Volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball, game played by two teams, usually of six players on a side, in which the players
use their hands to bat a ball back and forth over a high net, trying to make the ball touch the
court within the opponents’ playing area before it can be returned. To prevent this a player on
the opposing team bats the ball up and toward a teammate before it touches the court surface
—that teammate may then volley it back across the net or bat it to a third teammate who
volleys it across the net. A team is allowed only three touches of the ball before it must be
returned over the net.
History of volleybal
Volleyball was invented in 1895 by William G. Morgan, physical director of the Young Men’s
Christian Association (YMCA) in Holyoke, Massachusetts. It was designed as an indoor sport
for businessmen who found the new game of basketball too vigorous. Morgan called the sport
“mintonette,” until a professor from Springfield College in Massachusetts noted the volleying
nature of play and proposed the name of “volleyball.” The original rules were written by
Morgan and printed in the first edition of the Official Handbook of the Athletic League of the
Young Men’s Christian Associations of North America (1897). The game soon proved to have
wide appeal for both sexes in schools, playgrounds, the armed forces, and other organizations
in the United States, and it was subsequently introduced to other countries.
In 1916 rules were issued jointly by the YMCA and the National Collegiate Athletic
Association (NCAA). The first nationwide tournament in the United States was conducted by
the National YMCA Physical Education Committee in New York City in 1922. The United
States Volleyball Association (USVBA) was formed in 1928 and recognized as the rules-
making, governing body in the United States. From 1928 the USVBA—now known as USA
Volleyball (USAV)—has conducted annual national men’s and senior men’s (age 35 and
older) volleyball championships, except during 1944 and 1945. Its women’s division was
started in 1949, and a senior women’s division (age 30 and older) was added in 1977. Other
national events in the United States are conducted by member groups of the USAV such as
the YMCA and the NCAA.
Volleyball was introduced into Europe by American troops during World War I, when
national organizations were formed. The Fédération Internationale de Volley Ball (FIVB) was
organized in Paris in 1947 and moved to Lausanne, Switzerland, in 1984. The USVBA was
one of the 13 charter members of the FIVB, whose membership grew to more than 210
member countries by the late 20th century.
International volleyball competition began in 1913 with the first Far East Games, in Manila.
During the early 1900s and continuing until after World War II, volleyball in Asia was played
on a larger court, with a lower net, and nine players on a team.
The FIVB-sponsored world volleyball championships (for men only in 1949; for both men
and women in 1952 and succeeding years) led to acceptance of standardized playing rules
and officiating. Volleyball became an Olympic sport for both men and women at the 1964
Olympic Games in Tokyo.
The Pan American Games (involving South, Central, and North America) added volleyball in
1955, and Brazil, Mexico, Canada, Cuba, and the United States are frequent contenders for
top honours. In Asia, China, Japan, and Korea dominate competition. Volleyball, especially
beach volleyball, is played in Australia, New Zealand, and throughout the South Pacific.
2.Passing: Also known as the bump, is used to receive the ball from the opposing team’s
serve or hit. The goal of passing is to keep the ball in play and set up an offensive play. To
pass effectively, the player should get in position, keep their arms straight and feet parallel,
extend their knees forward, and make contact with the ball using their forearms.
Ideally, the ball should be passed high toward your setter so that they can facilitate offensive
plays for your team. This is the first step in the basic pass-set-spike sequence that makes up
the foundation of volleyball offense and is arguably the most important skill to have in
volleyball.
3.Setting: Setting or overhead passing is the most important step in an offensive play as it
determines which player gets to spike or attack. This is normally done by the team’s setter
and is the second step in the pass-set-spike sequence.
The setter must have good hand-eye coordination and the ability to make quick decisions to
determine who to pass to. Setters must also have good spatial awareness to know where their
teammates are, as well as where the opponent’s defenses are the weakest.
To set, the player should use their fingertips and create a triangle with their thumb and
fingers. Their hands should be above their heads with their fingers relaxed but steady, with
their knees and elbows slightly bent. When they are about to set, it’s important to follow
through with the motion with their entire body by extending their knees and straightening
their arms.
Setters want to create a high and accurate ball trajectory toward their hitter that’s easy and
comfortable to hit. When playing in a competitive setting where setters are more experienced
and comfortable with their hitters, setters can change the tempo of the attack by doing a
quicker set. This needs to be coordinated with the hitters, but when done right, it can be a
devastating weapon that’s difficult to react to.
4. Attacking: Attacking, also known as hitting, is the final step in the pass-set-spike sequence
and is used to score points. There are a variety of different ways to attack a ball, but the most
common and consistently effective way to do so is by spiking. Spiking is a combination of
jumping with powerful arm swings in order to smash the ball onto the opponent’s side of the
court.
As you get more advanced in volleyball, there many different types of spikes you can do:
Cross-court spike: A cross-court spike is an attack that goes diagonally across the court, from
one corner to the opposite corner. This type of spike is often used to avoid the opposing
team’s blockers and to target an open area of the court.
Line spike: A line spike is an attack that goes straight down the line ahead of the hitter, either
on the left or right side of the court. This type of spike is difficult to block, but also difficult
to land as it is treading near the out-of-bounds line.
Tool spike: A tool spike is an attack that intentionally hits off the opposing team’s blockers,
deflecting the ball out of bounds. This type of spike is often used when the opposing team’s
blockers are positioned close to the net and the attacker has limited options.
These are just some of the most popular spiking techniques, however, there are more than the
ones listed above.
To be a good spiker, the player must have good timing, jumping power, and overall
athleticism. To spike effectively, the player should approach the ball with a quick three-step
approach, jump high, and hit the ball with force and accuracy.
5. Blocking: Blocking is a defensive skill used to stop the opposing team’s attack and can
also be used to potentially score points. Blockers must focus on stopping the opposing team’s
offensive attacks, while also paying attention to the opposing setter so that they can better
predict the opposing team’s attack strategy. It is important for blockers to be able to react to
an attack quickly and be in position before the attack is completed.
In order to block, blockers should stand readily with their elbows in front of them, and palms
facing forward. When the opposing hitter is about to attack, blockers should be in a position
to jump in front of their attack and then be able to explosively jump and raise their arms to
create a wall against the attacker.
Blockers must have good timing, vertical height, and hand positioning in order to effectively
stop the opposing team’s attack. An amazing blocker will be able to predict where the ball is
going to be and already be in a position to block immediately after the ball is set. They will
also be studying the hitter’s habits throughout the match and how they like to hit to improve
their own blocks as well.
6. Digging: Digging is a defensive skill used to save the ball from hitting the ground. It is
often done when the ball does not come directly at the player, and a standard underhand pass
would be impossible or extremely difficult to get. To get into a digging position, the player
must sink their hips low to the floor with their heels slightly raised in order to be light on
their feet. They must then stretch out their arms into the underhand pass position. In order to
dig for the ball, the player must push off their toes and use their lower body to move their
upper body. Players must also be ready to dive for the ball, but that’s often not necessary if
you’re already positioned to where the ball might be going.
Liberos are often the position that digs the most as they are the core of a team’s defense. To
learn more about liberos and their unique role in volleyball, check out our blog here.
Players who are digging must have good reflexes, footwork, and body control. To dig
effectively, the player should get into position to receive the ball before the attack is finished.
This requires good ball-tracking skills, as well as a good awareness of your blockers. Players
who are digging must use their blockers as a wall and cover the area that the blockers can’t
defend. They must also be able to control the ball and create a clean pass to a teammate.