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10 New! Volleyball Attire and Apparel Rules For Players To Remember 

10 updates to USA volleyball attire rules about specific apparel items including jerseys, shorts, kneepads, socks and shoes you should know to avoid violations.


Your usual uniform attire for volleyball is your

  • uniform jersey
  • spandex shorts
  • socks
  • shoes
  • knee pads
  • sweat jacket
  • sweat pants

There are some general volleyball apparel rules for your team's uniforms that are being enforced by attentive referees and game officials

Some of these rules are well known and others ...not so much.  

I review a few here so you become familiar with them and hopefully avoid any future uniform violations called against your team. 


10 New! Volleyball Attire and Apparel Rules For Players To Remember  


According to the USA Volleyball Ref Training manual the volleyball uniform is considered "equipment."

1. In section 4.3 entitled "Equipment" it states "a player's equipment consists of



2. In the same section it states that a player's volleyball uniform consists of:

  • a jersey
  • shorts

3. If the following items, also known as "undergarments" are exposed these too will be considered as parts of your uniform

  • tshirts 
  • boxer shorts 
  • tights 
  • leotards 
  • body suits 
  • bicycle shorts 
  • sports bras 


4. All team members, must wear the same design and same color and the uniforms must be clean, with the exception of the libero who wears a uniform with contrasting colors. 


Volleyball Attire Rules 
Shoes and Socks


This seems like one of the simplest general volleyball attire rules for the lower body part of the uniform but did you know that for USA Volleyball neither the socks nor the shoes of each player on a team need to match?

5. Although they are considered an important part of your volleyball equipment socks and sports shoes are no longer considered a part of the uniform. 

For example, if all the players on a team are wearing blue socks and one player is wearing yellow socks, then the team is still allowed to compete in the scheduled match without penalty, because USA

Volleyball uniform guidelines allow for players to wear different colored and different styled shoes. (USAV 4.3.1)

Another example would be in case all players on a team are wearing Mizuno volleyball shoes and one player is wearing a different brand, like Asics volleyball shoes, since this is allowed, the team will still be able to play, regardless. 


Volleyball Attire Rules 
Jerseys


6. Did you know that members of your team are not allowed to put a zero in front of any numbers less than ten (10) on their jersey?

USAV 4.3.3. in the USAV Referee Training Rules for Indoor Volleyball Handbook states that player's jerseys must be numbered from 1 to 20.

So, if you're a team captain or coach that is facing an opposing team with players that have jerseys with numbers that are less than zero but are printed with a zero in front of them like "09" or "03" you would be right as a coach or a team captain to point that out to the referee as being an illegal number. 



Players with uniform numbers that are zero to nine "0 - 9" must not have a zero as the first number on their jersey.

So a jersey with the number 8 should never be "08" or a player with a "5" on his or her jersey can never sport a jersey printed as "05" on their uniform. 

In other words, numbers less than ten should be printed on a player's volleyball jersey as a single digit. 

And that also means that a jersey with "00" on it would be an illegal number as well. 

If you're a coach ordering new jerseys don't plan on allowing any of your players to wear a jersey with a double zero on it. 


Elbow Sleeves for Volleyball

With the growing popularity of arm sleeves and elbow sleeves in volleyball, one of the general attire and apparel rules allows for teams to have one of more players wearing them without penalty.


Volleyball Attire Rules 
Undergarments


7. USAV game rules state that "any undergarments worn by two or more players must be the same color and must "be similar." 

Here's an example, let's say a team has a middle blocker with a long sleeve white t-shirt underneath her jersey because she's still recovering from a cold while everybody else on her team except the setter is wearing their usual 3/4 sleeve jerseys with no undergarments peeking out from underneath any of their sleeves. 

In this case, a second player on the same team, the setter was wearing a t-shirt underneath her jersey, then according to a general volleyball rule created by  USA Volleyball she would be obligated to wear the same color (which is white) and style (which is long sleeve) of undergarment as her middle blocking teammate has on. 


Volleyball Attire Rules 
Jewelry


8. Jewelry is not allowed on the court.

Drop earrings, are a definite no-no but even stud earrings are not permitted. 

According to Rule 4.5  under the "Forbidden Objects" section of the USA Volleyball Referee Training Indoor Volleyball Handbook USAV 4.5.1 states "A junior volleyball athlete participating in a junior event may not wear jewelry.

Some players try to get around this rule by putting tape on top of their earrings to cover their ear lobes, but this practice is not permitted. 

The only exception is made is for religious or medical medallions which must be removed from their chains and must be taped or sewn under your uniform. 

According to the rules here are other items that can't be worn on the court so they 

  • don't appear to give an advantage to a player or 
  • so they don't cause injury to themselves or someone else. 

9. No hats, or padded casts (in case you break an arm or injure a limb and you are thinking of wearing a cast on the court, you can't.)

10. Items that are permitted:

  • glasses or contact lenses at your own risk
  • compression pads may be worn for protections or support (USAV 4.5.3)
  • braces, prosthetic limbs or protective headgear may need to be padded or covered


Check out more about volleyball uniforms and apparel on these pages.


  1. Improve Your Volleyball Performance with Vegas VB Coach April Chapple
  2.  ›
  3. Volleyball Uniforms What Player Apparel and Team Attire Athletes Wear
  4.  › 10 New! Volleyball Attire and Apparel Rules For Players To Remember  ›

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