MASTER YOUR VOLLEYBALL SKILLS

ARM TOSS
- With firm wrist, arm toss the ball 18 inches - so that the ball falls to the spot just inside of the lead foot and in line with the hitting shoulder.
- hand up and back before the toss! Elbow and hand are at shoulder height throughout the entire serving motion.
SHIFT
- Shift weight to lead foot, or step forward, as you make contact with the ball.
SWING TO TARGET
- Wrist firm throughout serve.
- Contact with heel of hand through middle back of ball.
- The contact should sound like a "thud", not a "slap" sound.
- Hand follows ball to target.

FLOAT SERVE

The floater serve is the most common advanced type of serve. This serve is similar to the knuckleball in baseball. It floats through the air and may move from side to side or suddenly drop to the floor. It is difficult to receive because the flight of the ball is unpredictable.

OVERHAND FLOATER

- Stand facing the net, feet slightly staggered, foot opposite from serving arm slightly forward and pointed to the target, weight on back foot. � Ball held with both hands, holding hand underneath ball, hitting hand on top.
- Arms held out in front of body parallel to floor.
- Just prior to toss, step forward with the front foot in the direction of the target, transferring the body weight forward.
- Ball is tossed upward over head about two feet high and in front of serving shoulder. Hitting arm is drawn back behind the ear with elbow at shoulder level (simulating a throwing action)
- Tossing arm remains up.
- Shoulders drawn back to allow for body rotation into ball.
- When ball begins to drop, shoulder and arm rotates into hit, with body weight transferred forward.
- Contact is made in front of the body and above the head with the arm almost straight.
- Contact is made on the palm of the open hand with wrist remaining firm. Hand and forearm act as a unit.
- Contact center back of ball with quick action and very little follow-through.
- Palm facing target at completion of serve.
- Strive for low trajectory over net.

EXECUTION
- Start in the "Ready Position"
- Straight arms away from the body
- Extend legs and move arms from shoulders
- Contact the ball on the FOREARMS
- Finish with hands pointing to target
KEY RULES
- Be "ready" with arms at 90 degrees from your body.
- Bend at the waist - shoulders forward - hips back.
- Maintain 90 degree angle between arms and upper body.
- Legs should also be bent.
SWEET SPOT
- Ball should come off the same spot on lower forearms (just above the wrists) each time.
- The ball should be contacted at hip level as often as possible.
HIPS AND ARM SWING
- Keep hips BACK during pass.
- If you need to swing your arms, the arms should swing in only one direction (toward target) while passing.
REDIRECT
- Make sure your forearms face in the direction you want the ball to go.
- Start out facing the server, and always face the ball when you pass.
SHUFFLE STEPS
- Move to the ball without crossing your feet.
- Try to get to the spot before the ball does.
CONSISTANT CONTACT POINT
- Finish with hand alongside or within body line.

EXECUTION
- Start in the ready position facing the target.
- Spread fingers in the shape of the ball above the head.
- Form a triangle with thumbs and pointerfingers (hands should not be touching)
- Place hands directly in front of the face close to the forehead. This position is called NEUTRAL and is always the starting position for the set.
- On contact, set by extending the arms and legs.
HANDS UP EARLY SHAPED LIKE THE BALL
- Wait for ball with hands 4 to 6 inches above forehead.
- Thumbs and index fingers form a triangle through which you can see ball (triangular window).
- Rest of hands form the shape of a ball.
FREEZE
- The correct contact point is just above the forehead (hairline).
- When contacting the ball, the hands move in one direction only.
- Freeze with arms fully extended in the direction you want the ball to go. (hands are the same distance apart upon completion as they were during contact)
- Hands follow the ball.
FOREHEAD AND HIPS
- The correct body position is with the ball, forehead, and hips in a vertical line.
FACE THE TARGET
- With your right foot forward, square off to target with shoulders and feet before you deliver set
- Face your sweet spot (for outside sets - the point on the left sideline that is 3 feet from the center line) for all of your sets
LONG DISTANCE SETS
- With your right foot forward and knees bent, place weight on the back foot (left) and at contact, transfer weight to the front foot (right).

EXECUTION - Approach steps and two foot jump
- Both arms swung forward on takeoff
- Bow and arrow ready position
- Wrist snap for topspin on contact
BOW AND ARROW
- As you leave the leave the floor to jump, pull the hitting arm back with the elbow and hand at shoulder height or higher.
- The hand should be open and relaxed, with the palm facing away from the ear.
- The elbow should swing forward and rise above the head.
- Then the arm and hand swing over the top as the heal of the hand contacts the ball.
- This is followed by the palm and fingers, which then snap through the ball.
- Contact point is slightly in front of and as high as possible above the hitting shoulder.
APPROACH
- Right - Left finish. (for right handers)
- Left - Right finish. (for left handers)
- Three step or four step approach (both o.k.)
- Important to both approaches is to make the step preceding the step close a long and explosive one.
- Also, important to both approaches is to keep the knees bent for all approach steps.
- Finally, be sure to face your range spot when you make your step close.
JUMP
- Jump up (vertically) to meet ball.
- Contact the ball at the peak of your jump with a straight arm.
- Check landing spot, which should not be more than a distance of one foot past the contact point.

SEAL AND PENETRATE
- Seal the net with your hands, thumbs pointing to the ceiling a balls width apart, and arms locked. - Whenever possible extend your arms across the net (penetration).
- Keep your shoulders square to the net.
PLANT
- When you move along the net to block, plant so that you jump straight up and down.
- Land in the same place from where you jump.
- Seal and be square to the net.
CARRY HANDS HIGH
- When moving along the net and when jumping, carry the hands at shoulder height.
JUMP WITH YOUR HITTER
- The farther off the net the hitter is hitting the ball, the later the jump.
WATCH THE SHOULDERS
- As the hitters shoulders turn, try to move hands into the area.
WATCH HITTER'S HAND
- As the hitters hand turns, try to move your hands into the area.
WATCH HITTER'S EYES
- Where the hitter is looking is a good indication of where the hit will go.
ANGLE OF APPROACH
- Front your hitter.
- Blocker needs to move and set the block in the hitters angle of approach.
SETTER WATCH
- Watch the setters hands.
- Focus on the setters hands BEFORE the ball is set.