I have a volleyball game Saturday and My coach wants me to be the starting server, how can i not get nervous?

Question

Any tips, he said he wants to start strong, i'm the only boy on a co-ed team

Answer 1

Hey same with my coach. I'm always my team's starting server.  I'm sure you'll do fine. If you do somehow miss your serve remember the 3 second rule:

1 Second: Think about what you did

2nd Second: Think about how you can fix it.

3rd Second: forget about it

Answer 2

Purchase a 'practice' volleyball, which are very cheap - this ball can be used outside anywhere - even against brick and concrete walls etc.  Practice your spikes and serves against a wall, near your home. Do it for 20mins a day - you'll have extra confidence in no time. If you find this rather boring after a while, then use your other arm - which does come in handy when you are in the wrong position to spike normally.

Doing other handed serves - will lighten the mood, after you've done some killer serves.

Also develop the 'windmill' serve - this will surprise the receivers who never had experienced it before... This adds extra spin to the ball.

Already for your regular spike serves you should be spinning them (adding the extra wrist movement upon contact with the ball) - such that when you hit the top of the net, it will alway go over.

Enough practice will eliminate the nervousness.

Answer 3

practice as much as you can get in and work hard on hitting it over. follow through on your serve.

when your not playing just don't think about it.

everyone is going to get nervous just don't think about it.

when the game starts line up, and serve.

if you get it over your nerves should be over,

you will hear everyone cheering.

i play club and enjoy it so much.

volleyball is great(;

Answer 4

Sing songs inside your head

It helps me :)

Answer 5

Just focus! when you get back to the line just take a deep breathe and bounce the ball twice (it helps me think about something else) and serve it up! always imagine the ball going over and it will! Just tune everyone out and have confidence good luck you'll do great!

Answer 6

I believe that you have the skill to earn that merit as a starting server. You just need more confidence to make yourself more comfortable.

I would recommend that you get to the game earlier and borrow the game ball to practice your serve for a few more minutes than your normal routine, so you have better feel of the game ball, and better control over where you want the ball to land.

Answer 7

Alcohol! but not just before the game

Or tiring exercise, but not just before the game

Or enlist to fight in Iraq, it'll give you something worse to worry about and the game will seem trivial.

Answer 8

There is no need to be nervous. This is just a game after all. The worst thing you can do is make a mistake and coaches don't mind mistakes if you learn from them. Your coach trusts your abilities and put you there for a reason and hopes you'll get a good run going at the start of the game. Don't put so much pressure on yourself.

Just serve the ball, then run on the court to play defense.

By the way, this might ease your mind. Did you know that each side of the volleyball court is about the same size as a 3 car garage? That means if you can hit the side of a barn with a ball, then you'll do fine. Use this perspective when you serve and you'll be great.

Whatever you do, don't get scared and whiff the ball. Serve it like you do in practice, after all, that is what the coach likes in the first place.

You'll be fine, and years from now, you'll laugh at this fear you have and think it was nothing.

Answer 9

I will combine some of the above answers.

It is an honor to be chosen as the first server.  Think of the honor, but about being worried about it.  

Take deep breaths.  That will help you relax.

Watch the ball.  In the years that I have been involved in volleyball, the court has never moved.  Why should I not watch the ball to watch the court?   Concentrate on the ball.  If you look away first, you will miss the serve.  

Volleyball is a still just a game.  If you miss the serve, what is the worst that can happen????   The other team gets a point and the serve.  In the old Roman days, if you made a mistake, you were fed to the lions.  I am not trying to say it is not important to try your best.  I am just saying that the consequences for not making every shot is not as critical as people are making it out to be.  

Good luck and have some fun.

Answer 10

Aloha from Down Unda!

Keep things in perspective!

It's volleyball!  NOT Brain Surgery!

It'll last an HOUR!  Not a year!

It's a GAME!  Not Life Threatening!

It's suppodda be FUN!  Not worrisome!

Best wishes~

Answer 11

First of all, congrats on being picked to be the starting server! Remember that if he chose you, you are the best! What helps me is just to breath. You don't really have all the time in the world, but just close your eyes, breath, spin the ball and just tell yourself that you can do it! Imagine yourself hitting it and pretend your all alone. Just relax! You can do it! Good luck at your game!

Answer 12

She wouldn't have picked you if she didn't believe in you. Believe in yourself! Soar!

Answer 13

pretend the ball is someone you hate's head. it makes it funner.

plus practice