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Volleyball Rules & Regulations

Volleyball Rules & Regulations

Volleyball is an exciting, fast paced sport in which
two teams (separated by an elevated net) compete
to down the ball on the opponent’s side of the
court. Formal volleyball matches must adhere to a
set of rules that control the size of the court, the
number of players, equipment specifications and
game play. Though the rules governing most levels
of volleyball are very similar, each official body has
their own specific set of rules and regulations.

The information below is a general overview of basic volleyball policies. For more specific
information regarding the particular rules of each governing body, please see the links at the bottom
of the page.

Basic Principles of the Game

Knowing and understanding the basic tenets of volleyball can be helpful for volleyball newbies and
veterans alike. That being said, here is an outline of fundamental rules of the game:

Don’t Let the Ball Hit the Floor on Your Side of the Net
The primary objective in volleyball is make the ball hit the floor on the opponent’s side of the court,
while simultaneously preventing it from dropping on your side. Volleyball players go to great lengths
to keep the ball from hitting the court—and they have the scrapes and bruises to prove it.

Three Contacts/Hits per Side

Each team is allowed a maximum of three contacts before it must send the ball back over the net.
The preferred sequence is a dig (an underarm pass made with the forearms), followed by a set (an
overhead pass with the hands), and then an attack (overhead one-handed hit directed over the net
and towards the opponent).

Teams are also permitted to block the ball as it comes over the net. The resulting contact does not
count towards the three contacts per side. In theory, this means that a team could technically contact
the ball four times (with the first contact being a block) without penalty.

Players Must Rotate Clockwise

In volleyball, six players rotate clockwise through six different positions on their side of the net. There
are three front row positions (left front, middle front, and right front) and three back row positions (left
back, middle back, and right back). Teams rotate with each new server, and no person can serve
more than once in succession.

No Player Can Hit the Ball Twice in Succession

The rules state that no player is allowed to hit the ball multiple times in row. While this principle
appears to be straightforward, it can get a little confusing: If the double contact occurs on a team’s
initial hit it is a legal play. However, the double becomes illegal if a player makes two separate
attempts to hit the ball. In other words, you may “double the ball” (volleyball slang for hitting the ball
twice) as long as it is on your team’s first contact and you made a single motion to contact the ball.

If you want to know more about the ramifications and applications of this rule, click here to check out
the guide on ball handing.

A Player May Not Cause the Ball to Come to a Rest During

Contact
Volleyball can be categorized as a “rebound” sport because the rules prevent participants from
contacting the ball for a prolonged amount of time. Players are not allowed to carry, palm or throw
the ball.

The Net is Off-Limits

No part of a player’s body or uniform is allowed to touch the net, but, participants are permitted to
play the ball out of the net during a volley and a serve.

Game Play
Like tennis, volleyball matches are broken up into individual sets (also called games); a team must
win a majority of the games in the series in order to win the match. Most matches are made up of
either three or five games. Before the start of a match, the referee will conduct a captain’s meeting
and a coin toss. The winner of the coin toss has the option of choosing to serve or to receive the
serve. The privilege of the “first serve” will then alternate between teams in subsequent games.

The first team to 25 points wins the game, but play continues until one team wins by at least two
points. For example, if the score is tied at 24-24 and team “A” scores point 25, the game is not yet
done because neither team has gained a two point advantage.

Court & Equipment

Volleyball is played on a rectangular court measuring 18 x 9 meters. The court is divided into two
equal parts by a center line and a net. The net resides over the center line and stands at a height of
2.43 m for men and 2.24 m for women.

For more information on court and equipment specifications, click here to check out the volleyball
court dimensions guide on Isport.

Scoring
A point is awarded when play stops at the end of each rally. A team does not need to be serving to
score points. This scoring method is called “the rally point system.”

Some common scoring tactic include: Setting up hits to aim at the weaker players on the team;
aiming for vacant areas on the court; or spiking the ball close-in to the opponent''''s side of the net.
Any rule infraction will also results in a point for the other team.

Substitutions
There are a set number of substitutions allotted per game (the specific amount differs according to
league and/or level of play). A player may substitute into the game only during dead ball situations.
To enter the game, a coach or player must request a substitution from the official, after which the
substitute must enter the substitution zone and wait for the referee’s approval.

The Skills
There are five fundamental skills in the sport of volleyball: serving, passing, setting, blocking, and
hitting. While it is natural to have a greater inclination towards certain skills and not others, a player
should have a general grasp of all the basic skills.

Below is a brief description of the skills and the rules that pertain to each.

Serving
The serve initiates play. While there are several different
serving techniques—the underhand serve, float serve, jump
serve, and top spin serve to name a few—the objective is
always the same: send the ball over the net and into the
opponent’s court.

To complete a legal serve, and thus begin the rally, the server
must contact the ball behind the end line and between the
sidelines. Most governing bodies restrict the amount of time a
server has to hit the ball. Once the server makes contact,
he/she can then continue past the end line and onto the main
court.

The serve may touch the net as long as it passes over to the
opponent’s side. If the server misses the serve and the ball
does not go over the net, a sideout is called and a point is
awarded to the other team.

Passing
The pass is a method of receiving an opponent’s serve and/or overhand attack. There are two
popular forms of this skill: the forearm pass and the overhand pass. Proper technique for the forearm
pass requires the passer to join the forearms together at waist level to form a platform with which to
direct the ball to the desired target. When executing an overhand pass, the player users the hands to
direct the ball.

The rules that most affect this skill are those regarding legal contact of the ball. Because it is illegal
to catch, palm, or throw the ball, the passer receiving a hard driven ball must be sure to keep contact
brief and precise.
Setting
When setting the ball, the goal is to position the ball in the air so that a teammate is able to easily
complete an overhand attack/hit. The overhand technique –contacting the ball above the head with
two hands simultaneously—is the most common method of setting. A team generally executes the
set during its second contact.

Blocking
A block is an attempt to halt an opponent’s attack by jumping with the hands overhead to create a
barrier at the net. The most common blocking violation is touching the net. Good technique can help
prevent mishaps, but sometimes, net violations are inevitable.

Hitting
The attack usually takes place on a team’s third and final contact. Because an attacker’s goal is to
down the ball on the other team’s side of the court, players often jump when striking the ball to
increase the difficulty of receiving the hit. While any player is allowed to jump and attack a ball, only
front row players may do so in the front row zone (the area between the center line and the three
meter line).

Hitters must also be conscious of the rules regulating prolonged contact with the ball.

Read more at: http://volleyball.isport.com/volleyball-guides/volleyball-rules-regulations

Rules
The rules of volleyball are simple, but they’re constantly
changing, and they can differ depending on the level of
competition. I started playing volleyball in middle school, in
2000, and since then, several changes have affected high
school and collegiate rules.
Setting up the Court
A volleyball court is 30 feet wide and 60 feet long; each side
of the net is 30 feet by 30 feet. A 2-inch line borders the
court to serve as the out-of-bounds line. Any ball that
touches the line during play is still considered “in” the court.

In volleyball, there are six people on the court at one time for
each team. Usually three people are in the front row, and
three are in the back row. The front row is sectioned off by a
line 10 feet from the net, called the “attack line” or the “10-
foot line.” Front-row players are not confined to this section
of the court, but this is where most of their playing takes
place.
Back to Basics
One thing that stays constant despite rule changes, though, is
that during each possession on one side of the net, a team can
only have three contacts with the ball. The ideal sequence of
contacts is usually a pass, a set and a hit—even the
terminology has changed over the years. These skills were
traditionally called bump, set and spike.
No player can ever make contact with the ball twice in
succession, and the ball cannot be caught or carried over the
net. A block is not considered as part of a hit, which I’ll
explain in the ADVANCED section. Each play starts off with a
serve. The server steps behind the line at the very back of the
court, called the end line, and has freedom to serve from
wherever he or she pleases as long as the foot does not touch
or cross the line. If the server’s foot crosses the end line, it is
considered a foot fault, and results in a side-out—a change in
possession—of the ball.
The server must make the ball go over the net on the serve. It
doesn’t matter if the ball touches the net on a serve anymore.
Balls that hit the net on serves and still go over and stay in
the court used to be illegal, but now they are allowed. These
serves are called “let serves.”
Rotation
Positions are numbered, one through six, starting with the
server in the back right corner. Then going in a counter-
clockwise direction, the rest of the positions are numbered.
The actual direction of the rotation is clockwise, however.
After the server finishes, the other team gets the ball, and you
get the ball back, everyone just shifts to the right one spot.
Rotation, if not fully understood, can be a very confusing
part of the game. In basic volleyball there are three players in
the front row and three in the back, and each player just
rotates to the next position as the plays go along. Any time a
player is in the back row, he or she cannot “attack” the ball
in front of the 10-foot line on the court. Attacks are also
known as “hits” or “spikes”—usually the third hit of a
possession. This rule is in effect to make sure that the strong
hitters aren’t always able to dominate the game. When the
strong hitters are in the back row, they can still attack the ball
on the third hit, but they cannot jump in front of the 10-foot
line.
Switching
Contrary to the way it may seem, there are actually positions
in volleyball, and despite the mandatory rotation, it's possible
to play the same position every play. The only catch is that if
you're not already in the position where you want to be, you
have to wait to move to that spot until after the ball has gone
over the net on a serve.
Many teams use a hand-linking system to make the switch
easier, but no player can cross another's plane of rotation
until the ball goes over the net.
Scoring
As for scoring, this has also changed. When I first started
playing, points could only be scored by the serving team, and
games went to 15 points. Matches consisted of the best two
out of three games. Now volleyball has changed to rally
scoring. Essentially, teams score points whenever the other
team messes up, and a point is awarded on every serve.
Depending on the level of competition, most matches are
now played as the best three out of five games to 25 points.
Teams must win by at least two points for games to end.
Points keep going until one team wins with a margin of
victory of two points even if the score is greater than 25.
Basic Rules & Regulations for Playing
Volleyball

by LISA PORTER  Last Updated: Aug 19, 2013 In volleyball,

each team has six players on the court at a time. Photo Credit volleyball girl image by alice rawson from Fotolia.com

Overview
In volleyball, players work together to return the ball over the net in three hits or fewer, without letting the ball touch
the ground. The USA Volleyball and International Federation of Volleyball rule books provide the standard rules for
competitive men’s and women’s volleyball in the United States.

Court
The standard competitive volleyball court measures 59 feet long by 29.6 feet wide. The center line runs under the
net, dividing the court into two equal sides. An attack line runs 9 feet, 10 inches behind the net on each side of the
court. The attack line divides the front and back zones. The net measures 8 feet, 11 5/8 inches tall for standard men’s
competition and 7 feet, 4 1/8 inches tall for standard women’s competition, according to the USA Volleyball and
International Federation of Volleyball rule books.

Players
Both teams must have six players on the court to begin play. Players follow the proper rotational order through each
set. Players rotate between six positions on the court, including three back-row positions behind the attack line and
three front-row positions in front of the attack line. Each time a team gains the right to serve, its players must rotate
one position clockwise. Once the server contacts the ball, players can move out of their rotational positions to play
the point. Players in a back-row position must not attack the ball above the net and in front of the attack line,
however.
Back to Volleyball Volleyball Player Positions Volleyball Rules Volleyball Strategy Volleyball
Glossary General Volleyball Gameplay A point or rally is started when one team serves the ball.
The player serving the ball must stand behind the end line or restraining line at the back of the
court until after they have contacted the volleyball. To serve a player hits the ball with their hand
over the net and into the opposing team's side. If the ball doesn't go over the net or hits the
ground, the point is over. The opposing team must now return the ball without letting it hit the
ground. They can hit the ball up to three times. No single player can hit the ball twice in a row
(blocks don't count). Typically a team will try to set up an attack. They use the first two hits to set
the ball for a spike or hard hit over the net. The two teams continue hitting the ball back and
forth until the point ends. A point can end by one team hitting a winning shot that hits the ground
within the opponent's court or by one team causing a fault and losing the point. Which volleyball
team serves the ball is determined by the previous point. Whoever won the previous point, gets
to serve next. At the start of a match, the first serve is determined by a volley. Team Rotation
Although players play certain roles on a volleyball team, they all must play all positions. There
are three players on the front line and three in the back. Each time a team gains the serve they
must rotate. The entire team rotates in a clockwise manner with one player moving to the front
line and another player moving to the back line. This way each player plays each spot. Scoring
Scoring in volleyball is pretty simple, but it also has changed over time. Most matches are
divided up into sets. A typical match may be a best of 5 sets where the first team to win 5 sets
wins the match. In each set, the first team to 25 points wins as long as they are 2 points ahead.
A point is scored on every rally, regardless of which team serves. It used to be that only the
volleyball team serving could score a point on a won rally. Also, sets were typically played to 15
points. This was changed in 1999. Volleyball Faults There are several ways to fault and lose the
point. Here are some examples: Hitting the volleyball illegally - you must strike the ball in a
manner such that you don't hold the ball or palm, carry, or throw it. Stepping over or on the line
while serving Not hitting the ball over the net Touching the net Reaching under the net and
interfering with a player or the ball Not serving in the correct order Hitting the volleyball out of
bounds Double hitting - when the same player hits the ball twice in a row Hitting the ball more
than 3 times 

Read more at: http://www.ducksters.com/sports/volleyballrules.php

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