Terminologies and

Rules in Volleyball
FUNDAMENTALS OF
TEAMSPORTS

By; Erjane P. Magdato, LPT,

MAEd
 Describe and discuss the different terminologies and
Jargon of the game through video conferencing;

Recognize the different terminologies used in

Volleyball;

LEARNING
OUTCOMES Identify the different Rules and Violations of the
game Volleyball;

Show active participation during the class discussion;

and

Appreciate the game Volleyball as a form of leisure

for self-development.
Terminologies in
Volleyball
FUNDAMENTALS OF
TEAMSPORTS
Ace
A legal serve that
cannot be returned
 Approach
The foot pattern of a hitter as
they prepare to attack a set,
usually a 3 or 4 step pattern
Attack

• The act of sending the ball to

the opponent, usually done in a
forceful manner, however, off-
speed shots are also considered
an attack
Attack Line
Also called the 3-meter line;
a line on the court that
marks where a back-row
player cannot jump on, or in
front of, and attack, or block
a ball.
Back Row
Attack
A back-row player jumping
behind the 3-meter line and
attacking the ball forcefully
 Block

• An attempt to keep the

opponent’s attack from
crossing the net; the first
line of defense
Cross
Court
As an outside hitter, hitting
the ball diagonally into the
opponent’s court
Defense

• Any legal action or

skills that keep the
ball contacted by
the opponent from
hitting the ground
on your side of the
net.
Defensive System

• A specific plan designed to

cover the court as best as
possible given the
opponent’s tendencies and
your team’s strengths and
weaknesses; ex: perimeter,
rotation
Dig
Playing a hard-hit ball on
the forearms and usually
in a low body position
Down the Line
• When an outside
hitter attacks a set
straight ahead so
that it would travel
along the sideline of
the opponent.
Dump
• A quick attack by
the setter when
they are a front-
row player, and
usually on the
second contact;
designed to take
the defense by
surprise.
 Floor
Defense
Any act of defending the
ball behind the block,
such as digging, diving,
pancake, etc.
Free ball

• When a team is not able

to attack their third
contact on the ball but
must just send it over
the net in an easy
manner.
Hitter Coverage
• A formation of players
around a teammate
who is hitting a set;
the purpose is to keep
a blocked ball from
hitting the floor on
their side
 Hitting Error
Hitting the ball out of bounds or into the net
 Jousting

• When front row players on

both sides of the net try to
play a ball that is just above
the plane of the net;
usually done by pushing
hard against the ball with
open hands
Jump Serve
Jump Serve (Cont.)

• A legal serve that is performed

by tossing the ball well into the
air and jumping to send the ball
forcefully across the net
Off
Blocker
The outside
blocker at the net
who does not have
the ball set in front
of them by the
opponent.
 Off-Speed

• An attack that is
purposely hit at less
than full force to deceive
the opponent and catch
them on their heels
Offensive Systems

• A specific plan designed

to best use your team’s
personnel for attacking
the opponent; labeled in
terms of numbers of
hitters and setters used,
and their positions;
examples; 6-2, 4-2, 5-1.
Outside
Hitter
A front-row player
who generally
hits and blocks on
the left or right
side of the net.
Middle Blocker

• A front-row player
who hits in the
middle of the court,
and who blocks from
the left outside
blocker to the right
outside blocker
Pancake
• A defensive skill where
the hand slides under
the ball just before it
contacts the floor.
There is no motion by
the hand and the floor
provides the impetus
for the ball to rebound
off the hand
Pass
• A skill used in serve
receives and playing free
balls and down balls.
Using the forearms as a
unit to direct the ball to
the setter. Usually the
first contact on a side
 Perimeter
• A specific defensive
system where the four
players not involved in
the block protect the
deep area of the court
What is won by the serving
team when they win a rally.

Point
Primary Passer

• A player, or players,
designated to pass
the ball as much as
possible because of
their superior
passing ability.
Quick Set

• The sets that can be

attacked the fastest by
the hitters, such as 1’s,
3’s, and slides. A first
tempo attack.
 Rally
A series of contacts by both
teams.
 Rally Score
A point is scored on every rally regardless of who served.
 • A monster
block for a
point or a side-
out

Roof
Rotation
• A specific defensive
system where the off
blocker and the back-
row defenders move
either to their right or
left to defend an attack
while putting a player in
tip coverage defense.
Serve
• The act of putting the
ball into play. Done
from behind the end
line, the ball must be
struck so that it
completely clears the
net and falls into the
opponent’s court
 Set
• A skill that specifically
sets up an attack, using
both hands as a single
unit on the ball.
Generally, the second
contact of three on a
side.
 Side Out

• The action of
successfully
defending the
serving team’s play
Slide
• A specific defensive
formation where the
off blocker comes
under the block for
tip coverage. Also,
the name of a set hit
behind the setter.
Tip Coverage

• Placing a player
just behind the
block to pick up
tips and off-speed
shots to the center
of the court
 Transition
The movement of players from defense to
offense.
Violation

• Any play that

breaks the rules
of the game, such
as an illegal
contact or illegal
positioning at the
serve
Any
questions?
Rules and
Violations in
Volleyball
FUNDAMENTALS OF
TEAMSPORTS
• Volleyball's most fertile ground was found in
the Philippines, where Elwood S. Brown of the
YMCA introduced it into the Public-School
System in 1910. By 1914, there were more than
5,000 courts in public schools, playgrounds, and
private clubs in the Philippines, and it was here
that the "Filipino Bomb" or first version of the
modern spike was unleashed. Other innovations
were adopted. After one team set the ball back
and forth among themselves 52 times before
hitting it over the net, the local rules committee
observing the game demanded the first three-
hit rule. It seems that a pressing dinner
engagement of one of the attendant officials was
only one motivation - a stronger one was that of
the opposing team which threatened to walk off
the court and go home. The rule was quickly
adopted throughout the Orient.
Rules in Volleyball
 The Serve
 The server must serve from behind the end
line until after contact
 The ball may be served underhand or
overhand
 The ball must be visible to opponents
before serve
 Served ball may graze the net and drop to
the other side for point
 First game serve is determined by a volley,
each subsequent game shall be served by
the previous game loser
 Serve must be returned by a bump only; no
setting or attacking a serve.
Scoring
 Rally scoring will be used
 There will be a point scored on every score of the ball
 The offense will score on a defense miss or out of bounds hit
 The defense will score on an offensive miss, out of bounds hit, or serve into
the net
 The game will be played to 25 points
 Must win by 2 points
Rotation

 The team will rotate

each time they win
the serve
 Players shall rotate in
a clockwise manner
 There shall be 4-6
players on each side
playing the game
 Maximum of three
hits per side
 The player may not hit the ball twice in succession (a
block is not considered a hit)
 The ball may be played off the net during a volley
and on serve
 A ball touching a boundary line is good
 A legal hit is contact with the ball by a player body
above and including the waist which does not allow
the ball to visibly come to rest
 If two or more players contact the ball
simultaneously, it is considered one play and the
players involved may not participate in the next play
 A player must not block or attack a serve
 Switching positions will be allowed only between
front line players (after the serve only)
Basic Rule Violations
 Stepping on or over the line on a serve
 Failure to serve the ball over the net
successfully
 Hitting the ball illegally (carrying, palming,
throwing, etc.)
 Touches of the net with any part of the body
while the ball is in play. If the ball is driven
into the net with such force that it causes the
net to contact an opposing player, no foul will
be called, and the ball shall continue to be in
play.
 Reaching over the net, except under these
conditions:
a. When executing a follow-through
b.When blocking a ball which is in the
opponents’ court but is being returned (the
blocker must not contact the ball until after
the opponent who is attempting to return the
ball makes contact)
•* Except to block the third play
 Reaches under the net (if it interferes with the
ball or opposing player)
 Failure to serve in the correct order
 Blocks or spikes from a position which is not
behind the 10-foot line while in a back-row
position
Any questions?
Thank you for
listening!