Block

A block occurs at the net as a player or players attempt to block the ball from entering their side of the court. At least one blocker must have a portion of his body above the net at some point during the block. A block is not counted as one of the team's three hits.

A player who blocks the ball may be the first to contact the ball after the block. A player may place her hands and arms beyond the net in an attempt to block if she does not interfere with her opponents' play. An example of interference is when an offensive player is setting a pass and a defensive player touches the ball with her hands or arms over the net. It is not interference if the defensive player touches the ball beyond the net when the offensive team is attaching.

Consecutive contacts with the ball are permitted in blocking if the contacts are quick and continuous and made during one action. A serve cannot be blocked.

How does one block? Stand next to the net about one foot away, your arms should be near your head with your hands in read position, jump up penetrate your hands and arms over the net bending your body in a crescent shape to stay out of the net. Your body must be firm when blocking a ball. If your arms are not firm and the ball hits them then the ball will come straight down the net in front of you. Cues for blocking: (1) Vision sequence (passer, setter, hitter)- when the hitter is contacting the ball you better be up and ready. (2) One move (seal the net, slide over)- cover your portion of the net move with your hitter be ready. (3) Head down, eyes up- when blocking keep your eyes on the ball at all times. (4) Surround the ball- if you are keeping your eyes on the ball then you will be able to surround the ball with your hands when it comes to you. (5) Recover (expect deflections and digs in your blocking area)- if you don't block the ball onto your opponents side you need to be ready pick up a ball you deflected or be ready to get out of someone’s way who is going to dig the ball.

Now look at the pictures below. Try to point out what the blockers are doing right and wrong. What do you think a blocker could do to better there blocking form? Please be specific.

Serve

The serve initiates play, this is the skill completely within the control of one individual player, and is the only skill that can be replicated with no adjustments in technique on all occasions. Successful servers can force opponents into a difficult attack position, reducing their attack options and enabling the serving team to react more effectively in setting up there defense. A server can serve a ball or an ace to which the other team cannot return it. Serve variations include the underhand, float, spin, jump and sky ball.

The general principles are the same on every serve. Duplicate the same skill mechanics each time you serve. Provided they are the correct skills done each time.

If you are right handed stand with your feet shoulder width apart with your left foot slightly in front of your right. Hold your arms straight out in front of you holding the ball with your right hand on top of the ball. Now lift your right arm up over your head with your elbow back and toss the ball up in fornt of your hitting shoulder and step forward with your right foot and contact the ball firmly with your right hand in the middle of the ball and follow thourgh to your target. This is to be done in one motion toss, step and hit. If you contact the ball at the top of your reach with a tight firm hand it will go over the net.

There are many faults in serving I will name a few. Tossing the ball to high, this messes up your timing to properly serve the ball. Stepping on the end line, you must stay behind the end line when serving or it will be a side out and point for the other team. Having a limp arm or soft hand when hitting the ball, if the ball is hit in this manner it will not have enough power to get to the net. Stepping more than one step to the ball when serving, this messes up timing and if is hard to repeat this action time and time again in the proper manner.

Lets review the basic cues of serving: (1)avoid extra movement, (2) toss the ball in front of hitting shoulder, (3) keep elbow high and back, (4) contact middle of the ball with middle of your hand and (5) follow through to your target.

A new rule that has made its way from NCAA now to the high school is if a player tosses a ball up to serve no matter how bad her toss she has to try to serve the ball. The officials will no longer allow a redo on the serve attempt.

I have covered the basic way to serve a volleyball if you have questions about a specific serve please ask and I will give you the information you need.

What problems could a server face? How can he/she improve there serve?

The Court, Net and Zones

The volleyball court includes the playing area and the area around the court also known as the free zone. The court is 59 feet long and 29.5 feet wide and the free zone can vary depending on the gym size. All lines on the court are to be two inches in width.

The court is divided into two equal parts by the center line, which runs the width of the court under the net. The two halves of the court are 29.5 feet long and wide each. There are attack lines on each side of the net which run from sideline to sideline. These are also referred to as the 3 meter lines or 10 foot line. This line divides the court into "back row" and "front row" areas.

The net is over the center line of the court and is a made of mesh and is a minimum of 32 feet long and 39 inches wide with a two inch canvas band at the top. For men, the top of the net is 7' 11 5/8" high; for women, it is 7' 4 1/8" high. The height of the net at the sidelines can be no more than 3/4" higher than the official height. The top and the bottom of the net are fastened to the posts to remain taut. 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 without contacting them. This is true even when the ball is pass over extremely high the ball must not go over the antenna or outside the antenna this is considered to be “out” it must cross inside between the antennas’s to be considered “in”.

The ball must be spherical, made of leather or synthetic leather, traditionally consist of eighteen nearly rectangular panels arranged in six identical sections of the three panels each, wrapped around a bladder. The standard indoor ball have a circumference of 25.5-26.5 inches, a weight of 9.2-9.9 ounces and an inside pressure of 4.3-4.6psi. Most governing bodies have similar regulations.

The court is divided into six equal areas, starting with right back as zone one and continuing through zone six in rotational order. This enables the score keepers to keep track of who is serving and in what order. If the player is starting in zone one that means he/she is the first server and zone two is the second server and so on until zone six is the last server in the rotation and then the cycle begins again. When you are the server you rotate back to right back and right to left on the back row and left to right on the front row. Here is an example of rotation order:

The net is divided into nine zones from sideline to sideline. This enables the setter to call out plays or what the attacker is hitting in any given rotation. Zone 7 is usually the setter’s zone. Here is an example of the zones on the net.

Volleyball Net

_____________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Volleyball Zones

Who do you think would hit from position 1 on the net the most?

Who do you think would hit from position 9 the most?

How do setters tell the attackers what they are hitting?

Do you think the setter ever hits when he/she is front row? If yes, when and where?

The Libero

I have had many parents and fans ask me “Who is the girl who just runs in and out from the side line in a different colored jersey”? Here are some answers for those of you who have asked that question to yourself or to someone else.

He/she is the libero (LEE-bah-ro), in Italian it means free. This player wears a different colored jersey so he/she can be easily identified to the officials and score keepers. The libero has specific rules that he/she can and cannot do. The score keeper keeps a libero tracker sheet to write down the movements in and out of the libero. Using a libero does not cost the team a substitution he/she goes in and out between the substitution line and the end line.

The libero was introduced to volleyball in 1998 in international play and in the NCAA in 2002. The position of libero has since made its way through out volleyball. This means that position is available in any grade level now.

The duties of the libero are primarily defensive. He/she is the best defensive player on the team and they are very quick and agile. The libero may set the ball to the front row player as long as he/she is behind the 10 foot line (and not stepping on); otherwise, the ball cannot be attacked above the net in front of the 10 foot line. However an underhand pass is allowed from any part of the court.

The libero can serve for one player or one specific rotation, not for everyone she goes in for. This rule has changes recently in 2004. Before 2004 the libero was not allowed to serve for anyone.
The libero may attack the ball as long as he/she stays below the height of the net and from behind (and not stepping on) the 10 foot line. The libero may not block or attempt to block any ball coming over the net.

A team can use only one libero per game. The team can switch liberos between games and use different ones in a match but only one per game. This means that if the player switching to the libero must switch to a different colored jersey from his/her teammates and keep his/her same number.

Can you identify the libero in these pictures?

Picture 1

Picture 2


Picture 3

If you picked the libero's to be blue #24 in picture one; white #4 in picture 2; and red #4 for picture 3 you are correct!

Why does the libero where a different colored jersey?

Can the libero ever attak the ball?

Volleyball Terms

The first thing someone should learn about volleyball is the some basic terms used to play. Some of you might remember these terms from grade school or high school. Please remember while reading these terms that there have been many rule changes in the last ten years, and new rules are coming into play each year therefore the definition of the terms might be different. These terms will help you in the future when reading this blog or watching a volleyball game to understand calls is being made. Reading and understanding the terms will also help if you if your child is playing volleyball to understand her talk about practice or games.

Ace: A serve that is not passable and results immediately in a point.

Antenna: The vertical rods (normally white and red) mounted near the edges of the net. The antennas are mounted directly above the sidelines and are not-in-play. If the ball hits and antenna it is considered out of play. Antennas are not usually used on outdoor nets.

Approach: Fast run toward the net by a spiker before he jumps in the air. This is usually a left foot, right foot, together and jump.

Assist: Passing or setting the ball to a teammate who attacks the ball for a kill.

Attack: The offensive action of hitting the ball. The attempt by one team to terminate the play by hitting the ball to the floor on the opponent's side.

Attack Block: Receiving players' aggressive attempt to block a spiked ball before it crosses the net. Attack Error: An unsuccessful attack which does one of the following: 1) the ball lands out of bounds, 2) the ball goes into the net or antenna and terminates play or goes into the net on the third hit, 3) the ball is blocked by the opposition for a point or side out, 4) the attacker is called for a center line violation, or 5) the attacker is called for illegal contact (lift, double hit...) on the attack.

Attacker: Also "hitter" or "spiker." A player who attempts to hit a ball offensively with the purpose of terminating play in his or her team's favor.

Attack Line: A line 3m from the net that separates the front row players from the back row players. Commonly referred to as the "10-foot line."Backcourt: The area from the end line to the attack line.

Back Set: A set delivered behind the setter’s back, which is subsequently hit by an attacker.

Back Row Attack: When a back row player attacks the ball by jumping from behind the 3m line before hitting the ball. If the back row player steps on or past the 3m line during take-off, the attack is illegal.

Block: is a volleyball skill in which one or more front line defensive players attempt to deflect an opposition attack above the net before it enters the defensive teams’ court. After a legal block a blocker may hit the ball immediately again.

Bump: a common term for forearm passing.

Ball Handling Error: Any time the official calls a double hit, a thrown ball or a lift (except on a serve reception or attack). For our purposes, this category also includes any blocking errors (when an official calls a blocker for a violation such as going into the net, centerline violation, reaching over the net, etc.).

Bump Pass: The use of joined forearms to pass or set a ball in an underhand manner.

Campfire: A ball that falls to the floor in an area that's surrounded by two, three, four or more players. At the instant after the ball hits the floor, it appears as if the players are encircling and staring at a campfire.

Center Line: The boundary that runs directly under the net and divides the court into two equal halves.

Change of Court: This occurs at the end of each game the players will change court at the end of each game each team will exit the court to their right and go around the outside of the court.

Choice of Side: is determined at the beginning of the game by the captains with toss a coin to choose service or court.

Closing the Block: The responsibility of the assisting blocker(s) to join the primary blocker and create an impenetrable block in which a ball cannot fit between the two individual blockers.

Cross Court Shot: An individual attack directed at an angle from one end of the offensive team's side of the net to the opposite sideline of the defensive team's court.

Cut Shot: A spike from the hitter's strong side that travels at a sharp angle across the net.

Dead Ball: The ball is dead when the play is suspended. It is not dead until it hits the outside of the court or is declared dead by an official.

Decoy: An offensive play meant to disguise the spiker who will receive the set.

Deep Set: Set to be hit away from the net to confuse or disrupt the timing of the blockers.

Dig: Passing a spiked or rapidly hit ball. Slang for the art of passing an attacked ball close to the floor.

Dink: A legal push of the ball around or over blockers.

Double Block: Two players working in unison to deflect an attacked ball at the net back to the hitter’s side.

Double Hit: Successive hits or contacts by the same player. (This is an illegal hit.)

Double Quick: Two hitters approaching the setter for a quick inside hit.

Down Ball: is hit overhand and driven over the net with topspin while the player remains standing.

Five-One: A 6-player offensive system that uses five hitters and one setter.

Flare: Inside-out path of an outside spiker who hid behind a quick hitter.

Floater: A serve which does not spin or rotate and therefore moves in an erratic path. This is similar to a "knuckle ball" pitch in baseball.

Foot fault: This occurs when a server place his/her feet on or over the serving line (baseline) before the ball has been struck.

Forearm Pass: Join your arms from the elbows to the wrists and strike the ball with the fleshy part of your forearms in an underhand motion.

Four-Two: A 6-player offensive system using four hitters and two setters.

Free Ball: A ball that will be returned by a pass rather than a spike. This is usually called aloud by the defense instructing players to move into serve receive positions.

Hit: To jump and strike the ball with an overhand, forceful shot.

Hitter: Also "spiker" or "attacker"

Hitting Percentage: kills vs. attempts

Inside Shoot: A play set or a 33.

Isolation Play: Designed to isolate the attacker on a specific defender, normally to exploit a weakness or give a hitter a chance to hit against a single block.

Jump Serve: A serve that is started by the server tossing the ball into the air and jumping into and hitting the ball in its downward motion.

Joust: When 2 opposing players are simultaneously attempting to play a ball above the net.

Kill: An attack that results in an immediate point or side out.

Line: The marks that serve as boundaries of a court.

Line Shot: A ball spiked down an opponent's sideline, closest to the hitter and outside the block.

Let Serve: A serve that contacts the net. If the ball dribbles over, it's playable just like any other ball that contacts the net on the way over. If the ball fails to clear the net, it will become dead when it either hits the serving team's court, or is contacted by a player on the serving team.

Middle Back: A defensive system that uses the middle back player to cover deep spikes.

Middle Up: A defensive system that uses the middle back player to cover dinks or short shots.

Mintonette: The original name of the game of volleyball, created by William Morgan.

Multiple Offense: A system of play using different types of sets other than just normal outside sets.

Off Side Block: Player at the net, which is on the side away from the opponent's attack.

Off-Speed Hit: Any ball spiked with less than maximum force but with spin.

Out of Bounds: The ball is out of bounds if it strikes anything outside the court except the player in the act of playing the ball. A ball that lands on the line is considered in.

Out side Hitter: a left-front or right-front attacker normally taking an approach which starts from outside the court.

Overhand Pass: A pass executed with both hands open, controlled by the fingers and thumbs, played just above the forehead.

Overhand Serve: Serving the ball and striking it with the hand above the shoulder.

Overlap: refers to the positions of the players in the rotation prior to the contact of the ball when serving.

Pancake: A one-handed defensive technique where the hand is extended and the palm is slid along the floor as the player dives or extension rolls, and timed so that the ball bounces off the back of the hand.

Pass: see "Forearm Pass"

Penetration: The act of reaching across and breaking the plane of the net during blocking.

Point of Service: A serve that results in a point as the serve is not returnable due to a bad pass by the receiver, this number includes aces.

Power Alley: A cross-court hit traveling away from the spiker to the farthest point of the court.

Power Tip: A ball that is pushed or directed with force by an attacking team.

Quick: A player approaching the setter for a quick inside hit.

Quick Set: a set (usually 2’ above the net) in which the hitter is approaching the setter, and may even be in the air, before the setter delivers the ball. This type of set requires precise timing between the setter and hitter.

Rally Point Scoring: any team can score a point whether they are serving or not. A point will always be scored during any stoppage of play unless it is a re-service.

Ready Position: The flexed, yet comfortable, posture a player assumes before moving to contact the ball.

Reception Error: A serve that a player should have been able to return, but results in an ace (and only in the case of an ace). If it is a "husband/wife" play (where the ball splits the two receivers), the receiving team is given the reception error instead of an individual.

Red Card: a severe penalty in which an official displays a red card. The result of a red card may be a player is disqualified, the team loses the serve, or the team loses a point. A red card may be given with or without a prior yellow card as a warning; it is up to the official’s discretion.

Roll: a certain way to pass a ball in which the digger, or passer lays out an arm, passes the ball, and rolls over the shoulder (over the shoulder roll) or back (barrel roll) after passing the ball. This is a quick way to return to action after the play.

Roof: A ball that when spiked is blocked by a defensive player such that the ball deflects straight to the floor on the attacker’s side.

Rotation: The clockwise movement of players around the court and through the serving position following a side out.

Serve: is the act of putting the ball in play by the player behind the baseline, by batting it over the net and into the opponent's court with one hand or with the forearm. A person may serve from anywhere along the baseline. A serve may hit the net provided it goes over. An unsuccessful serve gives the opposition a point and the service. The server must stand behind the tape when serving. A serve may not be blocked. It is the only skill controlled exclusively by one player.

Server: The player who puts the ball into play.

Service Error: An unsuccessful serve in which one or more of the following occurs: 1) the ball hits the net or fails to clear the net, 2) the ball lands out of bounds, or 3) the server commits a foot fault.

Service Order: is to be determined at the beginning of a new game the players may be rearranged in their position.

Service Winner: A point the serving team scores when this player has served the ball. The point can be an immediate (in the case of an ace) or delayed (a kill or opponent attack error after a long rally). Therefore, the sum of the team's service winners equals their score.

Set: The tactical skill in which a ball is directed to a point where a player can spike it into the opponent's court.

Setter: the player who has the 2nd of 3 contacts of the ball who "sets" the ball with an "Overhand Pass" for a teammate to hit. The setter normally runs the offense.

Side Out: Occurs when the receiving team successfully puts the ball away against the serving team, or when the serving team commits an unforced error, and the receiving team thus gains the right to serve.

Six Pack: Occurs when a blocker gets hit in the head or face by a spiked ball.

Six-Two: A 6-player offense using 2 setters opposite one another in the rotation. Setter 1 becomes a hitter upon rotating into the front row as setter 2 rotates into the back row and becomes the setter.

Spike: Also 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.

Strong Side: When a right-handed hitter is hitting from the left-front position or when a left-handed hitter is hitting from the right-front position.

Stuff: A ball that is deflected back to the attacking team's floor by the opponent's blockers. A slang term for "block."

Time-Out: Each team is allowed two time-outs per game. The time-outs may be called at any time during the game when the ball is not in play.

Tool: see "WIPE" belowTurning In: the act of an outside blocker turning his/her body into the court so as to ensure the blocked ball is deflected into the court and lands in-bounds.

Underhand Serve: a serve in which the ball is given a slight under-hand toss from about waist high and then struck with the opposite closed fist in an "underhand pitching" motion.

Volleyball: is a game played on a rectangular court between two teams of two to six players which involves striking a ball back and forth over a net.

Weak Side: When a right-handed player is hitting from right-front position or when a left-handed player is hitting from the left-front position.

Wipe: when a hitter pushes the ball off of the opposing block so it lands out of bounds.

Yellow Card: a warning from an official indicated by the display of a yellow card. Any player or coach who receives two yellow cards in a match is disqualified. A single yellow card does not result in loss of point or serve.

Who hits the volleyball?
Who places the ball in a position to be hit?
The right side of the court is also known as what?
What was the original name for volleyball?

Rules for the Volleyball Corner

This site is to be used by anyone who is seeking volleyball knowledge and for me to update people on what events or games are taking place for the volleyball team. I will be posting to my players, parents and supporters on this site. Everyone is welcome to ask questions about games or any volleyball related questions they have. Please look at the web links I have provided. These links will help educate you about volleyball rules and basic knowledge about the game.
Below I have make a list of rules for this site. Please take a minute to read over them. If any of these rules are broken you can expect me to take your comment down.

1. Please do not use profanity on this site.

2. Please do not belittle or disrespect anyone, school, group, company or organization on this site.

3. Please do not use a person's last name on this site.

4. You are entitled to your opinion but, please do not offend anyone while writing your opinion. This includes but not limited to slandering someone on the team be it by a team mate, parent or supporter.

5. Please do not use any school, group, company or organization name's, phone number's or address on this site.