From The Volleyball Coach’s Book of Lists

A common question I hear from coaches of young teams concerns troubleshooting for new servers who lack power and struggle to get their serves over the net.

Before getting into some helpful hints, it is important to remember that our coaching priority is helping new players fall in love with the game. With that in mind, coaches should be very deliberate when choosing a serving distance for players. I often see young players standing behind the endline and serving a bunch of balls that barely reach the net. The ensuing discouragement was difficult to watch.

We should always test our players’ strength by seeing how far they can throw the ball. Players should begin at the 10’ line and move back a step every time they are successful. You will quickly see which players have thrown before and which have not. Those weaker athletes should never attempt to serve from a distance that they cannot cover with a throw.

For players who are very weak, I have resorted to the torque (not underhand) serve. This is a sidearm technique, and we use the same key words as our overhand serve (see below). Of course, players often dislike the stigma that can accompany the torque serve. To combat that, I’ll teach it to all servers.

In addition to teaching the torque serve, what follows are my tricks of the trade for helping young players increase their serving distance.

1. Throw every practice

This is a simple way to help players coordinate the kinetic chain, that is connect a single left step with a hip rotation, shoulder turn, elbow extension, and wrist flexion. With one step, how far can they throw? This is a key activity for helping players understand the importance of arm speed.

2. Use key words: Ready, Lift, Step—Swing

Key words allow coaches to chunk information and helps us from overloading players with verbiage. There is nothing magical about mine, though I have discovered they help simplify the serve for new players. At the beginning of the season, we’ll do “dummy serving”, that is completing the serving motion without a ball. I’ll ask the players to do this together while the recite the key words. This helps teach them the necessary rhythm.

3. Start with feet together at 45 degrees

Many players will initially begin with their feet facing the net. Moving them to 45 degrees (not perpendicular or parallel to the net, but halfway) helps generate rotational power. Similarly, if the feet are too far apart, the player cannot take a step and transfer weight. I’m a one-step guy (usually….). Simple is better than complex.

4. Lift (in front)

For many years, I used the term “toss”, but I have now replaced it with “lift” or “place”. Many new players get wild with the toss, and the change of term has helped them to simplify the move. For players who always lift the ball back behind their heads, try starting them with a bent elbow and then straighten it as they lift.

5. Use external, rather than internal, cues

Sports science has shown that internal (using body parts) cues are not as effective as external (distances, results, metaphors) cues. My favorites for serving are: Hammer the nail. (Helps for players who “shot put”.) Use a baseball bat, not a dishrag. (For players who have a soft hand and wrist.) Hit the bottom of the ball (For players who contact it too low).

6. Heel of hand contact

Players get a bit more distance with the heel of the hand, rather than the palm. I’ll also ask players to experiment with a fist. Have them make a fist with fingers and palm forming a flat surface (thumb to the side). Though the fist contact may result in a few more mishits, the resulting 5-10 feet of increased distance may be worth it.

7. Use a wall to practice.

The wall creates a great feedback loop. Can players serve into the wall (above the height of the net) and then catch the ball as it rebounds back. Slowly, move the players back, to see if they can still catch the rebounds. We might use some wall serving as a station in practice and then have a setting or defense station on the other side of the net. I’ll also ask players to find a wall at home to use for practice.

8. Serve from the middle of the court

Many young players anchor themselves near the right sideline when they begin to serve. I want to move them to the middle of the court. The middle is more forgiving, especially for those players (righthanders) who do not hit the ball far enough in front. This will cause the ball to veer right.

9. Keep in-a-row stats

We will do this 2-3 times each practice (How many in a row in 60 or 90 seconds?), and then put the results on the whiteboard. It is also the single stat we keep during matches for all of our young teams.

10. Be mindful of the challenge point for each server

For the weakest servers, this might be a line 20-25 feet from the net. As players become more skilled, the challenge point should change. When players can serve 10/10 from the endline, we will then lower trajectory (under elastic), ask them to vary tempos, and experiment with the jump float and jump spin serves.

Eliminate bad serving habits

Serving drills

The Volleyball Coach’s Book of Lists, is a compilation of inspiration and instruction from over 130 coaches. Tod Mattox gathered wisdom from some of the top volleyball coaches in the game, including Karch Kiraly, Kirsten Bernthal-Booth, Dan Fisher, JJ Van Niel and many more. Club directors, coaches, and players will find value with chapters on Culture, Practice, Strategy, Resources, and Parents.

From Dan Fisher’s Pitt Culture Questions

1. How grateful is she to be here? Gratitude is shown through action.

2. How much joy does this give her?

3. How much enthusiasm is she bringing?

4. Is she a learner? Is she curious?

5. How does she react to stress/when things don’t go her way?

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About the Author

Tod Mattox started his coaching journey in 1981, and he’s been working with high school and club teams for the past 44 years. Tod is a frequent contributor to The Art of Coaching Volleyball, and he’s presented several workshops at AVCA Conventions. Currently, he and his coaching pal, Davis Ransom, create a weekly podcast, The VolleyPod, where they share ideas on coaching kids’ volleyball. He continues to explore ways to improve his coaching at The Bishop’s School, COAST Volleyball Club (a JVA member club), and Catalyst Volleyball Club.