Volleyball
Volleyball is an Olympic team sport in which two teams of six active players five normal players and one libero, separated by a high net, each try to score points against one another by grounding a ball on the other teams court under organized rules.The complete rules of volleyball are extensive, but in general, play proceeds as follows Points are awarded as follows If the ball touches the ground outside the court area, the team which made contact with it last loses the point. If the ball touches the ground on team As side of the net, team B is awarded a point, and viceversa. The ball MUST be hit over the net, if a team hits the ball under the net, they lose the point. The team who won the point then serves. The first team to reach points wins the set and the first team to win three sets wins the match. Teams can contact the ball no more than three times before the ball crosses the net, and consecutive contacts must be made by different players. The ball is usually played with the hands or arms, but players can legally strike or push short contact the ball with any part of the body.Through time, volleyball has developed to involve common techniques of spiking, passing, blocking, and setting, as well as specialised player positions and offensive and defensive structures. Because many plays are made above the top of the net, vertical jumping is an athletic skill emphasised in volleyball. This article focuses on competitive indoor volleyball, which is carefully regulated and played indoors. Numerous variations of volleyball have developed for casual play, as has the Olympic spinoff sport beach volleyball.Origin of volleyballOn February , , in Holyoke, Massachusetts USA, William G. Morgan, a YMCA physical education director, created a new game called Mintonette as a pastime to be played preferably indoors and by any number of players. The game took some of its characteristics from tennis and handball. Another indoor sport, basketball, was catching on in the area, having been invented just ten miles sixteen kilometers away in the city of Springfield, Massachusetts, only four years before. Mintonette as volleyball was then known was designed to be an indoor sport less rough than basketball for older members of the YMCA, while still requiring a bit of athletic effort.The first rules, written down by William G. Morgan, called for a net ft in . m high, a × ft² .×. m² court, and any number of players. A match was composed of nine innings with three serves for each team in each inning, and no limit to the number of ball contacts for each team before sending the ball to the opponents’ court. In case of a serving error, a second try was allowed. Hitting the ball into the net was considered a foul with loss of the point or a sideout—except in the case of the firsttry serve.After an observer, Alfred Halstead, noticed the volleying nature of the game at its first exhibition match in , played at the International YMCA Training School now called Springfield College, the game quickly became known as volleyball it was originally spelled as two words volley ball. Volleyball rules were slightly modified by the International YMCA Training School and the game spread around the country to various YMCAs.edit Refinements and later developmentsThe first official ball used in volleyball is disputed some sources say that Spalding created the first official ball in , while others claim it was created in . The rules have evolved over time by , the skill and power of the set and spike had been introduced, and four years later a three hits rule and back row hitting guidelines were established. In , the game was changed from to points. In , about , volleyballs were distributed by the American Expeditionary Forces to their troops and allies, which sparked the growth of volleyball in new countries.
The first country outside the United States to adopt volleyball was Canada in . An international federation, the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball FIVB, was founded in , and the first World Championships were held in for men and for women. The sport is now popular in Brazil, in Europe where especially Italy, the Netherlands, and countries from Eastern Europe have been major forces since the late s, in Russia, and in other countries including China and the rest of Asia, as well in as the United States.Beach volleyball, a variation of the game played on sand and with only two players per team, became a FIVBendorsed variation in and was added to the Olympic program at the Summer Olympics.dit Volleyball in the Olympics Main article Volleyball at the Summer OlympicsThe history of Olympic volleyball can be traced back to the Summer Olympics in Paris, where volleyball was played as part of an American sports demonstration event. After the foundation of FIVB and some continental confederations, it began to be considered for official inclusion. In , a special tournament was held at the rd IOC session in Sofia, Bulgaria to support such request. The competition was a success, and the sport was officially included in the program for the Summer Olympics.The Olympic volleyball tournament was originally a simple competition, whose format paralleled the one still employed in the World Cup all teams played against each other team and then were ranked by wins, set average, and point average. One disadvantage of this roundrobin system is that medal winners could be determined before the end of the games, making the audience lose interest in the outcome of the remaining matches. To cope with this situation, the competition was split into two phases with the addition of a final round elimination tournament consisting of quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals matches in . The number of teams involved in the Olympic tournament has grown steadily since . Since , both mens and womens events count twelve participant nations. Each of the five continental volleyball confederations has at least one affiliated national federation involved in the Olympic Games.The U.S.S.R. won mens gold in both and . After taking bronze in and silver in , Japan finally won the gold for mens volleyball in . Womens gold went to Japan in and again in . That year, the introduction of a new offensive skill, the backrow attack, allowed Poland to win the mens competition over the Soviets in a very tight fiveset match. Since the strongest teams in mens volleyball at the time belonged to the Eastern Bloc, the Americanled boycott of the Summer Olympics did not have as great an effect on these events as it had on the womens. The U.S.S.R. collected their third Olympic Gold Medal in mens volleyball with a victory over Bulgaria the Soviet women won that year as well, their third gold as well. With the U.S.S.R. boycotting the Olympic Games in Los Angeles, the U.S. was able to sweep Brazil in the finals for the mens gold medal. Italy won its first medal bronze in the mens competition in , foreshadowing a rise in prominence for their volleyball teams.At the Games, Karch Kiraly and Steve Timmons led the U.S. mens team to a second straight gold medal. In , underrated Brazil upset favourites C.I.S., Netherlands, and Italy in the mens competition for the countrys first Olympic gold medal. Runnerup Netherlands, mens silver medalist in , came back under team leaders Ron Zwerver and Olof van der Meulen in the Games for a fiveset win over Italy. A mens bronze medalist in , Serbia and Montenegro playing in and as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia beat Russia in the gold medal match in , winning their first gold medal ever. In , Brazil won its second mens volleyball gold medal beating Italy in the finals. In the Games, the USA beat Brazil in the mens volleyball final. See also Volleyball in the United States and Volleyball in Canada
Rules of the game
Volleyball courtVolleyball courtedit The courtThe game is played on a volleyball court meters long and meters wide, divided into two m × m halves by a onemeter wide net placed so that the top of the net is . meters above the center of the court for mens competition, and . meters for womens competition these heights are varied for veterans and junior competitions.There is a line meters from and parallel to the net in each team court which is considered the attack line. This meter or foot line divides the court into back row and front row areas also back court and front court. These are in turn divided into areas each these are numbered as follows, starting from area , which is the position of the serving playerAfter a team gains the serve also known as siding out, its members must rotate in a clockwise direction, with the player previously in area moving to area and so on, with the player from area moving to area see also the Errors and faults section.The team courts are surrounded by an area called the free zone which is a minimum of meters wide and which the players may enter and play within after the service of the ball. All lines denoting the boundaries of the team court and the attack zone are drawn or painted within the dimensions of the area and are therefore a part of the court or zone. If a ball comes in contact with the line, the ball is considered to be in. An antenna is placed on each side of the net perpendicular to the sideline and is a vertical extension of the side boundary of the court. A ball passing over the net must pass completely between the antennae or their theoretical extensions to the ceiling without contacting them.edit The ball Main article Volleyball ballhe volleyball is made of leather or synthetic leather and inflated according to FIVB regulations Its circumference is – cm and its weight is – g. Its inside pressure shall be .–. kgcm .–. psi, .–. mbar or hPa.edit Game playEach team consists of six players. To get play started, a team is chosen to serve by coin toss. A player from the serving team generally accepted to have the advantage inplay throws the ball into the air and attempts to hit the ball so it passes over the net on a course such that it will land in the opposing teams court the serve. The opposing team must use a combination of no more than three contacts with the volleyball to return the ball to the opponents side of the net. These contacts usually consist first of the bump or pass so that the balls trajectory is aimed towards the player designated as the setter second of the set usually an overhand pass using wrists to push fingertips at the ball by the setter so that the balls trajectory is aimed towards a spot where one of the players designated as an attacker can hit it, and third by the attacker who spikes jumping, raising one arm above the head and hitting the ball so it will move quickly down to the ground on the opponents court to return the ball over the net. The team with possession of the ball that is trying to attack the ball as described is said to be on offense.The team on defense attempts to prevent the attacker from directing the ball into their court players at the net jump and reach above the top and if possible, across the plane of the net in order to block the attacked ball. If the ball is hit around, above, or through the block, the defensive players arranged in the rest of the court attempt to control the ball with a dig usually a forearm pass of a harddriven ball. After a successful dig, the team transitions to offense.The game continues in this manner, rallying back and forth, until the ball touches the court within the boundaries or until an error is made.
Errors and faults The ball lands out of the court, in the same court as the team that touched it last, under the net to the opposing teams court, or the ball touches the net antennas. The ball also may not pass over oroutside the antennas even if it lands in the opponents court. The ball is touched more than three times before being returned to the other teams court. The same player touches the ball twice in succession. A player lifts or carries the ball the ball remains in contact with the players body for too long. A player touches the net with any part of his or her body or clothing while making a play on the ball with the exception of the hair. The players of one team do not manage to touch the ball before the ball lands in their half of the court. A backrow player spikes the ball while it is completely above the top of the net, unless he or she jumped from behind the attack line the player is, however, allowed to land in front of the attack line. A backrow player participates in a completed block of the opposing teams attack completed mans at least one blocker touched the ball. The libero, a defensive player who can only play in the back row, attempts a block or makes an attack hit defined as any action which directs the ball towards the opponents, with the exception of service and block while the ball is entirely higher than the top of the net. A player completes an attack hit from higher than the top of the net when the ball is coming from an overhand finger pass set by a libero in the front zone. A player is not in the correct position at the moment of serve, or serves out of turn. This type of foul is related to the position currently occupied by the players see the table in the Equipment section. When ball is served, players can place themselves freely on the field e.g. a backrow player can be close to the net so long as they obey the following rules The area player must be behind the area player and to the right of the area player. The area player must be behind area player, to the left of area player and to the right of area . The area player must be behind the area player and to the left of the area player. Symmetric rules must be respected by the frontrow players those in areas , and . The penalty for being out of rotation is an automatic service ace if the opposing team is serving, and if its on the serving team sides, its an automatic turnover. When hitting, a player makes contact with the ball in the space above the opponents court in blocking an attack hit, this is allowed. A player touches the opponents court with any part of his or her body except the feet or hands. When serving, a player steps on the court or the end line before making contact with the ball. A player takes more than seconds to serve. At the moment of serve, one or more players jump, raise their arms or stand together at the net in an attempt to block the sight of the ball from the opponent screening. A player blocks the serve or attacks the serve when the ball is in the front zone and above the top of the net. There is a physical fight between players, whether an opponent or on the same teamNotes If the ball passes outside the antennas on the first contact for the team, e.g. as the result of a bad pass or dig, a player is allowed to go after the ball as long as he or she does not touch the opponents court and the ball travels back to his or her teams court also outside the antennas. Except if a player blocks touches a ball sent over the net by the opposing team, while reaching above the top of the net a ball that stays in the blockers side of the net. In such an instance the blocker may play the ball another time without violating the rule against playing the ball twice in succession. If the ball is touched during a block, that contact is not considered one of the teams three contacts. At the first hit of the team, the ball may contact various parts of the body consecutively provided that the contacts occur during one action. Also, when a player touches the ball on a block, he or she may make another play on the ball. Penetration under the net with hands or feet is allowed only if a portion of the penetrating hands or feet remains in contact with or directly above the players court or center line. Screening is only a fault if the players stand directly next to each other in a way that clearly impedes vision, and the serve is a low line drive over their heads. This is a judgment call by the referee. Teams are generally given a warning before being sanctioned for screening.
Scoring
When the ball contacts the floor within the court boundaries or an error is made, the team that did not make the error is awarded a point, whether they served the ball or not. The team that won the point serves for the next point. If the team that won the point served in the previous point, the same player serves again. If the team that won the point did not serve the previous point, the players of the team rotate their position on the court in a clockwise manner. The game continues, with the first team to score points and be two points ahead awarded the set. Matches are bestoffive sets and the fifth set if necessary is usually played to points. Scoring differs between leagues, tournaments, and levels high schools sometimes play bestofthree to in the NCAA games are played bestoffive to .Before , points could be scored only when a team had the serve sideout scoring and all sets went up to only points. The FIVB changed the rules in with the changes being compulsory in to use the current scoring system formerly known as rally point system, primarily to make the length of the match more predictable and to make the game more spectator and televisionfriendly.edit The LiberoIn the libero player was introduced internationally, the term meaning free in Italian is pronounced LEEbehro rather than lihBEARoh the NCAA introduced the libero in . The libero is a player specialized in defensive skills the libero must wear a contrasting jersey color from his or her teammates and cannot block or attack the ball when it is entirely above net height. When the ball is not in play, the libero can replace any backrow player, without prior notice to the officials. This replacement does not count against the substitution limit each team is allowed per set, although the libero may be replaced only by the player whom they replaced. The libero may function as a setter only under certain restrictions. If shehe makes an overhand set, shehe must be standing behind and not stepping on the meter line otherwise, the ball cannot be attacked above th net in front of the meter line. An underhand pass is allowed from any part of the court.The libero is, generally, the most skilled defensive player on the team. There is also a libero tracking sheet, where the referees or officiating team must keep track of who the libero subs in and out for. There may only be one libero per set game, although there may be a different libero in the beginning of any new set game.Furthermore, a libero is not allowed to serve, according to international rules, with the exception of the NCAA womens volleyball games, where a rule change allows the libero to serve, but only in a specific rotation. That is, the libero can only serve for one person, not for all of the people for whom she goes in. That rule change was also applied to high school play soon after.edit Recent rule changesOther rule changes enacted in include allowing serves in which the ball touches the net, as long as it goes over the net into the opponents court. Also, the service area was expanded to allow players to serve from anywhere behind the end line but still within the theoretical extension of the sidelines. Other changes were made to lighten up calls on faults for carries and doubletouches, such as allowing multiple contacts by a single player doublehits on a teams first contact provided that they are a part of a single play on the ball.On February , , the NCAA changed collegiate scoring from to . If the match goes to games, the required score would still be to win. In addition, the word game is now referred to as set.
Skills
Competitive teams master six basic skills serve, pass, set, attack, block and dig. Each of these skills comprises a number of specific techniques that have been introduced over the years and are now considered standard practice in highlevel volleyball.edit ServeSetting up for an overhand serve.Setting up for an overhand serve.A man making a jump serve.A man making a jump serve.A player stands behind the endline and serves the ball, in an attempt to drive it into the opponents court. His or her main objective is to make it land inside the court it is also desirable to set the balls direction, speed and acceleration so that it becomes difficult for the receiver to handle it properly. A serve is called an ace when the ball lands directly onto the court or travels outside the court after being touched by an opponent.In contemporary volleyball, many types of serves are employed Underhand and Overhand Serve refers to whether the player strikes the ball from below, at waist level, or first tosses the ball in the air and then hits it above shoulder level. Underhand serve is considered very easy to receive and is rarely employed in highlevel competitions. Sky Ball Serve a specific type of underhand serve occasionally used in beach volleyball, where the ball is hit so high it comes down almost in a straight line. This serve was invented and employed almost exclusively by the Brazilian team in the early s and is now considered outdated. In Brazil, this serve is called Jornada nas Estrelas Star Trek. Line and CrossCourt Serve refers to whether the ball flies in a straight trajectory parallel to the side lines, or crosses through the court in an angle. Top Spin an overhand serve where the ball gains topspin through wrist snapping. This spin causes the ball to drop fast. Floater an overhand serve where the ball is hit with no spin so that its path becomes unpredictable. This type of serve can be administered while jumping or standing. This is akin to a knuckleball in baseball. Jump Serve an overhand serve where the ball is first tossed high in the air, then the player makes a timed approach and jumps to make contact with the ball. There is usually much topspin imparted on the ball. This is the most popular serve amongst college and professional teams. In Brazil, this serve is called Viagem ao Fundo do Mar Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, like an antithesis to the Star Trek serve.Jump Float This is a serve like the jump serve and the floater. The ball is tossed lower than a topspin jump serve, but contact is still made while in the air. This serve is becoming more popular amongst college and professional players because it has a certain unpredictability in its flight pattern. RoundHouse Serve the player stands with one shoulder facing the net, tosses the ball high and hits it with a fast circular movement of the arm. The ball is hit with the palm of the hand, creating a lot of topspin. Hybrid Serve An overhand serve delivered similarly to a top spin serve however, it has more pace than a floater, but has a similar unpredictable path.
PassA woman making a forearm pass or bump.A woman making a forearm pass or bump.Also called reception, the pass is the attempt by a team to properly handle the opponents serve, or any form of attack. Proper handling includes not only preventing the ball from touching the court, but also making it reach the position where the setter is standing quickly and precisely.The skill of passing involves fundamentally two specific techniques underarm pass, or bump, where the ball touches the inside part of the joined forearms or platform, at waist line and overhand pass, where it is handled with the fingertips, like a set, above the head.edit SetThe set is usually the second contact that a team makes with the ball. The main goal of setting is to put the ball in the air in such a way that it can be driven by an attack into the opponents court. The setter coordinates the offensive movements of a team, and is the player who ultimately decides which player will actually attack the ball.As with passing, one may distinguish between an overhand and a bump set. Since the former allows for more control over the speed and direction of the ball, the bump is used only when the ball is so low it cannot be properly handled with fingertips, or in beach volleyball where rules regulating overhand setting are more stringent. In the case of a set, one also speaks of a front or back set, meaning whether the ball is passed in the direction the setter is facing or behind the setter. There is also a jump set that is used when the ball is too close to the net. In this case the setter usually jumps off his or her right foot straight up to avoid going into the net. The setter usually stands about ? of the way from the left to the right of the net and faces the left the larger portion of net that he or she can see.ometimes a setter refrains from raising the ball for a teammate to perform an attack and tries to play it directly onto the opponents court. This movement is called a dump. The most common dumps are to throw the ball behind the setter or in front of the setter to zones and . More experienced setters toss the ball into the deep corners or spike the ball on the second hit.edit AttackAn attack in progressAn attack in progressThe attack or spike, the slang term is usually the third contact a team makes with the ball. The object of attacking is to handle the ball so that it lands on the opponents court and cannot be defended. A player makes a series of steps the approach, jumps, and swings at the ball.Ideally the contact with the ball is made at the apex of the hitters jump. At the moment of contact, the hitters arm is fully extended above his or her head and slightly forward, making the highest possible contact while maintaining the ability to deliver a powerful hit. The hitter uses arm swing, wrist snap, and a rapid forward contraction of the entire body to drive the ball. A bounce is a slang term for a very hardloud spike that follows an almost straight trajectory steeply downward into the opponents court and bounces very high into the air. A kill is the slang term for an attack that is not returned by the other team thus resulting in a point.Contemporary volleyball comprises a number of attacking techniques Backcourt or backrowpipe attack an attack performed by a back row player. The player must jump from behind the meter line before making contact with the ball, but may land in front of the meter line. Line and Crosscourt Shot refers to whether the ball flies in a straight trajectory parallel to the side lines, or crosses through the court in an angle. A crosscourt shot with a very pronounced angle, resulting in the ball landing near the meter line, is called a cut shot. DipDinkTipCheat the player does not try to make a hit, but touches the ball lightly, so that it lands on an area of the opponents court that is not being covered by the defense.
ToolWipeBlockabuse
ToolWipeBlockabuse the player does not try to make a hard spike, but hits the ball so that it touches the opponents block and then bounces offcourt. Offspeed hit the player does not hit the ball hard, reducing its acceleration and thus confusing the opponents defense.Quick hitOne an attack usually by the middle blocker where the approach and jump begin before the setter contacts the ball. The set called a quick set is placed only slightly above the net and the ball is struck by the hitter almost immediately after leaving the setters hands. Quick attacks are often effective because they isolate the middle blocker to be the only blocker on the hit. Slide a variation of the quick hit that uses a low back set. The middle hitter steps around the setter and hits from behind him or her. Double quick StackTandem a variation of quick hit where two hitters, one in front and one behind the setter or both in front of the setter, jump to perform a quick hit at the same time. It can be used to deceive opposite blockers and free a fourth hitter attacking from backcourt, mabe without block at all. Kill when someone scores a point and touches the ball. Ace when someone scores a point immediately off the serve.edit Block players performing a block players performing a blockBlocking refers to the actions taken by players standing at the net to stop or alter an opponents attack.A block that is aimed at completely stopping an attack, thus making the ball remain in the opponents court, is called offensive. A wellexecuted offensive block is performed by jumping and reaching to penetrate with ones arms and hands over the net and into the opponents area. The jump should be timed so as to intercept the balls trajectory prior to it crossing over the net. Palms are held deflected downward about degrees toward the interior of the opponents court. A roof is a spectacular offensive block that redirects the power and speed of the attack straight down to the attackers floor, as if the attacker hit the ball into the underside of a peaked house roof.By contrast, it is called a defensive, or soft block if the goal is to control and deflect the harddriven ball up so that it slows down and becomes more easy to be defended. A wellexecuted softblock is performed by jumping and placing ones hands above the net with no penetration into the opponents court and with the palms up and fingers pointing backward.Blocking is also classified according to the number of players involved. Thus, one may speak of single or solo, double, or triple block.Successful blocking does not always result in a roof and many times does not even touch the ball. While it’s obvious that a block was a success when the attacker is roofed, a block that consistently forces the attacker away from his or her power or preferred attack into a more easily controlled shot by the defense is also a highly successful block.At the same time, the block position influences the positions where other defenders place themselves while opponent hitters are spiking.edit DigWoman going for a dig.oman going for a dig.Digging is the ability to prevent the ball from touching ones court after a spike, particularly a ball that is nearly touching the ground. In many aspects, this skill is similar to passing, or bumping overhand dig and bump are also used to distinguish between defensive actions taken with fingertips or with joined arms.
Some specific techniques are more common in digging than in passing. A player may sometimes perform a dive, i.e., throw his or her body in the air with a forward movement in an attempt to save the ball, and land on his or her chest. When the player also slides his or her hand under a ball that is almost touching the court, this is called a pancake.Sometimes a player may also be forced to drop his or her body quickly to the floor in order to save the ball. In this situation, the player makes use of a specific rolling technique to minimize the chances of injuries.edit Coachingedit Basic principlesCoaching for volleyball can be classified under two main categories match coaching and developmental coaching. The objective of match coaching is to win a match by managing a teams strategy. Developmental coaching emphasizes player development through the reinforcement of basic skills during exercises known as drills. Drills promote repetition and refinement of volleyball movements, particularly in footwork patterns, body positioning relative to others, and ball contact. A coach will construct drills that simulate match situations thereby encouraging speed of movement, anticipation, timing, communication, and teamwork. At the various stages of a players career, a coach will tailor drills to meet the strategic requirements of the team. The American Volleyball Coaches Association is the largest organization in the world dedicated exclusively to volleyball coaching.edit StrategyAn image from an international match between Italy and Russia in . A Russian player on the left has just served, with three men of his team next to the net moving to their assigned block positions from the starting ones. Two others, in the backrow positions, are preparing for defense. Italy, on the right, has three men in a line, each preparing to pass if the ball reaches him. The setter is waiting for their pass while the middle hitter with no. will jump for a quick hit if the pass is good enough. Alessandro Fei no. has no passing duties and is preparing for a backrow hit on the right side of the field. Note the two liberos with different color dress. Middle hittersblockers are commonly substituted by liberos in their backrow positions.An image from an international match between Italy and Russia in . A Russian player on the left has just served, with three men of his team next to the net moving to their assigned block positions from the starting ones. Two others, in the backrow positions, are preparing for defense. Italy, on the right, has three men in a line, each preparing to pass if the ball reaches him. The setter is waiting for their pass while the middle hitter with no. will jump for a quick hit if the pass is good enough. Alessandro Fei no. has no passing duties and is preparing for a backrow hit on the right side of the field. Note the two liberos with different color dress. Middle hittersblockers are commonly substituted by liberos in their backrow positions.
Player specialization
There are positions filled on every volleyball team at the elite level. Setter, Outside HitterLeft Side Hitter, Middle Hitter, Opposite HitterRight Side Hitter and LiberoDefensive Specialist. Each of these positions plays a specific, key role in winning a volleyball match. Setters have the task for orchestrating the offense of the team. They aim for second touch and their main responsibility is to place the ball in the air where the attackers can place the ball into the opponents court for a point. They have to be able to operate with the hitters, manage the tempo of their side of the court and choose the right attackers to set. Setters need to have swift and skillful appraisal and tactical accuracy, and must be quick at moving around the court. Liberos are defensive players who are responsible for receiving the attack or serve. They are usually the players on the court with the quickest reaction time and best passing skills. Libero means free as they have the ability to substitute for any other player on the court during each play. They do not necessarily need to be tall, as they never play at the net, which allows shorter players with strong passing and defensive skills to excel in the position and play an important role in the teams success. A player designated as a libero for a match may not play other roles during that match. Liberos wear a different color jersey than their teammates. Middle blockers or Middle hitters are players that can perform very fast attacks that usually take place near the setter. They are specialized in blocking, since they must attempt to stop equally fast plays from their opponents and then quickly set up a double block at the sides of the court. In nonbeginners play, every team will have two middle hitters. Outside hitters attack from near the left antenna. Since most sets to the outside are high, the outside hitter may take a longer approach, always starting from outside the court sideline. In nonbeginners play, there are again two outside hitters on every team in every match. Opposite hitters or Right side hitters carry the offensive workload for a volleyball team. Their primary responsibilities are to attack the ball from the right side and to put up a well formed block against the opponents Outside Hitters. This player hits the most balls on the team. Heshe is set from the front row and the back row. Sets to the opposite usually go to the right side.edit FormationsThe three standard volleyball formations are known as , and , which refers to the number of hitters and setters respectively. is a basic formation used only in beginners play, while is by far the most common formation in highlevel play.edit The formation has four hitters and two setters. The setters usually set from the middle front or right front position. The team will therefore have two frontrow attackers at all times. In the international , the setters set from the right front position. The international translates more easily into other form of offense.The setters line up opposite each other in the rotation. The typical lineup has two outside hitters. By aligning like positions opposite themselves in the rotation, there will always be one of each position in the front and back rows. After service, the players in the front row move into their assigned positions, so that the setter is always in middle front. Alternatively, the setter moves into the right front and has both a middle and an outside attacker the disadvantage here lies in the lack of an offside hitter, allowing one of the other teams blockers to cheat in on a middle block.
The clear disadvantage to this offensive formation is that there are only two attackers, leaving a team with fewer offensive weapons.Another aspect is to see the setter as an attacking force, albeit a weakened force, because when the setter is in the front court they are able to tip or dump, so when the ball is close to the net on the second touch, the setter may opt to hit the ball over with one hand. This means that the blocker who would otherwise not have to block the setter is engaged and may allow one of the hitters to have an easier attack.edit In the formation, a player always comes forward from the back row to set. The three front row players are all in attacking positions. Thus, all six players act as hitters at one time or another, while two can act as setters. So the formation is actually a system, but the backrow setter penetrates to set.The lineup thus requires two setters, who line up opposite to each other in the rotation. In addition to the setters, a typical lineup will have two middle hitters and two outside hitters. By aligning like positions opposite themselves in the rotation, there will always be one of each position in the front and back rows. After service, the players in the front row move into their assigned positions.The advantage of the is that there are always three frontrow hitters available, maximizing the offensive possibilities. However, not only does the require a team to possess two people capable of performing the highly specialized role of setter, it also requires both of those players to be effective offensive hitters when not in the setter position. At the international level, only the Cuban National Womens Team employs this kind of formation. It is also used in Womens NCAA play, partially due to the variant rules used which allow substitutions per set as opposed to the allowed in the standard rules.edit The formation has only one player who assumes setting responsibilities regardless of his or her position in the rotation. The team will therefore have three frontrow attackers when the setter is in the back row, and only two when the setter is in the front row, for a total of five.The player opposite the setter in a rotation is called the opposite hitter. In general, opposite hitters do not pass they stand behind their teammates when the opponent is serving. The opposite hitter may be used as a third attack option backrow attack when the setter is in the front row this is the normal option used to increase the attack capabilities of modern volleyball teams. Normally the opposite hitter is the most technical skilled hitter of the team. Backrow attacks generally come from the backright position position , but are increasingly performed from backcenter in highlevel play.The big advantage of this system is that the setter always has hitters to vary sets with. If the setter does this well, the opponents middle blocker may not have enough time to block with the outside hitter, increasing the chance for the attacking team to make a point.There is another advantage when the setter is a frontrow player, he or she is allowed to jump and dump the ball onto the opponents side. This too can confuse the opponents blocking players the setter can jump and dump or can set to one of the hitters. A good setter knows this and thus wont only jump to dump or to set for a quick hit, but as well to confuse the opponent.he offense is actually a mix of and when the setter is in the front row, the offense looks like a when the setter is in the back row, the offense looks like a .
Variations
Main article Volleyball variationsThere are many variations on the basic rules of volleyball. By far the most popular of these is beach volleyball, which is played on sand with two people per team, and rivals the main sport in popularity.Beach volleyball Main article Beach volleyballRows of beach volleyball nets in Huntington Beach, California.Rows of beach volleyball nets in Huntington Beach, California.A variation of the game rivaling the original sport of volleyball in popularity, beach volleyball evolved from the recreational games of volleyball played on many beaches around the world. It became an official Olympic sport in . This version, rather than being played on indoor hard courts, is played on sand courts which may either be formed naturally or built specifically for the purpose. Instead of a team of six, each team consists of only two players, but otherwise the rules are almost identical with some exceptions including The size of the court x m though many recreational players and regional organizations use the old x m court The block always counts as the first contact
The banning of the openhand dink or dump plays where a player uses his or her finger tips to redirect the ball into the opponents court instead of a hard spike. A dink may be performed with a closed hand or knuckle Stricter rules around doublecontacts during hand setting The time limit for serve is seconds Many recreational players still use the sideout scoring system rather than rally scoring. Sideout scoring is used more often when playing on an x m court than on a x m one. Games are usually played to points, rather than as common in indoor volleyball. The first team to win two sets wins the match. If a third deciding set is required, it is played to .edit Indoor sand volleybalThis is a newer variation of beach volleyball. As beach volleyball took volleyball outdoors, indoor sand volleyball takes beach volleyball indoors. In the United States, a growing number of colleges are now considering switching from hard court indoor volleyball to sand court indoor volleyball. The biggest reason for the possible change is the reduced rate of injury of players. Secondary reasons are bad weather doesnt cancel play, something that commonly happens with beach volleyball it is thought to make the game more appealing to spectators since sand courts do not require players to wear knee pads or shoes.Indoor sand volleyball teams vary from two to six members, college teams having six. Normally, rather than using a purposebuilt hall, an indoor basketball court is converted. A protective tarpaulin covers the floor of the basketball court and soft sand is laid a foot deep over it. The boundaries are commonly marked off with lines in the sand. However, a recent innovation uses colored lasers that illuminate the lines in the sand.In some venues, there exist sand courts that are used as usual during the spring, summer, and fall months, but during the winter months, a large tent usually domeshaped is erected over the courts.edit Footbag net Main article Footbag netFootbag net is similar to sepak takraw and footvolley. Its played with feet instead of hands. Footbag net combines elements of tennis, badminton, and volleyball. Specifically, the court dimensions and layout are similar to those of badminton the scoring is similar to the old scoring system in volleyball you must be serving to score and serves must be diagonal, as in tennis. It is played one on one or in teams of two. Footbag net games can be played to eleven or fifteen points, although the winners must win by at least two points.
Newcomb ball Main article Newcomb ballA simplified form used to teach the fundamentals of volleyball, Newcomb occasionally referred to as Nuke em is generally taught to schoolaged children but is also popular among adults of limited athletic ability. Its main differences from regular volleyball are that the ball can be caught before passing on to a teammate or over the net, and each pass or serve is a throw rather than a hit. While most other volleyball rules apply, variations on the numbers of players per team and the numbers of catches per side are common, and players holding the ball are sometimes allowed a limited number of steps.Newcomb or Newcomb Ball was invented in by Clara Gregory Baer, a physical education instructor at Newcomb College in Louisiana.Volleyball was independently invented in the same year. Newcomb was a popular competitive sport in the early s, but it is now seen as a variation of volleyball and is played mostly by school children.Newcomb can be also played in a way similar to dodgeball. The main and only difference in the less played version is that instead of scoring points, a teammate is eliminated if he or she makes a mistake. The game continues until all of the players on one team are eliminated.edit Sepak Takraw Main article Sepak TakrawSepak Takraw is a variant of volleyball popular in Asia, similar to footvolley. The rules are very similar to those in volleyball, with the following four important exceptions The use of hands is not permitted, each player may only touch the ball once before it is kicked back over the net, there is no rotation in the defence position, players use their feet to get the ball over the net, and it becomes a score even if the ball touches the net before falling into the companion court. The game is played on a badminton doubles court.edit Footvolley Main article FootvolleyFootvolley is an entirely new sport which combines beach volleyball and soccer skills where the difference is that the players may not contact the ball with their hands or arms instead they can use all other body parts including their feet, head and chest, etc. Sport originated in Brazil but is quickly becoming popular in the US, Europe, and Asia.edit Sitting volleyballSitting volleyball for locomotordisabled individuals was first introduced in by the Dutch Sports Committee. International competition began in , but it would be before the International Sports Organisation for the Disabled ISOD sanctioned the sport and sponsored an official international tournament in at Haarlem, Netherlands.The game is played on a smaller x meter court and with a . meterwide net set to a height of . meters for men and . meters for women. When hitting or attacking the ball, the player must have one buttock or an extension of the torso still in contact with the floor. Traditionally the sport has been played not only by amputees and people with polio, but people who have orthopedic problems in their knees or ankles. Often ablebodied players are on the club teams. Because of the games quick pace, the use of your hands to move and play the ball, good balance and a sturdy bottom are a necessity. Consequently, it is not the ideal sport for most paraplegics.Mens sitting volleyball was introduced to the Paralympic Games in and has grown to be one of the more popular Paralympic sports due to the fast and exciting action. Womens sitting volleyball was added to the program for the Summer Paralympics in Athens, Greece. The international governing body for the sport is The World Organisation Volleyball for Disabled WOVD. The WOVD was founded in in the Netherlands, by the Dutchman, Mr. Pieter Joon.
Blind volleyball
Also known as ghost volleyball, it is another variation that tries to remove height of players as a determining factor in team success is blind volleyball. Adhoc blind volleyball is where sheets are draped over the net so one side cannot see the other side. A more formal type of blind volleyball removes the traditional volleyball net and replaces it with a tarp thick enough that shadows cast on it cannot be seen from the other side. Blocks are almost impossible to do since it is difficult to know where the ball is going to come over the net. Spikes and overhand serves are prohibited because it is already very difficult for the receiving team to react to any incoming ball without the increased speed of a ball struck in such a manner.Blind volleyball additionally creates a higher level of suspense for spectators, who, unlike the players, can see what is taking place on both sides.Another unique feature of blind volleyball is how it can make the back row the row that hits the ball over the net. In regular volleyball, the back row tends to receive the volleyball and then move it to the front row. In blind volleyball, moving the ball to the back row makes it harder for the other team to see where the ball is and by hitting the ball on a flatter trajectory, the backrow players can more easily surprise the receiving team on where the ball will be coming over the net.edit Nineman volleyballA triple block in a game of nineman volleyballA triple block in a game of nineman volleyballNineman volleyball is a variation of volleyball utilizing nine players and a slightly larger court by meters originated in Asia in the s when American missionaries introduced the game in China. The variant became popular within the ChineseAmerican communities in large US and Canadian cities, and continues to grow with a rotating popular tournament called the North American Chinese Invitational Volleyball Tournament. Aside from the larger court and additional players, major differences from indoor volleyball include A lower net cm rather than . Players dont rotatefront players stay in front and thus never serve, and back players in back. If the ball touches the net between two contacts by the same team, those two contacts only count as one of the three allowed before the ball must be sent over the net. The same player may legally make both contacts. It is permitted to briefly carry the ball during a spiking motion. Players may not penetrate the plane of the net while blocking. If a player touches the ball while blocking, it counts as one of the three allowed contacts. Jump serving is illegal. It is illegal to touch the ball with any body part besides the hands and arms. A served ball which hits the top of the net and falls inside the boundaries of the opponents court entitles the server to a second chance like tennis.There is no ten foot line any player may attack the ball from anywhere on the court.
Traditional Volleyball Main article traditional volleyballTraditional volleyball has its roots in East Africa, India, and Pakistan. The game is usually played within the Ithnashari muslim, Bohra muslim, Ismaili muslim, punjabi, and hindu communities worldwide. The game varies from indoor gymnasium play, outdoor play on sand, grass, or clay, as well as street volleyball for recreation. In the U.S.A, the game made its way here as early as the s, and flourishes today throughout several American cities. Albuquerque, Houston, Dallas, NY, Miami, San Antonio, Allentown, PA., L.A., and Orlando are among the active cities with teams that practice weekly. There is a touch system like International volleyball, however, traditional volleyball does not require the bumpsetspike scenario. Instead, traditional volleyball is based on a consistent volley of the ball, only the serving side can score, and players play a style which is considered closed handfist play. The game can be played with up to participants per side similar to Asian man volleyball, but with variations to the game, or as little as . There is no rotation in traditional volleyball, however, in certain east indian and southeast asian communities, they do allow rotating as the rules tend to vary from team to team. The court can vary from to to as large as by . Some of the best traditional volleyball teams are centered in Canada, from Toronto East, Toronto North, and The Jafferys, to Calgary, Edmonton, BrittaniaVancouver, and Port Moody. The weight of the ball varies as well, in North America they play with a lighter ballaround . lbs. of pressure, however, in East Africa, India, and Pakistanthey play with a heavier ballanywhere from to lbs. of pressure. Spiking is usually allowed on first contacts with the ball, they no longer allow the ball to be spiked on a third touch in North America. Some of the key positions on the team are Net Center or nettie, he is responsible for lifting andor digging the ball out of the net on a second touch. In the old days, the nettie was encouraged to lift the ball up and over the net to the opposing team. As the years went by, and the variant styles of the game were changing, the nettie was encouraged to lift the ball back to his team so that they could strike the ball third touch to the opposing side, and keep the volley going. There was usually nettie per team, today, teams are allowed to play with up to netties simultaneously, or even a third nettie on the far right or left corners of the netthus preventing an advantage of the opposing team to drop or dink the ball. The short center position, which is relatively new, is a position that was previously called the sweeper position. This position was put into fruition in Canada some years ago, and the object of the short center is to strike the ball into the net as much as he can, so that the nettie can give a nice, high, clean lift to his team to strike back to the opposing side. The third and probably most important position is the Long Center formerly third line, he controls the pace, tempo, and speed of the game, and is instrumental in taking points by a method called flights or shooting. Everyone else on the team, from the front line wings to the back line wings, as well as the serviceman also play pivotal roles on the team. The serviceman is not allowed to serve overhand though. Traditional Volleyball teams play in local, state, regional, national, and even international tournaments every year. From Dar Es Salaam and Nairobi, to Karachi and centers in Western Europe, the game is growing, more youth are now playing traditional volleyball, and the hope is that one day, this version of volleyball could be played at the Asian Games or even the Olympics. Unlike the FIVB, there is no governing body for traditional volleyball. There was an attempt back in the mid to late s and into the millennium, to form a North American league called TVANATraditional Volleyball Association of North America. This league had successful tournaments in Houston, then sadly it folded. Perhaps in the near future, a similar league can be formed or recreated, and teams from all over the globe can compete in brotherhood and sportsmanship.edit Wallyball Main article WallyballWallyball is played in a racquetball court, which is divided into two halves by a net. The game is played like volleyball, with the added complexity that players may carom the ball off a side wall when playing it into the opponents court. If a ball played over the net contacts the ceiling, the opponents back wall, or both side walls without being touched by an opponent, the ball is ruled out of bounds. The pace of the game is generally fast, as the confined quarters encourage quick action and the walls often keep the ball conveniently in play.
