HISTORY OF VOLLEYBALL

On February 9, 1895, in Holyoke, Massachusetts (United States), William G. Morgan, a YMCA

physical education director, created a new game called Mintonette, a name derived from the
game of badminton, 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 (sixteen kilometers)
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 ft 6 in (1.98 m) high, a 25
ft × 50 ft (7.6 m × 15.2 m) court, and any number of players. A match was composed of nine
innings with three 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. Hitting the ball into the net was considered a foul (with loss of the
point or a side-out)—except in the case of the first-try serve.

After an observer, Alfred Halstead, noticed the volleying nature of the game at its first exhibition
match in 1896, played at the International YMCA Training School (now called Springfield
College), the game quickly became known as volleyball (it was originally spelled as two words:
"volley ball"). Volleyball rules were slightly modified by the International YMCA Training
School and the game spread around the country to various YMCAs.

The first official ball used in volleyball is disputed; some sources say that Spalding created the
first official ball in 1896, while others claim it was created in 1900. The rules evolved over time:
in the Philippines by 1916, the skill and power of the set and spike had been introduced, and four
years later a "three hits" rule and a rule against hitting from the back row were established. In
1917, the game was changed from 21 to 15 points. In 1919, about 16,000 volleyballs were
distributed by the American Expeditionary Forces to their troops and allies, which sparked the
growth of volleyball in new countries.

The first country outside the United States to adopt volleyball was Canada in 1900. An
international federation, the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB), was founded in
1947, and the first World Championships were held in 1949 for men and 1952 for women.The
sport is now popular in Brazil, in Europe (where especially Italy, the Netherlands, and countries
from Eastern Europe have been major forces since the late 1980s), in Russia, and in other
countries including China and the rest of Asia, as well as in the United States.

BASIC RULES OF THE GAME

THE SERVE

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

Ball may be served underhand or overhand.

Ball must be clearly visible to opponents before serve.

Served ball may graze the net and drop to the other side.

First game serve is determined by a coin toss. Game 2 will be served by the receiving team in
game 1. If match goes to a 3rd game, new coin toss will determine serving team.

If best of 5 game match: Game 2, 3, an 4 will trade off between teams. If teams go to game 5,
serve will go to winner of a new coin toss.

Serve must be returned by a pass or set only. Serve can not be blocked or attacked.

SCORING

Rally scoring- which means there will be a point awarded on every won rally.

Offense will score on a defensive miss, out of bounds hit, or blocker touches the top of the net.

Defense will score on an offensive miss, out of bounds hit, serve into the net or hitter touches top
of the net.

Game will be played to 25 pts. Game 3 is played to 15.

Must win by 2 points, unless a point cap has been placed.

ROTATION

Team will rotate after each sideout. A sideout is when the team on serve receive wins the point to
earn the right to serve.

Players shall rotate in a clockwise manner.

There shall be 6 players on each side.

PLAYING THE GAME

Maximum of three hits per side.

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

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

A ball touching any part of the boundary line is considered in.

A legal hit is contact with the ball by any part of the players body which does not allow the ball
to visibly come to a rest.

A player must not block or attack a serve.

BASIC VIOLATIONS

Stepping on or over the line on a serve.

Failure to serve the ball over the net successfully.

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

Touches of the top of the net only with any part of the body while the ball is in play. Players may
contact the net below the top of the net (the tape) at any time. 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.

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.

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

Failure to serve in the correct order.

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

A players foot may not completely cross the midline at any time. However, if the rest of the body
crosses it is legal unless interferes with a player on the other side of the net.

SUBSTITUTIONS

Coaches only have 12 substitutions per game in club.

Once a player subs in for a rotational position, they can only sub in for that rotational position.