Simplified Volleyball Rules

Presented here are a simplified set volleyball rules to help beginners start enjoying the game without forcing them to go through the intricacies of the full rules.

6 players on court.
1st team to 25 points wins.

Positions

Of the 6 players 3 are to the front and 3 to the back, with the back player at the left being the server.

Serving

Serve from behind the back line.
The serve must to be hit with the hand.
After serving the server moves back onto court to help their team.
The serve is allowed to clip the net on the way over, but must not touch the antenna nor pass over or outside the antenna.
Once the ball has been served ANY player can move ANYWHERE on court and even chase the ball out of court if needed.
If the serve is going out leave it to hit the floor - if you touch it before it lands then you must play the ball back.
The serve is not allowed to touch the roof.

Volleyball Antenna

Hitting the ball

The ball may be hit with any part of the body (hand, head, chest, even the foot! . . .) with the exception of the serve which must to be hit with the hand.
The hit has to be clean - no scoops, catch-and-rethrows, dunks etc.
Your team have up to 3 touches to return the ball over the net - although it can be returned by the 1st or 2nd touch.
A player mustn't have 2 consecutive hits - but having the 1st and 3rd hit is OK.

The One in the Different Shirt

During the 2008 olympics I got several e-mails asking about the player wearing the different coloured shirt. Whilst this advanced technique not relevant to beginners I hope the following explanation would help spectators understand what is going on.

The One in the Different Shirt is a new innovation in volleyball (from the year 2000) which allows a team to have one specialised defensive player called a libero. These players need very quick reflexes and the ability to take most of the energy out of a fast moving ball and still be able to pass it, with high accuracy, to player that sets up the attack.

Unlike the other players, the libero isn't permitted to:

serve
attack the ball or
block at the net.....

This means that these players need not have the height or the jump required of the attacking players, and so they are sometimes shorter or older than the rest of the team.

The libero can be substituted much more easily and often than the other players so the distinctive shirt helps the referee's establish that the libero is in the correct rotation position and not trying to play a shot that he isn't permitted to.

The use of a libero player is not compulsory, and only well established teams try it, which is why I'd not mentioned it in the simplified rules.

From 2009 teams can have 2 lobero players

In the rally

Players mustn't touch the top of the net.
The only part of a players body that is allowed to land on the opponents court is the foot, and then only if part of it is above the centre line.
The ball mustn't touch the roof, walls or posts.
The ball CAN touch the net on the way over providing it does not touch the antenna.
The ball is allowed to go into the net and bounce out - the rally continues and this does not count as one of the 3 touches.
If the ball touches the court floor on the opposite side your team wins the point.
If the ball touches one of the opposition players and then the floor/wall your team wins a point.
If one of your players hits the ball out of court, the others can chase the ball and hit it back into court or over the net.
If the other team hits the ball more than 3 times your team wins a point.

Volleyball Court

Blocking

Blocking = jumping at the net with the arms up to stop the ball coming over the net.
Remember, players mustn't touch the net.
Blocking a serve isn't allowed.
A back court player mustn't take part in a block - even if they don't touch the ball
A block does not count as a regular hit - so your team still have 3 more hits, also if you block then you ARE also allowed to make the 1st hit.

Attacking

Attack = whilst in the attack zone,
hitting the ball from above the height of the net
towards the other side
A back court player is not allowed to attack.
A back court player IS allowed to hit the ball from BELOW the height of the net whilst in the attack zone
A back court player IS allowed to hit the ball from above the height of the net whilst in the DEFENCE zone.
If PART of the ball is over the net then it's OK to attack the ball (even if it's mostly on the other side).
If ALL of the ball is on the other side of the net then the only shot that can be played is a block (ie not a hit)

Volleyball Block

Rotation - everybody gets to play in every position

Every time your team wins the serve from the other team all your players rotate their position on court - clockwise.
If you loose the serve your team doesn't rotate.
If you keep the serve your team doesn't rotate.

Substitution

Up to 6 substitutions per set
Substitutions take place before the serve
Once player A has replaced player B then player B can only be substituted by player A

Time-Outs

Up to 2 time-outs per set of 30 seconds each
Time-outs take place before the serve

Winning

The winner is the 1st team to reach 25 points (by 2 clear points)
If you serve and get the point you keep the serve, if you don't get the point, the other team gets the serve AND also a point. (ie the score changes EVERY time there is a serve)
Note: if the opposition only need one point to win and you mess up a serve, they win without even touching the ball