A Critical Review of Service-Technique Teaching in Youth Volleyball
The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the importance of using developmentally appropriate serving strategies that will promote the game of volleyball and facilitate learning while minimizing injury. A critical review of serving discusses the main developmental, maturational, and technical issues related to socialization and long-term development in volleyball. Teaching complex serving styles (such as the jump serve to athletes under the age of 14) might have implications for athletes’ long-term development and might lead to injury. The adoption of developmentally appropriate practices in coaching young athletes is still a novelty for many coaches. Therefore, this article stresses the importance of implementing adapted or modified games and of teaching skills in a progressive fashion to aid development.