Volleyball – a fantastic activity and form of entertainment that almost everyone has attempted as an amateur at least once. A dynamic game with plenty of tension.
To play volleyball, you must understand the rules, which include court dimensions, scoring, rules for touches, serves, and blocked hits. We invite you to read about the differences between indoor and beach volleyball in this article and to learn the basic rules of these two types of volleyball.
Indoor Volleyball Rules
Volleyball is a team sport played on a court divided into two equal parts by a net. The main goal of the game is to keep the ball from falling on your side of the court and to do everything possible to get it to fall on the opposing side.
The team scoring a point may touch the ball up to three times before it crosses over to the opposing team’s side (excluding blocks). The team that wins the point gains the right to serve, and if the receiving team wins a point, It takes over the right to serve. After scoring a point, the player turns its defensive zones in a clockwise direction.
Each team in indoor volleyball has 6 players on the court at once. Five players are assigned to specific positions, but one, the “libero,” performs defensive and attacking initiative duties without being required to rotate. A team must have a total of 14 players to compete in official matches.
Players on the court are divided into two rows – 3 in the front and 3 in the back – before each serve. When the ball is served, players must be in their assigned positions. They can change positions after serving. When a point is scored, each player moves one position to the right.
Indoor volleyball is played in sets of up to 3. A team wins a set when they reach 25 points, or if the score is tied, for example: 24-24, they need a two-point advantage (27-25, 29-27, etc.). If a team plays four sets and the score is tied, a fifth set is played to 15 points (or a two-point advantage if the score is 14-14).
Most Questioned Game Aspects
Net contact. If a player touches the net while the ball is still in play, the opposing team receives the point right away. A net touch is permitted only when a defending player is close to the net and the attacking opponent’s strong attack causes the net to touch the defender.
Serve. The ball can be served from the top or bottom, but only in a hitting motion, no throws are permitted. A successful serve is not repeated, even if the ball crosses over to the opposing side and touches the net during the serve.
Block. Blocking hits are permitted as long as the net is not touched. Hands can be extended over the opponents’ side while blocking, but they cannot hinder the attacking team’s actions, such as blocking a set for the third hit.
The opposing team’s serve cannot be blocked by the defending team.
Court Dimensions
A standard court must be 18 meters long, 9 meters wide, with an additional free zone of at least 3 meters. The net is set at a height of 2.43 meters for men and 2.24 meters for women. The net is 1 meter wide and 9.5-10 meters long.
Beach Volleyball Rules
Beach volleyball rules differ slightly from indoor volleyball rules. The main difference is that beach volleyball is played two against two, with two players on each side of the court who do not have any substitute teammates.
Beach volleyball is played to a maximum of two winning sets. A set is won by reaching 21 points with a two-point lead or by reaching 21 points directly. If the score is 1-1, the third set is played to 15 points with a two-point lead, if the score in a hard-fought match is 14-14.
Teams must switch sides of the court – in the first two sets, after every 7 points played, and in the third set, after every 5 points played.
The beach volleyball court is slightly smaller than the indoor court. It is 16 meters long and 8 meters wide, while the indoor court is 18 meters long and 9 meters wide. The court’s boundary lines must be 5 centimeters wide. If the ball touches the line during a hit, the attacking team scores.
Indoor volleyball uses a heavier and harder ball. On the beach, a slightly wider, softer, and lighter ball is used.
Indoor volleyball players have specific roles, rotation rules, and zones to follow on the court. Beach volleyball, on the other hand, allows the two players defending their side of the court to move and cover the entire court without being limited to specific positions.
Rules of Other Sports
You’ve just learned the rules of indoor and beach volleyball. If you want to learn more about other sports for entertainment, we recommend reading about soccer rules, and American football rules.
F.A.Q.
How many players play indoor volleyball?
Each team has 6 players on the court at the same time.
What are the dimensions of an indoor volleyball court?
The court in the hall is 18 meters long and 9 meters wide. Beach volleyball, it’s 16×8 meters.
How many touches are allowed in volleyball?
Each attacking team has three touches on the ball. (excluding blocks).
How many points are played in a volleyball game?
In indoor volleyball, the team that first reaches 25 points or gains a 2-point advantage (e.g., 26-24) wins the set. In the fifth set, teams compete for up to 15 points. Beach volleyball is played in up to two sets. Beach volleyball allows for up to two winning sets, in the first two played to 21 points and the third (if necessary) to 15 points.
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