FIVB Youth Symposium

Mini-Volley

Presented by: Lee Taylor

Volleyball Canada

What is Mini-Volley?

• An initiation approach

• A series of game formats

• Play centered

• Educate teachers on the contributions mini-volleyball can make to a

child’s physical development

• Recognize that delivered correctly, volleyball is appropriate, fun and

enjoyable for child participants

• Acknowledge that volleyball is easy and accessible for both the participants and teachers

Challenges

What are the difficulties you have seen when introducing volleyball to

young kids?

Current Initiation Problems

• Technical focus• Repetitive drills• Difficult for non-athletes• Novice players can’t create rallies• Teachers are trained to “coach”• Traditional initiation activities are static in nature

A Child’s Needs

• Play is a natural state

• Children need to move

• Social focus changes from the individual to the group

as they develop

• Kids like to experience success

Objectives of School Curriculums

• Locomotion/Mobility

• Manipulation

• Cooperation

• Cooperation/Opposition

Mini-Volley Solutions

• Use a tactical approach• Allow participants to play right away (the game is not a

reward)• Make sure participants experience success immediately• Encourage rallies – remove rally breakers• Movement, movement, movement!• Match the activities and equipment to the children

Program Progressions

Stage 1

Initiation Grades 1-2

Individuals

Small Groups

Stage 2

Development Grades 3-4

Small Groups

1 vs 1

2 vs 2 (facing)

Stage 3

Proficiency

Atomic Volleyball

Grades 5-6

Small Groups

1 vs 1 2 vs 2

3 vs 3 4 vs 4

Volleyball Fundamental Tactics

• Defend a territory

• Attack a territory

Stage 1 - Initiation

• Play activities• FUN• Manipulation• Movement• Cooperation• Cooperation/opposition

Stage 2 - Development

• Different game formats• Understand basic game concepts• Ball trajectory• Fun

Stage 3- Proficiency

• Ball direction: to, along, and over the net

• Catch-toss action

• Decision-making

• Movement