by Maureen Reilly, Clubspaces Editorial Team

Teaching overhead serves is critical to a successful volleyball team.  The keys are to assess each player’s skills, provide vocabulary, demonstrate proper form, develop drills, lead practice sessions and give feedback.

Assess each player’s skills.  Start with the basics. Watch the player attempt to do an overhead serve. Make notes on what they are doing right and what they are doing wrong. If possible, videotape each player so they can view their own form on the court.  Break down the steps one-by-one so that each player can work on specific aspects of their serve.

Provide Vocabulary.  Be sure all your players are on the same page.  Print out key vocabulary and be sure the students are clear on their meaning.  For example, does every student understand the following concepts: stance, dominant hand, target, trajectory, and posture?

Demonstrate proper form.  Show the players the proper way to do an overhead serve. Talk them through each step.  Emphasize the need for proper stance, how to hit the ball, how to aim towards the target.  If possible, show videos on professional volleyball players and break down how the athletes successfully do an overhead serve.  A video will allow you to slow down and pause at each step of the serve.

Develop drills to hone the serving skills.  Have the player stand several feet behind the baseline to insure that he/she will not foot-foul.  Set up ‘targets’ on the opposite court that players can aim at. Try having the students lie on their backs and toss the ball as high up in the air as possible. 

Practice the ‘nose to toes’ drill.  Have the player practice tossing the ball in a straight line in front of their nose so the ball will drop right in front of the lead’s toes.

Pair up.  Have students pair up to encourage one another as they go through the drills. It’s not enough to set up practice sessions though.  Each set should begin with the coach leading the practice and demonstrating proper form. Have a key objective clear for each session.

Give feedback.  Be sure the remarks are clear and concise.  When possible, show where the player is making mistakes, as well as pointing out their strengths.