Basic Rules of Volleyball For Youth Players, Coaches, Parents and Fans

These basic rules of volleyball review the regulations for volleyball scoring and for playing actions allowed and not allowed in the game.

Before you become a serious player you should know the basic rules of volleyball.

• Each team is allowed three contacts of the ball. 

• The third contact of the ball MUST go over the net and into the court of the opposing team to either

a) score a point - if it hits the floor inside the opposing team's half court. Point for your team. Your team gets to serve again.

b) continue the rally - because the opposing team played the ball on their first contact keeping it from hitting the floor inside their half court

c) end the rally - because the ball hit the floor outside of the opposing team's half court. Point for the opposing team. Opposing team gets to serve. 

A team can score a point by

a) completing an action, whether its with a 

1. soft hit 

2. hard hit 

3. a block

that results in the ball hitting the floor on the opposing team's half court before the opposing team can contact it to get it up and back into your team's court. 

b) the opposing team committing a "fault" which is a mistake or an error like

1. touching the net 

2. mishandling the ball 

3. being out of rotation

A fault is a playing action that the rules of volleyball do not allow. 

c) the opposing team getting a penalty, like a sanction from the referee

A rally always begins with a serve by the team on defense to the receiving team who gets three chances to contact the ball with the third contact having to go  over the net.

Then the opposing team gets three contacts on the ball to get the ball, BACK over the net...this back and forth will continue until the ball hits the floor or goes out on someone's side.

This back and forth exchange between the two teams sending the ball back and forth over the net into each other's court is called a rally. 

When the ball hits the floor, the rally is a completed rally and the team who won the rally is awarded a point. 

What happens... 

If the serving team wins the rally

1. they are awarded a point
2. receive the ball to serve again
3. they do not rotate
4. the same player who served the ball, gets to serve again 

The receiving team

1. gets no points but
2. gets another chance to win the rally, but must receive the serve
3. must continue the rally without committing any faults 

When they (the receiving team) do win the rally, their players will rotate one position, so the last person who served, during the last rally they won, will NOT serve again.

For each new rally, the team rotates so they have a new server. 

If the serving team loses the rally...

1. they lose the opportunity to continue serving 
2. give the ball to the other team 
3. get no points
4. are now in serve receive
5.  must win a rally in order to earn the chance to serve again and score a point

Good times! Where do you need to go now? Here are three options: 

1. Learn more about the Rules. 
2. Follow the suggested reading on our Sitemap page Learning How To Play (Sitemap)
3. Or visit the pages in the section in the drop down menu at the top of the page.  

Improve Your Volleyball Performance with Vegas VB Coach April Chapple

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Basic Rules of Volleyball For Youth Players, Coaches, Parents and Fans

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