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About jbjones12

jbjones12 has been a member since May 31st 2013, and has created 11 posts from scratch.

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Volleyball Skill Development Through Having Fun!

We’re getting close to the end of the club volleyball season and I can’t believe how fast it has gone by.  It seems like just the other day I was so nervous about try-outs and if I was EVEN going to make a team.

Now, we’ve played 4-5 tournaments and been practicing a lot of hours each week.  I’ve had so much fun getting to know the girls on my team, learning how to get better at volleyball and developing my volleyball skills.

My coach, Geoff, is awesome.  He’s a lot of fun, but he’s also a really good coach.  He takes video of us and shows us what we’re doing right and wrong.  He does classroom time with us to explain why we are doing what we are doing.  He encourages each of us to get better at specific skills and he is really very patient when we aren’t doing what we’re supposed to be doing.  My mom says “He is a saint.”

In the last 4 1/2 months of playing club volleyball I feel like I’ve really gotten a lot better.  My overhand serve has been awesome lately and I’m even starting to learn how to do a jump serve.  It’s been a little frustrating because I just finally started doing great with my overhand and now when I try to do the jump serve some of my serves don’t go over.  But when I think back to a few months ago compared to where I am now, I know that I’m getting better and I’m proud of myself.

This week at practice coach had the 18 Platinum team come over and play with us.  It was crazy at first.  My team and I were like, “What?”  But it turned out to be a lot of fun.  They played with us and helped us to learn how to boost our energy, encourage and cheer for each other and play some awesome volleyball.  It was cool.

 

All About My Club Volleyball Tryouts

volleyball tryoutsOn Saturday, November 16 I had club volleyball tryouts. I tried out at Club 1 with 3 other of my best friends. I made the 12 blue team which is the second best team for twelve and under year olds, next to platinum. I am so happy and proud of my friends too because they all made a team. The only thing that stinks is that we’re all on different teams. Some of us are even at different clubs. We’ve all been playing together for a couple of years so it will be so weird playing against some of them. At tryouts I was really nervous but I gave 100% and tried really hard and I am glad I made the team.

Now that we have started practices I know everybody on the team and I have a couple of new friends. I am also getting to know the coaches. So far we have started working on the float serve, passing, and rover defense. I am looking forward to our first tournament and practices to come. Mostly I’m looking forward to getting our backpack with our all our uniforms, practice jerseys and sweats! They are so cool looking!

How to Do an Overhand Volleyball Serve

As you start playing more volleyball, especially in competitive leagues you will need to learn how to do an overhand volleyball serve. An overhand volleyball serve has more power behind it so it’s harder for the other team to return.

Here is a great video to show you the exact steps to do an overhand volleyball serve. I’ll add some advanced techniques you can use with this later, but this will help you get started.

The steps to doing this can be practiced without the ball in your house, or in your yard on your own. That way you can practice the steps and get good at them and add the volleyball later.

Getting Ready to Try Out for Club Volleyball

2 years ago I had not even heard of club volleyball and I had no idea what it was. In November, after playing for 2 1/2 years with NYS on my first recreational team and then with the YMCA on a competitive team for the last 2 years . . . I’m going to try out for the next level — Club Volleyball.

It’s kinda scary for a few reasons. First, I’m scared I won’t make it. Then, I’m going to miss my current team. I’ve been with the same team my entire time playing volleyball, which is really cool. I’ve made great friends and had some really good coaching. Thanks Coach Patrick, Dad, Coach Rich, and Coach Amber. And, of course, a big thanks to my mom who keeps track of my crazy schedule, gets me everywhere on time (10 minutes early usually), teaches me how to balance everything I have going on with being a kid and generally just ROCKS!

To help me prepare for Club Volleyball try-outs my mom has hired me a few different coaches for 1:1 instruction to give me different perspectives and influences and she’s enrolled me into every available clinic that my schedule will allow. She also lets me practice my jumping all over the house and has even given me some great ideas on ways to get better. I know I will eventually hit the spot on the ceiling she has given me as a goal. Most importantly she’s given me great encouragement and been there every step of the way. I love you mom!

If you have a goal — go for it! It doesn’t matter if it’s to try out for club volleyball or to just start playing volleyball or if it’s to learn to dance or be in a school play. My mom tells me that “yes, you’ll be afraid sometimes, but embrace the fear and do it anyway!”

I’ll keep practicing like crazy for the next few weeks and I’ll update you on how my club volleyball try-outs go once it’s over. Here’s a few pictures of one of my recent lessons. Oh, and one of the coolest things I learned on Sunday is how to do my jump serve – Thanks Coach Chad! “Left step, toss, gallop, jump then swing!” I’m working on it.

learn volleyball serve         Serving a Volleyball        volleyball serving

Serving a Volleyball – The Basics of An Underhand Serve

It seems like everyone is always excited to overhand serve, but what you really want to do is win games and serving in volleyball is the great equilizer! When you’re just starting out and learning to serve a volleyball, the underhand serve is the way to go.

The underhand serve is pretty simple and can be very powerful if you do it right! This video shows you the basics so you can get started, then you just have to practice, practice, practice.

Remember, an accurate in bound underhand serve is much better than a fancy out of bounds overhand serve, so don’t worry about doing overhand serves right away. I’ve been playing volleyball for 2 years and I’m just now starting to overhand serve consistently. And, when we are in a clutch game situation, I don’t want to let my teammates down so I often rely on my predictable, killer underhand serve.

Hey, it won me “Best Server” on the team for 4 seasons in a row!

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