|Written by Bill Hanks|
Learning to serve overhand in volleyball isn't all that hard to do. Most young athletes begin with the underhand serve. This is because they want to be successful. However, the best way to serve is with an overhand serve. The reason young athletes have a hard time doing the overhand serve is because they are hitting downward. They also don't possess the strength or control of their arm action.
Here are some helpful tips for young athletes.
Balloon use. First start the young athlete out by using a balloon. The impact won't hurt their hand and a balloon is slow enough to let the young athlete work on arm control. Do not worry about where the balloon goes. Just focus on the toss, hit and follow through. If a player has a hard time, have them hit the balloon from their hand as they hold it. From a balloon, progress to a beach-ball.
Start at the spiking line. This line is only ten feet from the net. Have Your players stand behind this line and repeatedly try to hit the ball over the net from there. As they improve, back them up in distance.
Use a wall. Place a piece of colored tape on a wall. It should be net height. Have your player start at 10 or 15 feet from wall. They can practice their serve, without worrying about chasing down their ball. As they get better, move them back.
Focus on execution. Foot placement is critical. If they are right handed, their left foot should always point in the direction that they want the ball to go. Players that have their arms way out to the side, will have an open stance. As they draw back to hit the ball, have them flick their ear with their thumb. Many times this will help keep the arm in close. The toss of the ball is also important. Instead of serving, have the athlete just practice the toss and then either let the ball drop to the floor or catch it. This way the player will be able to see how far the ball is away from their body. A toss too far in front of the body means a net serve coming up. The same is true with the height of the toss.
Once a player makes a successful attempt, encourage them to stick with the new skill and avoid the underhand serve. For a parent or coach, this is hard to do. The young athlete has to repeatedly be successful, before they are convinced. Once they are convinced, then you can work on skills like a drop, floater, or curve serve. All takes time to learn.