Holly McPeak has been one of the leading figures in beach volleyball for more than 20 years, both as a record-breaking player and a trusted coach. On the court, she competed in 3 Olympics – at the 2004 Athens Games, she won a bronze medal– and amassed 72 career titles. That puts her 3rd on the all-time women’s victory list behind Kerri Walsh Jennings (125) and Misty May-Treanor (112). Off the court, she has trained every level of volleyball athlete, from young up-and-comers to top-level professionals. It’s a well-known fact throughout the sport that if you’re looking for a demanding workout that will push you to a higher level of play, Holly is the coach for you.
Art of Coaching Volleyball is privileged to have Holly as a contributing editor. The video bundle you’ll see here, culled from seven workouts she held in Manhattan Beach, California, is a complete overview of skills, drills and strategies that Holly assembled to help emerging coaches become better teachers of the game.
| Module 1 | Session 1 Training |
|---|---|
| Unit 1 | Opening thoughts |
| Unit 2 | Beach warmup |
| Unit 3 | Passing drill |
| Unit 4 | Triangle pass and set drill |
| Unit 5 | Left-side angle hit drill |
| Unit 6 | Right-side line shot drill |
| Unit 7 | Transition setting drill with digging and hitting |
| Unit 8 | The setting apex |
| Unit 9 | 4 key serves for your arsenal |
| Unit 10 | A final drill: 20 sideouts |
| Module 2 | Session 2 Training |
| Unit 1 | Passing and setting |
| Unit 2 | Long touch passing |
| Unit 3 | Pass, set, hit to corner |
| Unit 4 | Rainbow shot over defender to deep corner |
| Unit 5 | Cut shot in front of the defender |
| Unit 6 | Transition setting and hitting off a dig |
| Unit 7 | Sideout drill |
| Unit 8 | Teaching proper hand contact for the cut shot |
| Module 3 | Session 3 Training |
| Unit 1 | What's covered in this session |
| Unit 2 | Pass-set warmup |
| Unit 3 | Pass, set, hit – rainbow over defender |
| Unit 4 | Hard angle hit and cut shot |
| Unit 5 | Deep line shot facing a blocker, deep middle shot with nobody up |
| Unit 6 | In a fiddle, deep middle |
| Unit 7 | Angle to angle drill, left to left |
| Unit 8 | Grab the ball when blocking |
| Unit 9 | Angle to angle drill, right to right |
| Unit 10 | Building a progressive practice |
| Module 4 | Session 4 Training |
| Unit 1 | 2-touch setting drill |
| Unit 2 | Passing in windy conditions |
| Unit 3 | Multiple skill drill |
| Unit 4 | Quick tip on the overhand dig |
| Unit 5 | Defensive transition drill: blocking line, digging angle |
| Unit 6 | Defensive transition drill 2: blocking angle, digging line |
| Unit 7 | Holly's closing thoughts on the workout |
| Module 5 | Session 5 Training |
| Unit 1 | Dig, set, hit angle from left side |
| Unit 2 | Dig, set, hit angle from right side |
| Unit 3 | Competitive drill promoting aggressive serving |
| Unit 4 | Left-side defense: Line block, angle dig, line drop |
| Unit 5 | Left-side defense: Angle block, line dig, angle drop |
| Unit 6 | Sideout game: 2 consecutive points earn “real” point |
| Unit 7 | Don’t be lazy when digging tough shots |
| Unit 8 | Holly's final thoughts on Workout 5 |
| Module 6 | Session 6 Training |
| Unit 1 | Overhand dig warmup |
| Unit 2 | Partner blocking drill |
| Unit 3 | Over-the-net pepper |
| Unit 4 | Sideout volleyball warmup |
| Unit 5 | High contact on jump float serve |
| Unit 6 | Dropping-off-the-net drill |
| Unit 7 | Recovering from a bad pass |
| Unit 8 | Competitive sideout drill |
| Unit 9 | Final thoughts from Holly on Workout 6 |
| Module 7 | Session 7 Training |
| Unit 1 | Over-the-net pepper |
| Unit 2 | Serve-receive warmup |
| Unit 3 | Hand contact drill |
| Unit 4 | Rapid passing drill |
| Unit 5 | When to block, when to drop |
| Unit 6 | The famous Holly McPeak drop drill |
