Volleyball

History
The game of volleyball, originally called
“mintonette,” was invented in 1895 by William
G. Morgan after the invention of basketball only
four years before. Morgan, a graduate of the
Springfield College of the YMCA, designed the
game to be a combination of basketball,
baseball, tennis, and handball.
Facilities and Equipment
•Ball
•Court
•Net
BALL
The ball used for volleyball is smaller than the
basketball bladder that was used originally. For
indoor volleyball, it should have a circumference
between 65 and 67 cm when fully inflated to an
inner pressure between 4.3 and 4.6 lbs. psi. Once
inflated, the ball must weigh between 260 and 280
g. During FIVB competitions and world events,
three balls are used and must meet the same
standards as the other balls before being approved
for play.
Top 10 Best Volleyball
NET
Net height can vary depending on the age
of the players and the class of volleyball
being played. The standard height used for
men over the age of 15 is 2.43 meters
measured from the lowest point of the net to
the court floor. For women over the age of
13, the standard measurement is 2.24
meters. The net extends to each of the
sidelines on the court and should be the
same height at both sidelines.
NET
The net itself is 1 meter wide. At either
end of the net, an antenna is attached that
is 10 mm in diameter and extends 1.8
meters above the net. These antennae are
considered part of the net and are used to
delineate the vertical crossing space.
COURT
Today, courts must meet the
specifications set forth by USA Volleyball
and the international governing body, FIVB.
Indoor courts must measure 18 meters long
by 9 meters wide and have an attack area
demarcated 3 meters back from the
centerline. The lines used on the court
should not be any wider than 5 cm.
TERMINOLOGIES
ACE - A serve that is not passable and results immediately
in a point.
ANTENNA - The vertical rods (normally white and red)
mounted near the edges of the net. The antennas are mounted
directly above the sidelines and are not-in-play. Antennas
are not usually used on outdoor nets.

APPROACH - Fast stride toward the net by a spiker

before he jumps in the air.

ATTACK- The offensive action of hitting the ball.

The attempt by one team to terminate the play by hitting the
ball to the floor on the opponent’s side.
TERMINOLOGIES
ATTACK LINE - A line 3m from the net that separates
the front row players from the back row players. Commonly
referred to as the “10-foot line.”

BACKCOURT– The area from the endline to the attack

line.

BACK SET– A set delivered behind the setter’s back,

which is subsequently hit by an attacker.

BACK ROW ATTACK– When a back row player attacks the BACK SET
ball by jumping from behind the 3m line before hitting the
ball. If the back row player steps on or past the 3m line
during take-off, the attack is illegal.
TERMINOLOGIES
BLOCK– A defensive play by one or more players meant
to deflect a spiked ball back to the hitter’s court. It may
be a combination of one, two or three players jumping in front
of the opposing spiker and contacting the spiked ball with
the hands.

BUMP – a common term for forearm passing.

BALL HANDLING ERROR– Any time the official calls

a double hit, a thrown ball or a lift.

BUMP PASS– The use of joined forearms to pass or

set a ball in an underhand manner.
TERMINOLOGIES
CAMPFIRE

– A ball that falls to the floor in an area

that’s surrounded by two, three, four or more players. At
the instant after the ball hits the floor, it appears as if
the players are encircling and staring at a campfire.

CENTER LINE

– The boundary that runs directly under

the net and divides the court into two equal halves.
TERMINOLOGIES
CROSS COURT SHOT

– An individual attack directed at

an angle from one end of the offensive team’s side of the
net to the opposite sideline of the defensive team’s court.

CUT SHOT

– A spike from the hitter’s strong side that

travels at a sharp angle across the net.
TERMINOLOGIES
DIG

– Passing a spiked or rapidly hit ball. Slang

for the art of passing an attacked ball close to the floor.

DOUBLE BLOCK

– Two players working in unison to deflect

an attacked ball at the net back to the hitter’s side.

DOUBLE HIT

– Successive hits or contacts by the same

player. (Illegal)
TERMINOLOGIES
DOUBLE QUICK
– Two hitters approaching the setter
for a quick inside hit.

FIVE-ONE
– A 6-player offensive system that uses five
hitters and one setter.

FOUR-TWO

– A 6-player offensive system using four

hitters and two setters.
TERMINOLOGIES
FREE BALL
– A ball that will be returned by a pass
rather than a spike. This is usually called aloud by the defense
instructing players to move into serve receive positions.
HITTER
– Also “spiker” or “attacker”
JUMP SERVE
–A serve that is started by the server
tossing the ball into the air and jumping into and hitting
the ball in its downward motion.

JOUST
– When 2 opposing players are simultaneously
attempting to play a ball above the net.
JUMP SERVE
JOUST
TERMINOLOGIES
KILL
– An attack that results in an immediate point
or side out.
OFF-SPEED HIT – Any ball spiked with less than maximum force but with spin.
OUTSIDE HITTER – a left-front or right-front attacker normally taking
an approach which starts from outside the court
OVERHAND PASS – A pass executed with both hands open, controlled by the
fingers and thumbs, played just above the forehead.
OVERHAND SERVE – Serving the ball and striking it with the hand above the
shoulder.
TERMINOLOGIES
OVERLAP – refers to the positions of the players in the rotation prior to
the contact of the ball when serving.
PANCAKE – A one-handed defensive technique where the hand is
extended and the palm is slid along the floor as the player dives or
extension rolls, and timed so that the ball bounces off the back of the
hand.
POWER TIP
– A ball that is pushed or directed with
force by an attacking team.
PANCAKE
BASIC RULES AND REGULATIONS
• 6 players on the floor at any one time - 3 in the front row and 3
in the back row
• Maximum of 3 hits per side.
• Points are made on every serve for winning team of rally (rally-
point scoring).
• Player 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.
BASIC RULES AND REGULATIONS
• 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, 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.
BASIC RULES AND REGULATIONS
• 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. 3-set matches are 2 sets to 25 points and a third set to 15.
Each set must be won by two points. The winner is the first team
to win 2 sets. 5-set matches are 4 sets to 25 points and fifth set
to 15. The team must win by 2 unless tournament rules dictate
otherwise. The winner is the first team to win three sets.
Rule violations that result in a point
for the opponent
• When serving, the player steps on or across the service
line as while making contact with the ball.
• Failure to serve the ball over the net successfully.
• Ball-handling errors. 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
Rule violations that result in a
point for the opponent
• When blocking a ball coming from the opponent’s court, it’s
illegal to contact the ball when reaching over the net if both
your opponent has not used 3 contacts and they have a
player there to make a play on the ball.
• When attacking a ball coming from the opponent’s court,
contacting the ball when reaching over the net is a violation
if the ball has not yet broken the vertical plane of the net.
Rule violations that result in a
point for the opponent
• Crossing the court centerline with any part of your body is a
violation.
• Serving out of rotation/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 his/her 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