The Volleyball Serve Starts A Rally And Is Your First Chance To Score

The player in right back Zone 1 position on the court uses the overhand, underhand or jump volleyball serve to start a rally after the ref blows the whistle.  

The volleyball serve is the way

• the ball is launched over the net
• by the player in Zone 1
• on the offensive team
• which is the serving team who won the pre-game coin toss
• to start the rally
• after the ref has blown the whistle. 

The serve is your first opportunity to score a point and it's the one individual skill in volleyball that you have complete control of.  

From the moment

• you pick up the ball behind the service line,
• to once it leaves your hands for the toss after the ref blows the whistle

you literally have the ability to score points for your team, if you use the correct volleyball serving technique.

The serve is often the first offensive skill a player usually learns.

If you can't serve the ball, you can't play the game, since throwing the ball over the net isn't allowed. 

Which team can serve the ball first? 

• The team that wins the coin toss at the beginning of a match is the team that can serve first. 

How many players can serve a ball and when?

• Only one player can serve the ball at the beginning of a rally. 

Who can serve the ball?

• The player on the offensive team, who starts in Zone 1, is the only one who can serve the ball. 

Where can you serve the ball from on the court?

• The server must be behind the service line until the ball has been contacted.
  

Each official match must 

• begin with a serve from one team 
• which is sent into the opposing team's court with
• the intent on starting the rally and possibly scoring a point. 

Let's review, exactly what a serve really is. 

• The volleyball serve is the skill used to start a rally. 
• The serve puts the ball in play once the referee blows the first whistle.
• Before the first set of the match the team that wins the toss is the team that gets to serve first. 

Who's the server?

If you are the server, then at the beginning of the rally, just after the referee blows the whistle, you are the player standing behind the end line in the service zone.

How much time do you have to serve?

Within 8 seconds after the ref has blown the whistle, you can serve the ball over the net.

Also known as "the service" according to serving rules the volleyball serve

• is the action taken by a player who is in the right back position in their team's rotation

During the course of the game this player, while

• standing behind the service line
• tosses the ball to herself with one hand and
• contacts the ball with the other hand

to send it across the net into the court of the team that's in serve receive. 

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. 

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

I share alot of individual, partner and easy-to-do volleyball passing 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. 

Your three options are: 

1. You can learn more about Serving by visiting the related links below.                            
2. Follow the suggested reading on our Sitemap page Learning How To Play (Sitemap)
3. Or visit the pages in the How to Play Volleyball section in the drop down menu at the top of the page to get started. 
4. Before leaving this page Say "Hi" to Miss Tattoo the Tiger wearing the #9 jersey below.  Miss Tattoo is the starting defensive and serving specialist for the All Beast VolleyBragSwag All Star team.

Meet Tatoo the Tiger, Serving Specialist on VolleyBragSwag's All Beast Team

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