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Friday, August 1, 2008
Perfect the Overhand Serve
Greater Louisville, KY
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Are you ready to take your volleyball game to the next level? One way to do that is to master the overhand serve. With this serve, you’ll get more power, better direction, and more points. Most coaches agree that the serve is the most important part of the game and teams that serve well tend to win more games.
The overhand serve can be broken down into three components: Stance, toss and contact.
STANCE
One of the most important parts of a serve is the beginning stance. For a right-handed person, most of the body weight should be put on the right foot. That same foot should be turned slightly outward to provide more comfort. The left foot should be facing straight ahead with its heel lining up with the heel of the right foot, yet ahead of the toes of the right foot. This stance is comfortable and effective for beginning the process of an overhand serve.
TOSS
The most crucial part of an overhand serve is the toss. In order to have an effective serve, the toss must be the right height and in the right area. With your feet already in the correct stance, place your left arm out with your elbow slightly bent, with your hand lined up with your right shoulder. The ball should be held in the fingertips of this hand, without the ball touching your palm so you have more control of where you toss the ball. Your right hand should be placed on the ball, somewhere in between the back and top of the ball.
When you draw your arm back, slightly lower your left hand and toss the ball straight up into the air. The highest point at which your right hand can reach should be about how high the toss is, but it can be a little bit higher. As you toss you should take a small step with your left foot, transferring your weight from the right foot to the left.
To practice this component, toss the ball up without swinging and hitting it, letting the ball fall to the floor. The ball should land just inside of your left foot, somewhat lined up with your right shoulder. But be careful to make sure the ball does not land too close or too far away from your body. Once you get your stance and toss down, you’re ready to move on to the next and final step.
CONTACT
To effectively serve an overhand ball, you must have good contact. The most basic part of the serve is the arm swing. It’s extremely important to keep your elbow high and above your shoulder at all times. When you draw your arm back, your hand should be positioned near your ear or even the crown of your head. To begin the swing, as the ball is tossed, bring your elbow around first with your hand coming next and when the ball reaches the height at which it can be contacted, swing straight forward and contact the ball at the palm of your hand. Keep your hand stiff and with your wrist bent at the point of contact, never breaking your wrist.
To finish your swing, with your wrist still flexed, bring your hand straight down with your thumb slightly brushing the side of your thigh. For those who have a hard time getting the ball to reach the net, try swinging fast to put more power behind it.
And now to put it all together
Start with your feet in the correct stance, with the ball out in front. Toss it up, step and swing to contact the ball. Whichever direction you step in, more than likely that is the where the ball will go. So if you want to serve the ball to a certain position on the court, step in that direction and swing straight. Remember, everything gets better with practice, so if you don’t immediately achieve the serve you’re looking for, keep trying!
Emily Hayden is a senior at Assumption and was a member of KIVA’s 17 Red team.
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