Did you know Volleyball is one of the most popular sports in the world? Volleyball is a fun and exciting sport that requires teamwork, quick reflexes, and good communication. We hope that after reading this you’ll have gained a better understanding of this amazing sport, including the rules of volleyball, how volleyball is played and it’s fouls and scoring system!
The Very Basics
Volleyball is played by two teams of six on a rectangular court. The aim of volleyball is to score points by hitting the ball over a net and making it hit the ground on the opponent’s side of the court. The game is played in sets, with the first team to reach 25 points (with a two-point lead) winning the set. A match is typically played as a best-of-three or best-of-five sets.
A Brief History of Volleyball
Volleyball was invented in 1895 by William G. Morgan, a physical education instructor at the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) in Holyoke, Massachusetts. Morgan wanted to create a new sport that was less physically demanding than basketball and could be played indoors. The first official game of volleyball was played on July 7, 1896, at the YMCA in Holyoke. The sport quickly gained popularity and the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) was founded in 1947. The FIVB organises major international tournaments, including the World Cup and the Olympics.
What Equipment Do You Need to Play?
To play volleyball, players need a ball, a net, and a court. The ball is typically made of synthetic leather and is inflated with air. If you are thinking of getting into volleyball or just need a replacement ball you won’t go wrong with the YANODO volleyball. It is soft, hard wearing and perfect indoors or out.
The net is placed across the centre of the court and is usually made of nylon or other synthetic materials. The top of the net is 2.43 meters high for men and 2.24 meters high for women. The net itself is 1 meter tall and between 9.5 and 10 meters wide, dividing the court in two equal halves. We would recommend the Franklin Sports VolleyBall net to round out the equipment needed to start playing this fast paced sport.
The court is typically made of wood or synthetic materials and is 18 meters long and 9 meters wide.
Rules of Volleyball?
The game starts with a serve, where one team hits the ball over the net to start the game. The opposing team must then hit the ball back without it touching the floor. Three players are allowed to touch the ball before it must go over the net. Players can use any part of their body to hit the ball, but they are not allowed to catch or hold the ball.
The serve is important in volleyball, with various serving techniques. The choice of serve depends on the player’s skill level and the strategy of the team. The overhand serve is considered the most basic, while the float and jump serve are more advanced techniques that can be used to gain an advantage over the opposing team
Overhand Serve: This is the most common serve in volleyball and is used to start the game or to serve during the match. The player stands behind the back line, tosses the ball up, and hits it with an overhand motion. The goal is to hit the ball with a flat trajectory and to make it land within the opponent’s court.
Float Serve: A float serve has a lot of spin on it, making it harder for the opposing team to predict its trajectory. The player tosses the ball up, hits it with an overhand motion, and applies a lot of spin to the ball. This type of serve is often used to catch the opposing team off guard and to disrupt their reception.
Jump Serve: This type of serve involves jumping and hitting the ball from above the height of the net. The player tosses the ball up, jumps, and hits the ball with an overhand motion. Jump serves are typically used to create a higher trajectory and to make it harder for the opposing team to return the ball. This serve is considered the most challenging one, it requires a lot of practice and skill to master.
Scoring in Volleyball
A point is scored when the ball lands on the opponent’s side of the court or when the opposing team commits a fault. The team that wins the set is the one that reaches 25 points (with a two-point lead). If the set is tied at 24-24, the teams play to a two-point lead.
What is the Aim of the Game?
The aim of volleyball is to score points by hitting the ball over the net and making it hit the floor on the opponent’s side of the court. Players must work together as a team to communicate, strategise, and execute to outplay the opposing team. Very simple!
Positions in Volleyball
There are six positions in volleyball, including setter, outside hitter, middle blocker, opposite hitter, libero, and serving specialist.
Attacking Players
The setter is responsible for setting the ball for the hitters and running the team’s offensive plays. This is widely recognised as the most difficult position. The setter has to memorise the skills and pace of each player to ensure the ball is in the correct place at the correct time. The outside hitter and opposite hitter are responsible for attacking and scoring points.
Defending Players
The middle blocker’s main role is to block balls hit by the opposing team. The libero is a defensive specialist whose main role is to play defence and receive serves.
The serving specialist subs into the game just to serve, these players generally have a consistent serve that is challenging for the opponents to receive.
Types of Fouls in Volleyball
There are several types of faults in volleyball, including foot fault, net fault, and antenna fault. A foot fault occurs when the server steps on or over the service line while serving. A net fault occurs when a player touches the net while hitting the ball or blocks the ball with the net. Finally, an antenna fault occurs when a player touches the antenna or the pole while hitting the ball.
We hope this has helped to increase your understanding of volleyball. It is a game you may come across in a wide range of settings, indoors, outdoors, even at the beach! Now that you know the rules of volleyball, look for an opportunity to join in or simply sit back and enjoy the competition, safe in the knowledge that you know your libero from your setter!
Check out live scores and upcoming games, here! Or, have a read about another of our favourite sports, also invented by a school teacher, Basektball.