● Develop accuracy, then velocity. Because there are only two players on a sand volleyball court, it is important to develop accuracy of the serve as the server has the choice of which opponent will attack based on where the ball is served. If there is a weaker attacker between the two opposing players, the serving team should exploit the situation by serving the ball to the weaker attacker. As you develop accuracy and consistency, you can continue to work on the velocity (speed) of the serve, as this will force more poor passes, and ultimately lead to more aces, which is the fastest and most efficient way to score a point.
● Have a plan! An athlete must never just serve and server without a precise target in mind. Having a planned serve will allow the athlete to correlate a serve attempt with a serve result, thus allowing them to internalize feedback and correct mistakes. A planned serve also allows the athlete to exploit opponent weaknesses.
● Develop a routine. A routine should consist of assessment of match conditions. Who am I serving, how am I serving the ball (jump float, spin?), what is the wind going to do to the ball? What is the score? Is it a close game, should I take risk and go for it or should I keep the ball in play and serve smart? These are all questions a server should ask before attempting the serve.
● Develop a ritual. The ritual is a movement pattern or sequence that should precede each and every serve. This helps the athlete train the subconscious to perform under pressure, fatigue, during the first point, or game point.
Keys to the Standing Float Serve 1 Ready Position & Posture
● Ball in non-hitting hand
● Hitting shoulder up and back (this should open up the body to allow for eventual torque) 2 Toss in front of hitting shoulder
● Athletes should place the ball in front, a few feet above the head and in front of their hitting hand rather than the center of the body (for righthanders). This will assist with correct arm-swing motion to the ball. Step and swing through to target
● It is important to place the ball forward and step with the lead leg (left leg for right handers, right leg for left-handers) as this will assist with shoulder rotation to the tossed ball.
● Shoulder rotation is around a vertical axis with a 3-part pattern of 1 – hip turn; 2 –opposite arm pulled down; –hitting shoulder through to ball contact Solid hand through center of ball
● Athletes should make sure to contact with the palm of the hand (not fingers) and avoid breaking the wrist on the ball. Breaking the wrist or snapping on the ball will create unwanted spin on the served ball.
● Athletes should also focus on hitting the ball’s center.
Ready Position & Posture
● Ball in 2 hands (2 hands allows for a controlled toss)
● Elbows bent, not straight (bent elbows will also assist with control) 2 3 or 4 step approach
● 3 step (L, R, L – for right handers, with toss after 1st step)
● 4 step (R, L, R, L – for right handers, with toss after 2nd step)
● After the toss, be sure that the athletes bring both arms up, with the hitting elbow up and back
Non-Hitting hand high, hitting arm up and back
● Be sure that the athletes bring both hands up immediately after the toss. The tendency will be to bring the arms down and back to attempt an armswing, but this motion is too complex and does not assist timing.
Solid Hand through to Target
● Have athletes contact the middle of the ball with the middle of the hand.
● Drive through the center of the ball
Ready Position & Posture
● Ball in hitting hand (or non-hitting hand; should be to athlete’s comfortability)
● Regular stance with shoulders square to the net. 2 4-step approach (R, L, R, L for right-handed hitters)
● Step and toss (after 1st step)
● Toss high and forward, slightly into the court about 1-2 feet.
● Footwork pattern is small steps to big steps, and slow steps to fast steps.
● Athletes should finish with both feet underneath waist and close together in a loaded position (knees slightly bent, ready to explode to ball). 3 Arms swing down, back, and up together
● After the toss, both hands go down towards hips, then back (parallel with the sand), and finally up towards the ball. This will assist with momentum to the ball. Hitting elbow up, hitting arm up and back
● After both hands are up, it is important to keep the non-hitting hand high and straight, and load the hitting hand by bringing the arm up and back. There should be a bend in the hitting elbow to allow for eventual extension of the hand to the ball. Reach high and snap to target
● Contact should be in the center of the ball with the middle of the hand. Wrist should snap after solid contact has been made on the ball. This will give the ball the desired topspin.
Areas with the serve 1
When learning the serve, athletes will want make a huge motion to toss the ball, mainly because they think that a high toss will allow more time to develop power. A high toss with lots of motion does not help the athlete increase repeatability, and only increases variance. The toss for any serve type should be precise and simple, so that there is less decision making on the part of the athlete. Power is generate through proper torque on the ball, not with a huge tossing motion. The single exception to the precise toss would be the jump spin serve. In this case, the toss should be higher (but still in a desired area in front of hitting shoulder) to allow the athlete time to use an approach and arm-work to get up and attack the ball.
2 When placing or tossing the ball, athletes will tend to toss over the center of the body or to the non-hitting shoulder. Be sure to reinforce the correct placement of the toss. By tossing over the hitting shoulder, athletes will be able to open up and swing through the center of the ball with more force, as the hitting shoulder and arm going through the ball will create more leverage with which to swing.