Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six

players are separated by a net. Each time tries to

score points by grounding a ball on the other team’s
court under organized rules

A. COURT DIMENSIONS

SPORTS A volleyball court is 9 m

INTRODUCTION × 18 m, divided into equal

square halves by a net
with a width of one meter
(39.4 in). The top of the
net is 2.43 m
(7 ft 11+11⁄16 in) above the
center of the court for
men's competition,
and 2.24 m (7 ft 4+3⁄16 in)
for women's competition,
varied for veterans
and junior
competitions.

The minimum height

clearance for indoor
volleyball courts is 7 m
(23.0 ft), although a
clearance of 8 m
(26.2 ft) is
recommended.
A line 3 m from and
VOLLEYBALL parallel to the net is
considered the "attack line". This "3 meter" (or "10-foot")
line divides the court into "back row" and "front row"
areas (also back court and front court). These are in turn Arm Sleeves
divided into 3 areas each: these are numbered as follows,
Arm sleeves in volleyball are used for both comfort and
starting from area "1", which is the position of the serving
player: protection. They can help protect the arms from floor
burn or can be used as compression sleeves for improved
After a team gains the serve, its members must rotate in blood flow.
a clockwise direction, with the player previously in area
"2" moving to area "1" and so on, with the player from
area "1" moving to area "6".Each player rotates only one
Knee Pads
time after the team gains possession of the service; the
next time each player rotates will be after the other Knee pads are considered
team wins possession of the ball and loses the point. necessary at most levels of volleyball. A lot of players
kneel to get the ball at lower angles, so knee pads are
important to prevent bruising and floor burns and make
B. EQUIPMENT players comfortable.

To play volleyball, all you really

need are a few players, a ball,
and a net. However, there are
many other equipment pieces that
can improve the quality of your
game.
Ankle Braces
While ankle races aren’t technically required, they are
very important for people playing volleyball on a regular
basis. Ankle injuries are the most
common injuries that occur in
volleyball, leading to may veteran
volleyball players and coaches to
consider ankle braces as necessary
accessories.
Elbow Pads
While elbow pads aren’t as important for protection as
knee pads and ankle braces, they are still important.
Their importance is especially amplified at higher levels
of play, as players tend to dive
more when the match they are in
is more competitive.
Ball Hammock
A volleyball hammock is used to hold volleyballs that are
not being used. The typical volleyball hammock holds 24
volleyballs, while some hammocks can hold up to as many
as 40 volleyballs.
Ball Pump
A typical ball pump that is used
for other sports can be used in
volleyball as well. Having a well
pumped ball is important: too
pumped up and it will hurt, to
soft and it will not perform
properly.
Volleyball Ball
The ball is the
single most
important piece
of equipment in
the game. A good ball will alleviate
pain caused by hitting it over the net or between
teammates. If a game is being played indoors, a leather
ball will work best. It cannot be used outside because it
may become wet and damaged.
Finger Tape
Finger tape is
used often in
many other
sports along with volleyball. Its main
purpose in volleyball is to protect the fingers from getting
hurt when hitting or blocking the
ball.
Jerseys
The typical volleyball jersey is
sleeveless athletic shirt, but long
sleeve jerseys are sometimes worn. They usually have a
number on the front and back, and the team name on the
front as well. The colors will vary depending on the team
Net
The net part of an official volleyball net is 32 feet long by
39 inches tall. For men’s volleyball, the net should be 8
feet and 4 inches off the ground, while for women’s
volleyball, the net should be 7 feet and 4 inches off the
ground. The main purpose of volleyball nets are to both
separate each side of the court, and to signify how high a
volleyball hit needs to be above the ground to be in play.
Poles
Typical volleyball net poles are between 10.5 ft and16 ft
tall. They are usually made with steel or aluminium.
While poles don’t affect a volleyball match itself, they
are obviously important considering they hold up the net.
Scorecards
Scorecards are used to keep score during volleyball
matches. They are made up of a board with colored cards
on them to signify two different teams.
C. BASIC SKILLS
Competitive teams master six basic skills: serve, pass,
set, attack, block and dig. Each of these skills comprises
a number of specific techniques that have been
introduced over the years and are now considered
standard practice in high-level volleyball.
Serve
A player stands behind the inline and serves the ball, in
an attempt to drive it into the opponent's court. The
main objective is to make it land inside the court; it is
also desirable to set the ball's direction, speed and
acceleration so that it becomes difficult for the receiver
to handle it properly.
A serve is called an "ace" when the ball lands directly
onto the court or travels outside the court after being
touched by an opponent; when the only player on the
server's team to touch the ball is the server.
In contemporary volleyball, many types of serves are
employed:
 Underhand - a serve in which the player strikes the
ball below the waist instead of tossing it up and
striking it with an overhand throwing motion.
Underhand serves are considered very easy to receive
and are rarely employed in high-level competitions.
 Sky ball serve - a specific type of underhand serve
occasionally used in beach volleyball, where the ball
is hit so high it comes down almost in a straight line.
This serve was invented and employed almost
exclusively by the Brazilian team in the early 1980s
and is now considered outdated. During the 2016
Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, however, the sky
ball serve was extensively played by Italian beach
volleyball player Adrian Carambula. In Brazil, this
serve is called Jornada nas Estrelas (Star Trek)
 Topspin - an overhand serve where the player tosses
the ball high and hits it with a wrist snap, giving it
topspin which causes it to drop faster than it would
otherwise and helps maintain a straight flight path.
Topspin serves are generally hit hard and aimed at a
specific returner or part of the court. Standing
topspin serves are rarely used above the high school
level of play.
 Float - an overhand serve where the ball is hit with
no spin so that its path becomes unpredictable, akin
to a knuckleball in baseball.
 Jump serve - an overhand serve where the ball is
first tossed high in the air, then the player makes a
timed approach and jumps to make contact with the
ball, hitting it with much pace and topspin. This is the
most popular serve among college and professional
teams.
 Jump float - an overhand serve where the ball is
tossed high enough that the player may jump before
hitting it similarly to a standing float serve. The ball
is tossed lower than a topspin jump serve, but
contact is still made while in the air. This serve is
becoming more popular among college and
professional players because it has a certain
unpredictability in its flight pattern.

Pass
Also called reception, the pass is the attempt by a team
to properly handle the opponent's serve or any form of
attack. Proper handling includes not only preventing the
ball from touching the court but also making it reach the
position where the setter is standing quickly and
precisely.
The skill of passing involves fundamentally two specific
techniques: underarm pass, or bump, where the ball
touches the inside part of the joined forearms or
platform, at waistline; and overhand pass, where it is
handled with the fingertips, like a set, above the head.
Either are acceptable in professional and beach
volleyball; however, there are much tighter regulations
on the overhand pass in beach volleyball. When a player
passes a ball to their setter, it's ideal that the ball does
not have a lot of spin to make it easier for the setter.
Set
The set is usually the second contact that a team makes
with the ball. The main goal of setting is to put the ball in
the air in such a way that it can be driven by an attack
into the opponent's court. The setter coordinates the
offensive movements of a team, and is the player who
ultimately decides which player will actually attack the
ball.
Sometimes a setter refrains from raising the ball for a
teammate to perform an attack and tries to play it
directly onto the opponent's court. This movement is
called a "dump". This can only be performed when the
setter is in the front row, otherwise it constitutes an
illegal back court attack.
Attack
The attack, also known as the spike, is usually the third
contact a team makes with the ball. The object of
attacking is to handle the ball so that it lands on the
opponent's court and cannot be defended. A player makes
a series of steps (the "approach"), jumps, and swings at
the ball.
Contemporary volleyball comprises a number of attacking
techniques:
 Backcourt (or back row) - an attack performed by a
back-row player. The player must jump from behind
the 3-meter line before making contact with the ball,
but may land in front of the 3-meter line. A Pipe
Attack is when the center player in the back row
attacks the ball.
 Line and Cross-court Shot - refers to whether the
ball flies in a straight trajectory parallel to the
sidelines, or crosses through the court in an angle. A
cross-court shot with a very pronounced angle,
resulting in the ball landing near the 3-meter line, is
called a cut shot.
 Dip / Dink / Tip / Cheat / Dump - the player does not
try to make a hit, but touches the ball lightly, so that
it lands on an area of the opponent's court that is not
being covered by the defence.
 Tool / Wipe / Block-abuse - the player does not try to
make a hard spike, but hits the ball so that it touches
the opponent's block and then bounces off-court.
 Off-speed hit - the player does not hit the ball hard,
reducing its speed and thus confusing the opponent's
defence.
 Quick hit / "One" - an attack (usually by the middle
blocker) where the approach and jump begin before
the setter contacts the ball. The set (called a "quick
set") is placed only slightly above the net and the ball
is struck by the hitter almost immediately after
leaving the setter's hands. Quick attacks are often
effective because they isolate the middle blocker to
be the only blocker on the hit.
 Slide - a variation of the quick hit that uses a low
backset. The middle hitter steps around the setter
and hits from behind him or her.
 Double quick hit / "Stack" / "Tandem" - a variation of
quick hit where two hitters, one in front and one
behind the setter or both in front of the setter, jump
to perform a quick hit at the same time. It can be
used to deceive opposite blockers and free a fourth
hitter attacking from back-court, maybe without
block at all.
Block
Blocking refers to the actions taken by players standing at
the net to stop or alter an opponent's attack.
A block that is aimed at completely stopping an attack,
thus making the ball remain in the opponent's court, is
called offensive. A well-executed offensive block is
performed by jumping and reaching to penetrate with
one's arms and hands over the net and into the opponent's
area. It requires anticipating the direction the ball will go
once the attack takes place. It may also require
calculating the best footwork to executing the "perfect"
block.
 A "roof" is a spectacular offensive block that redirects
the power and speed of the attack straight down to the
attacker's floor as if the attacker hit the ball into the
underside of a peaked house roof.
By contrast, it is called a defensive, or "soft" block if the
goal is to control and deflect the hard-driven ball up so
that it slows down and becomes easier to defend. A well-
executed soft-block is performed by jumping and placing
one's hands above the net with no penetration into the
opponent's court and with the palms up and fingers
pointing backwards
Blocking is also classified according to the number of
players involved. Thus, one may speak of single (or solo),
double, or triple block
DIG
Digging is the ability to prevent the ball from touching
one's court after a spike or attack, particularly a ball that
is nearly touching the ground.
Some specific techniques are more common in digging
than in passing. A player may sometimes perform a "dive",
i.e., throw their body in the air with a forward movement
in an attempt to save the ball, and land on their chest.
When the player also slides their hand under a ball that is
almost touching the court, this is called a "pancake". The
pancake is frequently used in indoor volleyball, but rarely
if ever in beach volleyball because the uneven and
yielding nature of the sand court limits the chances that
the ball will make good, clean contact with the hand.
When used correctly, it is one of the more spectacular
defensive volleyball plays.
D. TECHNICAL AND TACTICAL SKILLS
Along with enhancing volleyball skills, developing
volleyball strategies is an important part to team success.
TECHNICAL SKILLS
Serving
Have a philosophy. Whether your philosophy is to serve
aggressive or more conservative, you need to have a
serving philosophy that will enhance your chances of
winning at the level you are competing.
The best servers realize the importance of serving
skills. For a moment, the server has complete control of
the game. To a degree, their serve dictates how the rally
is going to be played out.
I think many coaches don't take serving seriously. Most
players serving skills aren't as good as they should
be. Serving is a skill that a player has complete control
over. Being able to put on a tough serve is a skill players
can't afford to not develop.
Learn to serve under pressure. Serving repetitively in
practice gives your players a chance to better the skill,
but it doesn't give them the experience and pressure of
game situations.
Some serving volleyball strategies for learning to serve
under pressure...
 Find a way to pressure your servers in
practice. Play scrimmage in practice and keep
score. Penalize a team or individual players for
missing serves or for not serving tough enough.
 Keep the pressure on your servers in every
match. Every team at some point plays opponents
that are under matched. Use this as an
opportunity to work on serving. All too often I see
players lose focus and not care how they
serve. Even though it may appear you are going to
win easily, by using this time to put the pressure
on your servers, they'll be ready for when it really
counts.
Serving is probably the most under developed skill in
volleyball. Every team should develop serving strategies.
There's no better way of taking control of a game than
with an unstoppable server.
Passing
Passing tough floaters. Common volleyball strategies for
passing include having players try and cradle the ball on
their arms when they pass, thinking players can get
better control of tough floaters the longer the ball stays
on their arms.
Although this is usually a good idea, it may be better to
be more aggressive when passing, particularly if the ball
is floating well.
I like to think of it as, you playing the ball, instead of
the ball playing you.
Passing with your hands or forearms? I thing taking the
ball with your hands instead of your forearms on serve
receive and other first ball contacts is a good idea in
certain situations.
Some good volleyball strategies for using your hands
are...
 Control the ball with your hands, and don't worry
about doubling. Seeing as though it's legal to
double contact on the first ball, players can be
taught to take this first ball with their hands in a
more controlled manner by intentionally doubling
it for a more control pass.
 It's usually easier to take hard driven balls
(especially deep serves) with your hands than
trying to forearm pass them.
The bad thing about using your hands...
between using your hands or forearms to
pass. This is a decision that you have just a split-
second to make. This is why I think it's a good idea
to know before a server even serves whether you
have given yourself the option to use your hands
or not. If the server has served balls that were too
tough to pass with your hands in the past, it might
be a good idea to commit to using your forearms
to pass before they even serve.
Serving volleyball strategies for good placement are...
 If you're playing against a passer that is short and
doesn't like using their hands for passing, serve
deep.
 If you are playing against a passer that is tall and
likes to take everything with their hands, serve
short.
Keep your eyes on the ball all the way to your arms. It's
tempting to watch the ball with your peripheral vision
when passing.
The best volleyball strategies teach passers to follow the
ball all the way onto their arms. Although it takes
discipline if you aren't used to it, following the ball all
the way does make a difference.

 It can sometimes be tough to take a good floater

with your hands. Moving sideways to pass a ball
with your hands can be pretty difficult. Also,
sometimes you can get caught in deciding
Setting
Setter footwork is important. Many coaches don't care
about their setter's footwork and just focus on getting the
setter squared and in position to set. I think this is a
mistake.
Just like with other skills, consistent technique brings
consistent results. Coaches should develop
volleyball strategies for better setting involving footwork
and ball handling.
By having consistent footwork, (for example, always have
your right foot a little further in front of your left when
squaring up) allows for more consistent sets.
Setting volleyball strategies for better accuracy. Also,
there is a simple footwork technique that can be applied
when a setter is moving from the target position to where
the pass is going.
The setter can take a big right step to the spot where the
pass is going, pivot on the right foot turning to square up
to where they are setting the ball to.
Set tighter or further off simply by adjusting the
position of the right foot. If a setter is having trouble
keeping their sets off the net, they can simply keep their
right foot out in front of them a little bit more than
usual.
This will open up their body to the court a little bit which
will result in setting further off. On the other hand, if
they are having trouble setting too far off, bring that
right foot back (by continuing the pivot) closer to a
neutral position.  a player is. If a player is still fairly inexperienced, it will
Attacking
Strategies for attacking involve learning many different
types of hits and shots. Attacker’s footwork is often a
controversial topic.
Approaching at one speed versus quick last steps. Many
volleyball strategies for approaching just emphasize
taking fast steps. This may be good for when first
teaching volleyball players the approach, but more
experienced players need to have a quick last couple
steps.
By having your last steps be quicker than your previous
steps, you will better utilize the stretch shortening cycle
and stretch reflex of your muscles and nervous system
therefore increasing your jump and quickness.
Should attackers try to change their steps if they are a
wrong-footer? Volleyball strategies for footwork include
deciding if it's necessary to correct attacker’s footwork.
Changing an attacker’s footwork is probably the hardest
skill in volleyball to change.
If you're successful attacking with how your steps are
now, it may not be worth the hassle. Obviously, the
sooner you start to make the change, the easier it will
be.
Making the change really comes down to how determined
probably be easier for them to switch the steps because
of they have a less developed motor pattern of movement
(not as strong of a habit to change).
Advantages of a wrong-footed approach. Right handed
hitters that are wrong-footed (also known as goofy-
footed) may be better at hitting down the line on the left
side.
After stepping right-left-right on the left side, your body
is facing more square to the net. Since it's usually easier
to hit the direction you're facing, wrong footer's may be
more comfortable hitting down the line on their strong
side rather than having to turn or cut back angle.
Wrong-footers often have the appearance of jumping
really well. Since they're not in the best position to hit
after they jump, they spend more time adjusting while in
the air.
This extra time they take to adjust their body position
makes it appear they jump higher than they actually
do. It's really just a greater amount of hang time before
they hit.
This is a reason why it's often harder to block wrong-
footers, because it's hard to get a read on their body
position and the extra time in the air can throw off a
blockers timing.
Disadvantages of a wrong-footed approach. I think the
biggest disadvantage to being a wrong-footer is the added
importance of having to get to the best spot on the court
to jump and hit from.
For example, when approaching correctly, a hitter has
the ability to float or drift to the ball if they need
to. Their take-off point isn't as important.
So a wrong-footer needs a better read on the ball coming
from their setter because it's more critical where they
jump to hit from.
Blocking
Most volleyball strategies for blocking can be divided
between two concepts, area blocking and read blocking.
Area blocking. Area blocking is when the blockers have
predetermine what area they are going to take away from
the hitters.
Blocking strategy usually consists of taking away the
oppositions most likely shot (area they are most likely
going to hit to) with the defense covering the other area
of the court.
Read blocking. Teams with bigger blockers and not so
great defensive players may use the strategy of read
blocking.
With this strategy, blockers are allowed to try and read
the hitters during the attack. Blocking decisions are made
on the fly and where a blocker is going to block can be
unpredictable.
Obviously this is good that your opponents don’t know
what you're blocking, but a lot of times neither do your
defenders.
Ready position for blocking. Blocking volleyball
strategies should include more than just standing at the
net with your hands in the air.
Blockers should be in an athletic stance ready to
move. They don't just need to be ready to block.
Blockers need to be ready to...
 Hit an overpass
 Pull off and pass an overpass
 Move to block the setter’s attack hit or dump
 Pull off the net and be ready to be set in
transition
Digging
Good volleyball strategies for digging include expecting
the ball, reading the hitter, and focusing on playing the
ball to your target.
Expect the ball to be hit to you. By expecting the ball to
be hit your way, you will be ready to play every ball.
Digging often takes more concentration than passing. You
have less time to react and the ball is coming
faster. Good volleyball strategies involve anticipating that
you will be the one playing the ball to allow better focus
on making a successful play.
Read the hitter, but don't cheat. Watch the hitter for
clues of what they are going to do with the ball; swing
hard, hit a cut shot, tip, etc. You don't need to guess.
With practice you will be able to run down their shots
without cheating.
Don't just play the ball; pass it to your target. We often
get in awkward positions when making defensive
plays. It's easy to get in the habit of just trying to get the
ball up.
Really focus on passing to the spot that would be best for
that particular play.
Play the ball with two arms if possible. Sometimes you
get caught in awkward positions trying to make a
defensive play.
Even though it's good to try and make a one arm dig if you
have to, the best volleyball strategies involve getting two
arms on the ball if possible. 
TACTICAL SKILLS
Player specialization
There are five positions filled on every volleyball team at
the elite level. Setter, Outside Hitter/Left Side Hitter,
Middle Hitter, Opposite Hitter/Right Side Hitter and
Libero/Defensive Specialist. Each of these positions plays
a specific, key role in winning a volleyball match.
 Setters have the task for orchestrating the offence of
the team. They aim for the second touch and their
 main responsibility is to place the ball in the air
where the attackers can place the ball into the
opponents' court for a point. They have to be able to
operate with the hitters, manage the tempo of their
side of the court and choose the right attackers to
set. Setters need to have a swift and skilful appraisal
and tactical accuracy and must be quick at moving
around the court. At elite level, setters used to
usually be the shortest players of a team (before
liberos were introduced), not being typically required
to perform jump hits, but that would imply need for
short-term replacemente by taller bench players
when critical points required more effective blocks;
in the 1990s taller setters (e.g. Fabio Vullo, Peter
Blangé) became being deployed, in order to improve
blocks.
 Liberos are defensive players who are responsible for
receiving the attack or serve. They are usually the
players on the court with the quickest reaction time
and best passing skills. Libero means 'free' in Italian—
they receive this name as they have the ability to
substitute for any other player on the court during
each play. They do not necessarily need to be tall, as
they never play at the net, which allows shorter
players with strong passing and defensive skills to
excel in the position and play an important role in the
team's success. A player designated as a libero for a
match may not play other roles during that match.
Liberos wear a different colour jersey than their
teammates.
 Middle blockers or Middle hitters are players that
can perform very fast attacks that usually take place
near the setter. They are specialized in blocking since
they must attempt to stop equally fast plays from
their opponents and then quickly set up a double
block at the sides of the court. In non-beginners play,
every team will have two middle hitters. At elite
levels, middle hitters are usually the tallest players,
whose limited agility is countered by their height
enabling more effective blocks.
 Outside hitters or Left side hitters attack from near
the left antenna. The outside hitter is usually the
most consistent hitter on the team and gets the most
sets. Inaccurate first passes usually result in a set to
the outside hitter rather than middle or opposite.
Since most sets to the outside are high, the outside
hitter may take a longer approach, always starting
from outside the court sideline. In non-beginners
play, there are again two outside hitters on every
team in every match. At elite level, outside hitters
are slightly shorter than middle hitters and outside
hitters, but have the best defensive skills, therefore
always re-placing to the middle while in the back
row.
 Opposite hitters or Right-side hitters carry the
defensive workload for a volleyball team in the front
row. Their primary responsibilities are to put up a
well-formed block against the opponents' Outside
Hitters and serve as a backup setter. Sets to the
opposite usually go to the right side of the antennae.
Therefore, they are usually the most technical hitters
since balls lifted to the right side are quicker and
more difficult to handle (the setters having to place
the ball while slightly off-set to the right, and with
their back to the attacker), and also having to jump
from the back row when the setter is on the front
row. At elite level, until the 1990s several opposite
hitters used to be able to also play as middle hitters
(e.g. Andrea Zorzi, Andrea Giani), before high
specialization curtained this flexibility in the role.
At some levels where substitutions are unlimited, teams
will make use of a Defensive Specialist in place of or in
addition to a Libero. This position does not have unique
rules like the libero position, instead, these players are
used to substitute out a poor back row defender using
regular substitution rules. A defensive specialist is often
used if you have a particularly poor back court defender
in right side or left side, but your team is already using a
libero to take out your middles. Most often, the situation
involves a team using a right side player with a big block
who must be subbed out in the back row because they
aren't able to effectively play backcourt defence.
Similarly, teams might use a Serving Specialist to sub out
a poor server.
Formations
The three standard volleyball formations are known as "4–
2", "6–2" and "5–1", which refers to the number of hitters
and setters respectively. 4–2 is a basic formation used
only in beginners' play, while 5–1 is by far the most
common formation in high-level play.
4–2
The 4–2 formation has four hitters and two setters. The
setters usually set from the middle front or right front
position. The team will, therefore, have two front-row
attackers at all times. In the international 4–2, the
setters set from the right front position. The international
4–2 translates more easily into other forms of offence.
The setters line up opposite each other in the rotation.
The typical lineup has two outside hitters. By aligning like
positions opposite themselves in the rotation, there will
always be one of each position in the front and back
rows. After service, the players in the front row move
into their assigned positions, so that the setter is always
in the middle front. Alternatively, the setter moves into
the right front and has both a middle and an outside
attacker; the disadvantage here lies in the lack of an
offside hitter, allowing one of the other team's blockers
to "cheat in" on a middle block.
The clear disadvantage to this offensive formation is that
there are only two attackers, leaving a team with fewer
offensive weapons.
Another aspect is to see the setter as an attacking force,
albeit a weakened force, because when the setter is in
the frontcourt they are able to 'tip' or 'dump', so when the
ball is close to the net on the second touch, the setter
may opt to hit the ball over with one hand. This means
that the blocker who would otherwise not have to block
the setter is engaged and may allow one of the hitters to
have an easier attack.
6–2
In the 6–2 formation, a player always comes forward from
the back row to set. The three front row players are all in
attacking positions. Thus, all six players act as hitters at
one time or another, while two can act as setters. So the
6–2 formation is actually a 4–2 system, but the back-row
setter penetrates to set.
The 6–2 lineup thus requires two setters, who line up
opposite to each other in the rotation. In addition to the
setters, a typical lineup will have two middle hitters and
two outside hitters. By aligning like positions opposite
themselves in the rotation, there will always be one of
each position in the front and back rows. After service,
the players in the front row move into their assigned
positions.
The advantage of the 6–2 is that there are always three
front-row hitters available, maximizing the offensive
possibilities. However, not only does the 6–2 require a
team to possess two people capable of performing the
highly specialized role of setter, it also requires both of
those players to be effective offensive hitters when not in
the setter position. At the international level, only the
Cuban National Women's Team employs this kind of
formation. It is also used by NCAA teams in Division
III men's play and women's play in all divisions, partially
due to the variant rules used which allow more
substitutions per set than the 6 allowed in the standard
rules—12 in matches involving two Division III men's teams
and 15 for all women's play.
5–1
The 5–1 formation has only one player who assumes
setting responsibilities regardless of their position in the
rotation. The team will, therefore, have three front-row
attackers when the setter is in the back row and only two
when the setter is in the front row, for a total of five
possible attackers.
The player opposite the setter in a 5–1 rotation is called
the opposite hitter. In general, opposite hitters do not
pass; they stand behind their teammates when the
opponent is serving. The opposite hitter may be used as a
third attack option (back-row attack) when the setter is
in the front row: this is the normal option used to
increase the attack capabilities of modern volleyball
teams. Normally the opposite hitter is the most
technically skilled hitter of the team. Back-row attacks
generally come from the back-right position, known as
zone 1, but are increasingly performed from back-centre
in high-level play.
The big advantage of this system is that the setter always
has 3 hitters to vary sets with. If the setter does this
well, the opponent's middle blocker may not have enough
time to block with the outside blocker, increasing the
chance for the attacking team to make a point.
There is another advantage, the same as that of a 4–2
formation: when the setter is a front-row player, he or
she is allowed to jump and "dump" the ball onto the
opponent's side. This too can confuse the opponent's
blocking players: the setter can jump and dump or can
set to one of the hitters. A good setter knows this and
thus won't only jump to dump or to set for a quick hit,
but when setting outside as well to confuse the opponent.
The 5–1 offence is actually a mix of 6–2 and 4–2: when the
setter is in the front row, the offense looks like a 4–2;
when the setter is in the back row, the offense looks like
a 6–2.
E. RULES OF THE GAME
You may have stumbled upon volleyball on
television. You're watching the game, the referees make
a call, and you don't understand why. Maybe you have a
sudden interest in volleyball now that your daughter has
made the high school volleyball team. You want to
understand the rules the best you can so you can cheer
her team on. Maybe you're a player that often gets
frustrated when a referee makes a call that you don't
understand. Maybe you're coaching and looking for every
advantage you can get to help your team win. Maybe
you're a recreational volleyball player that is looking for
that edge you need.
Whether you're a coach, athlete, parent, fan, or just a
recreational player, it's a good idea to be familiar with
the basic volleyball rules.

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.
 Each team can hit the ball up to three times before
the ball must be returned. The defensive team can
then try and block or return the ball again hitting it
a maximum of three times.
 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 RULE 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.
 F. HOW TO OFFICIATE THE SPORT
Officials play multiple roles in volleyball, they are the
overseers of the game, the peace keepers in tense
situations and the deciders in close calls. Officials are the
unsung heroes of all sports but this is especially true in
Volleyball. Volleyball consists of multiple officials and
each one has a different role or responsibility.
In general the 1st referee will be responsible for starting
each rally and signalling the serving team to serve,
watching for obvious faults during live play which include
but are not limited to: double contact, carry, 4 hits, net
touches, back court violations & Hand overs.
There are many other faults which the 1st referee is
required to look at for however this is where the help of
the 2nd referee comes into play.

Just from the faults noted above you can see the 1st
referee has a lot on their plate, not to mention the fact
1st
they are ultimately responsible for all the other members
of the officiating crew.

The 1st referee will often discuss with the 2nd referee
before the start of the match which faults they would like
the 2nd referee to watch out for.

Referee

The 1st referee is the official that you will often see
standing at the top of the podium on the opposite side of
the court to the scorers and 2nd referee. This allows
them to see all other officials to make decisions easier
and quicker to ensure the game runs as efficiently as
possible.

Ultimately the 1st referee is responsible for making every

decision that takes place and if they see fit they can
overall or alter any call. What to Expect as a 1st Referee  
If you have the pleasure of being a 1st referee at your
next game it might be nice to know what you should
expect throughout the event of the match.
Before the match starts the 1st referee must gather in all
other officials to run over the course of the match and
what each official is expected to do, look out for or
record as applicable.
This also gives the other officials a chance to ask any
questions or clarify anything they may be unclear on
surrounding their duties.
Once all the officials have been briefed the 1st referee
will ask for the captains from each team to come over to
the referee stand.
The 1st referee will meet and shake hands of both
captains and ask the captains to greet each other.
The 1st referee will then explain how the match will
proceed and what to do in certain situations such as to
question a call or raise any issues during the match. Once
this is all agreed the 1st referee will initiate the coin toss
or similar to determine which team will be serving and
receiving.
This information will be reported back to the scorers to
allow them to note down which team is which side and
who is serving first.
Once the formalities and warmups are completed the 1st
referee will ask the starting teams to take the floor, once
all players and officials are in position the game can
begin.
The game will commence and throughout the match the
1st referee will be responsible for deciding which team is
awarded the point and keeping an eye out for any faults
during live play.
Once one of the teams has reached the required score to
win the set the referee will finish the set, ask the teams
to switch sides before recommencing for the following
sets.
The last role the 1st referee has is calling a close to the
match once one team is announced victorious.
2nd Referee
As noted above the 2nd referee’s main purpose is to assist
the 1st referee in ensuring the game runs as fairly and
efficiently as possible.
The 2nd referee does however get involved in things that
the 1st referee doesn’t. 
The 2nd referee must take the lineup sheet of each team
before the start of each set and ensure they are lined up
correctly.
This is one role that must be repeated before each rally,
if a team is not in the correct lineup the second referee
will blow the whistle to signify a fault has occurred.
The 2nd referee will also action substitutions and oversee Line Judges
the scoresheet to ensure everything is running smoothly.

Aside from the roles noted above the main role the 2nd
referee has is assisting the 1st referee.

As noted above the 1st referee will often ask the 2nd
referee to monitor certain faults during live play. The
common faults the 2nd referee will look out for are as
follows: net touches, back court violations and rotation
errors.

What to Expect as a 2nd Referee

Being a 2nd referee whilst still holding many
responsibilities is certainly less involved than being the
1st referee.
Depending on the level you may have more or less line
Before the match the main role of the 2nd referee is to judges. In lower levels of volleyball it is quite common to
collect the lineup sheets from each team and liaise with only have 2 line judges, the 2 line judges will stand in
the scorers to ensure the relevant pre-match information opposite corners from each other and each one will watch
is recorded correctly. one baseline and the nearest sideline. In higher levels of
competition there are traditionally 4 line judges.
During the match the 2nd referee will look out for
rotation errors/ alignment errors as well as net touches The 4 line judges will each stand in one corner of the
and back court violations. court and lines will be divided up between them, two of
the line judges will watch a sideline each whilst the 2
remaining line judges will watch a base line each.
At the end of each set the 2nd referee should review the
scoresheet to ensure all information has been noted and
recorded correctly before proceeding to the next set.

Come the end of the match the 2nd referee should again
review the scoresheet.
The main role of the line judge is to signal whether the
ball landed inside or outside the line they are in charge of
watching. The line judge will use a flag to indicate to the
1st referee whether the ball landed in the court or out of
the court.
Scorekeepers
Score keeping in volleyball is actually a very demanding
and complicated job. There are lots of different
responsibilities that the score keeper has to tackle and
each of them entails recording or noting a different
number or statistic.
Fortunately each of these things is recorded at different
times throughout the event, in fact a scorekeeper’s role
can be split into 3 different sections.
 Things that must be noted before the match
 Stats that are recorded throughout the match
 Compiling of results after the match.
These are the items that would be recorded at each
phase:
Before the match
Before the match commences the scorer must note the
following information down
 Competition
 City & Country Code
 Hall (Venue)
 Pool/ Phase
 Match No.  Service Rounds
 Division  Points
 Category: Senior, junior, Youth  Substitutions
 Date  Time-outs
 Starting Time  End Time (of the set)
 Teams  Sanctions
 Number & Name of Players
After the Match
 Officials After the match the scorer must compile the results as
well as the following information
 Starting Line-up
 Service order  Teams
 Time-Outs
During The Match
 Sanctions
 Winner of set
 Points
 Duration of sets
 Event Start Time
 Event End Time
 Winner of Match
 Final Score (in sets)

Assistant Scorekeeper
During the match the scorer must record the following
information
After reading the above I’m sure you can see why a scorer
 Start Time (of the set) must need someone to assist them as it can be a tall
order to keep on top of everything that happens when the
game is underway. Unfortunately although the
scorekeeper probably needs the most help the assistant
scorer actually has quite an important job of their own to
do.

As a Libero abides by different substitution rules the

assistant scorer is often tasked with monitoring the
Libero’s movements, for this reason the assistant scorer is
sometimes referred to as the ‘Libero Tracker’.

Apart from the above roles the assistant scorer is often in

charge of using the manual or electronic scoreboard and
then regularly comparing this to the scoresheet to ensure
no inconsistencies are present.

That just about sums up the roles and

responsibilities of the officials in volleyball, but hopefully
now you know everything they are expected to do it will
offer a new sense of appreciation for just how hard they
have to work to ensure the match runs smoothly and the
event is played fairly from the moment you arrive right to
the final point of the game.

Volleyball is a sport which requires all officials to work in

great unison and if one official zigs while the others zag it
can quickly lead to issues.