Basic Volleyball Rules and Terminology

Basic Volleyball Rules and Terminology

The Art of Coaching Volleyball

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Basic Volleyball Rules

●6 players on the floor at any one time - 3 in the front row and 3 in the back row

●Maximum of 3 hits per side

●Points are made on every serve for the winning team of the rally (rally-point scoring).

●A 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 a serve.

●A ball hitting a boundary line is in.

●A ball is out if it hits an antenna, the floor completely outside the court, any of the net or cables outside the antennae, the referee

stand or pole, 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 the level of play. 3-set matches are 2 sets to 25 points and the third set to

15. Each set must be won by two points. The winner is the first team to win 2 sets. 5-set matches are 4 sets to 25 points and the

fifth set to 15. The team must win by 2 unless tournament rules dictate otherwise. The winner is the first team to win three sets.

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Basic Volleyball Rule Violations

Rule violations that result in a point for the opponent

●When serving, the player steps on or across the service line while making contact with the ball.

●Failure to serve the ball over the net successfully.

●Ball-handling errors. 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.

●When blocking a ball coming from the opponent’s court, it’s illegal to contact the ball when reaching over the net if both your

opponent has not used 3 contacts AND they have a player there to make a play on the ball.

●When attacking a ball coming from the opponent’s court, contacting the ball when reaching over the net is a violation if the ball has

not yet broken the vertical plane of the net.

●Crossing the court centerline with any part of your body is a violation. Exception: if it is the hand or foot. In this case, the entire hand

or entire foot must cross for it to be a violation.

●Serving out of rotation/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 his/her 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.

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Basic Volleyball Terminology

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A

Ace: A serve that results directly in a point, usually when the ball hits the floor untouched on the receiving team’s side of the court.

Assist: Helping a teammate set up for a kill.

Attack: The offensive action of hitting the ball.

Attacker: Also “hitter” and “spiker.” A player who attempts to hit a ball offensively with the purpose of terminating play.

Attack Block: The defensive team’s attempt to block a spiked ball.

Attack Error: An attack botched in one of 5 ways: ball lands out of bounds; ball goes into the net; attacker commits center line or net violation

or attacker illegally contacts the ball.

Attack Line: A line 3 meters/10 feet away from, and parallel to, the net. Separates the front-row players from the back-row players. A

back-row player cannot legally attack the ball above the net unless he takes off from behind this line.

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The Art of Coaching Volleyball

Basic Volleyball Rules

● 6 players on the floor at any one time - 3 in the front row and 3 in the back row ● Maximum of 3 hits per side ● Points are made on every serve for the winning team of the rally (rally-point scoring). ● A 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 a serve. ● A ball hitting a boundary line is in. ● A ball is out if it hits an antenna, the floor completely outside the court, any of the net or cables outside the antennae, the referee stand or pole, 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 the level of play. 3-set matches are 2 sets to 25 points and the third set to

Each set must be won by two points. The winner is the first team to win 2 sets. 5-set matches are 4 sets to 25 points and the fifth set to 15. The team must win by 2 unless tournament rules dictate otherwise. The winner is the first team to win three sets.

Basic Volleyball Rule Violations

Rule violations that result in a point for the opponent ● When serving, the player steps on or across the service line while making contact with the ball. ● Failure to serve the ball over the net successfully. ● Ball-handling errors. 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. ● When blocking a ball coming from the opponent’s court, it’s illegal to contact the ball when reaching over the net if both your opponent has not used 3 contacts AND they have a player there to make a play on the ball. ● When attacking a ball coming from the opponent’s court, contacting the ball when reaching over the net is a violation if the ball has not yet broken the vertical plane of the net. ● Crossing the court centerline with any part of your body is a violation. Exception: if it is the hand or foot. In this case, the entire hand or entire foot must cross for it to be a violation. ● Serving out of rotation/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 his/her 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 Volleyball Terminology

A

Ace: A serve that results directly in a point, usually when the ball hits the floor untouched on the receiving team’s side of the court. Assist: Helping a teammate set up for a kill. Attack: The offensive action of hitting the ball. Attacker: Also “hitter” and “spiker.” A player who attempts to hit a ball offensively with the purpose of terminating play. Attack Block: The defensive team’s attempt to block a spiked ball. Attack Error: An attack botched in one of 5 ways: ball lands out of bounds; ball goes into the net; attacker commits center line or net violation or attacker illegally contacts the ball. Attack Line: A line 3 meters/10 feet away from, and parallel to, the net. Separates the front-row players from the back-row players. A back-row player cannot legally attack the ball above the net unless he takes off from behind this line.

B

Back row/court: Space from baseline (endline) to attack line. There are 3 players whose court positions are in this area (positions 1, 6 & 5 on the court) Back Row Attack: When a back-row player takes off from behind the attack line (10-foot/3-meter) line and attacks the ball. Various terms A-B-C-D-PIPE-BIC. Back set: Set delivered behind the setter. Baseline: The back boundary of the court. Also called the end line Block: One of the 6 basic skills. A defensive play by one or more front-row players meant to intercept a spiked ball. The combination of one, 2, or 3 players jumping in front of the opposing spiker and contacting the spiked ball with the hands. Blocking Error: Touching the net, crossing the centerline, blocking a set or serve, or any other “local” violation that occurs while making a block attempt. C Center line: The boundary that runs under the net and divides the court into two equal halves. Closing the block: The responsibility of the assisting blocker(s) to angle their body relative to the first blocker. “Cover”: Refers to the hitter having his/her teammates ready to retrieve rebounds from the opposing blockers. Cross-court attack: An attack directed diagonally from the point of attack. Also called an angle hit. Cut shot: A spike from the hitter’s strong side that travels at a sharp angle across the net. D Deep: Refers to sending the ball away from the net, toward the baseline of the opponent’s court. Defense: One of the 6 basic skills. The key skills used to receive the opponent's attack are digging and sprawling. The dig resembles a forearm pass from a low ready position and is used more for balls that are hit near the defender. The sprawl is a result of an attempted dig for a ball hit farther away from the defender. It resembles a dive. Dig: Passing a spiked or rapidly hit ball and low to ground. Defensive play. Slang for retrieving an attacked ball close to the floor. Statistically scored on a 3.0 point system. Dink: A one-handed, soft hit into the opponent’s court using the fingertips. Also called a tip. Double block: Two players working in unison to intercept a ball at the net. Double hit: Violation. Two successive hits by the same player. Down Ball: Type of attack. “Down” refers to the blockers who neither jump, nor raise their hands above the net. Dump: Usually performed by the setter, who delivers the ball into the opponent’s court on the second contact. F Five-One (5-1): An offensive system that uses five hitters and one setter. Floater: A serve with no spin so the ball follows an erratic path. Forearm Pass: Sometimes referred to as the “pass,” “bump” or “dig”. Four-Two (4-2): An offensive system using four hitters and two setters. Free ball: Returning the ball to the opponent without the intent to get a kill. Usually, a slow, arcing pass or “roll” shot rather than a spike. Front-row: Three players whose court position is in front of the attack line (3M/10 Foot), near the net. These players are in positions 2, 3 & 4 on the court. H Held ball: A ball that comes to rest during contact resulting in a violation. Hit: One of the 6 basic skills. To jump and strike the ball with an overhand, forceful shot. Hitter: Also “spiker” or “attacker.” The player who is responsible for hitting the ball. Hitting percentage: A statistic derived from total kills minus total attack errors, divided by total attempts.

Pipe: A back-row attack from the middle of the court. Position 6. Q Quick set: An extremely low vertical set used to beat the opponent’s block. Can be set at any position on the net. R Rally scoring: A scoring method where points can be won by the serving or receiving team. Red card: Given by the official to a player or coach for flagrant misconduct resulting in a point/side out to the opponent. Results in an automatic ejection and a point/side out for the opponent. Roof: To block a spike, usually straight down for a point. Rotation: The clockwise movement of players around the court and through the serving position following a side out. Players must retain their initial rotational order throughout the entire game, but once the ball is contacted on serve they are allowed to move anywhere. S Seam: The mid-point between 2 players. Serve: One of the 6 basic skills. Used to put the ball into play. It is the only skill controlled exclusively by one player. Set: One of the 6 basic skills. The tactical skill in which a ball is directed to a point where a player can spike it into the opponent’s court. Sets can be set at different heights and different locations on the net and offensively there are names for each of these. Set attack: When a setter attempts to score rather than set the ball to a setter. Also called a shoot set. Setter: The second passer whose job it is to position a pass to the hitter. Shank: Severely misdirected pass. Side out: Change of service when a serving team has failed to score a point. Occurs when the receiving team successfully puts the ball away against the serving team, or when the serving team commits an unforced error. Six-two (6-2): An offense with four spikers and two spikers/setters. The setter comes from the back row. Slide: A quick attack behind the setter. Spike: Also called a hit or attack. A ball contacted with force by a player on the offensive team who intends to terminate the ball on the opponent’s floor or off the opponent’s blocker. Split block: A double-block that leaves a space between the blockers. Stuff: A ball deflected back to the attacking team’s floor by the opponent’s blockers. Substitution: Allows one player to replace another player already on the court. Rules dictate the number of subs each team is allowed. T Tape: The top of the net. Three-meter line: The line extended across the court to signify the point which a back-row player must leave the ground behind to attack the ball. Also, call “attack line” and 10-foot line Tip: A one-handed, soft hit into the opponent’s court using the fingertips. Also called a dink. Tool: When an attacker hits the ball off an opposing blocker’s arms out of bounds. Also called a wipe. Touch: A player contacting the ball on the defensive play. Transition: To switch from offense to defense and vice versa. Triple-block: Block formed by all 3 front-row players. U Underhand serve: A serve performed with an underhand striking action. The ball is usually contacted with the heel of the hand. W Wipe: To deliberately spike the ball off an opponent’s hands and out of bounds. Also called a tool. Y Yellow Card: Given by the official to a player or coach as a warning of misconduct. Two yellow cards result in an automatic red card.

Basic Volleyball Rules and Terminology, Study notes of Art

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