What Coach Lea looks for

The checklist she runs on every serving clip

A real email from Coach Lea: the one thing to fix, how to fix it, and a drill to start on.

Coach Lea watches every rep herself and decides what matters, in what order, and what to change first.

She checks

Toss height and placement: in front of the hitting shoulder, consistent rep to rep
Contact: firm hand through the middle of the ball for a float; wrist snap only on topspin
Follow-through: short and stopped for a float, long for topspin
Footwork and weight transfer from back foot to front
Body line: hips and shoulders facing the target
Rhythm: the same tempo on every serve, including the pressure ones

Common errors

What usually shows up on serving film

From Coach Lea's checklist, in plain words. Your athlete probably has one or two of these, not all six.

Float serve that spins

The hand wraps or snaps at contact, or the ball is tossed with spin. A spinning ball flies true and is easy to pass.

Fix: toss with no spin, contact with a flat, stiff hand through the center, stop the follow-through.

Serve into the net

Contact is too low, the toss is behind the shoulder, or the server leans back. Power is aimed down.

Fix: toss slightly in front, contact at full reach, step through the serve.

Serve long

Too much hand under the ball or a toss that drifts forward, so contact is below center.

Fix: contact the middle-back of the ball with a flat hand and finish toward the target, not up.

Inconsistent toss

Toss height changes from rep to rep, so every swing is a new problem. This is the most common root cause in serving.

Fix: a lift, not a throw. Same height, same spot, 10 reps before you ever swing.

Open shoulders or a drifting body line

Hips and shoulders aim one way, the ball goes another. Serves miss wide or lose zone control.

Fix: point the lead foot and both shoulders at the target before the toss.

Rushing under pressure

Tempo speeds up on game points. The toss gets short and the swing gets quick.

Fix: a fixed pre-serve routine — breathe, bounce, look, toss — every single serve.

Coaching references:

How to film serving

The angle that lets us see it

Side view from the hitting-arm side, 15–20 feet back, so toss height and contact point are visible
Whole body in frame, including the feet
5–10 serves of one type (all float or all topspin)
A second angle from behind the server helps with zone control but is optional

Full filming guide

Coach Lea's Quick Check

$40 per clip

Coach Lea's email within 48 hours

A real email from Coach Lea: the one thing to fix, how to fix it, and a drill to start on. One athlete, one skill, one clip.

One athleteper submission

One skilla second skill is a second Quick Check

One clipa file or a shared link

30 sec – 2 minclip length

5 – 10 repsof the same skill

Whole body in frameside view for hitting and serving

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No payment on this site: after you submit, Coach Lea confirms your clip and sends payment details. Unusable clip (angle or lighting)? One free re-submission.

Every Quick Check is watched and written up by Coach Lea Conner — FHSAA Coach of the Year, 17 years coaching, with a 2018 National Championship season on the University of Tampa staff. Meet your coaches →

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One serving clip, Coach Lea's read in 48 hours. Related: Attacking analysis · Passing analysis.

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Volleyball serving analysis: toss, contact and float