You don’t have to be a genius to know the perfect serve in any sport is one that scores a point with no effort expended beyond what was necessary for the serve itself. However, we all know that to do this repeatedly in the real world is not possible and it is, therefore, necessary to take steps that will give you the greatest chances for success beyond the serve.To begin, you must choose the type of serve you wish to use, i.e. top-spin, no-spin (knuckler), jump, etc. We will explore each of the different serves one at a time, starting with a basic two-step, top-spin serve.Since I am right-handed, all explanations will be for right-handed players. I know its probably discriminatory, but giving the limited amount of time time and space I have, please forgive my onesidedness.Hold the ball in your left hand at a comfortable distance from the baseline. Step forward with your right foot first, followed by the left, which will provide the momentum needed to put good top-spin on the ball. Just as you are placing your right foot on the ground, toss the ball slightly in front of you so that when you take your second step the ball will be directly over your head. Your toss should lift the ball approximately twice your height, giving you time for your second step.
Leave your left arm extended upward as though pointing at the ball, the way a tennis player does during their serve. This will help you concentrate on the ball and help keep your shoulders square to the court.
At this point it is critical that you put all other thoughts aside and keep all your concentration, and your eyes, on the ball. If you take your eyes off the ball, even a little, you will mis-hit and not achieve good top-spin. Now, lean slightly back on your second step and swing your right arm up at the same time you are pulling your left arm down, which will add power to your serve.
You want to contact the back of the ball with your arm fully extended and your hand open but rigid, with your fingers slightly separated, giving you good contact on the ball.
Top-spin is achieved by pulling your wrist forward and down as you contact the ball. Good follow-through with your right arm is very important when trying to create the greatest amount of top-spin, which will cause the ball to arc over the net and drop sharply into the court.
One of the greatest benefits of the top-spin serve is that if you aim deep enough the back row players on the opposing team will often think the ball is going beyond the end line and let it go. However, the top-spin will force the ball down into the court, often on or just inside the baseline, giving you that much coveted, “ACE” serve.
The crowd will go wild, your teammates will lavish you with high-fives and most importantly, your coach will be very pleased.
Next, we’ll examine the “knuckler”, or no-spin serve, which will move erratically through the air, making it very difficult to read and return.
Most players who use the knuckler take two steps forward when serving. Again, this adds momentum and starts you on your way into your defensive position. The difference between the knuckler and top-spin serves is the position of the toss and the contact you make with the ball.
Toss the ball in front of you so that after your second step the ball is still 6-8 inches in front of your nose. This will keep you from leaning back or reaching behind you, which results in top-spin. Now, keeping your hand flat and perpendicular to the floor as you slap the back of the ball. You must resist the temptation to pull your fingers downward and to follow through with your swing, which will also result in creating top-spin.
A knuckling ball will fly farther than a top-spin serve, so keep that in mind when choosing what kind of power to put behind your hit. The ball will also have the tendency to drop suddenly as it slows, especially if the air in the gymnasium is warm, so don’t be afraid to hit deep.
Finally, we’ll briefly explore the jump serve, which in reality is simply a top-spin serve on serious steroids.
To accomplish the jump serve you will need to back up at least 10 feet from the baseline. This will give you the needed room to make your approach and execute your serve without being called for a foot fault.
The toss in a jump serve is considerably higher than the other serves, usually 3x your height, and three or four feet in front of you. When tossing the ball, it’s best to provide a little top-spin to begin, which serves a two-fold purpose. First, it will tend to generate more concentration on the ball and more importantly, it will help keep your serve down.
The jump serve is, for lack of a better term, a spike from behind the baseline. It has the same type of approach and execution as an attack at the net without the annoyance of having a couple of 6′10″ blockers in your face.
The jump serve is also the most difficult serve you can attempt, so if you choose to utilize this as one of your weapons, make sure your hours of practice are sufficient to keep your percentage of playable serves regularly above 98%.
As with all sports, the key to a good serve is practice. If you have access to a court and a good number of balls, you’re way ahead of the game. If you have one, set a basket, or even a jacket, in the middle of the opposite court and serve the ball to that spot until you can come within a few feet of the object 75% of the time. Then move the target around the court and repeat the practice.
Many coaches, especially at the high school level, like to direct their server to place the ball in a certain location. He/She may see a weakness in the opp0nent, or a strategy forming they want to interrupt. If you can place your serve where your coach wants it you will be a valuable asset on the court.
Lastly, and certainly the most important rule of serving is this… KEEP THE BALL IN!!! It matters not how beautiful or stylish your serve might be, or how graceful you look flying through the air on your jumper, if the other teams doesn’t have to handle it. An easy serve that stays in 100% of the time is better than a blinding serve that sails out of bounds or dives into the net. Do whatever is necessary to keep your serves playable and you’ll develop into an asset to your team and you’ll spend a lot less time on the pine.
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