VOLLEYBALL RULES AND REGULATIONS

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Simplified Volleyball Rules


Presented here are a simplified set volleyball rules to help
beginners start enjoying the game without forcing them to go
through the intricacies of the full rules.
Like tennis and badminton, the court is divided, by a net,
into 2 equal halves. During play, each team remains on their
own side and defend the floor.
6 players pre team on court.
1st team to 25 points wins.
Positions
Of the 6 players 3 are to the front and 3 to the back, with the
back player at the left being the server.
Serving
Serve from behind the back line.
The serve must be hit with the hand.
After serving the server moves back onto court to help their
team.
The serve is allowed to clip the net on the way over, but
must not touch the antenna nor pass over or outside the
antenna.
Once the ball has been served ANY player can move
ANYWHERE on court and even chase the ball out of court if
needed.
If the serve is going out leave it to hit the floor - if you
touch it before it lands then you must play the ball back.
The serve is not allowed to touch the roof.
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Serving
Within the Antenna
Hitting the ball
The ball may be hit with any part of the body (hand, head,
chest, even the foot! . . .) with the exception of the serve
which must to be hit with the hand.
The hit has to be clean - no scoops, catch-and-rethrows,
dunks etc.
Your team have up to 3 touches to return the ball over the
net - although it can be returned by the 1st or 2nd touch.
A player mustn't have 2 consecutive hits - but having the
1st and 3rd hit is OK.
The One in the Different Shirt
During the 2008 olympics I got several emails asking about the
player wearing the different coloured shirt. Whilst this advanced
technique not relevant to beginners I hope the following
explanation would help spectators understand what is going on.
The One in the Different Shirt is a new innovation in volleyball
(from the year 2000) which allows a team to have one specialised
defensive player called a libero. These players need very quick
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reflexes and the ability to take most of the energy out of a fast
moving ball and still be able to pass it, with high accuracy, to the
player that sets up the attack.
Unlike the other players, the libero isn't permitted to:
serve
attack the ball or
block at the net.....
This means that these players need not have the height or the
jump required of the attacking players, and so they
are sometimes shorter or older than the rest of the team.
The rules permit the libero to be substituted much more easily
and often than the other players so the distinctive shirt helps the
referee's establish that the libero is in the correct rotation
position and not trying to play a shot that they aren't permitted
to.
The use of a libero player is not compulsory, and only well
established teams try it, which is why I'd not mentioned it in the
simplified rules.
From 2009 teams can have 2 libero players
In the rally
Players mustn't touch the top of the net.
The only part of a players body that is allowed to land on
the opponents court is the foot, and then only if part of it is
above the centre line.
The ball mustn't touch the roof, walls or posts.
The ball CAN touch the net on the way over providing it
does not touch the antenna.
The ball is allowed to go into the net and bounce out - the
rally continues and this does not count as one of the 3
touches.
If the ball touches the court floor on the opposite side your
team wins the point.
If the ball touches one of the opposition players and then
the floor/wall your team wins a point.
If one of your players hits the ball out of court, the others
can chase the ball and hit it back into court or over the net.
If the other team hits the ball more than 3 times your team
wins a point.
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Volleyball Court Zones
Blocking
Blocking = jumping at the net with the arms up to stop the
ball coming over the net.
Remember, players mustn't touch the net.
Blocking a serve isn't allowed.
A back court player mustn't take part in a block - even if
they don't touch the ball
A block does not count as a regular hit - so your team still
have 3 more hits, also if you block then you ARE also
allowed to make the 1st hit.
Attacking
Attack = whilst in the attack zone,
hitting the ball from above the height of the net
towards the other side
A back court player is not allowed to attack.
A back court player IS allowed to hit the ball from BELOW
the height of the net whilst in the attack zone
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A back court player IS allowed to hit the ball from above the
height of the net whilst in the DEFENCE zone.
If PART of the ball is over the net then it's OK to attack the
ball (even if it's mostly on the other side).
If ALL of the ball is on the other side of the net then the only
shot that can be played is a block (ie not a hit)

Position of
Ball for Legal Attack
Rotation - everybody gets to play in every position
Every time your team wins the serve from the other team all
your players rotate their position on court - clockwise.
If you loose the serve your team doesn't rotate.
If you keep the serve your team doesn't rotate.
Substitution
Up to 6 substitutions per set
Substitutions take place before the serve
Once player A has replaced player B then player B can only
be substituted by player A
Time-Outs
Up to 2 time-outs per set of 30 seconds each
Time-outs take place before the serve
Winning
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The winner is the 1st team to reach 25 points (by 2 clear
points)
If you serve and get the point you keep the serve, if you
don't get the point, the other team gets the serve AND also
a point. (ie the score changes EVERY time there is a serve)
Note: if the opposition only need one point to win and you
mess up a serve, they win without even touching the ball.