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Post by anneracer on Sept 28, 2014 14:24:27 GMT -5
Please weigh in-- the high school volleyball coach/athletic director at a small school has banned all younger teams in the feeder middle school from serving underhand. In a tiny community, the ages of the girls on the 7th grade team were 6th graders, the ages of the 8th grade team were 7th graders. The 7th graders did not win a single game... as they were told they MUST serve overhand (and only 2 were mildly competent). Between losing all the games, watching the girls break down on the court, and reading frustration in many of the parents, I ask for your opinion. Is it beneficial to 10, 11, and 12 year olds who have not mastered the overhand serve, to mandate that they do it in game situations? The line the coaches feed the kids is, "we are supporting the high school team when we try overhand serves." I want to bring this to the principal/school board's attention, but I'd like some articles to cite-- if anyone has any leads!
Thanks for responding- but just a tad more info- this is a tiny school in a small school bracket. The reason there are younger students on the teams is because the school grades don't have enough kids to field a team. I honestly agree that 9th and up should be overhand... but my focus and concern is 7th and 8th. I'm afraid this arbitrary rule will cause the kids who were excited to play to drop out! So if there IS research or a reason behind this rule, that's what I'm looking to the procommunity for.
Again, thanks!
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Post by mnsports255 on Sept 28, 2014 14:32:20 GMT -5
Yes it is ok! I don't know the skill level of your high school team, but if unless you guys are one of thee worst programs in the state, if these girls can't overhand serve when they are in 9th grade, they will NOT be playing high school volleyball. What this coach is doing is beneficial in the long run.
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Post by courtside on Sept 28, 2014 14:39:56 GMT -5
I completely disagree. Girls at that age don't all have the upper body strength to over hand serve let alone a coach who can teach them the proper technique without injury to themselves. I can agree with an 8th grade team requirement, but lower than that just makes it too frustrating and takes the fun out of the game. Just like a stupid high school coach who required everyone to jump serve. Lordy it was a long season. Standing float is so much more effective. Ego is too much apart of a lot of school coaches. Ruins a great sport for a lot of kids.
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Post by volleyfan24 on Sept 28, 2014 14:48:05 GMT -5
In middle school the level of play is so low it is almost always a serve and serve receive matchup.
I think it is fine. No girl will have a volleyball career underhand serving. It is literally non existent at even the high school level. A serve is a lot of timing and toss not even upper body strength and you can put your entire body into it. It may be hard but will be beneficial for them in the long run.
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Post by baywatcher on Sept 28, 2014 15:11:54 GMT -5
Technically do you not have to toss the ball in the air, even with an underhand serve? If you can't serve it out of your hand, then the girls will start to miss a lot anyway. (If you could hold onto the ball while serving you could put some nasty spin on the ball).
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moody
Banned
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Post by moody on Sept 28, 2014 15:17:03 GMT -5
It should not be banned but the coach should retain the right to beat any player who misses a serve. After all it is middle school
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Post by caavb on Sept 28, 2014 15:35:50 GMT -5
I have always introduced overhand serving in practice for all of our middle school kids (grades 5th-8th) and continue to practice it throughout the year. But if an athlete can not physically throw the ball over the net from the end line I let them underhand serve in games. Once a kid has made an overhand serve over from the end line then they have shown they can do it (even if just a few times) then I encourage them to do it in a game. I don't want a young player to hate having to go to the service line.
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Post by nakedcrayon on Sept 28, 2014 15:42:10 GMT -5
I have always introduced overhand serving in practice for all of our middle school kids (grades 5th-8th) and continue to practice it throughout the year. But if an athlete can not physically throw the ball over the net from the end line I let them underhand serve in games. Once a kid has made an overhand serve over from the end line then they have shown they can do it (even if just a few times) then I encourage them to do it in a game. I don't want a young player to hate having to go to the service line. This
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Post by volleyballd on Sept 28, 2014 15:54:55 GMT -5
The way youy have worded your question and how you have described the situation is very biased.
I don't know the entire situation, but i do agree that the coach should hold them to the highest standard possible. It sounds like they are doing just that. There is no career for an underhand server, a team that is taught to freeball instead of Pass-Set-Hit everytime, and a team that doesn't teach all the skills to all the players. If i was a parent, i would be happy to see that a coach was challenging my daughter to be better for the long run and i would support him an dexplain to her how the coach is making her better by challenging her for the future.
As a parent, you can either supoort the learning and the higher standard, or you can be negagtive and feel bad becuase your daughter isn't great at a skill she is still trying to master.
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Post by bigfan on Sept 28, 2014 16:01:21 GMT -5
Just let them play.................underhand, overhand...........who cares!
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Post by trollhunter on Sept 28, 2014 16:07:00 GMT -5
The line the coaches feed the kids is, "we are supporting the high school team when we try overhand serves." I want to bring this to the principal/school board's attention, but I'd like some articles to cite-- if anyone has Why exactly do you feel entitled to "go to principal or board" over this??? It simply amazes me the sense of entitlement that spoiled kids and parents have these days
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Post by bigfan on Sept 28, 2014 16:25:02 GMT -5
[quote author=" trollhunter" source="/post/1192179/thread" timestamp="1411938420"It simply amazes me the sense of entitlement that spoiled kids and parents have these days[/quote] Sad deal.
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Post by badgerbreath on Sept 28, 2014 16:32:29 GMT -5
They should be encouraged to serve overhand, and they should be practicing it. Also it is also important to learn that it's OK to miss now and then. If the girls are just playing it safe by underhanding it, they will never get better.
That said, if they always fail, they will also not get better. There is more to volleyball that serving and they can learn that while learning to serve overhand. Also, not every player goes on to play at a higher level, but you still want them to have fun.
I think this kind of heavy handed legislation is always bound to fail. But it sounds like there could be something else going on here, so I'm loathe to say more.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 28, 2014 16:48:00 GMT -5
The line the coaches feed the kids is, "we are supporting the high school team when we try overhand serves." I want to bring this to the principal/school board's attention, but I'd like some articles to cite-- if anyone has Why exactly do you feel entitled to "go to principal or board" over this??? It simply amazes me the sense of entitlement that spoiled kids and parents have these days Exactly. You're a parent so parent your daughter, the coach is the coach so let him/her coach. It doesn't matter what your opinion is or what anyone else's opinion is. All that matters is what the coach thinks. Dont go to the board or the principal over this. It will just make you look like a stuck up parent with a spoiled kid. For the record I agree with you that if the girls can't serve overhand they should be able to serve underhand. Just because I agree with you doesn't mean the coach is wrong. It is his/her opinion and that's the bottom line.
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Post by courtside on Sept 28, 2014 17:47:58 GMT -5
I completely disagree. Girls at that age don't all have the upper body strength to over hand serve let alone a coach who can teach them the proper technique without injury to themselves. I can agree with an 8th grade team requirement, but lower than that just makes it too frustrating and takes the fun out of the game. Just like a stupid high school coach who required everyone to jump serve. Lordy it was a long season. Standing float is so much more effective. Ego is too much apart of a lot of school coaches. Ruins a great sport for a lot of kids. Stop coaching them to use their upper bodies. Power comes from core not arms. that's only possible if you have a coach who can teach them....that was my point. and let them play....
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