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.
With your left foot take a short step forward and shift your weight onto this foot as you swing your right arm forward to meet the ball. You should contact the ball just above your head and when the ball has reached its peak and at your highest reach. Work on your ball toss, to ensure that the height is correct.
Using your open and firm hand, strike the ball with your palm. To avoid the ball from spinning, do not follow through the serve but rather, stop as soon as contact has been made.
A good serve is vital to a teams volleyball game so be sure that all players are sufficiently skilled to get their serve in 100% of the time regardless of the method they use. A great way to improve your serve is to have a coach watch you serving and to point out errors. Repetitive practice and adopting the coach’s advice will delivery results in the shortest possible time.
Float serve
Stand roughly a foot behind the endline.
Face a forty five degree angle with your front foot pointing forward and your opposite foot almost point sideways with the weight on your back foot.
Hold the ball in the hand that is not hitting the ball straight in front of you at about waist height.
Have your hitting arm slightly bent, pointing upwards behind your head.
Toss the ball a little over head height about one foot in front of you with no spin.
Shift weight to front foot or step forward and hit the back of the ball straight on with your palm.
Finish with your hand facing forward, do not follow all the way through.
You can change the distance of the serve by slowing down (shorten) or quickening (lengthen) your arm swing. Make sure that you do not step over the end line, that it a foot fault. You may want to adjust where you stand if this is a problem. Keep your eye on the ball, it will help keep you from mishitting the ball. Keep your wrist firm so as not to absorb any of the power behind the ball.
Jump serve
Position yourself. Stand behind the back line so when serving you try to approach the line.
Start with your right foot forward if you are right handed and your left foot forward if you are left handed. You will take a three step approach just as if you were going to spike the ball. left, right, left. Put the ball in the same hand you will hit it.
Look at the positions the players on the other side of the net are standing. Try to aim and hit where it may be opened.
Toss the Ball in the air. Make sure the toss is in front of you. Throw it high enough but not to the point when you can’t reach the ball or miss it.
Jump when the time is right so you won’t miss the ball.
Extend your arm and hit it. Hit the center of the volleyball for a good throw. When hitting it try to hit it with your hand flat on the palm of your hand. This is like attempting a spike.
