Volleyball

Volleyball is a popular team sport where two groups of six players compete against each other over a net. The goal is to score points by hitting a ball onto the other team’s side while following specific rules. It became an official part of the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo in 1964, and beach volleyball was added later at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996. There is also a version called sitting volleyball in the Paralympic Games.

The sport was invented in 1895 by William G. Morgan, a physical education director at a YMCA in Holyoke, Massachusetts. He created it as a less intense alternative to basketball and called it “mintonette.” Volleyball quickly spread around the world through YMCA networks. In 1947, an international organization called the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball was formed, helping the sport grow into a worldwide favorite.

Basic play

The complete set of rules is extensive, but play essentially proceeds as follows: a player on one of the teams begins a 'rally' by serving the ball (tossing or releasing it and then hitting it with a hand or arm), from behind the back boundary line of the court, over the net, and into the receiving team's court. The receiving team must not let the ball be grounded within their court. The team may touch the ball up to three times to return the ball to the other side of the court, but individual players may not touch the ball twice consecutively.

A number of consistent techniques have evolved in volleyball, including spiking and blocking as well as passing, setting, and specialized player positions.

History

William G. Morgan invented volleyball in 1895. He created the sport for middle-aged businessmen at the YMCA in Holyoke, Massachusetts, as a less demanding game than basketball. Originally called mintonette, the game was renamed volleyball after its volleying nature was noticed.

Volleyball’s rules changed over time. Early rules were simple, but new skills like the set and spike were added. The sport spread quickly, helped by the YMCA and YWCA. It became an Olympic sport in 1964 and continues to grow in popularity around the world. Beach volleyball, a two-player version, joined the Olympics in 1996.

Rules of the game

A volleyball court is 9 m × 18 m (29.5 ft × 59.1 ft), divided into two equal halves by a net. The net height is 2.43 m (7 ft 11+11⁄16 in) for men and 2.24 m (7 ft 4+3⁄16 in) for women. Each team has six players, and the goal is to send the ball to the other team’s court while following specific rules.

The ball must be spherical and can be made from leather or synthetic leather. Each team takes turns serving the ball over the net. The other team must return the ball within three touches. Points are scored when the ball lands in the opponent’s court or when the other team makes a mistake. Matches are usually played as a best-of-five sets format.

Skills

Competitive volleyball teams focus on mastering six basic skills: serve, pass, set, attack, block, and dig. Each skill has specific techniques that players use to improve their game.

Serve

A player serves the ball from behind the end line, aiming to land it in the opponent’s court. The goal is to make the ball hard for the other team to return. Serves can vary in how they are hit and where they go.

Pass

The pass, also called reception, is how a team handles the opponent’s serve or attack. Players use either an underarm bump or an overhand pass to send the ball to their setter. The pass needs to be quick and accurate.

Set

The set is the second contact with the ball, where the setter places it in the air for an attacker. Setters decide which teammate will attack and coordinate the team’s offense. They can use different types of sets, like front, back, or jump sets.

Attack

The attack, or spike, is the third contact with the ball. Players jump and hit the ball hard to land it in the opponent’s court. Attacks can be done from different positions and with various techniques to outsmart the defense.

Block

Blocking happens at the net to stop or change the direction of the opponent’s attack. Players jump and reach over the net to block the ball. Blocks can be offensive, aiming to stop the attack, or defensive, aiming to make the ball easier to save.

Dig

A dig is a defensive move to keep the ball from hitting the court after an attack. It is similar to passing but relies more on quick reflexes. Players may dive or use a “pancake” move to save the ball close to the ground.

Team play

Volleyball is a sport where teams work together to move the ball from one side of the net to the other. Each team has different ways to arrange their players for serving, attacking, and defending. The team that receives the serve tries to pass the ball to a special player called the setter. Popular ways to arrange players include the 4–2, 6–2, and 5-1 systems.

Teams also have plans to protect their court if the other team tries to block the ball. They move to certain spots to catch any balls that bounce back. Defensive plans help stop the other team from scoring, and sometimes players line up in special ways to make it harder for the other team to see the serve.

Strategy

In volleyball, each team has five main positions, and each player has a special role to help the team win. The setter leads the team's offense by placing the ball where attackers can score. Liberos are defensive players who help receive serves and attacks; they wear a different-colored jersey and can replace any player but cannot block or attack near the net.

Middle hitters or middle blockers are usually the tallest players and specialize in blocking opponents' attacks. Outside hitters attack from the left side and are often the team's most consistent scorers. Opposite hitters or right-side hitters also attack but focus on defense in the front row.

Teams use different formations like 4–2, 6–2, and 5–1, which describe how many hitters and setters are on the team. The 5–1 formation, where one player is the setter and five can attack, is the most common in top-level play. This formation allows for flexible attacks, making it harder for the other team to block and score.

Media

Movies

Some fun movies and TV shows feature volleyball! Side Out (1990) is about a law student who plays volleyball in California. In Air Bud: Spikes Back (2003), a golden retriever joins in the fun. All You've Got (2006) is a TV movie with a hip hop artist, and The Miracle Season (2018) follows a team aiming for the championship.

Television

On TV, you can watch Attack No. 1 from 1969, or the anime Attacker You! (1984) about a schoolgirl in Tokyo. Haikyu!! (2014) is about a high school team in Japan striving to be the best. There’s also Harukana Receive (2018) with teen girls playing beach volleyball, and 2.43: Seiin High School Boys Volleyball Team (2021) about a boys’ team on their path to victory.

Variations and related games

There are many fun ways to play volleyball! The most popular version is beach volleyball, played on sand with just two players per team. Other games related to volleyball include Crossnet, a mix of volleyball and foursquare, and 9-man, a historic game invented by Chinese immigrants in the 1930s that's still played today.

You might also enjoy Biribol, played in shallow water, or Footvolley, where players use only their feet. There are even games like Sepak Takraw, played in Southeast Asia using just feet and heads, and Snow volleyball, a winter version of beach volleyball. Each version brings its own twist to the basic volleyball rules!