Synopsis: This game features 6-v-6 play, but with a major focus on serve receive passing, and by extension serving.
Age/Skill Level: This game is suitable for all levels.
Requirements: two teams, full court, several balls
Execution: One team starts with 32 points, and the other with 0. The 32-point team severs every ball and scores a point on any rally win. The 0-point team also scores on any rally win, but also gets points based on the rating of each serve receive pass based on the 3-point scoring system (so a 3 pass earns them 3 points, a 2 pass earns them 2 points, etc.). The teams play to 40, meaning the 32-point team only needs to win 8 rallies. An ace counts as a rally win, but missed serves are washes. The receiving team rotates each time they win a rally. The serving team does a front-to-back switch on each of their rally wins, but ensuring that servers change up.
Variations:
- You can change the starting point for the serving team to widen or narrow the gap the receiving team needs to overcome.
- You can change the winning score up or down to require the serving team to win more or fewer rallies.
- There can be negative consequences for multiple missed serves – especially in a row – from the same server.
- This could be used just as easily for small-sided games.
Additional Comments:
- I saw this game at University of Rhode Island training when I was there.
- Of the six times I saw this played (three different sets of match-ups played with each side being the receiving team and serving team once), only once did the receiving team win. That came when they averaged a 2.0+ pass rating. Thus, good serve receive passing is a major focus point.
- There’s a way to make this a 2-sided game (both teams serve rather than just one) outlined in the post Points for Passes Variation
