Jump and Floater Serving?

Question

I have volleyball try-outs this week and my coach says she really wants a couple of good jump servers and 'floater' servers. My jump serve is okay, but my timing needs help and I'm pretty much clueless about the 'floater' serve. Any advice?

Answer 1

To float a serve, your arm swing needs to be quick, but instead of following through with your wrist snap, don't snap as much - if at all.  It is almost more of a "push" of the ball than a "slap".  The more arm speed you get, the more float you will give the ball, and the more "play" the ball will have.

This is what works for me.  Practice will be the best thing.  Good luck!!

Answer 2

The floater serve is actually easier than the jumper.

Stay on the ground.  (You can do a jump floater, but why?)  

Hit the ball with a flat hand and a firm wrist.

Let your arm stop the follow through naturally.  You do not want the follow through of your jumper.  But you do not want to stop your follow through either.  

Hit the middle of the ball.

Sharp contact.  

Aim at the middle of the court.  Once you decide how much your serve floats, then you can aim.

Answer 3

Hi,

A float serve is like a knuckleball in baseball - it should have no spin. The most effective float server will be hard, barely make it over the top of the net, and land deep in the court (this is called "flat"). It is a little hard to explain the mechanics in writing, but here it goes:

1-Start by holding the ball in your left hand (assuming you are righty) at eye level.

2-Bring your right hand straight back - like you are pulling a bow and arrow.

3-You want to then quickly strike the ball with the meat/palm of your hand directly in the middle of the ball.

4-You almost hit the ball off your left hand - not much of a toss.

5-Stop right after contacting the ball.  Do not follow through.

6-If you do it right, the ball will go with no spin and "float".

Don't worry about the float - if you get no spin it won't always float a lot - that is kind of random. Like I said - it is more effective if is a hard serve that barely makes it over the net and lands in the back of the court. Also, it takes a fair amount of upper body/arm strength to do correctly.

The key to being a good server is to have a serve that is hard to return which you can consistently get over the net and in the court.

Good Luck.