The Power Of The Ace In Volleyball: Improve Your Team's Serving Game

An ace in volleyball is your way to victory! This guide offers strategies for volleyball coaches to develop powerful servers that dominate from the service line 

This guide offers strategies for coaches to develop powerful servers that can regularly serve an ace in matches and dominate from the service line (High School volleyball varsity jump float serve Dan Morgan Creative Commons photo)

What's an ace in volleyball?

An ace in volleyball is a serve that directly results in a point, without the opposing team being able to return the ball.

It's the ultimate goal for any server, because it allows your team to score a point without having to rely on your teammates.

As a high school volleyball coach, whether you're leading the varsity, junior varsity, or freshman team, teaching your players how to serve effectively and score aces can be a game-changer.

To score an ace, your serve needs to cross the net and land inside the opposing team's court line boundaries often without being touched by any of their players.

To be clear, if anyone on the opposing team does make contact with the ball but can't return it over the net or keep it in play, it's still considered an ace.

The key is to make your serve as tough as possible so the other team cannot replay the ball and get it back over the net. 

As a freshman coach, your focus should be on teaching the basics of serving technique and helping your players develop consistency.

Start by emphasizing the importance of a proper toss, contact point on the ball and follow-through.

Encourage your players to practice serving regularly, both during team practices and on their own time.

For your practices set achievable goals, such as successfully serving a certain number of balls in a row or hitting specific targets on the court within a certain amount of time.

For junior varsity coaches, your players probably have a bit more playing experience and are ready to start learning more advanced serving techniques.

Introduce them to the float serve, which involves hitting the ball with a flat hand contact so the ball travels over the net with minimal spin or float, causing it to move unpredictably in the air.

Ryanwils, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Work on drills that focus on serving to specific zones on the court, such as deep corners or the space between players (known as "the seam").

Varsity coaches, your players are probably already proficient in basic serving techniques and may even have experience with jump serves.

Your goal should be to improve and refine their skills and help them develop a strategic approach to serving.

Encourage them to study the opposing team's passers and identify weaknesses to exploit.

Teach them how to vary the speed, placement, and trajectory of their serves to keep the other team guessing.

Start with simple exercises, like serving to a partner across the net or aiming for specific targets on the court.

As your players improve, increase the difficulty of your drills by adding pressure situations, such as serving after running a sprint or having to score a certain number of points in a row.

What's An Ace In Volleyball And How Do You Serve For Points Regularly?

One effective drill for all levels is the "serving ladder."

Set up cones or markers at various distances from the net, each representing a different point value.

Players must serve to these zones, starting with the closest and moving back after successfully hitting each one.

This drill helps players develop accuracy and control while also adding a competitive element.

Another important aspect of serving is the mental preparation needed before during and after the serve.

Teach your players to develop a pre-serve routine, which might include

• taking a deep breath
• bouncing the ball a specific amount of times
• measuring your steps from the service line
• visualizing the serve
• repeating a positive affirmation

This routine can help them stay focused and calm under pressure, increasing their chances of executing a successful serve.

As a coach, it's also crucial to track your team's serving stats during matches. Keep a record of each player's serving percentage, aces, and errors.

Use this data to identify areas for improvement and to celebrate individual and team successes.

Encourage your players to set personal goals related to their serving performance

When it comes to game situations, emphasize the importance of serving aggressively but intelligently.

While it's tempting to go for the ace every time, sometimes a well-placed serve that forces the opposing team out of system can be just as effective.

Teach your players to recognize when to take risks and when to prioritize consistency.

For freshman coaches, focus on helping your players build confidence in their serving abilities.

Celebrate every success, no matter how small, and provide constructive feedback when errors occur.

Encourage them to cheer each other on and create a supportive team environment.

Junior varsity coaches, your players are likely starting to develop their own serving styles and preferences.

Encourage them to experiment with different techniques and find what works best for them.

Introduce them to the concept of serving zones and help them understand how to use their serve to set up an effective block or defense.

What's An Ace In Volleyball And How Do You Serve For Points Regularly? If the ball doesn't come back to your side or if it hit the floor on the opposing team's court without any player touching it, then you scored a volleyball ace. (Mark Shaiken)

Varsity coaches, your players should be well-versed in various serving strategies and techniques.

Work with them to develop a serving game plan for each match, based on the strengths and weaknesses of the opposing team and the strengths and weaknesses of each server.

Some servers will have a better short serve than others or some can serve the line better than others so plan accordingly. 

Encourage them to take calculated risks and to trust their skills in high-pressure situations.

One advanced serving technique to teach your varsity players is the jump spin serve.

This serve involves tossing the ball high, taking a dynamic approach, and hitting the ball with topspin as you jump.

While more challenging to execute consistently, the jump spin serve can be a powerful weapon when you can control all aspects of this skill.

To help your players improve their jump spin serve, break down the technique into smaller components and practice each one separately.

Start with the toss, then move on to the footwork and approach, and finally the contact and follow-through. Use video analysis to help players see their own technique and identify areas for improvement.

Another important concept to teach your varsity players is the idea of serving to the "seams" between players. By targeting these spaces, you can create confusion and hesitation among the opposing team's passers, increasing the likelihood of an ace or a poor pass.

In addition to technical skills, it's important to create a team culture that values aggressive serving.

Encourage your players to take smart risks and to view serving as an opportunity to score points, rather than just a way to start the rally.

Celebrate aces and tough serves that put the opposing team out of system, even if they don't result in a direct point.

As your players become more skilled and confident in their serving abilities, introduce more game-like serving drills into your practices.

One example is the "pressure cooker" drill, where players must serve successfully to stay in the game, with the stakes increasing each round.

This drill simulates the high-pressure situations players will face during matches and helps them develop mental toughness.

Another way to help your players improve their serving is to encourage them to practice visualization techniques.

Have them close their eyes and imagine themselves executing the perfect serve, focusing on the feel of the ball, the sound of the contact, and the trajectory of the serve.

This mental practice can help build confidence and improve performance.

Finally, as a coach, it's important to lead by example when it comes to serving.

Demonstrate proper technique, share your own serving strategies, and show your players that you value aggressive, intelligent serving.

Create a team culture that celebrates taking risks and learning from mistakes, rather than one that punishes errors.

Mastering the art of serving and scoring aces is a crucial skill for any volleyball player, and it's up to coaches to help their teams develop this skill.

Whether you're coaching a freshman, junior varsity, or varsity team, focus on teaching proper technique, incorporating serving drills into your practices, and fostering a team culture that values aggressive, strategic serving.

By doing so, you'll help your players become more confident, effective servers and increase your team's chances of success on the court.

Remember, an ace in volleyball is more than just a point – it's a chance to seize the momentum and dominate the game from behind the service line.

Private or semiprivate volleyball indoor/sand lessons are an excellent way for young Las Vegas high school volleyball players to quickly improve their individual skills through a private or semi-private coaching experience. These lessons are conducted by former pro volleyball player, former USA Volleyball High Performance instructor and Evaluator and Tstreet Vegas 18s head Coach April Chapple on a weekly basis. Sign up now!

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I share alot of individual, partner and easy-to-do volleyball serving drills we do in class with my followers.

Many of these volleyball practice drills you can do at home by yourself or try at your next practice with your teammates.

If you're a B team or JV player trying to make varsity next year...your goal should be to complete 1000 reps a day of at least three of the basic skills on your own...volleyball passing, serving and setting should be at the top of the list. 

Okay here's where you need to go now! There are three options: 

1. Learn more about Smart Volleyball Playing by clicking the Related Links below. .
2. Follow the suggested reading on our Sitemap page Learning How To Play (Sitemap)

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