Volleyball
Floor Markings & Player Rotation
What is important about each of these markings?
ENDLINE: Players who are serving must stay behind the line until the ball has been contacted; ball landing on the line are ‘good.’
SIDELINE: Designation for the side of the court; balls landing on the line are ‘good.’
SPIKING LINE: Back row players may not spike the ball if they are standing in front of the line.
RB = right back player; first person in the game to serve; follows CB player in the rotation
RF = right front player; follows the RB player
CF = center front player; follows the RF player
LF = left front player; follows the CF player
LB = left back player; follows the LF player
CB = center back player; follows the LB player
Rules for Self-Officiating
1. The player starting in the right-back (RB) position will start serving
2. After a ball is served, players may stand/’cover’ any area of the court on their side (try to allow all players to play, don’t be a ball-hog)
3. During the serve, all players must stand within the court boundaries except the player who is serving.
4. Rally scoring will be used, meaning that a point will be awarded on every serve (you DO NOT need to be serving in order to score a point).
5. Serves hitting the ceiling, beams or baskets are out of play.
6. During play, a ball hitting the ceiling, lights, beams or basket may be played by the team that just hit the ball. A ball hitting the ceiling, beams, lights or basket and goes over is out of bounds (a side-out is awarded).
7. After a side-out, the ‘new’ serving team rotates in a clockwise direction. The first rotation does not occur until the first server from both teams has completed their service.
8. A player may not hit the ball twice in succession.
9. The ball may be contacted a total of three times by a team before it is sent over the net.
10. A ball striking the net and going over is in play.
11. A ball may be played as soon as any part of it has crossed the top of the net.
12. A ball may be played ‘out of the net’ provided players do not touch the net.
13. Players may not touch the net or go over the centerline during play.
14. A ball hitting a boundary line is ‘good.’
15. A player may not reach over the net to play a ball; however, they can follow-through over the net on a spike.
16. A back row player may not go to the net and spike a ball (must be behind spiking line).
GAME STRATEGY:
· Receive a serve with a bump (forearm pass) or overhead pass.
· Advanced teams attempt to pass the ball to the net, slightly to the right of center on the court.
· The setter will set to options including players in front row or back row who attack the ball over the net.
· The setter seeks to disguise who is being set to keep the defense from being able to set up a multiple block.
· The second hit should always be a set by the setter if at all possible.
· Players should work to have three hits on their side.
· The first line of defense is a good block.
· Diggers let the spike rebound off their arms attempting to absorb the force and direct the ball to their own setter.
· "Transition" from defense to offense is very important for teams to be successful.
· Serves are directed towards the opponent’s weakest receivers or areas of the court that are difficult to defend.
BASIC RULES:
- A team may have no more than three hits on a side. A block does not count as one of the hits.
- A team may have 6 players on the court at one time.
- A ball landing on the line is good.
- A side-out is the loss of service and does result in a point for the opponents.
- A ball hitting the net during play is good and the team should continue to play it.
- A ball hitting the ceiling on your side of the court is considered inbounds and play continues provided you have hits remaining. If the ball rebounds into your opponent’s side of the court it is illegal.
7. Rules related to the Serve
o The player serving is in the Right Back position.
o A serve hitting the net and going over is good and the opponents must continue to play it.
o The server must be standing behind the endline and may not step on the line or on to the court when serving.
o Rally scoring (a point being scored on every serve) is now being used at the HS, Collegiate, and International levels.
o The Right Front player rotates back to serve following a side-out by the opponents.
o A server gets one attempt on each serve to send the ball over the net.
o If the server tosses the ball and makes no attempt to serve they are given one re-serve per term of service.
o A server continues to serve as long as the serving team continues to win the points.
8. Illegal hits are:
o Catching or holding the ball
o Open palms underhand
o Throwing the ball
o Changing the direction of the ball
o Double hits are legal on a team's first hit but not on subsequent hits
o Contacting the ball with any body part below the waist
9. A player may not:
o Touch the net
o Reach under the net
o Reach over the net and play a ball that is playable, except after a completed attack
o Step completely past the center line in the opponents court
o Hit the ball two times in a row except following a block or simultaneous contact with a teammate
o Attack or block a serve
10.A ball in play may be played out of the net.
11.It is illegal for a back row player to attack / block a ball that is completely above the height of the net when on or in front of the 10' line. Only front row players may attack / block the ball from on or in front of the 10' line.
12.A player may go outside the courts boundary lines to play a ball. A ball that is hit over the net from out-of-bounds must cross the bet between the sidelines/antennas.
13.Rules related to Scoring:
o Regulation HS matches are the best 2 out of 3 games played to 25 points.
o A team must have a two point lead to win a game.
o The score of the serving team is always called first.
o When a point is scored, no rotation occurs. The same server continues serving.
o The last point of the game is called "game point."
o Rally scoring is used at the HS, Collegiate, & International levels. A point is scored on every serve. (Example: Serving team misses serve - Receiving team gets a point and the ball.)
14.When a side-out occurs, the new serving team rotates clockwise. The right front player goes back to serve.
15.The volleyball court is 30’ x 60’.
16.The net is set at the height requirement for the group playing. Women’s net: 7’4.25". Men’s net: 8’. Co-ed: 7’8"
17.Substitutions are strictly limited. A player may only substitute into the game for one of the 6 positions as rotated around the court. Once in the game a player may only enter the game for that same rotational position wherever it is. Teams are also limited to a total of 18 substitutions during one game.
18.The "Libero" is a specialized player with specific rules related to the position. Some of the Rules for the Libero include:
o The uniform jersey must be contrasting in color to the rest of the team.
o Between points the libero is allowed to replace any player in a back-row position.
o The same player whom the libero replaced is the one who must replace the libero.
The libero replacements are unlimited and do not count toward a team’s 18 substitutions.
Volleyball Skills &
Fitness Components
Volleyball is a good activity to help practice and work on several fitness components.
Look at the examples listed below:
Agility – changing directions quickly while maintaining balance when a shot has been re-directed
Muscular Strength – serving a volleyball
Eye-Hand-Object Coordination – tossing a ball up and hitting an overhand serve
Spatial Awareness – knowing where you are in relationship to the net, court lines and teammates
Power – jumping to block a spike
Reaction Time – observing and then moving quickly in response to where a ball has been hit
Volleyball Movement Performance Skills
FOREARM PASS / BUMP
1. Hold your palms open and facing up, and then lay one hand on top of the other.
2. Fold your hands inward until your thumbs are side by side, pointing away from your body and slightly down. The knuckles of your fingers should be facing out. Keep thumbs parallel
3. Keep arms straight, bring in your elbows and lock them so that your forearms are as close to touching as possible, creating a flat platform from your elbows to the tips of your thumbs. Contact ball on the lower inside surfaces of the forearms slightly above the wrists
4. Keep right foot forward, bend knees, and reach out for the ball. Anticipate the flight of the ball so that you can receive it in a stationary, athletic position with your knees bent, your weight forward on the balls of your feet, and your arms extended forward and down. Use legs and shrug shoulders on contact
5. Do NOT swing the arms but instead lift with the legs whenever possible
TIPS:
The two keys to good, consistent bumping are using your feet to get in proper position to meet the ball, and keeping your elbows locked so that the ball hits a flat surface.
Bump-pass the ball high and 2 to 3 feet from the net to a position where the setter can get to it easily.
Volleyball Movement Performance Skills
OVERHEAD PASS / SETTING
1. Hold your hands above your forehead, elbows bent with your thumbs and index fingers nearly touching, making a diamond shape, with the rest of your fingers spread open
2. Right foot should be forward; bend your knees.
3. Contact ball with all ten finger pads. Push up with your legs and arms, snapping the ball upward with your hands in the direction in which you'd like it to go (as though you're Superman flying). Ideally, this causes the ball to 'hang' in the air without rotating, resting at the peak of its flight in the perfect position for the hitter to hammer away.
4.Follow through by extending arms and hands
5. Be sure to move to get under ball and set shoulders square in the direction of the set
Volleyball Movement Performance Skills
SPIKE: A hard downward hit of the ball from the top of a jump
1. Position yourself three to four strides from the net.
2. Anticipate where the ball is going so you can jump and intercept it with the palm of your hitting hand at the extent of your reach, above and slightly forward of your head. Use open hand and snap your wrist.
3. Draw your right hand back behind your head as you rise, so your open palm faces the sky - like a waiter carrying a tray.
4. Take two quick small steps (left, right) to gather your feet under you (with knees bent), while simultaneously swinging your arms behind you like a pendulum. Three step approach: left, right, left (for right handers) or right, left, right (for left handers)
5. Hammer the ball with your open right hand, snapping the wrist and swiveling your torso to put the maximum amount of topspin and velocity on it.
Volleyball Movement Performance Skills
DRIVE: A standing attack
a. A hit from the middle or the back of the court
b. Reach and contact ball at highest point
c. Hit should be strong and have top spin
d. Feet remain in contact with the ground
BLOCKING: Attempt to keep the opponents attack from crossing the net
1. Wait to jump until after the spiker jumps to attack.
2. Stand as close to the net as possible without hitting it.
3. Keep eyes open and watch the attackers approach after the ball has been set
4. Jump up straight with big arms and open hands. Block the attackers arm swing
Attempt to penetrate and block the ball on the opponent’s side of the net. Reach over the net and down to cut off the hitter's angles. Do Not touch the net.
TERMINOLOGY
Ace / A point scored as a direct result of a serveBack Row Attack / When a back row player jumps to attack (spike) a ball that is totally above the net. The jump must be from behind the 10' line in order to be a legal play.
Block / Defense of the net by jumping and using both hands to prevent the ball from crossing
Bump / A two arm forearm volley used to pass the ball up to the front row, specially the setter
Dig / A pass that is used to save a ball from hitting the ground. May be one or two arms/hands.