VOLLEYBALL STUDY GUIDE

HISTORY OF VOLLEYBALL

William Morgan invented volleyball in 1895 at the Holyoke, Massachusetts, YMCA (Young Men's
Christian Association) where he served as Director of Physical Education. Morgan originally called his
new game of Volleyball, Mintonette. The name Volleyball came about after a demonstration game of
the sport, when a spectator commented that the game involved much "volleying" and game was
renamed Volleyball.

William Morgan was born in the state of New York and studied at Springfield College, Massachusetts.
Ironically at Springfield, Morgan met James Naismith who invented basketball in 1891. Morgan was
motivated by Naismith's game of basketball designed for younger students to invent a game suitable
for the older members of the YMCA. William Morgan's basis for the new game of Volleyball was the
then popular and similar German game of Faustball and a few other sports including: tennis (the net),
basketball, baseball and handball.

The Morgan Trophy Award is presented annually to the most outstanding male and female collegiate
volleyball player in the United States. Established by the William G. Morgan Foundation in 1995 during
the centennial year of volleyball, the trophy is named in honor of William Morgan.

Indoor volleyball was added to the Olympics in 1964. Beach volleyball was added as an exhibition
sport in 1996 and immediately became the hottest ticket at the games. Volleyball is second only to
soccer in worldwide popularity. Approximately 46 million Americans play the game and an estimated
800 million play all over the world.

RULES OF VOLLEYBALL

DIMENSIONS:
1. Net Height - 7'4 1/8" for high school.
2. Court size - 60 feet long by 30 feet wide.

TEAMS:
1. Shall consist of 6 players.
2. All male, all female, or co-ed.

LENGTH OF GAME: (VARSITY HIGH SCHOOL)

1. Game is played to 25 points (rally scoring- a point is scored on each serve
regardless of who serves)
2. Winning team must be ahead by at least 2 points.
3. The winner of the match wins 3 of 5 games.
4. Tie-break game to 15 points.

POSITIONS:
1. The positions are: left front, middle front, right front, left back, middle back, right back.
2. Rotation is in a clockwise motion.

SERVING:
1. The team not serving the first in the previous game shall serve first in the second game
2. Serving area is anywhere behind the total length of the baseline between the hash-
marks.
3. THE SERVE IS DEAD IF: it touches the ceiling or obstruction; or if it lands out of bounds
4. LEGAL SERVES: hit out of the hand; tossed and hit with hand; or hit the ball with the arms.
HOW THE GAME IS PLAYED:
1. Winner of the coin flip chooses serve, side or receive.
2. Serving team keeps serving until they lose the point.
3. The team receiving the ball first, rotates when they get the serve.
4. The ball may be hit with any part of the body above the knee.
5. You may NOT hit the ball twice in succession (except on the block).
6. A ball can be hit up to 3 times per side.
7. The ball may be played off the net, including on the serve.
8. A player may not step completely over the center line or touch the net.
9. A ball landing on a boundary line is good or in.
10. Teams exchange courts at the end of each game.
11. Rally scoring is used - a point is scored on each serve regardless of which team serves
12. If the serving team violates a rule, a SIDE-OUT is awarded to the receiving
team and they also score a point.
13. If there are simultaneous fouls on the same play, a REPLAY is called.
14. The normal order of play is BUMP, SET, and SPIKE.

FAULTS ARE CALLED:

1. If the ball is served illegally.
2. If a player hits the ball illegally (i.e. open handed bump).
3. If a player hits the ball twice in succession (except off a block).
4. If a team hits the ball more than 3 times.
5. If a back line person spikes or blocks the ball while in front of the spike line.
6. If a player touches the net or steps over the center line.
7. If a player reaches over/under the net to play the ball.
8. If the ball hits the antenna on the serve.
9. If a player double hits the ball.

TERMINOLOGY:
Ace: A serve that lands in bounds without being touched, or fails to be contacted by a
second person on the team.
Attack: A hit that uses a drive, spike, or tip.
Defense: Action by team when opponent has ball (i.e. block, dig).
Dig: Recovery of a hit made by playing ball with 1 or 2 hands.
Double hit: Ball hits 2 parts of body (i.e. while bumping, ball hits your forearm and
rebounds off chest).
Foot fault: Server steps on or over line while serving.
rd
Free ball: The ball is played over on the 3 hit using a bump.
Illegal hit: Ball comes to a momentary rest on player's arms or rolls up the arm.
Out of bounds: Any surface or area outside the court.
Dink: A deceptive, overhead contact that softly taps the ball over the defense.
Bump: Placing the arms together and using the surface of the arms to pass the ball,
usually the first hit.
Spike: A hard downward driven shot using one open hand, usually the third hit.
Set: Usually the second hit using the fingertips of both hands. This sets up the spike.