--- title: "Volleyball Defense Drills: Base, Read & Dig Off a Box" description: "Volleyball defense drills teach base positions, reading the hitter and digging to target. Run a coach-on-box digging drill with pursuit, steps and cues." url: "https://www.coachboard.app/library/volleyball/digging-drill" sport: "Volleyball" category: "Drill" level: "intermediate" dateModified: "2026-09-24" --- # Volleyball Defense Drill — Volleyball Drill This volleyball defense drill moves back-row players from base to read positions against a coach hitting from a box, digs every attack up to the middle of the court, and finishes with pursuit of deflected balls. Defense in volleyball is less about diving than about being in the right place before the ball is hit. Players who start in a sound base position, read the setter and hitter early, and are stopped and low at contact dig balls that look unplayable to a spectator. A coach standing on a box across the net is the standard way to train that. From the box the coach can attack at match height and pace, repeat the same shot until the defenders read it, and mix in tips and roll shots. The drill starts from base, moves to read positions, and adds pursuit so no deflected ball is given up. ## Objective Teach perimeter defense positioning against an outside attack, train players to read the hitter's approach and arm, and dig hard-driven balls high to the middle of the court. ## Setup - **Area:** Full court, 18 × 9 m; the coach on a box in the far zone 4 - **Players:** 6–9 players: 3 back-row defenders, an off-blocker, a target, and rotating waiting players - **Equipment:** A stable box or platform 50–80 cm high, A cart of 20+ balls, A feeder to hand balls to the coach, Knee pads for every defender - **Duration:** 20–25 minutes - **Level:** intermediate (U13+) ## How it works 1. **Start in base** — Back-row defenders begin in base positions: zone 1 and zone 5 players about 1 m inside the sidelines and roughly 6 m from the net, the zone 6 player deep in the middle near the end line. The front row stands at the net ready to block. Exact spots vary by system and level. 2. **Move to read positions** — When the coach on the box signals an outside attack, defenders shift into perimeter defense: the zone 1 player takes the line shot just inside the sideline, zone 5 covers the deep crosscourt angle, zone 6 stays deep, lined up with the seam of the block, and the left-front off-blocker drops to around the attack line to cover the sharp angle. 3. **Read and dig off the box** — The feeder hands the coach a ball, the coach tosses and attacks line, crosscourt, or a tip. Defenders are stopped and low as the coach contacts the ball, then dig it up and toward a target standing about 3 m off the net in the middle of the court. 4. **Add pursuit** — Every few balls, the coach hits off the arms or behind the defenders. The nearest teammate calls it and chases, playing the ball high back toward the court. The feeder stays busy so the next ball comes within 3–4 seconds. 5. **Score the set** — Defenders earn a point for each dig the target can catch without jumping, and the coach earns one for any ball that hits the floor untouched. Play to 10, then rotate a new trio into the back row. ## Coaching points - Be on balance and still when the hitter contacts the ball. Moving at the moment of contact is the most common reason balls go past defenders. - Read the hitter's approach angle and shoulder: the arm swing usually follows where the shoulders point. - Keep the weight forward on the balls of the feet and the platform low, so the first move is toward the ball, not backward. - Dig the ball high and to the middle. A high dig gives the setter time; a dig aimed at the net often goes straight over. ## Variations - **Tip and roll reads** — The coach alternates hard swings with tips over the block and roll shots into the middle. The off-blocker and the zone 6 player learn to read the slower arm swing and release early for short balls. - **Dig to transition** — Put a setter at the target spot. After each dig, the setter sets an outside hitter, who attacks back across the net, so defenders practise switching from defense to offense in one rally. ## Build it in Coach Board Place six players on the volleyball court in Coach Board in their base spots, draw arrows to each read position against an outside attack, and animate the shift so players see how far and how early each one moves. Duplicate the board to show the same shift against a right-side hitter, then share both links before the defensive session. [Volleyball coaching app](https://www.coachboard.app/sports/volleyball) · [Start 14-day free trial, no card](https://my.coachboard.app) ## FAQ ### What is perimeter defense in volleyball? Perimeter defense is a back-row system in which defenders stay near the edges of the court, digging line, crosscourt and deep balls, while the off-blocker covers short angles. It is one of the most commonly taught systems because it covers hard-driven attacks well. Rotational defense is a common alternative that moves a player up to cover tips. ### How do you get better at digging in volleyball? Be still and low when the hitter contacts the ball, then react to the ball rather than guessing. Reading the hitter's approach and shoulders buys extra time. Digging off a coach on a box is the most efficient practice because it gives many repetitions of match-speed attacks from a real height. ### Why do coaches hit from a box in volleyball drills? A box lifts the coach to roughly the contact height of a real attacker, so the ball comes down at a match-like angle. It also lets the coach repeat the same shot many times in a row, which a live hitter cannot do consistently. That makes it easier for defenders to learn the read. ## Related - https://www.coachboard.app/library/volleyball/pepper-drill.md - https://www.coachboard.app/library/volleyball/hitting-drill.md - https://www.coachboard.app/library/volleyball/passing-drill.md --- [Volleyball coaching app](https://www.coachboard.app/sports/volleyball) · Animate and share this drill with your team: https://my.coachboard.app