Why do college players rely on the jump float serve? It combines power with unpredictable movement. Learn how to jump float serve like the pros in this guide.

Think about the last volleyball match you watched.

• Which players got the most playing time?
• Weren't they the ones who could consistently score points from the service line?

In volleyball, your serve is the only skill where you have complete control from start to finish - no teammates to rely on, no opposing blockers to worry about.

That's why mastering different serve types isn't just helpful; it's essential for any player who wants to make a real impact on their team.

• Stand behind the service line with...
• Feet shoulder-width apart in the shape of the letter 'L" with your front foot pointed where you plan to serve and your back foot perpendicular to the front foot. 

• I tell my clients to position their arms in the same way, in the shape of an "L" by holding the ball lightly in your tossing hand with arm extended in the direction of where you plan to serve the ball and 

• your serving arm extended above your head with the palm of your hand facing the wall on the right side of your body

As a right handed server...

• line your body up to face your serving target

Your body will be parallel to the service line.

Whether you're serving to a court zone or directly to an opposing player...face your target.

Let the player know...you're coming right at them with your serve.

An important key for a server to remember is to make a decision early and decide where you are going to serve before you serve, then turn and point your toe and your tossing arm, straight at your serving target. 

Sometimes your coach will make the decision for you and tell you where to serve by "calling the serve" with their finger by holding up a number that represents a zone on the opposing team's court to serve to. 

If they don't "call the serve" then you need to formulate a plan in your head based on either

 -where to serve to on the court or                           -who to serve to

so that you raise the possibility of scoring an ace which is a direct point by yourself for your team. 

How do you do this? Look for...

• who just made the last error on the court
• which passer looks nervous or looks angry or insecure
• which player in serve receive is not talking to other passers 
• look for large seams or empty areas on the court

Strategic serving also can mean for you to look to see

• if the opposing team is made up of short players consider serving a deep serve in their court to force them to move backwards and to stay deeper in the court

• if the opposing team is made up of taller players (who usually) move slower than shorter players consider serving a short serve that forces tall passers to have to move forward to pass...which means their spike approach runway is made shorter so they don't have as much time to back up, shuffle outside and take their usual 3 or 4 step spike approach

• Raise your serving arm so its in a 90 degree angle with a bent elbow and open palmed hand, above the level of your right ear. 

Keep your elbow high, above the level of your ear, throughout the entire movement of bringing your arm forward to the ball.

Many servers have problems serving over the net because they drop their elbow during their serving swing in an attempt to shot put the ball over the net 

Keep your elbow above the level of your ear!

• The palm of your serving hand should be facing the opposite wall, not turned up at the ceiling. 

• Keep a flat palm with fingers spread wide, as if you are about to give a teammate a high five

• Your flat hand should be as flat as a ping pong paddle.  

Once you've mastered the fundamentals of the standing float serve, let me ask you this:

What if you could add even more power, speed and deception to your serving game? That's exactly what the jump float serve does.

When you're looking to add power and pace to your serving game, the jump float serve can be a reliable go-to that you have in your serving toolbox.

It's a dual threat – combining the unpredictability of the float with the power from a jump.

Ask any coach: Would they rather have a server who's predictable or one who keeps opponents guessing?

The jump float serve ensures you're always the latter.

• Start 3 - 4 steps behind the service line. This gives you room for your serving approach steps whether you take three or four steps
• The serve approach is usually three steps: left-right-left (or right-left-right for lefties).
• As you take your first step forward, while your momentum is moving you forward then toss the ball up and slightly in front of you so that when you take your next steps ..you stay behind the ball. 
• So to be clear the cadence would be for a right hander left step - toss the ball - right step - left step or for lefties then you'd take a right step-toss-left step-right step
• During your lift-off in the air, jump using a heel-to-toe motion with your feet to help you get elevated into the air quickly...just like an airplane you gather speed with each step as you move down your runway....before you actually lift off...into the air
• Just like the standing float serve your tossing arm with palm up cradles the ball and your serving arm is extended above your head so your arms in this position for the shape of the letter "L"
• At the height of your jump and keeping your elbow high above the level of your ear and palm facing the right wall, position your serving flat "high 5" hand for a firm, flat contact with the ball, just like with a standard float serve.

The jump gives your serve more power pace and angle, while the float characteristics make the ball's path tricky to predict.

Opponents find themselves guessing where the ball will land, making it a challenge to return effectively.

Here are three tips you should pay attention to ...

Slow to fast....

• The timing of your steps for your serve approach should go from slow-to-fast with an aggressive "step close" (the last two steps of your approach before lift-off) while staying behind the ball when you swing

Contact the ball at the highest point of your jump...

• Make contact with the ball - either on the way up or at the highest height of your vertical jump but not on the way down from your jump

Watch your hand...

• Watch your hand when you're contacting the ball. Contacting the ball too low or too high can throw off your ability to control the final destination of where the ball lands and it may affect the amount of float and spin movement on the ball 

Keep your wrist rigid...

The jump float requires a firm, flat hand contact - like a "high five."

Many players instinctively snap their wrist (from their attacking habits), which adds spin and eliminates the unpredictable float movement that makes this serve effective.

Inconsistent toss...

Unlike the high toss for topspin, the jump float needs a consistent, controlled toss just high enough for your approach timing.

Tossing too high forces you to wait, losing momentum. Tossing too far forward pulls you past the service line.

Quicken your armswing and hit the ball on the way up...

For maximum power and control, contact the ball at the peak or just before the peak of your jump.

Many servers contact the ball on the way down from the toss, reducing velocity and causing the ball to drop short.

This happens when players rush their approach or mistime their jump.

To produce a faster more powerful jump float serve make sure that you 'attack the floor' on those last two approach steps that you take before 'lift-off'.

I remind my players, that a strong lower-body push off the floor will help you lift up off the ground higher and will help you make an aggressive 'flat-hand stiff wrist" ball contact when you're mid-air.

Every extra inch you gain in your jump translates to the possibility of creating more power and pace that pushes the ball over the net faster and with more float and dip movement making it a difficult serve to pass.

1. I always emphasize keeping  your hips open to the right during the last two steps of your approach, especially when serving down the line.
2. A consistent toss will make everything smoother.
3. Keep your eye on the ball, just like Addi, who practices 100 overhand serves. It’s all about those reps!

Here's a question every serious player needs to answer:

Are you willing to put in the practice time to master these three different volleyball serve types, knowing it could be the difference between starting and sitting on the bench?

Here's where the rubber meets the road.

It's not just about knowing about these volleyball serve types players use in a match but actually getting good at performing them so they feel like second nature out on the court.

• Dedicate time every practice to each serve type. Start with 20 reps of each then gradually increase.
• Focus on one type per session to really internalize the method.

While practice is essential, don't get too caught up in perfection. Allow yourself to make mistakes – they’re just lessons that help you get better.

Use practice to mirror game conditions: crowds, pressure, everything.

This’ll boost your confidence when it's time to serve for real points.

Remember, even the pros miss serves sometimes. It's all part of the game.

Keep a positive mindset and always aim to improve your skills.

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Every game you don't make your mark is a missed opportunity. Let's make sure that next game counts more than any before.

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Think about this: If mastering the jump float serve could transform you from a substitute to a starter, wouldn't it be worth dedicating 15 minutes of every practice to perfecting it?

Each volleyball serve has its strengths, but the jump float serve stands apart as the choice of elite players. Now that you know how to jump float serve, it's time to implement a practice plan that turns knowledge into muscle memory.

**Week 1-2: Foundation Building**

• - Practice your approach without the ball (50 reps daily)
• - Focus on the slow-to-fast footwork pattern
• - Add the toss on day 3, but don't hit yet

**Week 3-4: Coordination Phase**

• - Combine approach with toss and contact (30 reps daily)
• - Film yourself to check form
• - Aim for consistency over power

**Week 5-6: Power Development**

• - Add full arm swing and "attack the floor" mentality
• - Practice hitting specific zones (20 reps per zone)
• - Increase jump height progressively

*Isn't it true that players who follow a structured practice plan improve 3x faster than those who practice randomly?*

Consider this statistic: In modern volleyball, teams that win the serving battle win 73% of their matches.

When you master how to jump float serve effectively, you put yourself in a position to potentially become a game-changer.

- Height advantage:

Your contact point is 2-3 feet higher than a standing serve

- Angle creation:

Forces passers to re-adjust their platform quickly 

- Unpredictability:

The float movement keeps even experienced passers guessing

- Intimidation factor:

You put opposing passers on alert and they know you mean business when you jump serve

Practicing the art of these serves (for me serving is so important that I like to call it an 'art') builds your confidence.

It’s the individuality of this skill that empowers you and can set you apart, especially if you've practiced how to make different types of serving in volleyball.

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How many more matches will you watch from the sidelines, knowing that better serving skills could have earned you that starting position?

If personalized coaching could change that in just 5 sessions, wouldn't it be worth exploring?

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Here's what separates players who know how to jump float serve from those who dominate with it:

**Mental Preparation:**
- Visualize your target before every serve
- Develop a consistent pre-serve routine
- Stay confident even after errors

**Strategic Application:**
- Use it when opponents are comfortable in their passing rhythm
- Target the seams between passers
- Vary your serving zones to prevent adaptation

*Remember: The best servers aren't just skilled—they're strategic. When you combine technique with tactics, you become unstoppable.*

Before your next match, can you honestly check off each of these boxes?

□ I can execute my approach with consistent timing
□ My toss lands in the same spot 8/10 times
□ I contact the ball at or before my jump peak
□ I keep my wrist 'high-five' firm through contact
□ I can serve to all six (6) zones with accuracy
□ I have a backup plan when my jump float isn't working

If you can't check all these boxes yet, isn't it time to invest in perfecting your technique?

Every D1 player, every professional, every Olympic server started exactly where you are now—learning how to jump float serve one rep at a time.

The difference?

They committed to the process.

In my 15+ years of coaching, I've never met a player who regretted investing time in perfecting their jump float serve.

But I've met hundreds who wished they'd started sooner.

Tomorrow at practice, dedicate the first 15 minutes to your jump float serve.

Start with 10 approaches without the ball, then add your toss, then full serves.

Document your progress.

Because here's the truth:

In 30 days, you'll either have a weapon that changes your volleyball career, or you'll still be wondering "what if?"

Which will you choose?

Ready to accelerate your jump float serve mastery?*

*Contact me for personalized coaching that transforms your serving game in just 5 sessions.

Because sometimes, the difference between good and great is having the right coach in your corner.

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