What is a 'floater serve'?

What is a 'floater serve'?

Sinjin Smith (Volleyball Player) gives expert video advice on: How important is a good serve in beach volleyball?; What is the 'underhand serve'?; What is a 'floater serve'? and more...

What you want to do for right-handers is to start with your left foot behind the service line. You don't need to take a step to hit a regular float serve. The next step is to hold the ball out in front of you, with your body perpendicular to the edge of the court. So if I'm serving in this direction, my body should be facing in this direction. Then, I'll throw the ball up just above my head, and I'll come forward with my elbow, reach up, and snap the ball above my head driving it into the other side of the court. I'm turning my body for power when I contact the ball, and I'm leaning forward so that my momentum takes me into the court. You don't want to take a step before you hit the ball, though; the step comes after you contact the ball. So if I'm holding the ball out, I'm ready to serve, I throw the ball up above my head, contact the ball high above my head (see video for point of contact), with this part of my hand (see video), just like the spike. Just to reiterate, you need to contact the ball above my head, snap, follow through, into the court. That's how you serve.