Volleyball Serving Drills For Beginners Learning To Underhand Serve

Volleyball Serving Drills
What To Work On In Practice - Underhand Volleyball Serve Practice

Volleyball Serving Drills
Synchronized Team Serving Drill

During my Breakfast Club for College Players summer training for college players in Vegas home for the summer we work on partner jump float serving technique where two servers at a time in two different lines serve behind Zone 1 and Zone 5 to a designated spot on the opposing court. 

Pairs work together to get the ball "in" and if one player in the serving pair misses their serve neither of the two score a point for their team. 

So no point for the two people serving and no point for the team they represent so the pressure feels like its double the weight.

The more we do this drill the more the server feels the weight of making their serve in. 

Volleyball Serving Drills
Serving Down The Line Drill

When  you look at my players you'll see (or shoudl see) that all of them have the same serving form and technique. We work hard on -

• keeping the elbow close to the ear
• watching their hand when they contact the ball
• watch how their hips are facing where they want to serve the ball (we were working on serving line to zone 5)
• all of them are or will contact the ball at the same spot on the ball, so the upper part of the palm just below the knuckles contact the middle panels of the ball 
• working on a consistent toss on every serve so I know exactly where to contact the ball

Volleyball Serving Drills
Chair Serving Drill

Players are given a specific amount of time to serve a pre-determined number of balls to the target area formed by the chairs. hitting the middle of the chairs is rewarded more than just hitting the chairs in this case but coaches can come up with their own rules in order to make this a tougher or easier drill. 

Volleyball Serving Drills

Serving in Volleyball Definition and Words For The Volleyball Service

Jump serve-when a player uses a spike approach behind the service line to contact the ball in the air to send it over the net to start the rally

Volleyball Serving Drills

She really can do it all 💁‍♀️

💻 » https://t.co/VXI8U6JlYN#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/QTpCsXFg6F

— Stanford Women's Volleyball (@StanfordWVB) December 8, 2024

Kami has been serving aces like this since she was 12 playing and training here in Vegas with me. If you need proof go to my Volleycats Elite VBC Instagram account to confirm. 

(Be sure to check out her Sports illustrated article in the sidebar.)

Ready to take your serving to the next level?

I help future college-bound servers who practice religiously but plateau... elevate themselves to next-level serving precision without wasting more time on generic drills but through personalized training that transforms practice into measurable improvement.

My private training sessions are specifically designed for college-bound athletes who refuse to settle for "good enough" serving.

Limited spots available for serious players only.

Volleyball Serving Drills
Server vs Passer Drill

This simple server vs passer drill is one of the passing drills I do with my club volleyball players, clients and college volleyball players that I train, done to improve ball control skills and to improve their ability to get the ball to the target consistently from anywhere on the court. Katelyn starts in this video in the left back video for a certain amount of time or a certain amount of reps and then we move to middle back and do the same and then right back before moving on to the next drill.   

Volleyball Serving Drills
Repetitive Serving Cross Court

Serving slang is not just about individual techniques; it also relates to overall game strategy. A coach might instruct a player to serve a "short serve" or a "deep serve" to target specific areas of the opponent's court or exploit weaknesses in their serve receive formation. 

Ari, my private training client and I are working specifically on serving on jump float cross court serves ...short to Zone 2

There's so much we work on to get to this point where she can contact the ball with

• the same toss height and same toss location
• the same armswing speed 
• the same timing for when her serving hand contacts the ball
• the middle of the hand contacting the middle of the ball every single time
• getting use to watching her serving hand contact the ball at the highest point of her jump ...before she starts to land
• and finally contacting the ball in the precise spot on the ball so it goes where the coach wants the player to put it so in this case ..a short serve in the farthest short right corner on the court also called Zone 2. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Proper Volleyball Serve Technique

Click to read How To Serve A Volleyball: A Step By Step Guide for Beginners

1. How can I improve my volleyball serve?

Regular practice is key to improvement. Additionally, you can focus on elements such as having a consistent toss, utilizing your whole body for the serve, aiming for different target areas on the court, and varying the speed and spin of your serve.

It can also be beneficial to work with a coach or more experienced players for specific tips and feedback.

Click to read How To Improve Volleyball Serve Skills For Float, Jump and Spin Serves

2. What kind of serve gives the most control?

For beginners, the underhand serve will most likely provide the most control. As your skills improve, you might find that the overhand serve gives you a good balance of control and power.

What is the most difficult type of serve to return? It can be subjective and depends on the skills of the receiver. Usually, many players find the float serve difficult to return due to its unpredictable trajectory. A well-executed jump serve can also be very challenging to return due to its speed and power.

3. How can I make my serves more powerful?

Power in serving comes from a combination of arm swing speed, timing, and body momentum.

Working on your physical strength, particularly in your core and serving arm, can also help generate more power in your serves.

4. What is the most difficult type of serve to return?

It can be subjective and depends on the skills of the receiver. Usually, many players find the float serve difficult to return due to its unpredictable trajectory. A well-executed jump serve can also be very challenging to return due to its speed and power.

5. Can I touch the line while serving in volleyball?

No, you cannot touch the line. While serving, you need to stay behind the end line until you have contacted the ball.

Stepping on or over the line before the ball has been hit is considered a foot fault, and results in the serve going to the other team.

Need help with getting the ball over the net when you serve? Read my article Volleyball Serve: Use A Float Serve or Jump Serve?

6. Why is my serve going into the net/too long?

If your serves are going into the net, it may be because you could be making contact too low on the ball or you are not generating enough power with your pre-serve technique.

If your serves are too long, you may be swinging at the ball too hard, with too much follow through, too high, or leaning back too much on contact.

Making adjustments in these areas can help improve your serves. I love to help my clients identify what they need to do in order to develop a consistently tough serve. 

Remember that volleyball is about teamwork, skill, and most importantly, enjoyment! Train hard, play fair, and always enjoy the game.

Have more questions? Feel free to reach out to me at april@improveyourvolley.com. I'm here to help you become the best volleyball server you can be!

Click to read my article: How To Become A Superstar Server With A Good Serve

Ready to take your serving to the next level?

I help dedicated athletes tired of the same serving drills...master advanced serving techniques without boring repetition with my elite-level training that makes every practice session count toward college recruitment..

My private training sessions are specifically designed for college-bound athletes who refuse to settle for "good enough" serving.

Limited spots available for serious players only.

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Volleyball Serving Drills 
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From Lady Vol to Legend: Coach April Honored At UTK Champions Weekend

Lady Vol volleyball legend and record holder Coach April Chapple a University of Tennessee, Knoxville Hall of Fame Inductee, 3-time All American, 3-time SEC Champion, SEC Tournament MVP, 2-time All SEC Team is celebrated with her 1984 SEC champion teammates at Neyland Stadium during Champions Weekend on November 1-2, 2024.

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• former USA National team member
• one of the few American women players named as an Italian Pro League D-I Championship Finalist, Italian Cup Finalist and Cup of Cups Tournament Finalist

April Chapple The first First round Draft Pick For Major League Volleyball the first American Women's Pro League Honored At Athlete Unlimited Pro Volleyball Match

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