Newcomb Ball Catch-and-Throw Volleyball
Lead-up game to volleyball in which the ball is never struck: players catch it and throw it over the net, with up to three passes within the team. Students learn to find open space, cover the court and use the three-contact idea.
How to play
- Set up 3 courts about 20 x 30 ft with a net or rope at about 6.5 ft and cones in the corners. Make teams of 4: two teams per court, with the extra team refereeing (3 min).
- Serve: a two-hand throw from the back line. The receiving team must catch the ball before it hits the floor.
- The catcher can't move and has 3 seconds to throw over the net or pass to a teammate; up to three passes per team.
- The other team scores if the ball lands on your side, goes out, or you use more than three passes. Games to 7; then the referee team rotates in (12 min).
- Last round: a point only counts if the ball went through three players before crossing the net. Finish by asking where it pays to throw (3 min).
Rules
- No walking with the ball.
- Rotate positions each time your team wins back the serve.
- Safety: nobody touches or hangs on the net, and throws go up and over, not at bodies.
Variations
Easier
Allow one bounce before the catch and lower the net to about 5 ft.
Standard
Catch with no bounce and up to three passes.
Harder
The last contact before the ball crosses the net must be a set.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: a zone by the net where the ball may bounce twice before the catch.
- Visual impairment: a brightly colored ball or one with a bell, and the thrower calls out first.
- Fitness level: smaller courts for groups that need less running.
Learning goals
- Throw the ball into open spaces on the other side.
- Spread out so no part of the court is left open.
- Understand how passing within the team works before sending it back.
Equipment for a class of 25
- volleyball: 3
- net: 3
- cones: 12
Teacher tip
This is the best entry point to volleyball for students who can't pass reliably yet. If they bunch up at the net, mark three reference spots with cones.
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