volleyball over hand serve

Question
Hey,
im dayla. i have been playing volleyball since the 7th grade, but i really didn't start to get good till the 8th. well i want to know how to make a great over hand serve, because i can serve underhand great. well im pretty short, 4'11" and weigh about 80lbs, and i am just now getting ready for tryouts for freshman's. when i try and serve over hand the ball will not go over the net. i just really need help because i want to make a team but the require over hand serves. so could you just give me some tip or anything that will help me? i would appreciate it. thank you.

Answer
Good afternoon!

Some girls just have trouble serving overhand.  At every camp I direct, I tell the campers about Angie, a senior, 18 years old, on my 1994 vball team.  She never could serve overhand; yet, had a devastating underhand serve that she used each and every night.  

For most girls your age who can't serve overhand, it's a question of arm speed.  Sure you can change your toss (I'm sure you've tried!) and you can change your footwork.  But for most rising 9th graders who can't serve overhand, it's an armspeed thing.

Here are some other ideas that may help.  

Footwork:  Try a bigger left foot step (assuming you're right handed).  You may also want to try a "stroll," where you take 2 or 3 steps, the last one being with your left.  

Height Of Your Toss:  Try to toss it lower.  A toss that's too high is never easier to hit!  

Where Your Toss Lands:  Keep on changing where your toss will land.  Try tossing further in front of you.  Try tossing it more over your head.  (I don't think any of these will work, but it's worth a try! haha)  Maybe you'll find a toss that'll give you the most chance of the ball going over.  

Your Hitting Hand:  Don't drop it.  Both before and during your toss, keep it up above your shoulder, never allowing it to drop below shoulder height.  

If these don't help, then it's most likely what I thought:  arm speed. Go out and throw footballs as hard as you can.  Go out and throw baseballs.  Go and serve a vball as hard as you can.  If you can increase your arm speed, then you'll be in business.  

Finally, I disagree with your coach requiring that you overhand serve.  (Doesn't mean I'm right, means I disagree! haha)  Sometimes half of the girls on my JV teams serve underhanded, and we win.  We win a lot!!  And I told you the story of Angie.  Being able to serve overhand should no more be a requirment (in my opinion) than having a 20 inch vertical, or being able to run the mile in 7 minutes, or being able to run the 100 meters in 14 seconds, etc.  

Tell me if any of this helps you.  Please email me sometime at [email protected].  Thank you for visiting www.allexperts.com.  Please visit me at www.coachhouser.com.  Have a great weekend.  

Coach Houser