the first drill in a team practice. It can be played just about anywhere.

 Two-Person Pepper

The players face each other about ten to fifteen feet apart. The player with the volleyball begins with an easy toss to their partner. The idea is to pass, set, hit and then dig, set, hit in that order for as long as the players can keep the ball in control.

 Pepper Skills

When receiving a pass, encourage players to have knees bent, arms out and weight on the toes. When passing, the goal is to keep the other player from moving to get to the ball.

Before setting, the player should move their feet to get in perfect setting position. Feet should be underneath the player and the ball should be set from atop the player's forehead, with shoulders facing the target. The goal is to set the ball perfectly to your partner's hitting arm so that the partner does not have to move to get to the ball.

 Adding More Pepper

Pepper can be a warm-up drill and much more. The first several turns should be nice and easy and hit directly at the partner. After both players are warm, the drill can escalate so that players are diving and moving to get to the ball. To make Pepper even more interesting and simulating game conditions, add a third player.