Volleyball is a casual game that has gone through changes in its laws and playing method over the years. The game has been in circulation since the late 1800s but it first gained recognition when it entered into olympic sport back in 1964.
Object of Playing Volleyball
It resembles both basketball and tennis. The object of the game is to hit the ball with hands – commonly known as volleyball – over the net to make it bounce in your opponent’s half. The opposing team prevents it from bouncing and attempts the same thing. Every time your opponent misses the ball you score a point. The team with the most points wins the set and each game consists of 3 or 5 best sets.
How to Play?
Volleyball is a team sport which consists of two teams of equal number of players, both have their own sides and players can use certain legal ways to send the ball in the opposition’s side. Both sides are divided by a net which is hung at a certain height. Players use their palms and hands to hit the ball.
Before you start playing Volleyball, you need to learn what are the common fouls in Volleyball and how many times you can hit the ball in one turn. Make sure you read all the rules regarding the game to learn to play it in a professional way.
General Rules of Volleyball
- 6 players can field at one time for a team.
- Both teams have their own halves, divided by the net.
- 6 substitute players can come in as a back for each player.
- It’s a team sport, all 6 six players sit alongside each other. Once the ball has been sent into a defensive team’s half, a defensive team can hit it up to 3 times before it must be
returned to the opposition’s half. The same is true for the other side. - Each set consists of 25 points. Except the final set that only goes to 15 points.
- Every foul/violation costs you a point.
- If both teams have equal points, then the set goes on until one of them has the lead.
Violations in Volleyball
- You can’t catch or throw the ball.
- You can’t step over the baseline when serving the ball.
- If a ball hits the nets but falls in the same half instead of going over the net.
- You can’t touch the net with any part of the body.
- The ball can’t travel under the net.
- You can’t fly and hit the ball still on the other side of the net. A player must let the ball come in his half before hitting it.
- if the ball bounces into outbound area then a point would be awarded to the opposing team.
Toss in Volleyball Game
The first serve of the match is decided by volley. The team winning volley serves first. During the match, the serve is decided by the side that won the previous point.
Duration of a Volleyball Game
Although there is no time limit, a volley game can go on for more than an hour to up to 90 minutes. As soon as the team wins 2 or 3 sets, the game ends regardless of the time duration. If it’s a 3-set game, then the team has to win 2 sets and if it’s a 5-set game, then the team that wins the 3 sets wins the game.
Equipment in Volleyball
All you need in volleyball is a ball. The standard size of a volleyball is 65 to 67-centimeters or 25.5 to 26.5-inches in circumference. It weighs 9.2 to 9.9-ounces or 260 to 280-grams.
Volleyball Playing Field
Volleyball is played in a court of rectangular shape measuring 18m x 9m. The height of the net is approximately 2.43m high. The outbound area is marked around the outlines of the court.
Referees in Volleyball
Every low level and international level volleyball game is presided by a referee. A referee’s job in volleyball is to observe action from a stand and pass on unbiased judgements whether it is a foul, violation or point. There’s another referee – an assistant referee – who stands on the opposite side of the net and in front of the scorer’s table.
Famous Volleyball Events
Though volleyball is not as popular as football and other international sports are, a few international level tournaments take place everywhere in which some of the top nations compete against each other.
- FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship
- FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship
- Men’s Best West Volleyball Championship
Famous Volleyball Venues
- Long Beach Area, Log Angeles
- Atlanta Beach, USA
- Sydney Entertainment Center, Australia
Governing Body for Volleyball
The FIVB (Fédération Internationale de Volleyball) is the governing body of Volleyball. The body’s headquarters are located in Lausanne, Switzerland and its current president is Ary Graça.