Brief History of Volleyball

In 1995, the sport of Volleyball was 100 years old! The sport originated in the United States, and is now just achieving the type of popularity in the U.S. that it has received on a global basis, where it ranks behind only soccer among participation sports.  Today there are more than 800 million players worldwide who play Volleyball at least once a week.  In 1895, William G. Morgan, an instructor at the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) in Holyoke, Mass., decided to blend elements of basketball, baseball, tennis, and handball to create a game for his classes of businessmen which would demand less physical contact than basketball. He created the game of Volleyball (at that time called mintonette). Morgan borrowed the net from tennis, and raised it 6 feet 6 inches above the floor, just above the average man’s head.  During a demonstration game, someone remarked to Morgan that the players seemed to be volleying the ball back and forth over the net, and perhaps "volleyball" would be a more descriptive name for the sport. On July 7, 1896 at Springfield College the first game of "volleyball" was played.

 

 

Volleyball Basic Rules

 

 

THE SERVE

 

( A ) Server must serve from behind the restraining line ( end line ) until after contact.

 

( B ) Ball may be served underhand or overhand.

 

( C ) Ball must be clearly visible to opponents before serve.

 

( D ) Served ball may graze the net and drop to the other side for point.

 

( E ) First game serve is determined by a volley, each subsequent game shall be served by the previous game loser.

 

( F ) Serve must be returned by a bump only. no setting or attacking a serve.

 

SCORING

 

Rally scoring will be used.

There will be a point scored on every score of the ball.

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.

Game will be played to 25 pts.

Must win by 2 points.

 

ROTATION

 

( A ) Team will rotate each time they win the serve.

 

( B ) Players shall rotate in a clockwise manner.

 

( C ) There shall be 4-6 players on each side.

 

PLAYING THE GAME ( VOLLEY )

 

( A ) Maximum of three hits per side.

 

( B ) Player may not hit the ball twice in succession ( A block is not considered a hit ).

 

( C ) Ball may be played off the net during a volley and on serve.

 

( D ) A ball touching a boundary line is good.

 

( E ) A legal hit is contact with the ball by a player body above and including the waist which does not allow the ball to visibly come to a rest.

 

( F ) If two or more players contact the ball simultaneously, it is considered one play and the players involved may not participate in the next play.

 

( G ) A player must not block or attack a serve.

 

( H ) Switching positions will be allowed only between front line players. ( After the serve only ).

 

BASIC VIOLATIONS

 

( A ) Stepping on or over the line on a serve.

 

( B ) Failure to serve the ball over the net successfully.

 

( C ) Hitting the ball illegally ( Carrying, Palming, Throwing, etc. ).

 

( D ) Touches of the net with any part of the body while the ball is in play. If the ball is driven into the net with such force that it causes the net to contact an opposing player, no foul will be called, and the ball shall continue to be in play.

 

( E ) Reaching over the net, except under these conditions:

 

1 - When executing a follow-through.

 

2 - When blocking a ball which is in the opponents court but is being returned ( the blocker must not contact the ball until after the opponent who is attempting to return the ball makes contact). Except to block the third play.

 

( F ) Reaches under the net ( if it interferes with the ball or opposing player ).

 

( G ) Failure to serve in the correct order.

 

( H ) Blocks or spikes from a position which is clearly not behind the 10-foot line while in a back row position.

 

THE COURT

 

PLAYING AREA

 

Both indoor and outdoor courts are 18 m x 9mi (29’6" x 59’).
Indoor courts also include an attack area designated by
a line 3 m (9’10") back from the center line.
Lines on the court are 5cm (2" wide).

 

NET HEIGHT
Net height for men, co-ed mixed 6, & outdoor is 2.43 meters or 7’11-5/8".
Net height for women, 7’4-1/8".

 

BALL
The ball weighs between 9 and 10 ounces. Ball pressure is between 4.5 and 6.0 pounds

 

Volleyball Lingo

 

Translation

 

"Ace"

 

When the ball is served to the other team, and no one touches it.

 

"Sideout"

 

When the team that served the ball makes a mistake, causing the ball to go to the other team.

 

"Roof"

 

When a player jumps above the height of the net, and blocks the ball.

 

"Stuff"

 

When a player jumps about the height of the net, blocks the ball, and the ball goes back at the person who attacked(spiked) the ball.

 

"Dig"

 

When a player makes a save from a very difficult spike.

 

"Kill"

 

When a team spikes the ball and it either ends in a point or a sideout.