How to Play Volleyball

A volleyball game consists of two teams of six players each, separated by a net. The six
volleyball court positions are setter, middle blocker, outside hitter, opposite hitter, libero and
serving specialist.
To start, flip a coin to determine which team serves the ball first.
Then the two teams will rally—or hit the ball back and forth over the net—until a fault occurs.
There is a maximum of three hits per side.
The objective is to score points by sending the ball over the net, grounding it into the opponent’s
court.
Volleyball matches are made up of sets, typically three or five sets.
Three-set matches are two sets to 25 points and a third set to 15 points. Each set must be won by
two points. The first team to win two sets is the winner of the match.
Five-set matches are four sets to 25 points and a fifth set to 15 points. The team must win by two
points unless tournament rules dictate otherwise. The first team to win three sets is the winner.

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.
 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.

Basic Skills in Volleyball

Those actions are serving, passing, setting, spiking, blocking, and digging.
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1. Serving: The serve is the first contact in a volleyball game, and it's an important opportunity
to gain an advantage over the opposing team. It is a skill that every player must master as it’s the
first move that can give your team momentum and shut down your opponent’s momentum.
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Although serves are a great way to score points, serves can also be used to break up the opposing
team’s formation, creating opportunities to score in the future. A skilled serve toward the setter
or a weak passer can disrupt the opposing team and make them panic, giving your team more
opportunities to score.
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There are different types of serves, such as the underhand serve, the overhand serve, and the
jump serve. Some more advanced serves include the floater and the topspin. No matter which
type of serve you decide to do, the key to a good serve is accuracy and consistency, which
requires practice to master.

5 Types of Serves in Volleyball

There are five primary serves used in volleyball – four of which are typically used competitively.
They are the underhand, overhand, float, topspin, and jump serves.
Here is a look at these five serves you must know and teach.

(1) The Underhand Serve

One foot back, the ball is held in the non-dominant hand.
The dominant hand makes a fist, the weight moves to the forward foot and the ball is contacted
by the fist just behind the center of the ball.
This serve is often lumped into the same category as the “granny” free throw shooting style in
basketball. Some call it “cheating” or for amateurs outside of competition.
While you often see underhand serves by rec leaguers, there is a place for it in games featuring
younger athletes.
The underhand serve can be useful to someone who cannot yet generate the power required to
get the overhand serve across the net.
It’s also valuable to those who have trouble coordinating the timing between the toss and contact
with the ball.

(2) The Overhand Serve

This serve is the most common in volleyball.
The non-dominant hand holds the ball and is extended forward from the shoulder. The ball is
tossed up and contacted with the dominant hand moving from over the head down and through to
the waist.
This serve is popular due to its ability to accommodate power, precision, and a variety of spins.
The jump, topspin, and float serve to follow are varieties of overhand serves.
An overhand serve can be manipulated by hand position, follow-through, body position, and
swing speed. This flexibility is essential to developing a successful repertoire of serves to deploy
throughout a match.

(3) The Floater

The steps for an overhand serve take place and then hand contact should be made directly behind
the middle part of the volleyball.
The arm will follow through but should be stopped before descending toward the waist.
The aim is to produce no spin while generating power.
A float serve can be devastating to an unsuspecting or unreliable passer.
The ball has very little spin, making it susceptible to the forces of air.
Floaters often move left or right unexpectedly and quickly drop once they lose momentum.

(4) The Topspin

The steps for an overhand serve with a high toss take place then the player should move under
the toss and strike the ball from below.
The follow-through should be down with a good wrist snap and then toward the outside of the
shoulder.
Topspin serves get on defensive players quickly and can drop just over the net, putting serve
receivers in a bind.
Adding topspin can be a good way for players who are not as strong as others to put quality
power behind the ball.

(5) Jump Serves

The ball is tossed with the non-dominant hand very high and several feet in front of the player.
An approach is made and the player jumps to attack the ball.
A firm wrist and abbreviated follow-through help keep control throughout the serve.
You can implement both topspin and float techniques during a jump serve.
The jump serve is difficult to execute and comes with lower accuracy.
However, when done well, it is devastating to try and return.
The amount of power and spin generated by a good jump serve is difficult for even great serve
receivers to handle.
it is possible to jump-serve a floater.
2. Passing: Also known as the bump, is used to receive the ball from the opposing team's serve
or hit. The goal of passing is to keep the ball in play and set up an offensive play. To pass
effectively, the player should get in position, keep their arms straight and feet parallel, extend
their knees forward, and make contact with the ball using their forearms.
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Ideally, the ball should be passed high toward your setter so that they can facilitate offensive
plays for your team. This is the first step in the basic pass-set-spike sequence that makes up the
foundation of volleyball offense and is arguably the most important skill to have in volleyball.
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3. Setting: Setting or overhead passing is the most important step in an offensive play as it
determines which player gets to spike or attack. This is normally done by the team’s setter and is
the second step in the pass-set-spike sequence.
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The setter must have good hand-eye coordination and the ability to make quick decisions to
determine who to pass to. Setters must also have good spatial awareness to know where their
teammates are, as well as where the opponent’s defenses are the weakest.
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To set, the player should use their fingertips and create a triangle with their thumb and fingers.
Their hands should be above their heads with their fingers relaxed but steady, with their knees
and elbows slightly bent. When they are about to set, it’s important to follow through with the
motion with their entire body by extending their knees and straightening their arms.
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Setters want to create a high and accurate ball trajectory toward their hitter that’s easy and
comfortable to hit. When playing in a competitive setting where setters are more experienced and
comfortable with their hitters, setters can change the tempo of the attack by doing a quicker set.
This needs to be coordinated with the hitters, but when done right, it can be a devastating
weapon that’s difficult to react to.
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4. Attacking: Attacking, also known as hitting, is the final step in the pass-set-spike sequence
and is used to score points. There are a variety of different ways to attack a ball, but the most
common and consistently effective way to do so is by spiking. Spiking is a combination of
jumping with powerful arm swings in order to smash the ball onto the opponent’s side of the
court.
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As you get more advanced in volleyball, there many different types of spikes you can do:
Cross-court spike: A cross-court spike is an attack that goes diagonally across the court, from
one corner to the opposite corner. This type of spike is often used to avoid the opposing team's
blockers and to target an open area of the court.
Line spike: A line spike is an attack that goes straight down the line ahead of the hitter, either on
the left or right side of the court. This type of spike is difficult to block, but also difficult to land
as it is treading near the out-of-bounds line.
Tool spike: A tool spike is an attack that intentionally hits off the opposing team's blockers,
deflecting the ball out of bounds. This type of spike is often used when the opposing team's
blockers are positioned close to the net and the attacker has limited options.
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These are just some of the most popular spiking techniques, however, there are more than the
ones listed above.
To be a good spiker, the player must have good timing, jumping power, and overall athleticism.
To spike effectively, the player should approach the ball with a quick three-step approach, jump
high, and hit the ball with force and accuracy.
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5. Blocking: Blocking is a defensive skill used to stop the opposing team's attack and can also
be used to potentially score points. Blockers must focus on stopping the opposing team’s
offensive attacks, while also paying attention to the opposing setter so that they can better predict
the opposing team’s attack strategy. It is important for blockers to be able to react to an attack
quickly and be in position before the attack is completed.
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In order to block, blockers should stand readily with their elbows in front of them, and palms
facing forward. When the opposing hitter is about to attack, blockers should be in a position to
jump in front of their attack and then be able to explosively jump and raise their arms to create a
wall against the attacker.
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Blockers must have good timing, vertical height, and hand positioning in order to effectively stop
the opposing team’s attack. An amazing blocker will be able to predict where the ball is going to
be and already be in a position to block immediately after the ball is set. They will also be
studying the hitter’s habits throughout the match and how they like to hit to improve their own
blocks as well.
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6. Digging: Digging is a defensive skill used to save the ball from hitting the ground. It is often
done when the ball does not come directly at the player, and a standard underhand pass would be
impossible or extremely difficult to get. To get into a digging position, the player must sink their
hips low to the floor with their heels slightly raised in order to be light on their feet. They must
then stretch out their arms into the underhand pass position. In order to dig for the ball, the player
must push off their toes and use their lower body to move their upper body. Players must also be
ready to dive for the ball, but that’s often not necessary if you’re already positioned to where the
ball might be going.
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Liberos are often the position that digs the most as they are the core of a team’s defense. To learn
more about liberos and their unique role in volleyball, check out our blog here.
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Players who are digging must have good reflexes, footwork, and body control. To dig
effectively, the player should get into position to receive the ball before the attack is finished.
This requires good ball-tracking skills, as well as a good awareness of your blockers. Players
who are digging must use their blockers as a wall and cover the area that the blockers can’t
defend. They must also be able to control the ball and create a clean pass to a teammate