Volleyball seems like a relatively easy game to play, and it is, for casual players. However, for competing team play, there are many rules and basic techniques you need to cleave to. Here are the basics of how to play volleyball:
Volleyball Court
A regulation indoor court should be 9 by 18 meters, and the charge line should be 3 meters from the center line. Outdoor court dimensions should be 9 by 9 meters.
Equipment
The actual volleyball should be between 9 and 10 ounces. Ball pressure should generally be between 4.3 to 4.6 pounds. The net should be 32 feet by 3 feet. At the top of every net should be a 2 inch piece of canvas running along the whole distance of the net. The height of the net differs for men's and women's games. For men's volleyball, the height, usually measured from the center of the court, should be 2.43 meters. For women's volleyball, the height should be 2.24 meters.
Apparel
Indoor and court volleyball players can wear whether short or long sleeve shirts and shorts made from flexible fabric. Long sleeve shirts are favored for when a lot of sliding on the court for the ball may be needed. This is to protect the forearm while sliding. Padding, along with knee, hip and elbow pads are important for players who will be diving, reaching and sliding to reach balls in play. Shoes should offer extra retain for the ankles as well as relieve and flexibility. It's important to remove all jewelry during play, with the irregularity of smooth, flat rings. This lessens the chance of damage or loss of your jewelry and also helps to protect you from injury should your wrist, hand or head be hit with the ball while you are wearing bracelets, rings or earrings.
Volleyball Play Basics
- Hand positions - There are two main hand positions. The wrapped fist hand position is when you make a fist with one hand, then wrap it with the palm of your other hand. The other main hand position is called the cupped palm position, where you bring the hands together in a cup form, then you lay your thumbs over the top.
- Serving - Two basic ways to serve are the overhand and underhand methods. The overhand serve is used most often in competing volleyball. To serve overhanded, you toss the ball above your head a few feet, step slightly transmit and then hit the ball with your hand.
- Passing - Passing is usually done to set up a hit or spike for an additional one player or just to keep the ball in play. Passing is usually done with a forearm pass.
- Setting - A setter is important in volleyball, since a setter can operate the offense and decree which players they will set up to spike or hit the ball into the opponents court. Setting is done by placing your hands above your head a few inches with your thumbs underneath. You hit the ball with your fingers only, not your palm.
- Hitting - There are many ways to hit the ball while it is in play. Some types of hits consist of the cross court shot, the tip shot, the line shot and the spike. The spike is the most appealing play in volleyball, when a player rises up near the net to deliver a hard shot into the opponent's court.
- Blocking - Blocking is when you stay close to the net and leap up when the ball crosses the net to block the opponent's shot, usually a spike attempt.
Those are the basics of volleyball, get out there and have fun!
