This activity serves as a lead-up game to volleyball. Students develop serving, catching and volleying skills in a game setting.

• Volleyball rules and positions need to have been introduced prior to this activity.
• Remind students to call the ball when intending to catch or bump it.
• Students need to roll the ball under the net to the server.

Divide the class into teams of six to eight players. Each team positions itself onto one side of the net, with players in their court positions. The team with the ball starts the game by serving the ball over the net from the serving area. Players on the receiving team try to catch the ball before it touches the ground. After catching the ball, without moving from the spot, bump the ball up to three times on your side before returning it back over the net.

A team scores a point if the opposing team tries to catch the ball but drops it, if the ball touches the ground, or if the ball is bumped more than three times on one side. A team also receives a point if the server fails to serve the ball over the net or serves out of the boundaries.

Both teams rotate one court position every three points. The game continues until one team has fifteen points. A team must win by two points.

• Adjustment of net height may be necessary to accommodate the players' size.
• For less skilled students, throw a ball back and forth over the net. Receiver must throw the ball from the spot where he or she caught it.
• As students progress, encourage the serve-bump-catch sequence instead of serve and catch.