Types of Volleyball Serves Topspin, Missile, Coach Kill, Friendly Fire

Topspin, missile, coach kill, friendly fire and husband and wife play are serving terms used for advanced types of volleyball serves used by varsity players. 

A 'Husband and Wife' serve is one of the types of volleyball serves used by beach players serving a ball that drops between the opposing two players causing them to fight. (Craig Maccubbin)

These are the 3 types of volleyball serves 

• underhand serves
• overhand serves like the float serve 
• jump serves like the jump float and jump spin

used by indoor and beach volleyball players.

Learn more about the advanced types of volleyball serving techniques and skills like the topspin, missile, coach kill, friendly fire and husband and wife play (Aaron Suarez)

• topspin
• missile
• coach kill
• friendly fire
• husband and wife play

What is a Topspin Serve?   

During a jump serve, a server uses topspin by making contact with the upper third portion of the ball, on the top panels, after it's tossed.

To create topspin on the ball the server places their hand on the ball in such a way that it

• generates forward rotation once contacted
• making the top of the ball spin forward faster
• increasing its speed and velocity as it travels in the air to the opposing court

so it drops out of the air quickly once it crosses the net.

A server can take a 3-4 step approach behind the service line and in the air contact the top third of the ball so it spins as it crosses the court. This is called a jump topspin serve. (Henry Stern)

A server can 

• stand on the ground and do a topspin serve without jumping first 

or they can

• take a three or four step approach behind the service line and while in the air contact the top third of the ball so it spins as it crosses the court. 

This is called a jump topspin serve. 

On the beach court which is smaller in size, the topspin serve is quite effective since players have much less time to react to the serve.

If the coach calls timeout and the next team's server misses their serve the coach's strategy is considered a "kill" or that point is attributed to the coach's action, this is a "coach kill"

What's a Coach Kill?

A coach kill is one of the serving terms used when a player on team a serves the ball into the net or commits a service error of any kind after the coach on team B called a time-out or substitution.

Since the coach called the substitution or the timeout to distract the opposing team's server and to break her concentration, if the coach's strategy works then the "kill" or that point is attributed to the coach's action and not due to any particular player or team action.

Friendly Fire describes what happens when a ball served by one player hits their own teammate, in the back of the head, with the ball.

What is Friendly Fire?

Friendly fire is one of those funny volleyball terms which describes what happens when a ball served by one player hits their own teammate, in the back of the head, with the ball.

This is a fault and a point for the other team.

What is the Husband and Wife Play?

When a server on one team aims the ball so it lands between two players on the opposing team it causes communication problems between the two passers.

This is a serving strategy used by beach players who purposefully serve the ball so it lands between the left side and right side players on the opposing team, causing the two players to "fight' over who is going to receive serve.

Husbands and wives "fight" over things so this is why this has become commonly used beach volleyball jargon used in serving. 

What's a Missile?

A "missile" is a term used in volleyball that describes the type of super hard driven serve made by a player.

A missile is a tough serve which may or may not end in a direct point. 

If a server serves a missile that hits the floor before anyone can pass it then it results in a direct point also called an ace in volleyball, since the passers aren't able to pass this type of ball.

This has been an important message by your favorite volleyball coach! That's me!!

Thanks for visiting.

Be sure to check out more of my volleyball articles by clicking one of the links below!  (April Chapple)

Follow me on Instagram @coach_apchap to improve your game even faster!

I share alot of individual, partner and easy-to-do volleyball serving drills we do in class with my followers.

Many of these volleyball practice drills you can do at home by yourself or try at your next practice with your teammates.

If you're a B team or JV player trying to make varsity next year...your goal should be to complete 1000 reps a day of at least three of the basic skills on your own...volleyball passing, serving and setting should be at the top of the list. 

1. Improve Your Volleyball Performance with Private Volleyball Coach April Chapple
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2. How To Coach Girls Volleyball in Vegas Coach April's Guide To Coaching
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3. Types of Volleyball Serves Topspin, Missile, Coach Kill, Friendly Fire

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