VOLLEYBALL LEARNING GUIDE

GUIDE INFORMATION

This learning guide provides the learner with the necessary knowledge of the game of volleyball.

The game provides knowledge on;

 The values of the game

 Playing skills

After reading the guide, watch the video lesson one each of the rules of the game and playing
skills. The video lessons are set out as rule 1 to 9. Each lesson tackles the areas covered in the
learning guide. Therefore watch the video following the hard copy learning guide.

GUIDE TOPICS

RULE 1: THE PLAYING COURT

18 meters net line

5 4 2 1

9 meters
6 3 3 6

1 2 4 5

Substitution box

Attack line service line

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 The court is 18 meters long (side line) and 9 meter width service line.
 The attack line is 3 meters from the centre line (Net line)
 There is a substitution box that is 3 meter long on the side line and on the side of the 2nd
referee for each team.
 The court playing positions are 1 – 6.

Court equipment and officials equipment

 There should be net posts, low high?

 There should be a net. What length and width?
 There should be an antenna of what length and what color?
 There should be a referee chair
 There should be a:
 Time keepers stopwatch
 A table and chairs for;
- Time keeper
- Recorder
- Match commission
 A substitution bench for substitutes.
 Electronic board (for scores display) when the game is played indoor.
 A score sheet
 A reliable whistle (firimbi)

Playing requirements

 A ball/ what is the weight of a volleyball ball.

 Player attire;
 Shorts and jersey
 Sport shoes

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RULE 2: NUMBER OF PLAYERS

In a live game only 6 players are allowed in court. A team is allowed to have 6 substitutes.
Among the substitutes may be a liberal player.

The libero player (bold only)

 He/ she wear a different color from the other players.

 He must be registered as such.
 He can only play at the back court i.e. position 1.3.6 only
 He cannot serve the ball
 He can substitute anybody at the back court any time the ball is dead without informing the
referee.
 He cannot play at the front court i.e. position 4.3.2.
 He cannot cross the ball over the net.

RULE 3: THE START OF THE GAME (SERVE OFF)

 Captains toss for ends or service

 The winner of the toss can choose either to start the service or to to choose from which side
of the court to start.
 Teams take playing positions 1 to 6.
 If a player takes position 4 for which is called strong in (playing terms) he cannot stay
position 3 (centre) in the set. The same applies to each position for each player.
 First referee and second referee take the refereeing positions.
 The referee must blow his whistle (firimbi) for the server to serve the ball. So in volleyball
we start the game by a service.

RULE 4: HANDLING THE BALL

 The ball is played using the hands, the foot and any part of the body including the head. It is
mainly played using hands.
 Service must be done using the hand.

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 A team is allowed a maximum of three touches of the ball before the ball crosses the net.
 If there is a simultaneous touch of the ball involving two opponents (normally during
blocking over the net) the touch is not counted as a touch so a team can still touch the ball 3
times after the simultaneous touch.
 A libero player is not allowed to cross the ball over the net.
 If the ball touches either a referee, net post or the antenna, it is a dead ball and is a score to
the opponent of the team that lastly volleyed the ball.
 If a ball lands (falls) on the ground it is a score to the opponent if the ball landed inside the
court.
 If a ball is volleyed and it goes out of the court of play, it is a score to the opponent of the
team that volleyed it.
 Double touch is not allowed i.e. volleying the ball to you twice or playing the ball twice
before another player touches it.

RULE 5: ROTATION

 Any time a team gains a service, it must rotate. Gaining a service means your team has killed
the opponent’s service.
 Explanation;
- If team A serves and loses the service through a foul in their play, team B gains a
service. Team B has killed team A’s service. Team B must rotate.
 Rotation is done clock wisely i.e. the player in position 1 rotates to position 6, 6 to 5, 5 to 4, 4
to 3, 3 to 2 and 2 to 1. So the player who was in position 2 before rotation is the one who
takes position 1. Position 1 player is the one who serves the ball.
 Faulty rotation leads to a score to the opponent and the opponent also gains a service.
 Check the rotation rules for a libero player under rule 2.
 When a team gains a score from its own service, it does not rotate. The player who served
continues to serve.

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RULE 6: MAKING A SCORE (POINT) AND WINNING A SET AND A MATCH

 Any time a team makes a playing mistake, the opponent team makes a score or point.
 The playing mistakes include the ones already listed plus;
 Touching the net
 A service that does not cross the net
 Volleying the ball more than 3 times.
 Ball landing inside the court
 Ball landing outside the court
 Wrong substitution
 Double touch
 E.t.c.

Winning a set

A volleyball match between team A and B is made up of 5 sets.

 Each set is made up of 25 scores – except set 5 that is made up of 15 scores.

 For a team to win a set it must make 25 scores. If team A scores 24 ponts and team B 24
scores, the two teams go to 26 points. In other words, there must be a difference of 2 scores
for a team to be declared a winner of a set. In the 5th set the team must also win by a margin
of 2 scores, meaning the game can go beyond 25 or 15 scores.
 The winner of a match is the team that wins 3 sets out of 5.
 If the teams tie at 2 sets each, they play set 5 to break the tie.
 After each set, teams change sides

Set 5 rules

 It is played when the 2 teams tie at 2 sets each.

 Team captains must toss for service or side.
 At the 8th score, teams change sides again but must retain the playing positions held prior to
changing.
 The winner must win by a margin of 2 scores as seen earlier.

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RULE 7: SUBSTITUTION

 Substitution of the whole team can be done.

 Substitution is done when the ball is dead.
 Substitution must be done at the substitution box.
 The player getting in must wait for the player leaving the court to leave first before he/ she
gets in.
 The substitute must be registered as a player of the team.
 Substitution can be requested by the captain or the coach.
 The referee must allow the substitution.
 See the liberal player substitution rule also.
 Reasons for substitution;
 To replace an injured player
 To change tactics
 To replace a tired player
 Psychological effect in the opponent

RULE 8: TIME OUTS

 A time out is a break, or stoppage of a game. It can be called;

 By a referee when;
- He wants to consult the other referee or official
- When there is an interruption of the game by fans, power blackout, facility equipment
or a fray.
 By a coach or captain to;
- Rest his team
- Advice the team
 Automatic time out
- At the 8th score and
- At the 16th score

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 During time out, the team players leave the court.
 During time out for referee’s consultations, the teams remain in the playing field until the
referee communicates otherwise.
 Time out lasts for a maximum of 1 minute (one minute), except the referee’s timeout which
may take more time or less depending on the situation.
 A team is allowed 3 captains or coach initiated time outs.
 If team A calls for a time out, team B benefits from the time out also.

LESSON 9: PLAYING SKILLS

The following playing skills are demonstrated in the video. You will be assessed practically as
you perform the skills, practice them.

 Service skills allowed

 The under arm service
 The tennis serve
 The jump tennis serve
 Receiving skills allowed
 The dig
 The volley
 The toss or set
 The kick volley
 Spiking skills allowed
 Open palm spike
 The cut spike
 The back hand spike
 The running spike
 Blocking skills allowed
 The one man block
 The two man block

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  The three man block
 Covering allowed
 The block cover
 Back court cover
 Combined cover

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