Using Your Hands to Receive a Serve

From Coach Houser

An answer to the debate on serve-receive using your hands.

Long ago in volleyball history, using your hands to make first contact after the serve was voodoo bad. However, these days the rules have changed and using your hands is an effective and allowable way to return a serve. But, is using your hands the most effective way to receive the ball?

Here is the new rule paraphrased: "Multiple contacts are now legal on all first contacts, whether it is on serve receive, digging, passing frees, etc."

It is a change, but make a note that lifts are still just as illegal as they always have been.

Also note, there is no change in the rules for 2nd and 3rd contacts. So a 2nd contact double or lift will still be called by the referee! A 3rd hit slamma-jamma may still be called a lift!

So, what will the referees consider illegal? Most referees here in Virginia have adopted the following philosophy: If the 1st contact isn't an obvious, no-doubt, back hard throw, then there will be no whistle.

So encourage your girls to use their hands as often as possible.

I really like my players to use their hands when passing a free ball and I ESPECIALLY encourage my players to use their hands when passing a floater, where hands are much superior to arms.

Before you say, "Why teach arms at all?" consider this:
What would you expect your players to do with the spike that ripped at their shoes? And how will your girls pass the tough spinner serve? So even though hands on 1st contact is becoming more and more prevalent, probably 70% of all first contacts are still with a players’ forearms.

A question that’ll come to mind is, "Why was the rule even implemented?" The intent of the new rule was to allow more rallying, to make ball control a little easier to learn, thus making the game more exciting. And it SURE HAS!!! Allowing players to double-contact first hits has made the game more interesting, made rallies last longer, and made passing and digging easier to learn.