Volleyball Terminology & Equipment

Learning Outcomes

• The key volleyball terms will be easily understood.
• The different facilities' and equipment's specializations will be known.
• The facilities and equipment needed in volleyball will be identified.

Terminologies

• ACE is a successful inbound legal serve, resulting in a point for the serving team, because the ball isn't returned by the opponents.
• ASSIST is usually a second contact done by a setter to pass or set the ball to a teammate ready to attack for a kill to the opposite court.
• ATTACKER, AKA "hitter" or "spiker," is a player who attempts to hit the ball offensively into the opponent's floor.
• BACK-ROW ATTACK is an attack from behind the nine-meter line but legally done by the back-row player.
• BACK SET is a set delivered behind the setter's back, which is subsequently hit by an attacker.
• CAMPFIRE is a situation where two, three, four, or more players are encircling and staring at a ball that falls to the floor surrounding these players.
• DIG is when a player makes a save from a very difficult spike close to the floor.
• FREE BALL is a ball that will be returned by a pass rather than a spike, giving the other team the chance to move into serve receive positions.
• HELD BALL happens when a ball comes to rest during contact, resulting in a foul.
• KILL happens when a team spikes the ball and gains a point successfully.
• LET SERVE is a legal serve that hits the net and continues into the opponent's court.
• MIDDLE HITTER is the quickest player on the team, who can perform fast attacks and specializes in blocking the opponent’s fast play.
• OPPOSITE HITTER are the blockers of the opposing team from the right antenna and backup setters. They do the defensive work in the front area.
• PENETRATION is reaching across and breaking the plane of the net during blocking.
• OUTSIDE HITTER is the team’s consistent attacker, being near the left antenna and having a longer approach from outside the court's sideline.
• QUICK SET is a set usually two inches above the net as the hitter approaches the setter even in the air before the setter delivers the ball. This requires precise timing between the setter and hitter.
• RALLY is the sequence of playing actions from the moment of the service hit by the server until the ball is out of play.
• READY POSITION is the flexed yet comfortable posture a player has before moving to the point of contact.
• ROOF is an offensive block that redirects the power and speed of the attack straight down to the attacker's floor.
• SETTER is called the heart of the team. This player is in charge for the second touch where main goal is to set the ball in the air so the attackers may hit it into the opponent's court.
• 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, then receiving gains the right to serve.
• SIX PACK is a term when a blocker gets hit in the head or face by a spiked ball.
• STUFF BLOCK happens when a player blocks the ball, and the blocked ball goes back at the person who attacked the ball or at the team's floor.
• TARGET AREA is where the pass is directed to. The setter is released into this area to prepare to set.
• WIPE is when the hitter pushes the ball off of the opposing block, so it lands out of bounds.
• ZONES are a numbering system that designates of a player's place or the ball's target area.

Facilities and Equipment

• Required equipment and the playing area’s knowledge is essential in every sport to be fully aware of body movements and limits for play.
• Volleyball needs the least equipment and facility, the playing court, can be anywhere like a hardwood floor, grass surface, plain earth surface, concrete pavement, or a sandy beach.
• As a sport, volleyball is well-known for recreation or competition.
• Official volleyball rules (FIVB-Volleyball_Rules_2017-2020-ENv06pdf) are considered to be the source or basis of the facilities and equipment’s standard measurements.

The Court

• The court is the first facility to play volleyball.
• It also includes free zones and should be rectangular and symmetrical.

Net specifications

• Net is made of 10 cm square black mesh, 1 m wide, and 9.5–10 m long.
• A net should be placed vertically over the center line with its top at 2.43 m for men and 2.24 m for women.
• Side Bands are two white bands that are 5 cm wide and 1 m long and fastened vertically to the net and placed directly above each sideline. Both side bands are considered part of the net.
• Antennae are flexible rods made of fiberglass or similar material, 1.80 m long and 10 mm in diameter, fastened at the outer edge of each side band, and placed on opposite sides of the net, extended above the net about 80 cm. They are considered as part of the net and laterally delimit the crossing space.
• Posts are where the net is tied up, placed at a distance of 0.50 m – 1 m outside of each sideline. They should be preferably adjustable, round, smooth, and 2.55 m tall.

The Ball

• Standard balls should be spherical, made of flexible leather or synthetic leather, with a bladder inside made of rubber or similar material.
• The balls must have the same characteristics:
  • 65-67 cm circumference
  • 260-280 g weight
  • have the same pressure inside
  • be uniform

Other Equipment

• Jersey must be numbered 1-12
• Shorts
• Socks
• Knee pads
• Sport shoes
• Red/yellow card
• Whistle
• Lineman flags
• Must be uniform in color except for the libero.
• Players can't wear jewelry, pins, bracelets, or anything that may cause a player's injury.