The Basics to Becoming a Volleyballer: Serving

As a "volleyballer" myself, I always thought that I knew the true basics to the sport we know as volleyball. I've been playing for 5 years now and it's something I've grown to be in love with. Time has progressed on since 2010, and now I am ready to put my basic skills to the test.

Serving is something that you have to get down if you're going to play at all, mainly because it is the initiation of game play. Most people begin learning to serve with the underhand serve. To do a basic underarm serve, "Stand facing the opposition court with the left foot forward. Hold the ball at the waist height with the left hand and draw back the right arm. Simultaneously lean forward, placing your weight on your left foot, and swing the right arm toward the ball. Withdraw the left hand just before contact, hit the ball with the palm or heel of the right, then follow through with the right arm" (Beeson 23).

Personally, I prefer the standing overhand serve the most, as it is the most accurate for me and the most powerful. To conduct an overarm serve, stand facing the opposite side of the court, Hold the ball in your left hand and conduct a small toss 18-24 inches in the air while swinging at the ball to hit it while at its highest point in the air (Beeson 23).

This has been my routine for all of my volleyball years, but I have recently been working to perfect my jump serve. The point of a jump serve is to get more "on top" of the ball with your hand to release more power and float on the ball. I seem to have gotten the routine down, but still working to master it.

This is my form of jump serving at a tournament.

Do you have any certain routines you like to do while playing a sport?

Citation: Beeson, Chris. Volleyball. Broomall: Mason Crest, 2004. Print.