History and Overview of Volleyball

Overview of Volleyball

• A popular team sport played with a net and a ball.
• Two teams compete on either side of the net.
• Players use their hands to hit the ball over the net into the opposing team's court.
• Teams must hit the ball across the net within three attempts.
• The ball must not touch the ground.

About the Inventor

• William G. Morgan is known as the Father of Volleyball.
• He was born on January 23, 1870, in Lockport, New York, U.S.
• He died on December 27, 1942, at the age of 72.
• Morgan's alma mater was YMCA in Holyoke, Massachusetts.
• He worked as an Educator and Physical Education Director.

The History of Volleyball

• Volleyball was invented in 1895 by William G. Morgan.
• He was a physical director of the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) in Holyoke, Massachusetts.
• It was designed as an indoor sport for businessmen who found basketball too vigorous.
• The original name was MINTONETTE, combining baseball, basketball, handball, and tennis elements.
• Alfred Halstead renamed it Volley Ball since the game involves volleying the ball back and forth.
• The name became one word in 1952.
• Originally, there were no limits to team players or contacts per side.
• The game was primarily played from the ground.
• Volleyball became an official Olympic sport in the 1964 Olympics.
• Japan won the first gold medal in women's volleyball.
• The USSR won the first gold medal in men's volleyball.

The Court

• A volleyball court is 9m x 18m, divided into equal square halves by a net.
• The attack line is 3 m (9.8 ft) from and parallel to the net.
• The "3-meter" line separates the court into "back row" and "front row" areas.

The Net

• The width of the net is one meter (39.4 in).
• The top of the net is 2.43 m above the court center for men's competition.
• The top of the net is 2.24 m above the court center for women's competition.

The Ball

• The ball must be spherical.
• Balls can be made of synthetic or leather.
• It has a circumference of 65-67 cm.
• It weighs between 260-280g.

Terminologies

• Attack/Spike: Is when the offensive team attempts to score by hitting the ball downward at or above net level.
• Block: A defensive play to intercept a hard-driven spike.
• Dead Ball: The ball is dead when the play stops due to the referee's whistle.
• Foul: A violation of the rules.
• Stepping on the end line: When one steps over or on the line while serving.
• Double Hit: Two successive hits by the same player.
• Outside: Ball lands outside the playing area.
• 4 hits/touches: When a team touches the ball more than 3 times.
• Net Touch: When a player touches the net.
• Rotation: The clockwise movement of players around the court. Includes moving through the serving position after a side out.
• Game: The end set which happens when one team reaches 25 points.
• Holding: When the ball momentarily stops at the player's hands or arms.
• Dig Pass: Batting the ball to a teammate.
• Service: The act of putting the ball into play.
• Set – up/Toss: A high pass close to the net that allows another player to spike the ball into the opponent's court.

Service

• This action puts the ball into play.
• The server uses the hand or any part of the arm to send the ball over the net.
• The ball must land within the opposing court.
• Examples of services include overhand and underhand serves.

Dig/ Forearm Pass

• This is the basic pass in volleyball.
• It is used when receiving a serve or reacting to an opponent's attack.

Set-up/ Toss

• The lifting or throwing of the ball into the air before contact is made.
• A ball is directed to a point with the intention of an attacker hitting it.

Blocking

• A play made by the defense at the net to defend an opponent's attack.
• It can be made individually, or with multiple players.

Spike/ Attack

• The offensive play where a player slams the ball sharply downwards over the net and into the opposing court.
• It makes it difficult for the opposing team to recover the ball.

Volleyball Officials

• A Referee implements the rules, directs the game, has authorithy over the other officials, has the power to decide any matter and issues warnings and sanctions to players.
• An Umpire assists the referee, controls the work of the score, supervises all bench players and reports any misconduct, controls/checks on timeouts/subs and actual position of players on court.
• A Scorer fills up the information of the team members in the score sheet, recording the points and substitutions. They also monitor servers and inform the referee in case of violation.
• Linesmen indicate if the ball is in or out, what players received an "out" ball, monitors if the ball touches the antennae and monitors players outside the court.

Volleyball Rules

• Only 6 players on the floor at any given time (3 in the front row and 3 in the back row).
• Points are made on every serve for the winning team of the rally (rally-point scoring).
• Players may not hit the ball twice in succession. Blocking a hit is not considered of succession.
• A ball may be played off the net during a volley and on a serve.
• A ball hitting a boundary line is considered "in".
• A ball is "out" if it hits an antennae, outside the court and net, the referee stand or pole, or the ceiling above a non-playable area.
• It is legal to contact the ball with any part of a player's body.
• It is illegal to catch, hold or throw the ball.
• A player cannot block or attack a serve from on or inside the 10-foot line.
• After the serve, front-line players may switch positions at the net.
• Matches are made up of sets; the number depends on the level of play.
• When the receiving team wins a volley, it gains the right to serve, and the players rotate one position clockwise.
• When the serving team wins a volley, it wins a point and the right to continue serving.

Volleyball Rule Violations

• Stepping on or across the service line when serving while making contact with the ball, will result in a point for the opponent.
• Failure to serve the ball over the net successfully, will result in a point for the opponent.
• Ball-handling errors and contacting the ball illegally, will result in a point for the opponent.
• Touching the net with any part of the body while the ball is in play, results in a point for the opponent.
• Blocking a ball coming from the opponent's court, results in a point for the opponent. The exception is contacting the ball when reaching over the net if your opponent has not used 3 contacts AND has a player there to make a play on the ball.
• Crossing the court centerline with any part of your body results in a point for the opponent. The exception is a hand or foot as long as the entire appendage does not cross the centerline.
• Serving out of rotation or out of order results in a point for the opponent.
• Back row player blocking during the opponent's play results in a point for the opponent. Deflecting a ball coming from the opponent requires the back row player to be near the net with part of their body above the net at the moment of contact.
• Back row player attacking a ball inside the front zone results in a point for the opponent. When the ball is completely above the net at the moment of contact in the 3M/10 foot zone, it is an illegal attack.

Scoring

• Score points by sending the ball over the net and grounding it into the opponent's court.
• Volleyball matches consist of sets, typically three or five.
• Three-set matches involve two sets to 25 points and a third set to 15 points.
• Each set must be won by two points, and the first team to win two sets wins the match.
• Five-set matches include four sets to 25 points and a fifth set to 15 points.
• The team must win by two points unless tournament rules dictate otherwise.
• The first team to win three sets wins the match.