Assistant ProfessorFELIX MICHAEL C. SILBORUST Institute of Physical Education and Athletics

VOLLEYBALLHistory, Skills and Rules of Game

WHAT IS VOLLEYBALL?

Volleyball is a game played by two teams of 2 to 6 players each on a rectangular playing court divided by a net.

The object of the game is to send an inflated ball over the net in order to ground it in the opponent’s court and to prevent the opponents from doing the same. A team is allowed three touches before returning the ball.

The ball is put into play by a service, where the ball is hit by a server over the net to the opponents. The rally continues until the ball is grounded on the playing court, goes out of bounds or the other team fails to return it properly.

The team winning the rally scores a point. When the receiving team wins a rally, it gains a point and the right to serve, and its player rotates one position clockwise.

HISTORY OF VOLLEYBALL

On February 9, 1895, William G. Morgan, a YMCA physical education director in Holyoke, Massachusetts, USA, created a new game called Mintonette. He intended the game as a pastime to be played indoors and by any number of players. The game resembled some characteristics of tennis and handball. Incidentally, another indoor sport, basketball, was becoming popular in the area, having been invented just sixteen kilometers away in the city of Springfield, Massachusetts, only four years earlier. 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.

HISTORY OF VOLLEYBALL

William G. Morgan wrote down the first rules of the game which called for a net 6ft 6in high, a 25x50ft court, and any number of players. There were nine innings with three serves for each team in each inning and an unlimited number of ball contacts for each team before the ball is sent to the opponents’ court.

The game became known as volleyball when an observer named Alfred Halstead, noticed the volleying nature of the game at its first exhibition match in 1896, played at the International YMCA training school. Soon, the game spread rapidly around the USA to various YMCA chapters.

HISTORY OF VOLLEYBALL

The rules changed over time. In 1916 in the Philippines, the skill and power of the set and spike has been introduced, and four years later a “three hits” rule and a rule against hitting from the back row were established. In the 1917, the game was changed from 21 to 15 points.

Modern volleyball now allows hitting from the back row and scoring was changed from 15 to 25 points. Either team can score after each rally.

In the 1947, the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB), the governing body of the game was founded. Volleyball became an official Olympic event in the 1924 Paris Games. Beach volleyball was sanction by the FIVB in 1987 and became an official Olympic event in the 1996 Atlanta Games.

VOLLEYBALL SKILLS

There are several skills that has to be learned before an individual can play volleyball. These are the passing, setting, spiking, blocking, service and dig or defense. These skills are used in combination by the team in order to win a rally.

VOLLEYBALL SKILLS

1. Passing – It is the most basic of volleyball skills and commonly used to receive the ball after a serve and is usually the first contact of the team after

a spike.

* Start in the “Ready Position”* Straight arms away from the body* Extend legs and move arms from the shoulders* Contact the ball on the FOREARMS* Finish with hands pointing to the target

VOLLEYBALL SKILLS2. Setting - A set is an overhead pass used by a player to place the

ball near the net to assist a spiker in killing the ball. It is usually the team’s second contact. Setting is the tactical center of volleyball. A setter must be good

enough to keep the big blockers from dominating the net. The setter must feed his or her best hitters while also looking for opponent’s blocking weakness.

* Start in the ready position facing the target* Spread fingers in the shape of the ball above the head* Form a triangle with thumbs and pointer fingers (hands should not be touching)* Place hands directly in front of the face close to the forehead. This position is called NEUTRAL and is always the starting position for the set.* On contact, set by extending the arms and legs

VOLLEYBALL SKILLS

3. Spiking – The spike is when the ball is hit or smashed across the net and into the opponents’ court. It is the most powerful shot in volleyball and the most effective way to win a rally. A spike is when a player jumps and strike the ball with an overhand arm swing. Spiking can also be called

hitting or attacking. * Approach steps and two foot jump

* Both arms swung forward on takeoff* Bow and arrow ready position* Wrist snap for topspin on contact

VOLLEYBALL SKILLS4. Blocking – This is the first line of defense in volleyball. The objective is to stop a spiked ball from crossing the

net into the blockers’ court. A block is a combination of one, two or three players jumping up with the hands and arms reaching above the net in front of the opposing player.

* Seal the net with your hands, thumbs pointing to the ceiling a balls width apart, and arms locked* Whenever possible extend your arms across the net (penetration)* Keep your shoulders square to the net* When you move along the net to block, plant so that you jump straight up an down* Land in the same place from where you jump* Seal and be square to the net* When moving along the net and when jumping, carry the hands at shoulder height.

VOLLEYBALL SKILLS5. Serving - A serve begins a rally. A player must hit the ball with his

or her hand over the net to land inside the lines of the opponents’ court. Each player gets a chance to serve. A new rule means the serve can now touch the net and continue into the opponents’ court.

* With firm wrist, arm toss the ball 18 inches – so that the ball falls to the spot just inside of the lead foot and in line with the hitting shoulder.* Elbow and hand are at shoulder height or above throughout the entire serving motion.* Shift weight to lead foot, or step forward, as you make contact with the ball.* Wrist firm through out the serve.* Contact with heel of hand through middle back of the ball.* The contact should sound like a “thud”, not a “slap” sound.* Hand follows ball to target.* Finish with hand alongside or within body line.

VOLLEYBALL SKILLS

6. Dig or Defense – A dig is defined as passing a spiked or hard hit ball. Defensive are often called “diggers”.

* Start in the “Ready Position”* Straight arms away from the body* Extend legs and move arms from shoulders* Contact the ball on the FOREARM* Finish with hands pointing to target

The playing court is a rectangle measuring 18 x 9 m, surrounded by a free zone which is a minimum of 3 m wide on all sides. On each court, an attack line, whose rear edge is drawn 3m back from the axis of the center line, marks the front zone.

The ball shall be spherical, made of a flexible leather or synthetic leather case with a bladder inside made of rubber or a similar material. Its color maybe a uniform light color, or a combination of colors. Synthetic leather material and color combinations of balls used in International Official competitions should comply with FIVB standards. Its circumference is 65-67 cm and its weight is 260-280 g. Its inside pressure shall be 0.30 to 0. 325 kg/cm2 (4.26 to 4.61 psi) (294.3 to 318.82 mbar or hPa)