Beach Volleyball Serve Receive 101

A successful beach volleyball play usually begins with good serve reception.

If you want to learn:

• what exactly the word means 
• the important points you need to consider
• how to receive the ball right

then you’ve come to the right place.

I encourage you to make use of our free tips and resources, and – if you want to go even deeper– I’ll tell you more about our online and in-person training offers at the end of the article.

Let’s get into it: 

What is serve receive in beach volleyball?

The second action after the serve in beach volleyball is called serve receive. The receiving player positions himself behind the ball, makes a passing platform with his arms angled to the target, and plays the ball high towards the net and the middle of the court, so that his partner can get under it to make the set.

Positioning

The standard formation when receiving serve in the two-player beach game is both players standing in the third quarter of their team’s side of the court, each taking up half of the area.

If there is more than a little bit of wind, a team should change their positioning:

• Stand closer to the net if the wind is blowing from behind
• Stand further away if it’s blowing from the front
• If there is side wind, move closer to where the wind is blowing from - serves hit into this area are harder to receive, and the other team will try to play the ball into the wind more often than not

Platform

To make a perfect serve receive platform, stick your arms out in front of you with the inside of your forearms and hands turned to the sky.

With your four fingers straight and together, put one hand over the other so that your flat hands are making a triangle shape.

Now, touch the meaty part of both of your thumbs together. Press your thumbs down so they’re on top of your other fingers, side-by-side and pointing straight ahead.

How to receive serve perfectly in beach volleyball

1. Go into an athletic stance with your feet wider than your shoulders
2. Wait for the serve at the receiving position
3. See the path of the serve and move your feet behind the ball
4. Form your platform and angle it towards the target
5. Pass the beach volleyball forward and towards the middle

To further practice your technique, you should be using special beach volleyball serve receive drills.

Want to learn perfect reception from us, in person?

At our Better at Beach intensive camps, you get the chance to absorb insider technical knowledge and receive expert instruction from experienced, professional coaches. 

AND you'll be having a blast being around like-minded volleyball lovers—combining training and vacationing at the most beautiful beach spots in the US & all over the world.