What do you think about underhanded serves?

VBLIStaff · **What do you think about underhanded serves? -** 08-01-2006, 09:18 AM

strazzere · 08-01-2006, 10:55 AM

I think it depends on your definition of an underhand serve.

Playing beach - I've seen 4 people get bonked in the fast with a skyball that they lost in the sun - or floated with extreme wind.

I've also seen a short underhand barely crawl over the net.

Outdoors it can be a pain if you loose it especially since you cannot take the ball with your hands on the serve receive.

Indoor it's just silly - but if you have a bummed shoulder, or can't get it over any other way - then do what you must.

For now I say - little to no comment, no other answer fits me

tbarbera · 08-01-2006, 11:15 AM

Only Skyballs.

-Tyler

BHitterDPasser · **Depends on the level... -** 08-01-2006, 01:01 PM

If it's a rec league and the server is having trouble keeping it in the court, go for it. If it is anything more than that, the underhand serve is typically equivalent to a free ball. I wouldn't use it unless you really want to practice defense.

NewEnglandRT · 08-01-2006, 04:24 PM

It depends largely on level. A well placed lollipop is better than a topspin ripper one step away from the best passer on the opposing team.

Wifey will kill me, but if you've been playing more than a year you'd ought to be able to serve overhand consistently... not hard, not unbelievable, but consistently. If you can't you haven't given it the time it deserves. It's like pitching or being the quarterback... it's the only time one player is in complete control of the play. If you're not taking advantage you're leaving alot on the table.

Serve tough all the time, everytime.

strazzere · 08-01-2006, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NewEnglandRT

It depends largely on level. A well placed lollipop is better than a topspin ripper one step away from the best passer on the opposing team.

Wifey will kill me, but if you've been playing more than a year you'd ought to be able to serve overhand consistently... not hard, not unbelievable, but consistently. If you can't you haven't given it the time it deserves. It's like pitching or being the quarterback... it's the only time one player is in complete control of the play. If you're not taking advantage you're leaving alot on the table.

Serve tough all the time, everytime.

Well - whose to say the underhand serve wasn't tough?

I mean - it looks like everyone is just seeing a chip over the net, a simulated free ball.

If you want to look at it that way - I can call every serve in the book wimpy!

Top spin is easy - know the exact direction.

Floater takes to long - doesn't always float a lot.

Jump serve you just sit on it, easy to pass.

Now - granted, those are all true - but can be hard as hell to execute the pass when served correctly. A jump serve is easy to pass, unless you serve it well. A floater is easy to pass - unless you serve it well. Top spin is easy to pass too, unless - guess what - you serve it well. Same goes to underhand - use it well, in the right situation and it sucks to be the receiver.

Now if the question posed was "what do you think about underhand lollipop-freeballesk serves" - then I wouldn't be arguing this...

kvb · 08-01-2006, 05:30 PM

If you're playing BB or B or below, serve underhand if that's what you need to do to get in in consistently. Otherwise, overhand is preferred.

If you're playing A level, you have no business serving underhand unless you are badly injured or if you have an amazing skyball.

cheetah · 08-01-2006, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NewEnglandRT

Wifey will kill me, but if you've been playing more than a year you'd ought to be able to serve overhand consistently... not hard, not unbelievable, but consistently. If you can't you haven't given it the time it deserves.

I disagree with you should be able to serve overhand if you've been playing for more then a year....it took me over 2 years to learn an overhand serve (this was just in the past few months) and it wasn't for lack of trying. My overhand still isn't very consistent, so I won't serve overhand in a high pressured situation like a tournament or during a game for my women's league when we are down points.
The underhand works well....I can put it wherever I want and it's way more consistent unlike my overhand serve.

Outta Town · 08-01-2006, 11:54 PM

My team actually took 2nd place in Mexico in the A division one year due to our female player being the only one able to get the serve over then net consistently in the 40 mile an hour wind. She was serving underhand and was able to use the wind on both sides of the net. In those conditions, Open players were reduced to rec level players since they wanted to continue to jump serve. You just can't overhand a ball as it flies sideways directly off your tossing hand.

The underhand can be used as a wiley play in the correct situations.

Air Diney · 08-02-2006, 08:35 AM

Like Cheetah,

I am at a point where my overhand serves are not consistent. I don't get a huge chance to practice all the time, but I have been working on it. I actually think I may start overhand serving more often, because it is getting more consistent.

As for underhand serve, I can put it wherever I want on the court. I always get it in, except for that once in a blue moon serve. Because I play on a A/B league, I get a lot of points every time I serve. I like the "right over the net" serve, cause a lot of people are not expecting it, and it just drops in the middle of the court. I agree wth KVB that if the level of play was a bit higher, I may not be able to get as many points as I do on my serve.