# Volleyball Passing Drill: Middle or Lateral Decision-Making

> Master passing drill: middle or lateral decision-making with this drill. Develop ball control skills, movement, and accuracy with proven coaching points for practice.

## Quick Specs
- **Sport**: Volleyball
- **Duration**: 10-15 Minutes
- **Intensity**: Medium
- **Web URL**: https://volleyballxpert.com/drills/details/passing-middle-or-lateral
- **Court Diagram**: https://volleyballxpert.com/images/volleyball/drills/350X250/100.png

## Objective
Develop consistent technique, court awareness, and team communication in ball control, passing, serve defense, serving through high-repetition game-like execution.

## Setup & Court Layout
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Players: 2 passers, 2 servers, 2 targets


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Court: Half-court (one side passers, one side servers)


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Equipment: Volleyballs, cones to mark passer shuffle lanes


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Roles: Passers receive, servers initiate play, targets catch and reset balls

## Step-by-Step Instructions
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Servers alternate sending a ball to the passers, varying serves between inside (toward the middle) or outside (toward the sideline).


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If the serve is inside the body, the passer shuffles and performs a controlled pass from the midline of their body to the target.


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If the serve is toward the sideline, the passer shuffles and uses a lateral passing technique to redirect the ball to the target.


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After completing the pass, the passer shuffles back behind the cones and prepares for the next serve.


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Each passer completes a set number of repetitions (e.g., 8–10 passes) before rotating positions.

## Key Coaching Points
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Body Position: Emphasize correct stance, shuffling quickly, and facing the target.


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Passing Technique: Contact the ball on the forearms, keep wrists firm, and angle the platform to the target.


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Movement: Stress-shuffling before reaching, rather than lunging, to maintain control.


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Decision-Making: Passers must quickly adjust based on serve location (midline vs lateral).


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Communication: Players should call the ball early to build game-like habits.

## Variations & Progressions
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Start the sequence with a toss or down ball instead of a serve for beginners.


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Add a time constraint (e.g., must pass 5 balls in 30 seconds) to increase urgency.


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Place an additional server in the corner to create more unpredictable serve angles.