The wall is the perfect setting partner. It returns every set to the same spot. The kid can practice the hand shape, the push, and the target hundreds of times in a session.
What you need: A volleyball, a flat wall, a tape mark on the wall as the target.
Setup: Kid stands 5 feet from the wall. Tape target at 10 feet high (a shoe-length mark).
How to run it:
- Cue: Window, Soft, Push, Target.
- Set the ball at the target on the wall.
- Catch the rebound. Reset. Set again.
- Goal: 10 sets in a row hitting the target.
- After 10, set continuously (no catching). Goal: 5 in a row.
What to watch: Hand contact. Fingertips, not palms. Listen for the sound: a clean set is quiet. A slap is loud.
If they’re struggling: Move closer to 3 feet. Bigger target.
If they’ve got it: Move back to 8 feet. Or alternate hands (set, then bump, then set, etc.).