In this article, we will discuss the Rules and skills of Volleyball.
Rules and Skills of Volleyball
Volleyball is a team game. There are six players in each team. The volleyball court is separated by a net. Each team aims to score points by grounding a ball on the opponent team’s court without breaching the rules of the game. It is an indoor game.
Generally, we play volleyball as an outdoor game because we do have an indoor court. The measurement of the volleyball court is 18 meters x 9 meters. Lines on the court are 5 cm (2 inches wide). The height of the net for men is 2.43 meters and 2.24 meters for women and juniors.
i. Basic Skills of Volleyball
a. Serving
The game of volleyball starts with the serve. Some can be either underhand serve or over-head serve. In the underhand serve, the server holds the ball and swings the other arm underneath the ball to hit it.
On the over-hand serve, the server tosses the ball in the air first and then hits it. There are many types of services. The main aim of the service is to send the ball over the net to win the point.
b. Over-head Service
It can be difficult for learners to execute’ over-head serve. It is good to learn to start with the underhand serve. Once you gain the confidence to do some underhand serve, you can start over-head serve.
You can start to learn to serve on the net from the three-meter line.
First, you should be able to toss the ball properly and have strong coordination to hit the ball over the net. You need to use an overhand throwing motion. The overhand serve requires more coordination. timing and strength.
The over-head serve is more powerful because it has greater speed and power than the under-hand serve.
i. Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Put your left foot ahead of your right foot. Your shoulders should be aligned with the net.
ii. Put your left hand directly in front of you, with a flexible elbow and palm up with the ball in it.
iii. Swing your serving right arm back, behind your head.
iv. Toss the ball up with the palm of your left hand about 12 to 18 inches in the air.
v. The right hand should contact the ball just after it starts to drop back down
vi. Swing your right arm back at the same time, keeping your wrist rigid.
vii. Hit the ball with the heel of your right hand. Bring your right hand forward and hit the ball with the heel of your hand or the bottom of your palm. Do not hit it with your fingers or the flat of your palm.
viii. After serving the ball, run into the court to your defensive position.
c. Setting
Simple Rules of the Game:
– A player on one of the teams begins a rally by serving the ball.
– The ball must be served from behind the end line of the court.
– The served ball must travel over the net and into the receiving team’s court.
– The receiving team must not let the ball be grounded within their court.
– The receiving team may touch the ball as many as three times without breaching the rules of the game.
– Typically, the first two touches to set up for an attack, an attempt to direct the ball back over the net in such a way that the serving team is unable to prevent it from being grounded in their court.
– The rally continues, with each team allowed as many as three consecutive touches, until either:
i. A team makes a kill, grounding the ball on the opponent’s court and winning the rally; or
ii. A team commits a fault and loses the rally.
– The team that wins the ball is awarded a point and serves the ball to start the next rally.
– Games are played to 25 points.
– The game must win by a margin of 2 points.
– There is no limit on how high the score can go.
– The tournament matches are played the best of 5 games. If the game is played on the 5th set then the game is played for to points 15 only.
Basic Skills of Volleyball
Hitting the ball, being in the right place, and playing competitively can help to win the game as well as gain confidence in the sport.
Focusing on the basics of volleyball can help you gain the skills you need for every game. Some skills and techniques in volleyball are spiking and blocking as well as passing, setting, and specialized player positions for offensive and defensive structures.
i. Serving
Serving is necessary for the start of the game. There are two basic types of serves. One is Overhand, where the server will toss the ball in the air first then hit it.
The second is underhand, where the service will hold the ball and swing the other arm underneath the ball to hit it. There are varieties of other serves beyond these basics. The main aim of the service is to send the ball over the net to win the point and get the game going.
Overhead Service
Overhead Service is the skill of serving from an overhead position. The server Catches the ball standing back of the service line.
Then he raises the ball softly with his left hand. When the ball is in the air, it is hit with the help of the right hand. As the server hits the ball in the position over the head, This is termed as Overhead Service.
Underhand Service
In this method of serving the server keeps the ball on the palm of the left hand below the waist level. On the whistle from the referee. the server releases the ball from the left hand and hits it with the right hand. While hitting, the left wrist or palm is needed as a convenience
ii. Passing
Passing is usually set up by the setter of the game. It is used to receive the ball and pass it to the other players on their own team. They must put the ball to the other side as they want to. They can either pass by the forearm or by hitting the ball overhead.
iii. Tip
A Tip is used to trick the opponents into thinking that the ball is going further than it will. The player will hit the ball lightly, making it go over the net but not too far into the player’s area so that they cannot hit it back.
iv. Dig
Dig is the ability of a player to save the ball from hitting the court after it has been spiked. A player needs to slide underneath the ball on the court or dive.
v. Rebound
Rebound occurs when the ball stays on one side, making the players rebound or take the ball back.
vi. The Serve
– Server must serve from behind the restraining line (end line).
– Ball may be served underhand or overhand.
– The ball must be clearly visible to opponents before serving.
– Served ball may touch the net and drop to the other side for a point.
– The first game serve is determined by a volley, each subsequent game shall be served by the previous game loser.
– Serve must not be returned by an attack.
vii. 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.
– Defense will score on an offensive miss, out-of-bounds hit, or serve into the net.
– The game will be played to 25 points.
– The game must win by points.
viii. Rotation
– The team will rotate each time they win the serve.
– Players shall rotate in a clockwise manner.
– There shall be six players on each side.
ix. Playing the Game (Volley)
– A Maximum of three hits per side is allowed.
– The player may not hit the ball twice in succession.
– Ball may be played off the net during a volley and on serve.
– A ball touching a boundary line is good.
– A player must not block or attack a serve.
– Switching positions will be allowed only between front-line players. (After the serve only).
x. Receiving
It is the skill of Receiving the ball approaching from the opponent’s court. While receiving, the ball the receiver should assess the force and direction of the ball. A Ball can be received by fingering if the ball is high and digging if the ball is low or spiking. After Receiving the ball, it is given for setting comfortably.
Setting
It is the skill of fixing a Ball near and above the net so that it can be spiked on the opponent’s court. The bill given by the receiver is taken and is set carefully near and above the ball should not cross the net.
Spiking
It is the skill of hitting the ball into the opponent’s court forcefully in such a way that not any player of an opponent team can receive it. The spiker jumps and hits the ball for the execution of spiking. While spiking, the ball shouldn’t go out of the opponent’s court.
Basic Rules of Volleyball
i. The game begins with a toss to choose court or serve. If the toss-winner chooses the court, the toss-loser chooses the service or vice versa.
ii. A point is scored if the ball touches the ground of the opponent’s court or the opponent’s team makes a foul.
ii. The backline should not be touched while serving the ball.
iii. A team must return the ball to the opponent’s court within the third touch of the ball. While making three touches, a single player cannot touch the ball twice.
iv. If a Team makes a foul, the opponent team gets the chance to serve with a one-point
v. The serving team continues serving until the opponent gets a score.
vi. When the service is changed, the server team players rotate their Positions in a Clockwise Direction.
vii. Not any Player is allowed to touch the net with hands or any parts of the body.
viii. Not any Player is allowed to cross the center line.
ix. A team must score 25 points to win the game. In case a team has scored 24 points, the other team must score 2 points more to win the game.
x. The game is played in three sets in general. If the game is played in 5 sets, The last game is played up to 15 scores for a win.
This was for the Rules and skills of Volleyball.
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