VOLLEYBALL STUDY GUIDE
Volleyball
is a team sport played by two teams on a playing court divided by a net.
The
sport originated in the
The
object of the game is for each team to send the ball regularly over the net to
ground it on the opponent's court, and to prevent the ball from being grounded
on its own court. The right-back player begins the game by serving the ball
over the net to the opponent's court. A team is allowed to hit the ball three times
(in addition to the block contact) to return it to the opponent's court. A
player is not allowed to hit the ball twice consecutively, except when
attempting a block. The rally continues until the ball touches the
ground/floor, goes "out" or a team fails to return it to the
opponent's court or commits a fault.
VOLLEYBALL SCORING SYSTEM
RALLY POINT SCORING (this is a new rule that
began in 1999 and was used in the recent Olympic Games)
The team winning a rally scores a point (Rally Point System). When the receiving
team wins a rally, it gains a point and the right to serve, and its players
rotate one position clockwise.
The best of three or best of five games will win
matches. Each non-deciding game will be won by the team that first scores 25
points with a minimum two-point advantage (no scoring cap). If there is a
deciding game, it will be won by the team that first scores 15 points with a
minimum two-point advantage (no scoring cap).
Every time the
ball is served one team scores a point.
It is either point or side-out & point.
SIDEOUT SCORING
Only the serving team may score a point, except in
the deciding game when rally-point scoring is used. When the receiving team
wins a rally, it gains the right to serve (also scoring a point in the deciding
game), and its players rotate one position clockwise. Rotation ensures that
players play at both the net and the back zone of the court.
A team wins a game by scoring 15 points with a
two-point advantage and wins the match by winning the best of three or five
games. In the event of a 16-16 tie, the team scoring the 17th point wins a
non-deciding game with only a one-point advantage. In a deciding game there is
no point cap.
PLAYER POSITIONS
All
players must be in correct serving order at the time of the service. All players must also be inside the court’s
boundaries at the time of the service (except the server – the server must be
completely outside the court until after the ball has been contacted).
In
order of service: 1. Right Back (RB), 2.
Right Forward (RF), 3. Center Forward (CF), 4.
Left Forward (LF), 5. Left Back (LB), 6. Center Back (CB).
When
the serve is awarded to a team, that team shall rotate clockwise 1 position
(except for the team’s first service).
POINT (AND/OR SIDE-OUT) is awarded for improper
serving alignment.
Screening is an act, intentional or
unintentional, which obstructs an opponent’s view of the server or the flight
of the ball from the serve. Side-out (or point and side-out) is
awarded the opposing team.
THE SERVE
The initiation of play with one hand, fist, or arm while the ball is held, or after it is released by the server. Service shall be from anywhere behind the end line of the court. The server may be in the air over or beyond the end line, but may not touch the court or its back boundary at the instant of contact.
The three serves taught in class were the underhand serve, the sidearm serve and the overhead serve. Below are suggested hand positions for serves.
The
first server of the game is the right back player, followed by the right front
player, etc., who would rotate into the service position in turn.
Ace – A service which results directly in a point, landing on the opponents court untouched, or one which a receiver passes it out of play.
It is a service fault if the ball does not legally cross the net, such as when the ball
1. touches or passes under the net;
2. touches one of the servers teammates;
3. touches the floor on the server’s
side of the net.
It
is also a service fault if the ball
touches the ceiling or out-of-bounds areas; if the receiving team is out of
position; or if the ball is illegally served.
Side-out (and/or point) is awarded for service
violations by the serving team. Point is awarded for service violations
by the receiving team (such as players out of position or touching the net).
CONTACTING THE BALL
A
contact or touch of the ball by a player is counted as one of the team’s three allowable plays before the ball
is returned to the opponent. No more than three hits are permitted before
the ball must cross the net. When
the team’s first contact is simultaneous contact by opponents, or an action to
block, the next contact is considered the team’s first hit.
Legal contact is a touch of the ball by a
player’s body, above and including the waist, which does not allow the ball to
visibly come to rest or involve prolonged contact with a player’s body.
Simultaneous contact is more than one contact of
the ball made at the same time:
1. When one player contacts the
ball with two or more parts of the body at the same instant (forearm pass).
2. When teammates contact the
ball at the same instant. Blocks do not constitute hits.
3. When opposing players
contact the ball at the same instant.
Players whose side of the net the ball falls will be considered to have
played the ball last. The other player
may participate in the next play and simultaneous contact shall not count as a
hit.
Forearm pass (bump) – Generally a team’s first hit, rebounding from the player’s forearms
to a teammate. Used when the ball is
below shoulder level. This is useful
when receiving the serve or a hard hit ball.
It is less accurate than the fingertip set.
Points to remember: Do not swing
the arms at the ball, let it rebound off the arms
Contact should be on the forearms
between the wrists and elbows.
Hands are to remain clasped through the
whole movement.
Overhead pass (set) – Two handed fingertip set to an attacker or
teammate. This is the most accurate
method of playing the ball. It is basic
to all play and is used to receive high easily played balls. It can also be used offensively to catch
opponents out of position.
Points to remember: Contact is to be on the tips of the fingers,
above the forehead.
Use the legs to add power to the
hit.
Arms and hands follow the path of
the ball forward and upward.
Dig – A saving skill in which the ball is contacted on
the forearm, fist, or hand either underhand or overhead.
Spike – Use of a one-hand overhead attack.
More Terms:
Assist – A player passes the ball
to a teammate who attacks the ball
for a kill.
Attack – The team’s third hit.
Block – A contact of the ball near
the top of the net while both arms are raised above the head in an attempt to
prevent the ball from crossing the net, return it immediately, or deflecting
the motion of the ball.
Dump – A fingertip attack,
usually performed by a setter on the second hit.
Double Hit – A ball hit twice in-a-row
by the same player.
Foot Fault – Stepping on or over the
end line on the service. Crossing the
center line completely, stepping on the opponent’s side of the net.
Kill – An attack by a player that is unreturnable
by the receiving player on the opposing team and leads directly to a point or side-out or point and
side-out.
Net Violation – A serve or a player that
touches the net. During play a ball can
touch the net and is still in play, but not on the serve.
Net Serve – A serve that hits the
net. Side-out
or side-out and point are awarded.
Rotation – Clockwise movement of the
team prior to service.
Setting – Putting the ball up in
the air to allow a teammate to easily play it.
Tip/Dink – A fingertip attack.