If you are looking for a thrilling and energetic sport full of adrenalin, physicality, and skill in equal measures, then look no further than Volleyball. One of the popular sports the world over, volleyball finds lots of takers even in India. It is played both in indoor and outdoor settings.
It is a frequent site in India to see volleyball being played on courts by roadsides, on beaches and even on indoor courts. Akin to football, volleyball is also an easy-to-play sport where you need a volleyball, a net, and a bunch of interested players.
Unlike cricket or badminton, volleyball is conducive to any weather condition and hence is a preferred sport for many.
In this blog, we will dive into the basics of indoor volleyball and share tips on skills required to play the game.
Also Read: Benefits of Sports for Students and Children
Types of Volleyball courts
Volleyball is amenable to be played in any kind of ground condition. Simply a flat surface sometimes is sufficient. However, standard and professional volleyball courts are broadly of three types:
- Hardwood Volleyball Court: Indoor hardwood courts are used at the professional and highest levels of gameplay. These courts are made of high-quality wood which provides better grip, uniform bounce and cushion to the players.
- Synthetic Volleyball Court: These are the courts usually found in outdoor settings such as schools, residential societies or public sports areas. Synthetic courts are amenable to any weather conditions and are durable to heat, rain, dust and other vagaries of nature.
- Court Tile Volleyball Court: Made of modular tiles, these courts can be found in indoor sports clubs and recreational areas.
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Dimensions of the Volleyball Court
A typical volleyball court has the following dimensions:
- Court: 18 metres (59 feet) long and 9 (29.5 feet) metres wide
- Centre: 9 m × 9 m halves by a one-metre
- Top of the net: 2.43 metres
- Centre line: 5 metres
- Serving Arena: 3 metres
- Overhead clearance of the court: 7 metres
- Height of the net: 2.43 metres
Given the free-flow nature of the game, the court must have a buffer or free zone at its periphery with a minimum width of 3 metres (9.8 feet) around the main court.
The court is demarcated via different types of lines and zones:
- End Line: These are the lines that run along the length of the court. These lines demarcate the fair-play zone for the game. The ball is expected to remain within the end lines during the play.
- Sidelines: These are the lines that run along the width of the court. These lines demarcate the fair-play zone for the game. The ball is expected to remain within the end lines during the play.
- Centreline: This is the line that equally divides the court into two halves, one for each opponent.
- Attack Lines: These lines, about 3 metres (9.8 feet) from the centreline on both sides, keep players from hitting the ball near the net.
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Team composition
The game is played between two teams. Each team comprises six players. The usual formation is three players in the front, near the net and three at the back. Beach volleyball is played with two members per team.
Scoring Rules: Best of five
- To win the match, a team needs 3 out of 5 game wins.
- Each game goes up to 25 points, with a 2-point lead needed to win.
- If the lead is less than 2 points, the game continues beyond 25 points until one team leads by 2 points.
- The final deciding game is shorter, played to 15 points, with the 2-point lead rule still in effect.
- In beach volleyball, it’s a best-of-three match, and games go up to 21 points with the same 2-point lead rule.
Scoring points
- Each point or rally starts with a serve. A player from the serving side serves from behind the end line.
- A point is scored if
- One team sends the ball over the net and the other team fails to return the ball.
- The other team hits the ball outside the court.
- A point is lost if
- You hit more than three times
- You do not manage to send the ball to the other side, you lose a point.
- A team can hit the ball a maximum of three times among themselves before hitting it to the other side of the court.
Prominent Positions
- Outside hitter: This player is positioned to the front-left of the court as you face towards the net. This player is positioned in the attack zone. Also called a wing-spiker, this player usually attacks the ball prepared by the setter.
- Right side hitter. This player is similar to the outside hitter but takes care of the right side of the net.
- Setter. This player is the playmaker in volleyball. Much like the midfielder in football. The role of the setter is to prepare the ball in an optimal position for the outside hitter to smash and win points for the team.
- Middle blocker. Positioned in the middle of the court, this is a primarily defensive position to respond to smashes from the opponent hitters.
Also Read: Indoor Activities to Strengthen Gross Motor Skills
Crucial indoor volleyball skills
Serve: Serving is the first touch of the ball. Learning to serve accurately and powerfully can greatly influence your team’s success. There are different serving techniques, the most common of which are the underhand and overhand serves.
- In an underhand serve, you stand with your dominant foot slightly ahead, tightly hold the volleyball in your non-dominant hand and keep it at waist level, before swinging your dominant hand towards the ball similarly to a handshaking motion.
- The overhand serve is more complex; it includes tossing the ball high and striking it with a wrist snap. This requires timing, accuracy, and the strength to yield powerful serves.
Perfecting a serve requires routine practice, focusing on hand-to-ball contact, arm swing, body positioning, and consistent ball toss. Additionally, targeting specific zones in the opponent’s court requires precision and strategizing.
Spike: Spiking, also known as attacking, is the offensive strategic play in volleyball. An effective spike can put the opposition on the back foot and allow your team to control the game.
Learning to spike includes mastering the approach – jump, arm swing, and follow-through.
- A strong approach is a three-step basic, beginning with your non-dominant foot (left-right-left for right-handers, right-left-right for left-handers).
- The last two steps are quick and close together, acting as the driving force for the jump. While jumping, simultaneously pull your arms up and draw your non-hitting arm to guide the hitting arm in a ‘bow and arrow’ style.
Just like serving, practising spikes involves hitting the ball repeatedly in the right way. Additionally, ensure to prioritise accuracy over power initially. Over time, you can increase your power while maintaining accuracy.
At EuroSchool we encourage our students to actively engage in sports such as Volleyball. EuroSchool boasts of best-in-class sports infrastructure that supports our ideology of holistic development of mind, body, and soul.
