The Rules of Volleyball: Learn The Volleyball Basics On How To Play

Learning how to play volleyball is for beginners to quickly understand the basic rules skills and positions of the game.

Learn the rules of volleyball before stepping on the court (Andy Wilkes)

So you're interested in learning how to play volleyball?

First let's get you familiar with the rules of the volleyball game. Then you'll need to know the six basic skills before learning how to play volleyball.

Let's start with a simple list of the basic volleyball rules....

Learning The Rules of Volleyball

When the ball travels back and forth over the net between the two teams that's called a rally or a volley

Teams most commonly in school, club and international competition have 6 players vs 6 players or 2 players vs 2 players
Each team can only contact the ball three times and the third contact must go over the net
When the ball travels back and forth over the net between the two teams that's called a rally or a volley

When the ball travels back and forth over the net between the two teams that's called a rally or a volley (Shaun Calhoun)

Learning The Rules of Volleyball:
How Does A Team Play?

The Rally, The Referee, The Court

A rally starts when the head official, usually placed on one end of the net on a referee stand across from a second official on the opposite end of the net, blows the whistle to indicate to the team that's serving, that their server can serve the ball over the net to start the rally
The team that serves the ball is the team on defense
The team that receives the ball is the team on offense
On each team's court, there's a front row and a back row which is separated by a ten foot line also called the 3 meter line

Learning The Rules of Volleyball: The Front Row is marked in red on both sides of the court.

Three players on a team stay in the front court and three players stay in the back court. During a rally, players cannot switch from front court to back court. During a rally a front row player can switch positions with a front row player on her team only after the head referee has blown the whistle to start the rally
In addition to front row and back row, there are six invisible zones on each court.
In the back row the right back area is Zone 1, the middle back area of the back row is Zone 6, the left back area is Zone 5,
Moving up to front row the left front area starting from inside the ten foot line to the net is called Zone 4, moving to the right to the middle of the net area is Zone 3 and again moving clockwise to the right is Zone 2.
Players rotate clockwise every time their team wins the rally. The player who rotates to Zone 1 is the player who serves to start the rally. Teams do not rotate until they win a rally

Learning The Rules of Volleyball:
How Does a Team Win?

To win a rally one team must put the ball down on an open spot on the opposing team's court floor without committing a fault

Errors, Points, Rotations and Scoring

To win a rally one team must put the ball down on an open spot on the opposing team's court floor without committing a fault
An error also known as a fault, occurs when a player touches the net, hits the ball out of bounds, commits a ball handling error, a service error like serving the ball in the net or any other action not permitted according to official volleyball rules.
Each time a team wins a rally they get a point and the right to serve.
To win a game/set a team must be the first to score 25 points.
A team must win a set by two points ahead of the opposing team
To win a match, a team must win three out of five games or sets or two out of three games/sets.
International, high school and club matches are usually three out of five game matches while beach matches are two out of three game matches.
If teams are tied after playing four matches, then a tie break match is played to 15 in three out of five game matches.
During tie-break matches, half way through the match when the first team gets to 7, the teams will switch sides so both teams play on both sides during this shorter match.

Great!

Now that we've discussed a few simple game rules, let's review the basic skills you need to know before learning how to play volleyball.

Learning How To Play Volleyball: Where Do I Go From Here?

What you just read was just a warmup!

Just like in volleyball practice, you do a little stretching to warm up your muscles before getting into the real meaty part of practice.

Here you go through a light review of everything before you really begin to dig deep and take each rule, each position, each skill and really explore it, learn to do tons of reps and go over each drill repeatedly until you get it right.

Read... How To Play Volleyball and Win to get started...

Learn more about the rules of volleyball in the pages below.

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Volleyball Blocking Definition: The Block Is Your Front Row Defense

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