Smart volleyball coaches always say that serving is the volleyball game’s “equalizer” because from start to finish you and only you control every aspect and especially the outcome of the volleyball serve. It doesn’t matter how tall, how wide or how short you are, if you develop a tough serve that makes points consistently you are guaranteed to see regular court time.
1. The first volleyball skill to learn to improve your serve is to mentally decide to attack with your serve.
Many players with serves that are inconsistent or ineffective need to first change their mind set about serving. For most volleyball champions serving isn’t about just getting the ball over the net so the other team can start the play. On the contrary, “the play” STARTS with the serve meaning the serve is used as the first “attack” you make against the opposing team. So learn to “attack” with your serve. This is a mental process first. Decide to be aggressive with your serve. Then in practice, practice making high velocity tough attack serves, not wimpy ones.
2. Just like when you spike you need to keep your elbow high in order to improve your volleyball serving skill.
When players complain about serving into the volleyball net one of the first things I watch to make corrections is how high they keep their elbow when they serve. Whether you use a bow and arrow armswing or a simulation spike to serve…(that’s what I call it) if you drop your elbow when you serve, your ball will rarely clear the net. Your elbow needs to be high …always above the level of your ear. Then you need to speed up your armwsing and reach.
3. A low toss or inconsistent toss will negatively affect your serving volleyball skill.
This is the second place I look to check for wimpy serves. If your toss is low then that means you have to go chase your ball off balanced. Because the toss is low in order to recover and make something happen you usually lean forward…which drops your elbow which means you contact the ball below the level of net and so on …the ball won’t clear the net. Or if one time you toss to the right of your front foot, then another time 2 feet over to the left you will never create a system for yourself so you can consistently serve tough.
To improve your serving skill it’s necessary to create a “ritual” where you toss the volleyball the same way every time you serve. I point my foot exactly in the direction of where Im going to serve then with open palmed left hand I toss the ball 2 feet above my head and one foot in front of my front foot. How do I know these measurements? Because at home or by myself I practiced my toss…just my toss for hundreds of reps. Two feet up , one foot in front. Let the ball drop without swinging at it to make sure it lands in front of the toe of your front foot. Why? This keeps your body balanced so all you have to do is transfer the weight from your back foot to your front foot, quicken your armswing and make solid contact with the ball.
4. Facing your target will greatly improve your volleyball serving skill.
Some players think its really sneaky to try and fake out the serve receive by not showing where they are going to serve. On the contrary I say…let everybody know where you are going to serve. Face Your Target. I’m talking about the floater serve, here. Place everything that you have, your feet, hips, shoulders, tossed ball in the direction of where you plan to serve. Face that player or that space on the court and just let it Go! If ALL your energy is going in one direction you can create more force than if different parts of your body are going in different directions. If everything is all lined up in one direction and balanced then you can focus on one last element.
5. Ball contact.
If you don’t make solid contact right in the middle of the panels facing you then you probably won’t get that tough floater serve you are looking for. Contact on the sides gives the ball side spin and contacting the ball too low gives a back spin which is usually pretty easy for the opposing team to pass. In practice watching where you contact the ball helps you improve your ball contact which automatically helps to improve your volleyball serving skill.
By: april chapple
Archive for September, 2009
Coaching Volleyball Skills: Top 5 Reasons Why you May Have a Wimpy Serve
September 27th, 2009Defending China Ousts Russia to Book Women’s Volleyball Semis Berth
September 27th, 2009BEIJING – Defending champions China outclassed Russia in a repeat of the Athens 2004 final as they pulled off a convincing 3-0 victory against the same opponents in the quarterfinals of the Olympic women’s volleyball tournament on Tuesday.
China’s players celebrate after defeateing Russia in their women’s volleyball quarterfinal match at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 19, in Beijing. Defending China beat Russia 3-0 (25-22, 27-25, 25-19) to meet Brazil in the semifinals. [Agencies]
China, who rallied past Russia in a 3-2 epic final in Athens four years ago, will meet Brazil in the semifinals on Thursday.
Ekaterina Gamova scored an excellent winner and a fine lob to lead a 4-0 run for Russia in the opening set and the Chinese girls, to a thunderous crowd, cut the cushion to just two points at the first technical timeout at 8-6.
Zhou Suhong started to find her range on the resumption, scoring three winners to help China go up 13-12.
The game became tight as both teams, needing a win to stay on course after having compiled a disappointing 3-2 record in the preliminaries, were unable to have total control of the match.
But it was the Chinese team that started to gain momentum when the game was raised on both sides. Trailing 22-21 behind, middle blocker Zhao Ruirui had a smash and then joined captain Feng Kun in a two-strong blocking to help her team overtake the lead at 23-22.
Another strike from veteran spiker Yang Hao plus a Gamova error gave China the first set at 25-22.
The Russian girls made a flying start again in the second set, building up a 4-1 lead and forcing China off for the first timeout of the set, but after coming back to the court, Zhao and Yang led a 5-0 run for the host to overtake the lead at 6-4.
It was still close as the lead was switched between both teams and the margin was never stretched to more than three points.
China beat off two set points while trailing 24-22 and building on this momentum, the Chinese girls converted on their second set point to take the set at 27-25.
The first technical timeout of the third set came with Russia in front 8-7. Xue Ming, who came onto the court as a replacement, Wang Yimei and Zhou kept the points coming for China, but the Russian girls brought up the second technical timeout at 16-13.
However, the match turned in China’s favor after the resumption, with the Russian attack stuffed on the net. China used a 12-3 run to take the set at 25-19.
China’s players celebrate with their coach after defeateing Russia in their women’s volleyball quarterfinal match at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 19, in Beijing. Defending China beat Russia 3-0 (25-22, 27-25, 25-19) to meet Brazil in the semifinals. [Agencies]
for more information please visit http://www.ishoesclub.com/olympic/show.php?itemid=228
By: alexda
A Beginner’s Introduction to Volleyball
September 26th, 2009Like any other play, you will want to be certain that you have an offence and defense in place. It is not any exception to volley ball and can help your team to play their the best. If they work to maintain the ball in the air, or with the blow out of the other team, you want to make sure that a certain basic offence is taken into account by all the players.
The general rule for a good team wounding in volley ball is that they have the capacity to play in team. This will enable them to communicate the plays with one the other in order to keep it exactly where they want it. The beginning of each good wounding play will start with a layer. From here, the other members will want to play the ball. It is not necessary to obtain the ball above the net immediately, but to move in the place the ball around a side of the court in order to find a space of the other team. When you install your offence, you will want to make sure that the doesn T’of team struck the ball too aggressively. They should be able to strike the ball with their palm or fingers in order to upwards keep it without obtaining it more.
If you install a wounding line, you can employ several strategies to obtain all in place. One of the techniques which are often employed is known as overlappings. This makes it possible to players to leave rotation while they play a game of volley ball. This will make it possible to the wounding players to remain in the foreground and to install various plays for the play. By doing this, you will have the capacity to install the various sets which can help to obtain the ball above the net and on the ground.
When you work with offence, you will want to make sure that they can employ techniques of team in order to succeed. By showing various lines, you can make sure that they can place the ball and find the space on other side of the court for the victory. When you play the ball offensively it will give you a new strategy to take the volley ball to where it belongs
Even when the isn T’on your side of the court, it of ball is important to be ready for him to arrive there. To strike behind exactly at the good time is an important defensive rule for any match of volleyball. There are several techniques which can be employed for the part of the defense of volley ball; all what will help to prevent the team from missing the blow.
The first thing which will have to be made as a defensive team is to be ready for the service. The best manner of doing this is to ensure itself than each one is placed in order to block the ball to fall. Are in a position where knees are slightly folded and the legs loan to move any direction is a good beginning. Generally, you will want to make sure that the line of face and the back line cover a range of space and can strike the ball. Often times, coaches will slightly have the line of face back of stage and have the line does not postpone ahead in order to cover the space which is necessary.
After each one is placed in good positions, they will have to be ready to attack the ball when it obtains at their side. This will start while being ready for the attack. It is the best to obtain the ball when it is exact below your chin. This will facilitate it to strike, and you will be able to make thus with more power. You will want to also obtain under the ball in order to keep it in addition to ground and to go towards the other side of the court.
From here, the part of defensive play most important must block the ball. Each player should act as the ball comes towards them, and should be ready to stop it of a fall where they see it. A part of blocking can have to make sure that if a block is missed, somebody of other seizes the ball. Other players should be ready to block the ball by the net, just if it would come too much close striking the net and falling.
While being prepared and by paying the attention the service, a play can easily take the turn of a defensive line with wounding. If your team is ready to receive a ball on other side, you will want to make sure that they are also ready to defend their territory. While doing this, they will be able to place the ball as they want it and obtain part from where they put’T want the ball.
By: Janice Sherwood
