Volleyball Handouts

Discussion:

Volleyball

Introduction
The game volleyball has been played and enjoyed for centuries. Volleyball is a great past time and a
fun game to participate in. it is a sport that does not take a lot of stamina or skill on the player’s part.
It also is a good game to play in larger groups and with friends.
Volleyball is above all a team sport, where star players will not make or break the game. Volleyball
relies on all the team members’ abilities without focusing on errors. It is a great game to play for
enjoyment, not competition. It is a game that takes energy and will keep you fit, but does not wear
you out completely.
If you are not an extremely athletic person, volleyball is a great sport to test yourself at. It is not a
very exuberating game, and does not require a lot of movement.

It is a fairly mellow game and is very enjoyable. You can make the game of volleyball very powerful
and strenuous, but you can also shy away from that. It comes highly recommended as a sport that
most anyone can participate in. it is definitely not a sport that only the young can participate in.
Volleyball does not just have to be a summer sport. The good thing about volleyball is that it can be
played indoors. Unlike baseball and softball, (unless you are in a dome) the only requirement to play
volleyball indoors is a net.

Overall, volleyball is an excellent sport to participate in if you wish to join an activity. After a few
games you will feel like an old pro and quickly learn the ins and outs to the game. Volleyball will add
excitement and an out of the ordinary experience.

History of Volleyball
On February 9, 1895, in Holyoke, Massachusetts (USA), William G. Morgan, a YMCA physical
education director, created a new game called Mintonette as a pastime to be played preferably indoors
and by any number of players. The game took some of its characteristics from tennis and handball.
Another indoor sport, basketball, was catching on in the area, having been invented just ten miles
(sixteen kilometers) away in the city of Springfield, Massachusetts only four years before. Mintonette
(as volleyball was then known) was designed to be an indoor sport less rough than basketball for older
members of the YMCA, while still requiring a bit of athletic effort.
The first rules, written down by William G. Morgan, called for a net 6-feet 6-inches (1.98 meters) high,
a 25 x 50 foot (7.6 x 15.2 meter) court, and any number of players. A match was composed of nine
innings with three serves for each team in each inning, and no limit to the number of ball contacts
for each team before sending the ball to the opponent’s court. In case of serving error, a second try
was allowed. Hitting the ball into the net was considered a foul (with loss of the point or a side-out) –
except in the case of the first-try serve.
After an observer, Alfred Halstead, noticed the volleying nature of the game at its first exhibition
match in 1986, played at the Springfield YMCA, the game quickly became known as volleyball (it was
originally spelled as two words: “volley ball”). Volleyball rules were slightly modified by the Springfield
YMCA and the game spread around the country to other YMCA locations.

Refinements and Later Developments

The first official ball used in volleyball is disputed; some sources say that Spalding created the first
official ball in 1896, while others claim it was created In 1900. The rules have evolved over time; by
1916, the skill and power of the set and spike had been introduced, and four years later a “three hits”
rule and back row hitting guidelines were established. In 1917, the game was changed from 21 to 15
points. In 1919, about 1,600 volleyballs were distributed by the American Expeditionary Forces to
their troops and allies, which sparked the growth of volleyball in new countries.
The first country outside the United States to adopt volleyball was Canada in 1900. An international
federation, the Federation Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB), was founded 1947, and the first World
Championships were held in 1949 for men and 1952 for women. The sport is now popular in Brazil,
in Europe (where especially Italy, the Netherlands and countries from Eastern Europe have been
major forces since the late 1980’s, in Russia, and in other countries including China and the rest of
Asia, as well in as the United States.
Beach volleyball, a variation of the game played on sand and with only two players per team, became
a FIVB-endorsed variation in 1987 and was added to the Olympic program at the 1996 Summer
Olympics.

 1n 1900, a special ball was designed for the sport.

 In 1916, in the Philippines, an offensive style of passing the ball in a high trajectory to be
struck by another player (the set and spike) was introduced.
 1917, the scoring was changed from 21 to 15 points.
 In 1920, the three hits preside and back row attack rules were instituted.
 In 1930, the first two-man beach game was played.
 In 1934, the approval and recognition of national volleyball referees came about.
 In 1947, the Federation Internationale De Volleyball (FIVB) was founded.
 In 1948, the first two-man beach tournament was held.
 In 1949, the initial World Championships were held in Prague, Czechosvalikia.
 In 1964, Volleyball was introduced in the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
 1974, the World Championships in Mexico were telecast in Japan.
 In 1987, the FIVB added a Beach Volleyball World Championship Series.
 In 1990 the World League was created.
 In 1995, the sport Volleyball was 100 years old!
 In 1996, the 2-person beach volleyball was added to the Olympics.

Objective:
Two teams of six players each attempt to get the ball across the net using any part of the body above
the waist, so that the opposing team cannot return it. A team is allowed to hit the ball three time (in
addition to the block) to return to the opponent’s court. A player is not allowed to hit the ball twice in
a row, except when attempting a clock. The rally continues until the ball touches the ground/floor,
goes “out” or a team fails to return it to the opponent’s court or commits a fault.

Volleyball is usually played indoors. There is no time limit on a game of volleyball, but there are sets.
A team will usually have to win two of three sets, or for international and tournament games, usually
three of five sets to win the game. There is break of three minutes between sets, and coaches may call
two 30-second (maximum) time-outs in each set. Players can be called to the side of the court for
instruction.

More complex Rules

Scoring
Two Types of Scoring Volleyball

Rally Point Scoring

The team winning a rally scores a point. When the receiving wins a rally, they gain a point and the
right to serve, and its players rotate one position clockwise.
The best of three or best of five games will win matches. Each non-deciding game will be won by the
team that first scores 25 points with a minimum 2-point advantage. If there is a deciding game, it will
be won by the team that first scores 15 points with a minimum 2-point advantage. This system is
used for major competitions.

Side out Scoring

Only the serving team may score a point, except in the deciding game when rally-point scoring is used.
When the receiving team wins a rally, it gains the right to serve (also scoring a point in the deciding
game), and its players rotate one position clockwise. Rotation ensures that players play at both the
net and back zone of the court.

A team wins a game by scoring 15 points with a 2-point advantage and wins the match by winning
the best of three or five games. In the event of 16-16 tie, the team scoring the 17th point wins a non-
deciding game with only a one-point advantage. In a deciding game play continues until one team is
2-points ahead.

Serving
The ball is served by the back right hand player (see diagram) across the net.
The arrow marks the spot where the serve would be made. The player would serve and return to the
court. The ball is served with one hand (open or close) and has to go across the net. The ball is thrown
into the air with both hands, and hit with either one hand or arm. Only one attempt at serve is allowed.
The team with the right to serve first serves at the start of set 1 and 3. The opposing team will serve
at the start of sets 2 and 4. In a 5 set match, a coin will tossed to decide which team serves first, and
for the right to choose ends.
The server may move around within the service area, and jump to make the serve, as long as the
server stays off the court. For major matches, there is a ‘free zone’ around the court, extending from
between 2 to 5 meters (6feet to 16 feet) from the sides, and 2 to 8 (6feet6 to 26 feet) meters from the
ends. The server is not allowed to step into this zone while making the serve. The service area extends
back to the limit of the free zone.
However, the serving player can land inside either the court or the free zone after releasing the ball.
Once the referee has signaled for the match to begin, the server has five seconds to make the serve.
Any player can receive the serve, and one player can theoretically serve for all 25 points. The serving
continues until that team loses service. If a player serves out of rotation order, all points gained in
that sequences are lost, and the team loses possession of the ball. The team must be back in rotational
order before the player starts.
The receiving team must be able to see the server and the ball at all times. The serving team must
not block the view of either the server or the ball.
The ball is allowed to contact the net during the serve. If the ball travels over the net, between the
antennas, and ends up the opponent’s court, it is legal.

Playing positions

The team to serve first is decided by a toss of a coin. The captain of the team which wins the toss can
choose either to serve, or which side of court to play on. In the diagram, the numbers mark where
the receiving team could be positioned, although the diagram is a guide only.
At the moment that the ball is hit by the server, the player must be in their own court, and in lines,
not necessarily straight, but two distinct lines. The back row players must be farther from the net
than the front row players.

Players on both sides remain in playing positions at each service until a side-out. When the team who
is serving changes between sets, it is the serving team who rotates players, according to the black
arrows in the diagram, one place clockwise. The team that loses the service does not rotate.
The rotation order remains the same through a set, and can only be changed at the start of a new set.
Once the ball has been served, the players can move around their own side of the court and play in
any position.

The reason that teams rotate is so that every member of the team has a chance to play in every
position on the court.

Substitutions
Up to six substitutes may place in one set. Any player who joins the game as a substitute can only
be substituted by the player he replaced originally. Substitutes can only be made during breaks in
play (time-outs, between set breaks, or when the ball is out of play), and with the permission of the
referee.

The Libero this player wears a different colored uniform from the rest of the team and can be
substituted in back court for any player on the team. The libero (free) cannot serve, spike the ball
over the net, or rotate into the front-line positions, but receives, serves and defends the backcourt.
There must be at least one point played between a libero substituting off for a player and going back
on the court for another player- hence they cannot be on the court for the whole game.
Ball rules
Each team is allowed up to three contacts with the ball to get it over the net. If a front player jumps
to block the ball before it comes over the net, and it remains in the opposing team’s court, that does
not count as a contact.

What does count as a contact is when the ball is passed between members of the same team, and
every time a player hits the ball. Players cannot touch the ball twice in a row, unless as part of a
block, but they can touch it as part of the same play, for example, first and third contact.
The ball is not supposed to stop in the players hands. If it does, it is a ‘held ball’ and this counts as
a fault.
Front row players can play an attacking hit from anywhere in their own side of the court. Back row
players must not step on or in front of the attack line when they play an attacking shot, of block.
However, back row players CAN play in front of the attack line, if the ball is below the level of the top
of the net.
If the ball hits the net from service and does not go over, it is a fault against the serving side, and
they would lose possession. The ball is allowed to hit the net during a serve if it goes over the net. If
the ball hits the net and goes over during the course of rally, play continues.
The ball can be hit from the off court, providing it has not hit the ground before the player hits it. The
ball must always be played with a part of the body above and including the knees.
If two players on opposing teams both touch the ball at the same time, and the ball stays in play, the
receiving team is allowed three more contacts; however, if the ball goes out of play then the serving
team has played a ‘ball out’ fault.

A team can hit the ball into the net and still play it, as long as they stop the ball from hitting the
ground, and they have contacts left to play it.

Facilities and Equipment

The Volleyball Court

The net is 2.43 meters (8 feet) high for men, 2.24 meters (7 feet 4 inches) high for women.
If games go to a deciding set in a match, the teams change ends when one team has reached eight
points. Then player who is serving continues to serve, unless, of course, the team loses the previous
service.
The ball

The ball is round and covered with leather with rubber or similar inside. It is light in color, often white,
and the circumference is between 65 and 67 centimeters (25 and a half to 26 inches), and must weigh
between 260 and 280 grams (10 and 10 and half ounces). It is inflated to a pressure of 0.40 to 0.45
kilograms per square centimeter.
The volleyball is made of leather or synthetic leather and inflated with compressed air. According to
FIVB regulations:

- Its circumference is 65-67cm and its weight is 260-280g.

- Its inside pressure shall be 0.30 to 0.325 kg/cm2 (4.26 to 4.61 psi) (294.3 to 318.82 mbar or
hPa).

The net
The net is stretched across the court, 1 meter (3feet) deep and 9.5 meters (31 feet to 6 inches long).
There is a flexible cable through the canvas fold at the top, and at the bottom. As the net goes beyond
the distance of the court, two white canvas tapes are placed vertically up and down the net above
where the sidelines are.
Extending up from the tapes are flexible poles 10mm in diameter and 1.8meters (6feet) long. They
extend from the top of the net by 80cm (31inches). They are part of the net, and count as the side
limits. These antennae should be painted in red and white stripes so they are clearly visible.

The net high is 2.43 meters (8feet) high for men, 2.24 meters (7feet 4 inches) high for women. There
is a slight difference for beach volleyball (see below).
The net is supported by two posts (often adjustable), each 2.55 meters (8 feet 3 inches) high. The
posts are between 0.6 to 1 meter (1 foot 6 inches to 3 feet 3 inches) from the side-lines and must not
be attached to the floor with cables or wires.
Officials
To make sure that the rules are followed, there are officials at volleyball games. The first referee sits
in a high chair on a level with the top of the net, so he has clear view across the top of the net and
the court.
The second referee stands opposite the first referee, close to the scorer’s table and substitute benches.
There may also be four line officials (linesmen is something used) at each corner of the court, they
say whether a ball is in or out, and whether a player touches the ball. Sometimes there may be only
two line officials, one at a corner, facing each other diagonally.
The scorer usually sits at a table on the opposite side of court from the first referee. The scorer’s
responsibility is to keep a record of the scores, names and numbers of team members, the team
coaches, and time-outs, substitutions, makes sure that the order of rotation is followed correctly.

Faults

Faults can lead to a loss point to the opposing team, or a side-out.

The rules apply:
- If the ball touches the ground
- If the ball does not go over the net, between the net posts
- If the ball crosses center line underneath the net.
Foot over center line. Some parts of the foot must stay in contact with the line or directly above it.

- If the ball hits the net posts, or the imaginary upward extensions of the posts.
Crossing space. During play, except on service, the ball may touch the net inside the antennae
(including the vertical side bands), but not the antennae itself or the net outside it.
 - If the ball is played more than three times in a row by one team
- Two opposing players hold the ball at the same time
- If the ball is held or rests in someone’s hands.
- If the ball is played twice in a row by one player (double contact)

Double contact or double touch. A double contact is not penalized any time the player is making the
first of the team’s permitted contacts, provided the player makes only a single action at playing the
ball.
- If the ball lands outside the courtliness, or touches a player or object outside the court without
first touching an opponent (ball out)
- A player touches the net or the net posts
- A player deliberately touches an opponent
- If the ball touches a member of the same team from the serve
- If the ball touches the net or net posts.

Reaching beyond the net is permitted only if there is no interference with the opponent’s attempts to
play the ball.
- If the ball does not go over from the serve
- Player(s) illegally screen (stand in front of) the serving player so that the receiving team cannot
see the server or the ball
- Positional fault, player in wrong position
- Rotational fault, team rotation not done correctly
- Illegal substitution
- Delayed substitution after second time-out
- Interfering with the ball while it is in the opponent’s half of court.
- Going onto the opponent’s side of the court.
- Leaving the court without permission of the referee.
 - Playing an attacking hit while the ball is the opponent’s half of court
- Back line players attacking hit from inside attack line, unless the ball is below the level of the
top of the net.
- Blocking the ball at either side of the net posts
- Blocking a service
- Blocking by a back line player
- Player receives a misconduct penalty, for arguing, unsporting behavior, and so on

Misconduct
If a player is guilty of misconduct, the team will be penalized as above. If it happens again, there will
be a warning from the referee about behavior, and players can be dismissed from the game for
repeated infractions of the misconduct rule, or instantly for showing any aggression towards another
player of official. It a team cannot bring on a substitute and keep the number on court at six, they
lose the match automatically.
Notes:

If two opposing players commit faults at the same time, they cancel each other out, and the ball is
replayed from the last serve.

Other Errors and Faults

- The ball lands out of the court, in the same court as the team that touches it last, under the
net to the opposing team’s court, or the ball touches the net “antennas”. The ball also may not
pass over or outside the antennas even if it lands in the opponent’s court.
- The ball is touched more than three times before being returned to the other team’s court.
- The same player touches the ball twice in succession.
- A player “lifts” or “carries” the ball (the ball remains in contact with the player’s body for too
long).
- A player touches the net with any part of his or her body or clothing while making a play on
the ball (with the exception of the hair.)
- The players of one team do not manage to touch the ball before the ball lands in their half of
the court.
- A back-row players spikes the ball while it is completely above the top of the net, unless he or
she jumps from behind the attack line (the player is, however, allowed to land in front of the
attack line).
- A back-row player participates in completed block of the opposing team’s attack (completed
means at least one blocker touched the ball).
- The libero, a defensive player who can only play in the back row, attempts a block or makes
an “attacking hit”, defined as any shot struck while the ball is entirely above the top of the net.
- A player completes an attack hit from higher than the top of the net when the ball is coming
from an overhand finger pass (set) by a libero in the front zone.
- A player is not in the correct position at the moment of serve, or serves out of turn. This type
of foul is related to the position currently occupied by the players. When ball is served, players
can place themselves freely on the field (e.g. a “back-row” player can be close to the net) so
long as they obey the following rules: The area “1” player must be behind the area “2” player
and to the right of the area “6” player. The area “6” player must be behind area “3” player, to
the left or area “1” player and to the right of area “5”. The area “5” player must be behind the
area “4” player and to the left of the area “6” player. Symmetric rules must be respected by the
front-row players (those in areas “2”, “3” and “4”).
- When hitting, a player makes contact with the ball in the space above the opponents’ court (in
blocking an attack hit, this is allowed).
- A player touches the opponents’ court with any part of his or her body except the feet or hands.
- When serving, a player steps on the court or the end line before making contact with the ball.
- A player takes more than 8 seconds to serve.
- At the moment of serve, one or more players jump, raise their arms or stand together at the
net in an attempt to block the sight of the ball from the opponent (screening).
- A player blocks the serve or attacks the serve when the ball is in front zone and above the top
of the net.
Game Play

- Each team consists of 6 players. To get the play started, a team is chosen to serve by coin toss.
- A player from the serving team (the server) throw the ball into the air and attempts to hit the
ball so it passes over the net on a course such that it will land in the opposing team’s court
(the serve).
- The opposing team must use a combination of no more than three contacts with the volleyball
to return the ball to the opponent’s side of the net.
- These contacts usually consist first of the bump or pass so that the ball’s trajectory is aimed
towards the player designated as the setter; second of the set (usually an over-hand pass using
wrists to push finger-tips at the ball) by the setter so that the ball’s trajectory is aimed towards
a spot where one of the players designated as an attacker can hit it, and third by the attacker
who spikes (jumping, raising one arm above the head and hitting the ball so it will move quickly
down to the ground on the opponent’s court) to return the ball over the net.
- The team with possession of the ball is trying to attack the ball as described is said to be an
offense.
- The team on defense attempts to prevent the attacker from directing the ball into their court:
players at the net jump and reach above the top (and if possible, across the plane) of the net
in order to block the attacked ball.
- If the ball is hit around, above, or through the block, the defensive players arranged in the rest
of the court attempt to control the ball with a dig (usually a fore-arm pass of a hard driven
ball). After a successful dig, the team transitions to offense.
- The game continues in this manner, rallying back and forth, until the ball touches the court
within the boundaries or until an error is made.

Notes:

 If the ball passes outside the antennas on the first contact for the team, e.g. as the result of a
bad pass or dig, a player is allowed to go after the ball as long as he or she does not touch the
opponent’s court and the ball travels back to his or her team’s court also outside the antennas.
 Except if a player blocks (touches a ball sent over the net by the opposing team, while reaching
above the top of the net) a ball that stays in the blocker’s side of the net. In such an instance
the blocker may play the ball another time without violating the rule against playing the ball
twice in succession. If the ball is touched during a block, that contact is not considered one of
the team’s three contacts.
 At the first hit of the team, the ball nay contact various parts of the body consecutively provided
that the contacts occur during one action. Also, when a player touches the ball on a block, he
or she may make another player’s court or center line.
 Screening is a fault only if the players stand directly next to each other in a way that clearly
impedes vision, and the serve is low line drive over their heads. (This is a judgement call by
the referee. Teams are generally given a warning before being sanctioned for screening.)

Scoring
 When the ball contacts the floor within the court boundaries or an error is made, the team that
did not make the error is awarded a point, whether they served the ball or not.
 The team that won the point serves for the next point. If the team that won the point served in
the previous point, the same player serves again.
 If the team that won the point did not serve the previous point, the players of the team rotate
their position on the court in a clockwise manner.
 The game continues, with the first team to score 25 points (and be two points ahead) awarded
the set. Matches are best-of-five sets and the fifth set (if necessary) is usually played to 15
points.
 Scoring differs between leagues, tournaments and levels; high schools sometimes play best-of-
three to 30; in the NCAA games are played best-of-five to 30.

The Libero
  In 1998 the libero player was introduced internationally, the term meaning free in Italian is
pronounced LEE-bah-ro (rather than lih-BEAR-oh); the NCAA introduced the libero in 2002.
 The Libero is player specialized in defensive skills: the libero must wear a contrasting jersey
color from his or her teammates and cannot block or attack the ball when it is entirely above
net height.
 When the ball is not in play, the libero can replace any back-row player, without prior notice
to the officials.
 This replacement does not count against the substitution limit each team is allowed per set,
although libero may be replaced only by the player whom they replaced.
 The libero may function as a setter only under certain restrictions.
 If she/he makes an overhand set, she/he must be standing behind (and not stepping on) the
3-meter line; otherwise, the ball cannot be attacked above the net in front of the 3-meter line.
 An underhand pass is allowed from any part of the court.
 The libero is, generally, the most skilled defensive player on the team.
 There is also a libero tracking sheet, where the referees or officiating team must keep track of
who the libero subs in and out for.
 There may only be one libero per set (game), although there may be a different libero in the
beginning of any new set (game).
 A libero is not allowed to serve, according to international rules, with the exception of the NCAA
women’s volleyball games, where a 2004 rule change allows the libero to serve, but only in a
specific rotation. That is, the libero can only serve for one person, not for all of the people for
whom she goes in. that rule change was also applied to high school play soon after.

Recent Rule Changes

Other rule changes enacted in 2000 include allowing serves in which the ball touches the net, as long
as it goes over the net into the opponent’s court. Also, the service area was expanded to allow players
to serve from anywhere behind the end line but still within the theoretical extension of the sidelines.
Other changes were made to lighten up calls on faults for carries and double-touches, such as
allowing multiple contacts by a single player (double-hits) on a team’s first contact provided that they
are a part of a single play on the ball.

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 high-level volleyball.

Serve
A player stands behind the end line and serves the ball, in an attempt to drive it into the opponent’s
court. His or her 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.

In contemporary volleyball, many types of serves are employed:

 o Underhand and Overhand Serve. Refers to whether the player strikes the ball from below, at
waist level, or first tosses the ball in the air and then hits it above shoulder level. Underhand
serve is considered very easy to receive and is rarely employed in high-level competitions.
o 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 is a straight line. This serve was invented and
employed almost exclusively by the Brazilian team in the early 1980’s and is now considered
outdated.
o Line and Cross-Court Serve. Refers to whether the ball flies in a straight trajectory parallel to
the side lines, or crosses through the court in an angle.
o Top Spin. An overhand serve where the ball gains topspin through wrist snapping. This spin
causes the ball to drop fast.
o Floater. An overhand serve where the ball is hit with no spin so that its path becomes
unpredictable. This type of serve can be administered while jumping or standing. This is akin
to a knuckleball in baseball.
o 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. There is usually much
topspin imparted on the ball. This is the most popular serve amongst college and professional
teams.
o Jump Float. This is a serve like the jump serve and the floater. 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 amongst college and professional players because it has a certain unpredictability in
its flight pattern.
o Round-House Serve. The player stands with one shoulder facing the net, tosses the ball high
and hits it with a fast circular movement of the arm. The ball is hit with the palm of the hand,
creating a lot of topspin.
o Hybrid Serve. An overhand serve delivered similarly to a top spin serve; however, it has more
pace than a floater, but has a similar unpredictable path.

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:

1. Underarm pass, or bump, where the ball touches the inside part of the joined forearms or
platforms, at waistline.
2. Overhand pass, where it is handled with the fingertips, like a set, above the head.

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.
As with passing, one may distinguish between an overhand and a bump set. Since the former allows
for more control over the speed and direction of the ball, the bump is used only when the ball is low
it cannot be properly handled with fingertips, or in beach volleyball where rules regulating overhand
setting are more stringent. In the case of a set, one also speaks of a front or back set, meaning whether
the ball is passed in the direction the setter is facing or behind the setter. There is also a jump set
that is used when the ball is too close to the net. In this case the setter usually jumps off his or her
right foot straight up to avoid going into the net. The setter usually stands about of the way from the
left to the right of the net and faces are left (the larger portion of net or she can see).

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’. The most common dumps
are to ‘throw’ the ball behind the setter or in front of the setter to zones 2 and 4. More experienced
setters toss the ball into the deep corners or spike the ball on the second hit.

Attack
An attack in progress –
The attack (or spike, the slang term) is usually the third contact a team makes with the ball. The
object of attacking is to toss the ball so that it lands on the opponents’ court and cannot be defended.
A player makes a series of steps (the “approach”), jumps, and swings at the ball.
Ideally the contact with the ball is made at the apex of the hitter’s jump. At the movement of contact,
the hitter’s arm is fully extended above his or her head and slightly forward, making the highest
possible contact while maintaining the ability to deliver a powerful hit. The hitter uses arm swing,
wrist snap, and a rapid forward contraction of the entire body to drive the ball. A ‘bounce’ is a slang
term for a very hard/loud spike that follows an almost straight trajectory steeply downward into the
opponents’ court and bounces very high into the air.

Contemporary volleyball comprises a number of attacking techniques;

o Backcourt (or back row) attack. An attack performed by a back row player. The player must
jump from behind the 3-minute line before making contact with the ball, but may land in front
of the 3-meter line.
o Line and cross-court shot. Refers to whether the ball flies in a straight trajectory parallel to the
side lines, 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-minute line, is called a cut shot.
o Dip/Dink/Tip/Cheat. 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 defense.
o 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.
o Off-speed hit. The player does not hit the ball hard, reducing its acceleration and thus
confusing the opponent’s defense.
o 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.
o Slide. A variation of the quick hit that uses a low back set. The middle hitter steps around the
setter and hits from behind him or her.
o 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
backcourt, maybe without block at all.

Block
3 players performing a block
Blocking refers to the actions taken by players standing at the next 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. The jump should be
timed so as to intercept the ball’s trajectory prior to it crossing over the net. Palms are held deflected
downward about 45-60 degrees toward the interior of the opponent’s court. 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 has 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 be defended. 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 backward.
Blocking is also classified according to the number of players involved. Thus, one may speak of single
(or solo), double, or triple block.

Successful blocking does not always result in a roof and many times does not even touch the ball.
While it’s obvious that a block was success when the attacker is roofed, a block that consistently
forces the attackers away from his or her ‘power’ or preferred attack into a more easily controlled shot
by the defense is also a highly successful block.
At the same time, the block position influences the positions where other defenders place themselves
while opponent hitters are spiking.

Dig

Digging is the ability to prevent the ball from touching one’s court after a spike, particularly a ball
that is nearly touching the ground. In many aspects, this skills is similar to passing, or bumping:
overhand dig and bump are also used to distinguish between defensive actions taken with fingertips
or with joined arms.
Some specific techniques are more common in digging than in passing. A player may sometimes
perform a “dive”, i.e., throw his or her body in the air with a forward movement in an attempt to save
the ball, and land on his or her chest. When the player also slides his or her hand under a ball that
is almost touching the court, this is called a “pancake”.
Sometimes a player may also be forced to drop his or her body quickly to the floor in order to save
the ball. In this situation, the player makes use of a specific rolling technique to minimize the chances
of injuries.

Coaching

Basic principles
Coaching for volleyball can be classified under two main categories: match coaching and
developmental coaching. The objective of match coaching is to win a match by managing a team’s
strategy. Developmental coaching emphasizes player development through the reinforcement of basic
skills during exercises known as “drills”. Drills promote repetition and refinement of volleyball
movements, particularly in footwork patterns, body positioning relative to others, and ball contact. A
coach will construct drills that simulate match situations thereby encouraging speed of movement,
anticipation, timing, communication, and team work. At the various stages of a player’s career, a
coach will tailor drills to meet the strategic requirements of the team. The American Volleyball
Coaches Association is the largest organization in the world dedicated exclusively to volleyball
coaching.

Player Specialization

There are 5 positions filled on every volleyball team at the elite level. Setter, outside hitter/ left side
hitter, Middle Hitter and Opposite Hitter/ Right Side Hitter and Libero/Defensive Specialist. Each of
these positions plays a specific, key role in winning a volleyball match.
o Setters have the task for orchestrating the offense of the team. They aim for 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
moving around the court.
o Liberoes are defensive players, who are responsible for receiving the attack or serve and are
usually the players on the court with the quickest reaction time and best passing skills. Libero
means ‘free’ 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 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. Libero wear a different color jersey than
their teammates.
o Middle blockers or Middle hitters are played that can perform very fast attacks that usually
take place near the setter. They 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.
o Outside hitters attack from near the left antennae. Since most set to the outside are high, the
outside hitter may take a longer approach, always starting from outside hitters on every team
in every match.
o Opposite hitters or right side hitters carry the offensive workload for a volleyball team. Their
primary responsibilities are to attack the ball from the right side and to put up a well formed
block against the opponents Outside Hitters. This player hits most balls on the team. He/she
is set from the front row and the back row. Sets to the opposite usually go to the right side,