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VolleyballVolleyball is an Olympic sport in which two teams separated by a high net use their hands, arms, or other parts of their bodies to hit a ball back and forth over the net. Each team is allowed three hits to get the ball over the net to the other team. A point is scored if the ball hits the ground in the opponents' court, if the opponents commit a fault, or if they fail to return the ball properly.
Volleyball can be a very active sport that can be an excellent source for aerobic exercise. It also helps players improve their hand-eye coordination and the ability to override the instinctive desire to dodge a fast-moving object such as a ball.
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Encyclopedia
Volleyball is an Olympic sport in which two teams separated by a high net use their hands, arms, or other parts of their bodies to hit a ball back and forth over the net. Each team is allowed three hits to get the ball over the net to the other team. A point is scored if the ball hits the ground in the opponents' court, if the opponents commit a fault, or if they fail to return the ball properly. Volleyball can be a very active sport that can be an excellent source for aerobic exercise. It also helps players improve their hand-eye coordination and the ability to override the instinctive desire to dodge a fast-moving object such as a ball. History of the game On February 9, 1895, in Holyoke, Massachusetts, William G. Morgan a YMCA physical education director, created a new game called Mintonette as a pastime to be played preferably indoors and by any number of players. The game took some of its characteristics from tennis and handball. Another indoor sport, basketball, was catching on in the area, having been invented just ten miles away in the city of Springfield, Massachusetts only four years before. Mintonette was designed to be an indoor sport less rough than basketball for older members of the YMCA, while still requiring a bit of athletic effort. The first rules, written down by William G. Morgan, called for a net 6 feet 6 inches high; a 25 × 50 foot court; and any number of players. A match was composed of 9 innings with 3 serves for each team in each inning; and no limit to the number of ball contacts for each team before sending the ball to the opponents’ court. In case of a serving error, a second try was allowed while a ball hitting the net was to be considered a foul — except in the case of the first-try serve. To protect the fingers of the ladies, they were allowed to catch the ball and then throw it back into play. After an observer noticed the volleying nature of the game at its first exhibition match in 1896 played at the Springfield YMCA, the game quickly became known as volleyball . Volleyball rules were slightly modified by the Springfield YMCA and spread around the country to other YMCA locations. An international federation, the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball , was founded in 1947, and the first World Championships were held in 1949 for men and 1952 for women. Volleyball was added to the program of the Olympic Games in 1964, and has been part ever since. Beach volleyball became a FIVB-endorsed variation in 1986 and was added to the Olympic program at the 1996 Summer Olympics. It was not until 1900 that a ball was made specifically for the new game, and the rules were not how we know them today. It took until 1916 for the skill and power of the set and spike to be introduced, and four years later a "three hits" rule and back row hitting guidelines were established. In 1917, the game was changed from 21 to 15 points. In 1919, American Expeditionary Forces distributed 16,000 volleyballs to their troops and allies: this provided a stimulus for the growth of volleyball outside the United States. The first country outside the United States to adopt volleyball was Canada in 1900. The sport is now popular in Brazil, all of Europe , Russia, other countries including China and the rest of Asia, as well as the United States. The FIVB estimates that 1 in 6 people in the world participate in or observe indoor volleyball, beach volleyball, or backyard volleyball. See also Volleyball in the United States Rules Equipment The game is played on volleyball courts 18 metres long and 9 metres wide, divided into two 9 x 9 metre courts by a one-metre wide net placed so that the top of the net is 2.43 metres above the centre of the court for men's competition, and 2.24 metres for women's competition . There is a line 3 metres from and parallel to the net in each team court which is considered the "attack line". This "3 metre" line divides the court into "back row" and "front row" areas. These are in turn divided into 3 areas each: these are numbered as follows, starting from area "1", which is the position of the serving player: > |4||3||2
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|5||6||1
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After a team gains the serve , its members must rotate in a clockwise direction, with the player previously in area "2" moving to area "1" and so on, with the player from area "1" moving to area "6" .
The team courts are surrounded by an area called the free zone which is a minimum of 2 metres wide and which the players may enter and play within after the service of the ball. All lines denoting the boundaries of the team court and the attack zone are drawn or painted within the dimensions of the area and are therefore a part of the court or zone. If a ball comes in contact with the line, the ball is considered to be "in". An antenna is placed on each side of the net perpendicular to the sideline and is a vertical extension of the side boundary of the court. A ball passing over the net must pass completely between the antennae without contacting them.
The volleyball is made of leather or synthetic leather and inflated with compressed air. It is round and 65-67 cm in circumference.
Game play
Each team consists of six players, three located in front of the attack line and three behind.
To get play started, a team is chosen to serve by coin toss. A player from the serving team throws the ball into the air and attempts to hit the ball so it passes over the net on a course such that it will land in the opposing team's court . The opposing team must use a combination of no more than three contacts with the volleyball to return the ball to the opponent's side of the net. These contacts usually consist first of the bump or pass so that the ball's trajectory is aimed towards the player designated as the setter; second of the set by the setter so that the ball's trajectory is aimed towards one or more players designated as the attacker and third by the attacker who spikes to return the ball over the net. The team with possession of the ball that is trying to attack the ball as described is said to be on offense.
The team on defense attempts to prevent the attacker from directing the ball into their court by having players at the net jump and reach above the top of the net in order to block the attacked ball. If the ball is hit around, above, or through the block, the defensive players arranged in the rest of the court attempt to control the ball with a dig . After a successful dig, the team transitions to offense.
The game continues in this manner until the ball touches the court within the boundaries or until an error is made.
Errors and faults
- The ball lands out of the court, in the same court as the team that touched it last, or the ball touches the net "antennas". The ball also may not pass over or outside the antennas even if it lands in the opponents' court1.
- The ball is touched more than three times before being returned to the other team's court2.
- The same player touches the ball twice in succession3.
- A player "lifts" or "carries" the ball .
- A player touches the net with any part of his or her body or clothing while making a play on the ball .
- The players of one team do not manage to touch the ball before the ball lands in their half of the court.
- A back-row player spikes the ball while it is completely above the top of the net, unless he or she jumped from behind the attack line .
- A back-row player attempts to block an opposing team's attack by reaching above the top of the net.
- The libero, a defensive specialist who can only play in the back row, makes an "attacking hit", defined as any shot struck while the ball is entirely above the top of the net.
- A player completes an attack hit from higher than the top of the net when the ball is coming from an overhand finger pass by a libero in the front zone.
- A player is not in the correct position at the moment of serve, or serves out of turn. This type of foul is related to the position currently occupied by the players . When ball is served, players can place themselves freely on the field so long as they obey the following rules: The area "1" player must be behind the area "2" player and to the right of the area "6" player. The area "6" player must be behind area "3" player, to the left of area "1" player and to the right of area "5". The area "5" player must be behind the area "4" player and to the left of the area "6" player. Symmetric rules must be respected by the front-row players .
- When hitting, a player makes contact with the ball in the space above the opponent's court .
- A player touches the opponent's court with any part of his or her body except the feet or hands4.
- When serving, a player steps on the court or the endline before making contact with the ball.
- A player takes more than 8 seconds to serve.
- At the moment of serve, one or more players jump, raise their arms or stand together at the net in an attempt to block the sight of the ball from the opponent 5.
Notes:
1 If the ball passes outside the antennas on the first contact for the team, e.g. as the result of a bad pass or dig, a player is allowed to go after the ball as long as he or she does not touch the opponent's court and the ball travels back to his or her team's court also outside the antennas.
2 Except if a player blocks a ball that stays in the blocker's side of the net. In such an instance the blocker may play the ball another time without violating the rule against playing the ball twice in succession. If the ball is touched during a block, that contact is not considered one of the team's three contacts.
3 At the first hit of the team, the ball may contact various parts of the body consecutively provided that the contacts occur during one action. Also, when a player touches the ball on a block, he or she may make another play on the ball.
4 Penetration under the net with hands or feet is allowed only if a portion of the penetrating hands or feet remains in contact with or directly above the player's court or centre line.
5 Screening is only a fault if the players stand directly next to each other in a way that clearly impedes vision, and the serve is a low line drive over their heads.
Scoring When the ball contacts the floor within the court boundaries or an error is made, the team that did not make the error is awarded a point, whether they served the ball or not. The team that won the point is awarded the right to serve for the next point. If the team that won the point served the previous point, the same player serves again. If the team that won the point did not serve the previous point, the players of the team rotate their position on the court in a clockwise manner. The game continues, with the first team to score 25 points awarded the set. Matches are best-of-five sets and the fifth set is usually played to 15 points.
Before 1999, points could be scored only when a team had the serve and all sets went up to only 15 points. The FIVB changed the rules in 1999 to use the current scoring system , primarily to make the length of the match more predictable and to make the game more spectator- and television-friendly.
The Libero In 1998 the libero player was introduced internationally, the term meaning free in Italian; the NCAA introduced the libero in 2002. The libero is a player specialized in defensive skills: he or she must wear a contrasting jersey color from his or her teammates and cannot block or attack the ball when it is entirely above net height. When the ball is not in play, the libero can replace any back-row player, without prior notice to the officials. His or her replacements also do not count against the substitution limit each team is allowed per set, although the libero may be replaced only by the player whom s/he replaced.
The libero may function as a setter only under certain restrictions. If s/he makes an overhand set, s/he must be standing behind the 3-meter line; otherwise, the ball cannot be attacked above the net in front of the 3-meter line. An underhand pass is allowed from any part of the court.
Furthermore, a libero is not allowed to serve, according to international rules, with the exception of the NCAA women's volleyball games, where a 2004 rule change allows the libero to serve, but only in a specific rotation.
Other recent rule changes
Other rule changes enacted in 2000 include the introduction of the let serve which allows play to continue even if a served ball touches the net as long as it continues into the opponents' court. Also, the service area was expanded to allow players to serve from anywhere behind the end line but still within the theoretical extension of the sidelines. Other changes were made to lighten up calls on faults for carries and double-touches, such as allowing multiple contacts by a single player on a team's first contact. From 2006 there are plans for trying new rule changes, such as having a second serve option when failing the first or a second alternative libero in the team.
Skills Competitive teams are supposed to master six basic skills: serve, pass, set, attack, block and dig. Each of these skills comprises a number of specific techniques that have been introduced along the years and are now considered standard practice in high-level volleyball.
Serve 
A player stands behind the baseline and serves the ball, in an attempt to drive it into the opponent's court. His or her main objective is to make it land inside the court; it is also desirable to set the ball's direction, speed and acceleration so that it becomes difficult for the receiver to handle it properly. A serve is called an "ace" when the ball lands directly onto the court or travels outside the court after being touched by an opponent.
In contemporary volleyball, many types of serves are employed:
- Underhand and Overhand Serve: refers to whether the player strikes the ball from below, at waist level, or first tosses the ball in the air and then hits it above shoulder level. Underhand serve is considered very easy to receive and is not generally employed in high-level competitions.
- Sky Ball Serve: a specific type of underhand serve, where the ball is hit so high it comes down almost in a straight line. This serve was invented and employed almost exclusively by the Brazilian team in the early 1980s and is now considered outdated.
- Line and Cross-Court Serve: refers to whether the balls flies in a straight trajectory parallel to the side lines, or crosses through the court in an angle.
- Spin Serve: an overhand serve where the ball gains topspin through wrist snapping.
- Floater: an overhand serve where the ball is hit with no spin so that its path becomes unpredictable. This type of serve can be administered while jumping or standing. This is akin to a knuckleball in baseball.
- Jump Serve: an overhand serve where the ball is first tossed high in the air, then the player makes a timed approach and jumps to make contact with the ball. There is usually much topspin imparted on the ball. This is the most popular serve amongst college and professional teams.
- Round-House Serve: the player stands with one shoulder facing the net, tosses the ball high and hits it with a fast circular movement of the arm. Usage of this serve in indoor volleyball is today restricted to a few Asian women's teams. The ball is hit with the palm of the hand, creating a lot of spin.
Pass
Also called reception, the pass is the attempt by a team to properly handle the opponent's serve or "free ball". Proper handling includes not only preventing the ball from touching the court, but also making it reach the position where the setter is standing quickly and precisely.
The skill of passing involves fundamentally two specific techniques: underarm pass, or bump , where the ball touches the inside part of the joined forearms or platform, at waist line; and overhand pass, where it is handled with the fingertips above the head and is common of setters.
Set The set is usually the second contact that a team makes with the ball. The main goal of setting is to put the ball in the air in such a way that it can be driven by an attack into the opponent's court. The setter coordinates the offensive movements of a team, and is the player who ultimately decides which player will actually attack the ball.
As with passing, one may distinguish between an overhand and a bump set. Since the former allows for more control over the speed and direction of the ball, the bump is used only when the ball is so low it cannot be properly handled with fingertips, or in beach volleyball where rules regulating overhand setting are more stringent. In the case of a set, one also speaks of a front or back set, meaning whether the ball is passed in the direction the setter is facing or behind the setter. The setter usually stands about ? of the way from the left to the right of the net and faces the left .
Sometimes a setter refrains from raising the ball for a teammate to perform an attack and tries to play it directly onto the opponent's court. This movement is called a "dump". The most common dumps are to 'throw' the ball behind the setter or in front of the setter to zones 2 and 4. More experienced setters toss the ball into the deep corners or spike the ball on the second hit.
Attack 
The attack is usually the third contact a team makes with the ball. The object of attacking is to handle the ball so that it lands on the opponent's court and cannot be defended. A player makes a series of steps , jumps, and swings at the ball.
Ideally the contact with the ball is made at the apex of the hitter's jump. At the moment of contact, the hitter's arm is fully extended above his or her head and slightly forward, making the highest possible contact while maintaining the ability to deliver a powerful hit. The hitter uses arm swing, wrist snap, and a rapid forward contraction of the entire body to drive the ball. A 'bounce' is a slang term for a very hard/loud spike that follows an almost straight trajectory steeply downward into the opponent's court and bounces very high into the air.
Contemporary volleyball comprises a number of attacking techniques:
- Backcourt attack: an attack performed by a back row player. The player must jump from behind the 3-meter line before making contact with the ball, but may land in front of the 3-meter line.
- Line and Cross-court Shot: refers to whether the ball flies in a straight trajectory parallel to the side lines, or crosses through the court in an angle. A cross-court shot with a very pronounced angle, resulting in the ball landing near the 3-meter line, is called a cut shot.
- Dip/Dink/Tip/Cheat: the player does not try to make a hit, but touches the ball lightly, so that it lands on an area of the opponent's court that is not being covered by the defense.
- Tool/Wipe/Block-abuse: the player does not try to make a hard spike, but hits the ball so that it touches the opponent's block and then bounces off-court.
- Off-speed hit: the player does not hit the ball hard, reducing its acceleration and thus confusing the opponent's defense.
- Quick hit/"One": an attack where the approach and swing begin before the setter contacts the ball. The set is placed only slightly above the net and the ball is struck by the hitter almost immediately after leaving the setter's hands.
- Slide: a variation of the quick hit that uses a low back set. The middle hitter steps around the setter and hits from behind him or her.
- Double quick hit/"Stack"/"Tandem": a variation of quick hit where two hitters, one in front and one behind the setter or both in front of the setter, jump to perform a quick hit at the same time. It can be used to deceive opposite blockers and free a fourth hitter attacking from backcourt, maybe without block at all.
Block
Blocking refers to the actions taken by players standing at the net to stop or alter an opponent's attack.
A block that is aimed at completely stopping an attack, thus making the ball remain in the opponent's court, is called offensive. A well-executed offensive block is performed by jumping and reaching to penetrate with one's arms and hands over the net and into the opponent's area. The jump should be timed so as to intercept the ball's trajectory prior to it crossing over the net. Palms are held deflected downward about 45-60 degrees toward the interior of the opponents court. A "roof" is a spectacular offensive block that redirects the power and speed of the attack straight down to the attacker's floor, as if the attacker hit the ball into the underside of a peaked house roof.
By contrast, it is called a defensive, or "soft" block if the goal is to control and deflect the hard-driven ball up so that it slows down and becomes more easy to be defended. A well-executed soft-block is performed by jumping and placing one's hands above the net with no penetration into the opponent's court and with the palms up and fingers pointing backward.
Blocking is also classified according to the number of players involved. Thus, one may speak of single , double, or triple block.
Successful blocking does not always result in a "roof" and many times does not even touch the ball. While it’s obvious that a block was a success when the attacker is roofed, a block that consistently forces the attacker away from his or her 'power' or preferred attack into a more easily controlled shot by the defense is also a highly successful block.
At the same time, the block position influences the positions where other defenders place themselves while opponent hitters are spiking.
Dig
Digging is the ability to prevent the ball from touching one's court after a spike, particularly a ball that is nearly touching the ground. In many aspects, this skill is similar to passing, or bumping: overhand dig and bump are also used to distinguish between defensive actions taken with fingertips or with joined arms.
Some specific techniques are more common in digging than in passing. A player may sometimes perform a "dive", i.e., throw his or her body in the air with a forward movement in an attempt to save the ball, and land on his or her chest. When the player also slides his or her hand under a ball that is almost touching the court, this is called a "pancake".
Sometimes a player may also be forced to drop his or her body quickly to the floor in order to save the ball. In this situation, the player makes use of a specific rolling technique to minimize the chances of injuries.
Coaching
Basic principles Coaching for volleyball can be classified under two main categories: match coaching and developmental coaching. The objective of match coaching is to win a match by managing a team's strategy. Developmental coaching emphasises player development through the re-enforcement of basic skills during exercises known as "drills". Drills promote repetition and refinement of volleyball movements, particularly in footwork patterns, body positioning relative to others, and ball contact. A coach will construct drills that simulate match situations thereby encouraging speed of movement, anticipation, timing, and team-work. At the various stages of a player's career, a coach will tailor drills to meet the strategic requirements of the team.
Strategy
Player specialization Players do not usually master all six skills, but rather focus on one or more of them in connection with the tactics employed by each team. The most common specialization comprises three positions: attacker/blocker , setter and liberos .
Generally, taller players with the ability to jump high are utilized as attackers/blockers, where they attempt to block or spike opponents' initial hits and return the ball at high speed on steep trajectories so that the ball lands before the other team has time to react.
- Setters have the task for orchestrating the offense of the team. They aim for second touch and their main responsibility is to place the ball in the air where the attackers can hit the ball into the opponents' court in the easiest way possible. They have to be able to operate with the hitters with variety and break up the enemy's block. Setters need to have swift and skillful appraisal and tactical accuracy, and must be quick at moving around the court.
- Liberos are defensive specialists, who are responsible for receiving the attack or serve and are usually the players on the court with the quickest reaction time and best passing skills. Liberos do not necessarily need to be tall, as they never play at the net, allowing shorter players with strong passing skills to excel. A player designated as a libero for a match may not play other roles during that match.
- Middle blockers or Middle hitters are players that can perform very fast attacks that usually take place near the setter. They are specialized in blocking, since they must attempt to stop equally fast plays from their opponents and then quickly set up a double block at the sides of the court. In general they are the tallest players, but are often less skillful defensive players.
- Outside hitters, also known as power hitters, attack from near the antennas. Since most sets to the outside are high, the outside hitter may take a longer approach, sometimes even starting from outside the court sideline. An outside hitter generally relies on a powerful swing to score, but some offensive plays may call for an angled approach and/or quick attacks to confound the defense. Outside hitters must also master passing, since they generally help the libero in receiving the opponent's serve. A strong-side hitter is an outside hitter that specializes in attacking from the front-left position. This hitting position is advantageous for a right-handed hitter, because the set will come from the right, and can therefore be delivered efficiently to the hitting arm. Conversely, the attacker in the front-right position is the weak-side hitter. Since the set is coming from his left, a right-handed hitter in the weak-side position will have to swing across his body to attack. Thus, left-handedness can be a desirable quality in a weak-side hitter.
Formations
The 5-1 formation is the most used formations in competitive volleyball, the latter much preferred in high-level play. The 4-2 and 6-2 formations are more basic formations used only in junior competitive volleyball .
4-2
The 4-2 formation has four hitters and two setters. The setters usually set from the middle front position. The team will therefore have two front-row attackers at all times.
The setters line up opposite each other in the rotation. The typical lineup has two outside hitters. By aligning like positions opposite themselves in the rotation, there will always be one of each position in the front and back rows. After service, the players in the front row move into their assigned positions, so that the setter is always in middle front. Alternatively, the setter moves into the right front and has both a middle and an outside attacker; the disadvantage here lies in the lack of an offside hitter, allowing one of the other team's blockers to "cheat in" on a middle block.
The clear disadvantage to this offensive formation is that there are only two attackers, leaving a team with fewer offensive weapons.
6-2
In the 6-2 formation, a player always comes forward from the back row to set. The three front row players are all in attacking positions. Thus, all six players act as hitters at one time or another, while two can act as setters. So the 6-2 formation is actually a 4-2 system, but the back-row setter penetrates to set.
The 6-2 lineup thus requires two setters, who line up opposite to each other in the rotation. In addition to the setters, a typical lineup will have two middle hitters and two outside hitters. By aligning like positions opposite themselves in the rotation, there will always be one of each position in the front and back rows. After service, the players in the front row move into their assigned positions.
The advantage of the 6-2 is that there are always three front-row hitters available, maximizing the offensive possibilities. However, not only does the 6-2 require a team to possess two people capable of performing the highly specialized role of setter, it also requires both of those players to be effective offensive hitters when not in the setter position. At the international level, only the Cuban National Women's Team employs this kind of formation.
5-1
The 5-1 formation has only one who assumes setting responsibilities regardless of his or her position in the rotation. The team will therefore have three front-row attackers when the setter is in the back row, and only two when the setter is in the front row, for a total of five.
The player opposite the setter in a 5-1 rotation is called the opposite hitter. In general, opposite hitters do not pass; they stand behind their teammates when the opponent is serving. The opposite hitter may be used as a third attack option when the setter is in the front row: this is the normal option used to increase the attack capabilities of modern volleyball teams. Normally the opposite hitter is the most technical skilled hitter of the team. Back-row attacks generally come from the back-right position , but are increasingly performed from back-center in high-level play.
The big advantage of this system is that the setter always has 3 hitters to vary sets with. If the setter does this well, the opponent's central hitter may not have enough time to block with the outside hitter, increasing the chance for the attacking team to score.
There is another advantage: when the setter is a front-row player, he or she is allowed to jump and "dump" the ball onto the opponent's side. This too can confuse the opponent's blocking players: the setter can jump and dump or can set to one of the hitters. A good setter knows this and thus won't only jump to dump or to set for a quick hit, but as well to confuse the opponent.
The 5-1 offense is actually a mix of 6-2 and 4-2: when the setter is in the front row, the offense looks like a 4-2; when the setter is in the back row, the offense looks like a 6-2. This is the most prominent formation in high-level volleyball. However, in Women's NCAA play, the 6-2 is making a comeback, and the change in 2005 to increase substitutions from twelve to fifteen supports this.
Variations
Beach volleyball
A newer variation of the game, beach volleyball, has evolved from the popular social games of volleyball played on many beaches around the world. This version, rather than played on indoor hard courts, is played on sand courts which may either be formed naturally or built specifically for the purpose. Instead of a team of six, each team consists of only two players, but otherwise the rules are almost identical with some exceptions including:
- The size of the court
- The block always counts as the first contact
- The disallowance of the open-hand dink or dump plays where a player uses his or her finger tips to redirect the ball into the opponent's court instead of a hard spike. A dink may be performed with a closed hand or knuckle
- Stricter rules around double-contacts during hand setting
- The disallowance of the first contact being an open-hand contact
- The time limit for serve is 5 seconds
- Many recreational players still use the side-out scoring system rather than rally scoring. Whether side-out or rally scoring is used will generally match up with whether or not the old or new court size is being used.
Indoor sand volleyball This is an even newer variation than beach volleyball. As beach volleyball took volleyball outdoors, indoor sand volleyball takes beach volleyball indoors. In the United States, a growing number of colleges are now considering switching from hard court indoor volleyball to sand court indoor volleyball. The biggest reason for the possible change is the reduced rate of injury of players. Secondary reasons are: 1) bad weather doesn't cancel play, something that commonly happens with beach volleyball; 2) it is thought to make the game more appealing to spectators since sand courts do not require players to wear knee pads or shoes.
Indoor sand volleyball teams vary from two to six members, college teams having six. Normally, rather than using a purpose-built hall, an indoor basketball court is converted. A protective tarpaulin covers the floor of the basketball court and "soft" sand is laid a foot deep over it. The boundaries are commonly marked off with lines in the sand. However, a recent innovation uses colored lasers that illuminate the lines in the sand.
Sitting volleyball Sitting volleyball for locomotor-disabled individuals was first introduced in 1956 by the Dutch Sports Committee. International competition began in 1967, but it would be 1978 before the International Sports Organisation for the Disabled sanctioned the sport and sponsored an official international tournament in 1979 at Haarlem, Netherlands.
The game is played on a smaller 10 x 6 meter court and with a 0.8 meter-wide net set to a height of 1.15 meters for men and 1.05 meters for women. When hitting or attacking the ball, the player must have one "buttock" or an extension of the torso still in contact with the floor. Traditionally the sport has been played not only by amputees and people with polio, but people who have orthopedic problems in their knees or ankles. Often able-bodied players are on the club teams. Because of the game's quick pace, the use of your hands to move and play the ball, good balance and a sturdy butt are a necessity. Consequently, it is not the ideal sport for most paraplegics.
Men's sitting volleyball was introduced to the Paralympic Games in 1980 and has grown to be one of the more popular Paralympic sports due to the fast and exciting action. Women's sitting volleyball was added to the program for the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens, Greece. The international governing body for the sport is The World Organisation Volleyball for Disabled .
Blind volleyball Also known as 'ghost volleyball', it is another variation that tries to remove height of players as a determining factor in team success is blind volleyball. Ad-hoc blind volleyball is where sheets are draped over the net so one side cannot see the other side. A more formal type of blind volleyball removes the traditional volleyball net and replaces it with a tarp thick enough that shadows cast on it cannot be seen from the other side. Spikes, and overhand serves are prohibited. Blocks are almost impossible to do since it is difficult to know where the ball is going to come over the net. Spikes and overhand serves are prohibited because it is already very difficult for the receiving team to react to any incoming ball without the increased speed of a ball struck in such a manner.
Blind volleyball additionally creates a higher level of suspense for spectators, who, unlike the players, can see what is taking place on both sides.
Another unique feature of blind volleyball is how it can make the back row the row that hits the ball over the net. In regular volleyball, the back row tends to receive the volleyball and then move it to the front row. In blind volleyball, moving the ball to the back row makes it harder for the other team to see where the ball is and by hitting the ball on a flatter trajectory, the back-row players can more easily surprise the receiving team on where the ball will be coming over the net.
Nine-man volleyball A variation of volleyball utilizing nine players and a slightly larger court originated in Asia in the 1920s when American missionaries introduced the game in China. The variant became popular within the Chinese-American communities in large US and Canadian cities, and continues to grow with a rotating popular tournament called the .
Wallyball
Wallyball is played in a racquetball court, which is divided into two halves by a net. The game is played like volleyball, with the added complexity that players may carom the ball off a side wall when playing it into the opponents' court. If a ball played over the net contacts the ceiling, the opponent's back wall, or both side walls without being touched by an opponent, the ball is ruled out of bounds. The pace of the game is generally fast, as the confined quarters encourage quick action and the walls often keep the ball conveniently in play.
Sepak TakrawSepak Takraw is a variant of volleyball popular in Asia, similar to footvolley. Players use their feet to get the ball over the net; the game is played on a badminton doubles court.
Bossaball
Bossaball is more than a variation on the volleyball concept. It's a mix of volleyball, football, gymnastics and capoeira. The court is a combination of inflatables and trampolines, divided by a net.
Mixed teams Most competitive volleyball is played with same-sex teams . Different sets of rules have been drafted to allow for mixed teams, often known as "coed" teams in the United States. The net is at men's height for "regular coed" and women's height for "reverse coed". Several adaptations are common, some of them to compensate for the men's greater reach and strength. The FIVB rules used internationally do not support mixed play, but USA Volleyball, the national governing body for the United States have specific rules, the main points of which are:
- A minimum number of female players must be on the field
- Alternating male and female players in the rotation.
- In reverse coed the men are prohibited from attacking a ball above the height of the net from in front of the attack line. Men can attack a ball that is above the height of the net from anywhere on the court, but the ball must take an immediate upward trajectory. Men can jump serve, but are not allowed to block. If there is only one female player on the front row, then one back row female may come from the back row to block, but not hit. If the ball is touched more than once on one side then a male player must make one of the contacts. Strategically, this usually means that a male setter is used.
- In regular coed, if there is only one male player on the front row then one man may come from the back row to block, but not hit. If the ball is touched more than once on one side then a female player must make one of the contacts. Female players have no blocking or attacking restrictions. Strategically, this usually means that a female setter is used.
FootvolleyFootvolley is an entirely new sport which combines beach volleyball and soccer skills where the difference is that the players may not contact the ball with their hands; instead they can use all other body parts including their feet, head, shoulders, and chest, etc. Sport originated in Brazil; but is quickly becoming popular in the US, Europe, and Asia.
Ecuadorian Volleyball A variation with 3-player teams on clay courts with a higher net and the use of a soccer ball.
Newcomb A simplified form used to teach the fundamentals of volleyball, Newcomb is generally taught to school-aged children but is also popular among adults of limited athletic ability. Its main differences from regular volleyball are that the ball can be caught before passing on to a team-mate or over the net, and each pass or serve is a throw rather than a hit. While most other volleyball rules apply, variations on the numbers of players per team and the numbers of 'catches' per side are common.
Jollyball Jollyball is a cross between juggling and volleyball. A juggling ball is passed between players who must catch it by using the ball, plus the two that they are holding, to perform a juggling pattern.
Common jargon
Some common jargon used in modern volleyball:
;Ace : When the ball is served to the other team, and it lands in court with no one touching it; can also be used to refer to a serve which is played by the receiving team, but in a way that it is not possible for them to get a second touch on the ball.
;Chester: When a dig or pass is made off the chest.
;Donut : The small round area of the court near the middle of the 3 meter line which is often the target of soft hits or dumps.
;Domed: When a hitter attacks the ball above the net, bouncing it between the blocker's arms and off his or her head/forehead area into the air.
;Doubles: When each team consists of two members.
;Dump/Dink: A soft hit usually executed by a front row setter to catch the defense off guard; many times executed with the left hand, sometimes with the right, aimed at the donut or area 4 on the court.
;Facial: When a hitter attacks the ball over the net and hits one of the opposing players in the face.
;Fist/Rock : Striking a set ball or party ball with your fist. This is risky because if you are to hit the ball with the flat part of your fist the ball will hit the far wall.
;Float or Floater: A non-spinning serve that is unpredictable because its path is perturbed by air currents above the court, similar to a knuckleball in baseball.
;Goofy footer: Originated as a skateboarding term; an attacker whose last step in the approach is taken with the foot on the same side as the hitting arm; right hander takes his or her last step with the right foot, left hander with the left foot.
;Hubby-Wife: When a served ball lands between two players of a doubles team as a result of neither one communicating and instead thinking the other player is going to get the ball.
;Joust : when the ball is falling directly on top of the net, two opposing players jump and push against the ball, trying to push it onto the other's side.
;Jump serve : a serve made famous by Karch Kiraly; the serving player tosses the ball 8-10' in the air and 4-10' into the court then uses an attack approach to jump and serve the ball.
;Kill : When a team attacks the ball and the defending team is unable to play the ball successfully.
;Off-side hitter : a right side attacker; also refers to a player hitting on the unnatural side - right handers hitting from the right, left handers hitting from the left.
;One : A type of middle hit when the middle jumps before the setter sets, with the ball being set directly to the middle's hand.
;Pancake : When a player digs the ball by extending his or her hand flat on the floor, bouncing the ball off the back of the hand.
;Party Ball : When a passed ball is set perfectly for an opposing hitter to smash it down.
;Roll : When a player digs a ball below the knees, dives to the floor, and uses a fancy maneuver to get up. Some types of rolls are barrel and shoulder.
;Roll shot : An attacker hits the set softly putting extreme topspin on the ball so that it will clear the block and drop quickly and directly over the block.
;Second : A term used by players on the defense to warn their teammates that there is tandem and not to block the first player but the second.
;Shank : When the backrow player passes a serve that does not go to the setter and that usually flys off into another court. The other team cannot return it.
;Short : When the serving team serves a ball that appears as though it will land inside or near the 3 metre line.
;Shutout : When a team wins a game without allowing the opposite team to score any points. Much more rare since rally scoring has been adopted for most games, but the term is still used by players who played under side-out scoring.
;Shoot: A variation on the quick set except instead of setting the ball to the middle the ball is set to the outside hitter.
;Side out : When the team that served the ball loses the rally, causing the other team to serve the next point.
;Six-Pak or Pak : When an attacker hits a ball into an opponent's face. Came from the early days when the attacker would owe the hit player a six-pack as an apology.
;Sky ball : A unique underhand serve in which the ball is shot unusually high into the air above the oppossing team's court in the attempt to confuse the receiver.
;Spike : When an offensive player attacks the ball with a one-arm motion done over the head, attempting to get a kill.
;Strong-side hitter : a left side hitter; also refers to a player hitting on the natural side - right handers hitting from the left, left handers hitting from the right.
;Stuff/Roof : When a defensive player jumps above the height of the net, blocks the ball, and the ball goes back at the person who attacked the ball.
;Switch : A term used by the defensive players to signify switching the man you were 'guarding' or blocking. This is used usually when the offensive team uses complicated plays that forces the defensive team to adjust.
;Tip : A softer or off-speed finesse attack, usually committed with more of the fingers and fingertips than the whole hand as used in an attack.
;Tool/Use : An attack which is deflected off an opponent and is unplayable resulting in a point and/or side out for the attacking team.
References
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