VOLLEYBALL RULES:

Here are the fundamental, must-know rules of a volleyball game:

 Only 6 players on the floor at any given time: 3 in the front row and 3 in
the back row.
 Points are made on every serve for the winning team of the rally (rally-
point scoring).
 Players may not hit the ball twice in succession (a block is not considered
a hit).
 Ball may be played off the net during a volley and on a serve.
 A ball hitting a boundary line is in.
 A ball is out if it hits an antennae, the floor completely outside the court,
any of the net or cables outside the antennae, the referee stand or pole, or
the ceiling above a non-playable area.
 It is legal to contact the ball with any part of a player’s body.
 It is illegal to catch, hold or throw the ball.
 A player cannot block or attack a serve from on or inside the 10-foot line.
 After the serve, front-line players may switch positions at the net.
 Matches are made up of sets; the number depends on level of play.

VOLLEYBALL RULES VIOLATIONS:

Committing any of these volleyball rule violations results in a point for the
opponent.

 Stepping on or across the service line when serving while making contact
with the ball.
 Failure to serve the ball over the net successfully.
 Ball-handling errors and contacting the ball illegally (double touching,
lifting, carrying, throwing, etc.)
 Touching the net with any part of the body while the ball is in play.
 Blocking a ball coming from the opponent’s court and contacting the ball
when reaching over the net if your opponent has not used 3 contacts AND
has a player there to make a play on the ball.
 Attacking a ball coming from the opponent’s court and contacting the ball
when reaching over the net when the ball has not yet broken the vertical
plane of the net.
 Crossing the court centerline with any part of your body, with the
exception of a hand or foot. It is only considered a violation if the entire
hand or entire foot crosses the court centerline.
 Serving out of rotation or out of order.
 Back row player blocking (deflecting a ball coming from the opponent)
when, at the moment of contact, the back row player is near the net and
has part of their body above the top of the net. This is an illegal block.
 Back row player attacking a ball inside the front zone (the area inside the
3M/10-foot line) when, at the moment of contact, the ball is completely
above the net. This is an illegal attack.

COURT DIMENSIONS:
Volleyball courts are regulated at 59’ (18 m) in length with a width of 29.5' (9
m). Attack lines dividing the front and back rows are marked 9’10” (3 m)
parallel to the net. Free zones at a minimum of 9’10” (3 m) are required around
the entirety of the court with generous clearances up to 16’5” (5 m) on the sides
and 21’4” (6.5 m) in the back.

COURT DESCRIPTION:

Volleyball Courts are flat horizontal playing surfaces sized for the game
of volleyball. Indoor volleyball court surfaces are required to be made of
resilient wood flooring or poured with a synthetic urethane. The size of an
indoor volleyball court is the same as an outdoor court.

HOW TO OFFICIATE A VOLLEYBALL GAME

Volleyball officials have a number of different responsibilities, and they must

keep a watchful eye on every point for the duration of the match. Two people
form an officiating team for each match, with one acting as the head referee
who stands on the referee stand, while the other is "down" referee assisting with
monitoring substitutions and plays at the net.

Learn the rules and the nuances of the game, and pass a certification course to
become a recognized referee. Referees typically have to pass written tests and
receive the approval from the USA Volleyball region chair and commissioner to
become certified.

Practice the hand signals and understand when to make them. Referees need to
know the signals for substitutions, illegal contact and fault. Officials are
expected to make the correct call in a convincing matter almost immediately
after each play ends.

Maintain order throughout the match. Be in constant communication with your

assistant referee and the scorekeepers to make sure that both teams are
following the rules about substitutions and formations. Be open in
communicating with the captains for each team. Understand when is appropriate
to give a yellow card for a penalty or a red card for an expulsion.

Start the game by marking down the lineup and rotation for each team, flipping
a coin with the captains to see which team serves first and signaling the game to
begin by blowing your whistle.

OFFICIALS OF VOLLEYBALL GAMES

Referees

The referee is the individual at the center of the court, dressed in black and
white stripes. A referee’s duties include signaling when a rally begins and ends.
The referee is responsible for officially recognizing team requests, substitutions,
time-outs and communicating with the coaches at the appropriate times. There
are often multiple referees in a match, according to the Strength and Power for
Volleyball website.

Scorekeeper

The scorekeeper creates official records of volleyball games. Before play

begins, the scorekeeper records team and player information. Once the game
begins, scorekeepers not only track points, but also player substitutions,
sanctions and time-outs. The scorekeeper keeps an eye on the individual serving
the ball to track the rotation and notify referees of potential lapses. At the close
of the game, the scorekeeper records the final score of the game.
Assistant Scorekeeper

The assistant scorekeeper or libero tracker is responsible for updating the

scoreboard and keeping an eye on the libero. The libero tracking duty was
added in 1999. This individual records changes in the libero rotation, notifying
referees when problems occur in the rotation.

Line Judges

There are usually two line judges, one at either end of the court, usually in
opposite corners. Line judges work with the referees, signaling to assist in
making judgment calls. These officials often use flags to signal when a ball is in
or out, hits the antennae of the net, or when the server commits a foot fault, or
steps outside the line as they serve.

Like officials in most sporting competitions, volleyball officials are important in

order to control the flow of the game and enforce the rules. The volleyball
referee team includes the first referee, the second referee, the scorer and two
line judges. Without the officiating crew, the fast-paced game could easily get
out of hand if disputes regarding rules were to arise. Officials are used at every
level from high school to the pro game.