Rules and Terminology

Rules

Volleyball is a sport in which two teams comprised of six players stand seperated by a net. The sport is played with a specific ball that teams use to attempt to score points.

A point can we awarded to your team in several ways:

1. The ball touches the opposing team's side of the court.
2. The opposing team touches the net. 
3. The opposing team hits the ball outside of the court.
4. An illegal play is made.

Play starts in volleyball when a player on one team standing behind their side of the court serves the ball over the net onto the opposing teams side of the court. The opposing team must prevent the ball from touching the ground by putting the ball back over the net. This is referred to as a rally.

In volleyball, a player can only make brief contact with the ball before they are forced to guide its momentum elsewhere. Each team can make three of these touches before they are forced to put the ball over the net to the other team's side. 

A few other points are impotant to consider regarding touching the ball:

1. A player cannot touch the ball more than once simultaneously. A player can however touch the ball first, and then touch the ball third sending it over the net.
2. A player cannot hold the ball or lift it up essentially carrying it or guiding its direction. 
3. A player CAN touch the ball with any part of the body, if it is a brief touch. This includes feet or head.

When a point is awarded to a team, and if that team did not serve the ball on the point they won, that team rotates positions. There are six positions on a volleyball court, three in the front and three in the back. When the players rotate, they move counter clockwise to the next position. 

In volleyball these positions usually have specific jobs or roles to ensure the team performs to their highest potential. 

Terminology

In volleyball, there is a large variety of lingo used to convey various meaning on the court. They include but are not limited to:

• Dig or bump: To form a platform with your forearms used as a popular method for touching the ball.
• Volley or set: Putting the hands above the head and pushing the ball upwards, another popular method of touching the ball.
• Spike or hit: To swing your arm above your head making hard contact with the ball, usually done while jumping to knock the ball onto the opposing team's side with force.
• Block: To jump up at the front of the net, attempting to create a wall that can deflect the ball downward before it enters your side of the court. 
• Serve: How play starts, a player either essentially spikes the ball from behind their court or hits the ball off one hand with their other, referred to as an overhand or underhand serve.

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