How Do You Serve in Water Volleyball?

If you are in the process of learning how to play  water volleyball, you are probably interested in the basics. The first thing you will need to learn, is the serve. The serve in water volleyball is how you start the game, so arguably, its the most important skill to learn. For those who may not know, serve in water volleyball is the first strike of a point. Generally, the team that won the last point is responsible for serving the ball to the other team. At the same time, there are a lot of rules regarding serving in water volleyball that go beyond just the general volleyball rules. 

Furthermore, this may take a bit of practice to master. What do you need to know about serving in water volleyball? There are several important points to keep in mind.

The First Point of the Match After Water Volleyball Serve

For the first point of the match, there is not a prior point to figure out who should be responsible for serving. Therefore, a coin toss is usually used to decide who goes first. The team that wins the coin toss gets to decide whether they serve or receive. Just because they won the coin toss doesn't necessarily mean they have to serve.

You Can Serve Overhand or Underhand In Water Volleyball

If you are the one serving in a water volleyball game, you have two options for serving the ball. The first option is called the underhand serve. Usually, you strike the ball with your dominant hand. Therefore, if you are right-handed, you should hold the volleyball in your left hand. Then, you should use your right hand to strike the ball from the bottom, serving it over the net. You want to serve the ball using a closed fist. That way, you provide enough force to the ball to get it over the net. The ball has to land in the court. If there are out-of-bounds markers on the other side of the net, the ball must land within these markers.

The preferred type of service is the overhand serve. A lot of people like to serve the ball overhand because they can generate more power. On the other hand, it is harder to get the ball in the court using this type of serve. Therefore, you may want to practice a few times. When you strike the ball using an overhand serve, you may want to try to place topspin on the ball. That way, you can drop the ball on the other side of the net before it sails over the back out-of-bounds marker. In addition, you may want to jump out of the air in order to strike the ball from a higher angle. This will make it easier for you to get the ball in the court.

The Second Strike on the Ball

The other team is responsible for striking the ball next, trying to get it back over the net after the serve. If the ball hits the water in bounds before the other team was able to hit it, the serve is termed an ace, and the team that served the ball automatically wins the point. If the ball does not land in bounds, it is deemed an out-of-bounds serve. The team that was receiving the ball gets the point.

If the ball was going to land out of bounds, but the other team hits it before it lands out of bounds, the team that served the ball still gets the point. Importantly, it is challenging to master a serve in water volleyball. Therefore, it may take a bit of practice before someone masters the overhand serve.

Get the Best Pool Volleyball Equipment from Dunn Rite

The serve is one of the most important shots in water volleyball. If you are looking for the best water volleyball equipment, you should look at the selection from Dunn Rite. For example, you may want to take a closer look at the  AquaVolly water volleyball unit. Or, if you really want to go all out for your water volleyball unit for your swimming pool, you might be interested in the SlamVolly water volleyball unit. If you have questions about the best water or pool volleyball equipment, do not hesitate to reach out to the professionals at Dunn Rite. Our Pool Volleyball units are built to last at Dunn Rite! We offer the best materials and construction to last a lifetime, for pool volleyball summer after summer. Shop our Deck Mounted Pool Volleyball Units or our Portable Pool Volleyball Units.

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