The sport of volleyball was initiated by William G. Morgan at Massachusetts, U.S.A. in 1895, as a recreational activity for business men. Originally called ‘Mintonette’, the name was changed in 1896 to volleyball because the basic idea of the game was to ‘volley’ the ball back and forth over a net.

In the 1950s and 1960s volleyball spread quickly throughout all fivecontinents.

In 1964, volleyball was the first team sport for men and women to be admitted to the Olympic Games, where the Soviet Unionwon the men’s title and Japan took the women’s title.

BACKGROUNDSBACKGROUNDS

VOLLEYBALL

The goal of the game is for each team to send the ball over the net to ground it on the opponents’ court and to prevent the ball from being grounded on its own court.

Volleyball is a team sport played by two teams (of 6 players each) on a playing court divided by a net.

The ball is put into play by the right back-row.

A team is entitled to hit the ball three times (in addition to the block contact) in returning it to the opponents’ court.

A player is not allowed to hit the ball twice consecutively (except when blocking).

GLOSSARY OF TERMS USED IN VOLLEYBALL

Defence:Defence: The phase of the game in which the court players try to prevent the ball from landing on their court.

Attack/OffenceAttack/Offence: The phase of the game in which the players combine to make an attack.

TACTICAL AND TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT

SERVE(underarm or

overarm serve)

RECEPTION (forearm pass)

SET /SETTER (volley pass)

Smash/hit

The phase of the game where the team takes up positions and passes the served ball to the setter. (The service is normally controlled with a forearm pass)

Set/setter: The skill of volleying the ball high and close to the net for a smasher.

Smash/hit/spike: Jumping above the net and with one hand striking the ball down into the opponent’s court.

It used to start every point

BASIC SKILLS: Volley pass

The volley is a two-handed pass played above the forehead.

Volley-passes could be forwards or backwards.

BASIC SKILLS: Forearm pass

The forearm pass is used to play a ball which is travelling too fast and low to volley, and is performed by bringing the forearms together to make a platform, off which the ball rebounds.

It is used most often to receive the service or an attacking shot from the opponents.

BASIC SKILLS: Service

The serve is used to start every rally/point.

Types of ServeThere are many different serves. We’ll learn and practice the followings:

Overarm ServeUnderarm Serve

BASIC SKILLS: The block

The block is the first line of defense against the smash. It may be performed by one, two or three front-row players who jump at the net to stop the smashed ball from crossing the net and to deflect it back into the opposition’s court.

ROTATION

When a team regains the serve, all the players move one position clockwise.

This means that all players have to play both in the front court and in the back court.

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BASE POSITION

Key characteristics:• Feet shoulder-width apart• Knees bent and inside the line of the toes• Weight forward with the knees loaded• Spine straight• Hands in front of the body, ready to move

This posture is the best position from which to move quickly and efficiently in any direction forwards, backwards or sideways.

SCORING

When the ball contacts the floor within the court boundaries or an error is made, the team that did not make the error is awarded a point.

The team that won the point serves for the next point.If the team that won the point served in the previous point, the same player serves again.

If the team that won the point did not serve the previous point, the players of the serving team rotate their position on the court.

The game continues, with the first team to score 25 points by a two-point margin is awarded the set.

Matches are best-of-five sets and the fifth set, if necessary, is usually played to 15 points.

25 points

1 set

The best of five sets

Winner!

Other types of Volleyball

Sitting VolleyballSitting VolleyballSitting volleyball can be played by both the able-bodied and people with disabilities. It is played on a court ten metres by six metres over a net 1.15 metres high for men, 1.10 metres for women. There are six players per team.

Beach volleyball: It can be played with two players per team.

Mini volleyball: It can be played with three or four players per team (young people).