Volleyball is one of the most popular sports in India, played in villages, schools, colleges and professional leagues. The international rules are set by FIVB, the world governing body. Here is a simple guide to the indoor game.
Teams and court
- Each team has six players on court.
- The court is 18 metres long and 9 metres wide, divided by a net.
- The net height is 2.43 metres for men and 2.24 metres for women.
Scoring
- Volleyball uses rally point scoring: a point is won on every rally, no matter which team served.
- A set is won by the first team to reach 25 points with a lead of at least two points.
- Matches are usually best of five sets.
- The fifth set, if needed, is played to 15 points, again with a two point lead.
Three touches
- Each team can touch the ball up to three times before sending it over the net.
- A block does not count as one of the three touches.
- A player cannot touch the ball twice in a row, except after a block.
The usual pattern is a dig or pass, a set and an attack, or spike.
Also Read: Badminton Rules Explained: 21 Point Rally Scoring, Service Rules and Faults Every Player Should Know | Olympic Boxing Rules Explained: Rounds, the 10 Point Must System, Weight Classes and How Bouts Are Won
Rotation
- When a team wins the right to serve from the opponents, its players rotate one position clockwise.
- Players must be in their correct rotational order when the ball is served.
- After the serve, they can move to any position on court.
The libero
- The libero is a defensive specialist who wears a different coloured jersey.
- The libero can replace any back row player without counting as a regular substitution.
- The libero cannot attack the ball from above the net height, cannot block and cannot serve under FIVB rules.
Common faults
- Ball landing outside the court.
- Four touches by a team.
- A player touching the net during play.
- Catching or throwing the ball instead of hitting it.
- Stepping on the end line while serving.
- Back row players attacking from in front of the attack line above the net height.
Beach volleyball
Beach volleyball, played two a side on sand with different rules, is also an Olympic sport.
Volleyball in India
The Volleyball Federation of India runs national championships, and the Prime Volleyball League has brought a professional franchise format to the sport. Volleyball is a popular discipline at Khelo India games.
Bottom line
Volleyball rules are simple once you know rally scoring, the three touch limit and rotation. These basics make every match easy to follow.
Source / स्रोत: FIVB, International Volleyball Federation, Volleyball Federation of India, Sports Authority of India
