Introduction

One of the most dramatic skills in modern volleyball is the spike serve, or the jump serve, which provides an exciting and dynamic skill that is captivating for players and spectators alike. The player starts about five meters behind the end line of the court, uses a fast and explosive run up, a dynamic spike takeoff and an exciting spike action at the peak of their jump that sends the ball across the net at speeds of over 27 m.s^-1 with heavy topspin and at a sharp downward angle. The spike serve has become a dangerous offensive weapon for the top volleyball teams of today, as a great spike server can produce a number of aces over the course of a match. The spike serve is somewhat similar to the spike at the net, except the velocities after impact are somewhat lower for the serve when compared to the spike (Tant, Greene et al. 1993). A study of the spike vs. the serve for collegiate volleyball players revealed similar speeds for the male athletes but slower speeds for the female serve when compared to the spike (male jump serve 19.7 m.s^-1, male spike 22.4 m.s^-1, female jump serve 13.2 m.s^-1, female spike 17.8 m.s^-1). A study of the front row spikes of elite international volleyball spikers reported mean impact ball speeds of 27 m.s^-1 (Coleman 1993). Continue Reading