At the competitive level, serving strategy is based on your philosophy for playing the game. Will you be conservative or assertive? What are the risks and rewards involved in each situation?

Initial serving strategy could include the following objectives: serving to the weakest receiver in the opponent’s team; serve between two players; serving short; serving to the deep third of the opponent’s court; serve to the front-row attackers in the opponent’s team; challenge the strongest attacker to pass the ball, then attack.

Highly skilled players can control the ball on offense and attack at a high rate of efficiency. Strong, effective serves are needed to force an opponent to unpleasant situation, leading to a less successful attack from the opponent. At a lower or intermediate level, effective serving may require a high percentage of serves simply to be in play, since the opponent’s offense may not be powerfull.

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The jump serve can be a funtastic weapon; it is both powerful and deceptive. The jump serve can create difficulties to your opponents if they are not used to facing this type of serve. Basicly, the jump serve is very similar to attacking technique.

The main difference is that instead you attack a set from a teammate, you attack the ball that is thrown high by yourself. Hold the ball in front of your serving shoulder as you prepare for the toss. Use a one-handed toss, but toss the ball with your serving arm. You will launch yourself into the air to attack the toss, so toss the ball high in front of you. It is essential to coordinate the toss with a sequence of steps, allowing you to jump and swing naturally. Step forward on your nondominant foot as you toss the ball.

The underhand serve is a good beginning serve. It does not provide a lot of power, but it can be very accurate and consistent. Volleyball rules require a toss  of the ball prior to the serve. Coordination of the toss and contact of an underhand serve is actually quite challenging.

Think of the toss in the under- J hand serve as a release. Create a pendulum motion with your arms. As the hand holding the ball drops, your serving hand moves forward through the ball.

Contacting an underhand serve from a toss can be difficult. Keep the fingers of your serving hand pointing behind your body to expose the heel of your hand to the ball. This will allow you to contact the ball with the meaty part of your hand. Many players attempt to use a fist for an underhand serve, but this often causes inconsistent contact. In addition, the open hand leads to a more natural progression from the underhand serve to the overhand floater.

Ready position

Now, lets start with basics…

To execute an overhead floater serve, stand comfortably with your nondominant foot slightly forward. Be sure that your weight is on your back foot. Hold the ball with your nonserving hand in front of your serving shoulder.

Slide your front foot forward and feel your body weight shift from your back foot to your front foot. As you step forward, toss the ball directly in front of your serving shoulder high enough to force you to reach with your serving hand.

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The Overhand Serve

For a right handed server, start with your left foot in front of your right and the ball in your left hand. Hold the ball up at shoulder height, arm stretched out but with a slight bend in your left elbow. Pull your right arm back so that your right hand is just in front of your face with the palm facing down.

To serve, tilt your right arm up as you pull your right elbow back. At the same time, slowly move your left arm up to toss the ball. Keep you left hand and arm steady throughout its movement to avoid spinning the ball.
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