How to Float Serve in Volleyball: 6 Ace Scoring Tips And Strategies

Learn 6 tips on how to float serve to exploit opposing team weaknesses target weak passers or spot best court placement to increase your chances of scoring aces.

When you become a junior varsity player you need to learn the strategies used by varsity players on how to float serve in volleyball in order to score more aces and points for your team. (Dan Morgan photo)

Serving in volleyball might seem simple when you're a beginner in high school, but when you become a junior varsity player you need to learn the strategies used by varsity players on how to float serve in volleyball in order to score more aces and points for your team.

In volleyball, a good serve can really turn things around especially if you're the player on your team who can spot the other team's weak points.

If you get your serve right, it can help your team score more points.

In volleyball, a good serve can really turn things around especially if you're the player on your team who can spot the other team's weak points.

Why?

Because this is how you get more playing time at the varsity level.

Each one of these secrets and suggestions can be the game-changer, which shifts control to your team by exploiting the opponent's weak passers and the vulnerable spots on the opposing team.

In this article I will teach you how to float serve, transforming your standing float or jump float serve into a consistent point scoring weapon so YOU become the tactical server known for analyzing the receiving team's passers during rallies in order to identify weak receivers or susceptible areas.

In this article I will teach you how to float serve, transforming your standing float or jump float serve into a consistent point scoring weapon so YOU become the tactical server known for analyzing the receiving team's passers during rallies in order to identify weak receivers or susceptible areas. (photo usc jump server neon tommy)

Keeping an eye on what's happening on the court and remembering player tendencies and patterns developing during past plays is a crucial volleyball skill.

I always tell my players to be aware of the game around them.

Knowing what's happened in past plays can help you figure out how to use the other team's weaknesses to your advantage.

This savvy skill in volleyball that you need to improve is called "reading the game" in order to anticipate what will happen "next."

Varsity volleyball players have learned to "see and interpret early" what is happening and what is about to happen in the game happening around them on court and you will need to to do the same.

When its your turn to serve, as you walk back behind the service line, your intent should be on how to float serve in a way to score a direct point. (photo volleyball jump serve Gallery Three)

I teach my Boot Camp players and private clients the importance of talking about what's going on as they see it happening and to talk about what they see transpiring on the court all the time.

This helps you the player analyze each play as it unfolds so you can read, anticipate or spot the opposing team’s weak points in their offense.

Then you need to remember what happened in the past rallies and previous plays to help you create a a smart serving strategy that will help you score points from the service line.

When its your turn to serve, as you walk back behind the service line, your intent should be on how to float serve in a way to score a direct point.

In this article I will teach you how to float serve, transforming your standing float or jump float serve into a consistent point scoring weapon so YOU become the tactical server known for analyzing the receiving team's passers during rallies in order to identify weak receivers or susceptible areas. Big Ten Penn State Player Float Serving (photo by John O' Brien)

How To Pick Who to Serve To

There are two types of float serve targets for you to go after or aim for with your serve

1. weak passers on the opposing team
2. strategic areas on the opposing team's court

If you want to increase your possibilities of serving for points, you need to identify who and where the weak passers are on the opposing team.

Ryanwils, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

If you want to increase your possibilities of serving for points, you need to identify who and where the weak passers are on the opposing team.

Here some things to look for so you know exactly where to aim the ball to maximize the possibility of scoring an ace. 

Watch for players who appear scared or nervous in serve receive.

Their lack of confidence in their passing ability or lack of experience makes good targets to serve to.

Take advantage of the player who just made the last passing error.

If you served a ball to a passer who made a passing mistake, keep serving them and do not take the pressure off of them because if they can make one error they can make two or three.

zigazou76, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A lot of high school players find it hard to shake off a passing mistake and their irritation with their error will show on their face and in their body language.

Go after that player with your jump float or standing float serve while they are still thinking about the previous play.

Identify areas on the court that specific passers find tricky to pass from.

Pay attention to spots that make it difficult for the setters to set good sets to their hitters from.

Many times, coaches like myself, establish the volleyball serving strategies against an opposing team by telling you the servers where to serve.

Learn 6 tips on how to float serve to exploit opposing team weaknesses target weak passers or spot best court placement to increase your chances of scoring aces. (photo Matt Duboff girl jump float serve)

2017 Canada Summer Games, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

However, there are times that I like to let the server choose where to serve, so if your coach doesn't "call or signal" you to serve a particular person or spot on the court use one of these strategies to spot potential targets.

Self talk can play a big part in how to float serve for points in volleyball.

What you tell yourself as you walk back to serve is important since you have an opportunity to score a point for your team by yourself.  

Its important to put yourself in the right mindset so you can aggressively and smartly attack the ball with your serve from behind the service line.  

Here are some suggestions and some reminders on some things you can tell yourself before serving in volleyball.

"I want a specific passer to mess up or shank the ball or if I can't force them to do that then at the very least I want my serve to force the opposing team to give our team an easy ball that we can defend or pass and run an attack against them.”

"I want to serve a ball that puts them in a difficult situation where I force one of the passers to have to move out of their comfortable passing position to pass my tough or well-placed serve."

Usually one, all or a version of these thoughts should pass through your mind during practices and then in your matches as you make your way back behind the service line to prep for your serve.

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. 

Your three options are: 

1. You can learn more about Serving Strategies by visiting the related links below.                            
2. Follow the suggested reading on our Sitemap page Learning How To Play (Sitemap)
3. Or visit the pages in the How to Play Volleyball section in the drop down menu at the top of the page to get started. 
4. Before leaving this page Say "Hi" to Miss Tattoo the Tiger wearing the #9 jersey below.  Miss Tattoo is the starting defensive and serving specialist for the All Beast VolleyBragSwag All Star team.

Say "Hi" to Miss Tattoo the Tiger wearing the #9 jersey below. Miss Tattoo is the starting defensive and serving specialist for the All Beast VolleyBragSwag All Star team.

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