History of Volleyball

History of Volleyball

• Volleyball was created in December 1895, in Holyoke, Massachusetts, USA.
• William G. Morgan, a YMCA physical education director, invented volleyball.
• The original name of the game was Mintonette.
• The name "Mintonette" came from badminton.
• It was designed as an indoor pastime for any number of players.
• Volleyball took characteristics from baseball, tennis, and handball.
• The first volleyball was made of a basketball bladder.
• Alfred Halstead noticed the volleying nature of the game at an exhibition match in 1896.
• The match was at the International YMCA Training School, now Springfield College.
• The game became known as volleyball, originally spelled "volley ball".
• Spalding may have created the first official ball in 1896, but some claim it was 1900.
• The set and spike were introduced in 1916 in the Philippines.
• The "three hits" rule and a rule against hitting from the back row were established four years later.
• Canada was the first country outside the United States to adopt volleyball in 1900.
• The Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) was founded in 1947.
• The first World Championships: men in 1949, women in 1952.
• Volleyball became an Olympic sport for men and women at the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games.

Terminologies

• Ace serve: A serve that an opponent cannot return.
• Block: A defensive play in the forward position where players use their hands and arms above the net of a spiked ball.
• Bump pass: A forearm pass made on low balls.
• Carrying the ball: When the ball rests momentarily in the player's hands, it is considered illegal.
• Dig pass: A pass made with a cupped hand or fist, often used in difficult plays to prevent the ball from hitting the ground.
• Double hit: When the same player hits the ball twice in succession.
• Free ball: A return of the ball by the opponent that is easy to handle.
• Kill: A spike that cannot be returned.
• Underhand Serve: A serve in which the player strikes the ball underhand, creating a "rainbow" trajectory over the net.
• Point: Scored when a team fails to legally return the ball to the opponent's court.
• Serve: Putting the ball in play over the net by striking it with the hand.
• Set: Placement of the ball near the net to facilitate spiking.
• Setter: The player assigned to set the ball.
• Side out: When the serving team fails to win a point or plays the ball illegally.
• Spike: A ball hit with a strong downward force into the opponent's court.
• Spiker: The player assigned to spike the ball.
• Tip: A soft hit attack used to get the ball over the net quickly.

Positional Terminology/Actions

• Libero: A defensive specialist who stays in the game but cannot go into the front row and can't cross the height of the net when attacking.
• Setter: The player who runs the offense and sets the ball to the hitters, often called the quarterback of the volleyball court.
• Middle Hitter/Middle Blocker: The player in the middle of the front row, usually the tallest, responsible for blocking the defense.
• Opposite Hitter/Right Side Hitter: A player on the right side of the front row, concentrating on front row defense and blocking the opposing outside hitter.
• Outside Hitter: The player who attacks the volleyball from the left side of the court while in the front row.
• Volleyball Passer/Defensive Specialist (DS): A player designated to play back row for another player to improve defense.
• Serving Specialist: A player whose primary responsibility is to come in and serve and plays defense in their respective position.
• Volleyball Spiker: The player attacking the ball to end the play and win the point.

How to Play Volleyball

• A volleyball game has two teams of six players separated by a net.
• Volleyball court positions: setter, middle blocker, outside hitter, opposite hitter, libero, and serving specialist.
• A coin flip decides which team serves first.
• Teams rally until a fault occurs, with a maximum of three hits per side.
• The objective is to score points by grounding the ball on the opponent's court.
• Volleyball matches are typically three or five sets.
• Three-set matches: two sets to 25 points and a third set to 15 points, each set won by two points, and the first team to win two sets wins.
• Five-set matches: four sets to 25 points and a fifth set to 15 points, each set won by two points unless tournament rules state otherwise, and the first team to win three sets wins.