Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of

five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court,

compete with the primary objective
of shooting a basketball (approximately 9.4 inches (24 cm) in
diameter) through the defender's hoop (a basket 18 inches
(46 cm) in diameter mounted 10 feet (3.048 m) high to
a backboard at each end of the court), while preventing the
opposing team from shooting through their own hoop.

A field goal is worth two points, unless made from behind

the three-point line, when it is worth three. After a foul, timed play
stops and the player fouled or designated to shoot a technical
foul is given one, two or three one-point free throws. The team
with the most points at the end of the game wins, but if regulation
play expires with the score tied, an additional period of play
(overtime) is mandated.

Players advance the ball by bouncing it while walking or running

(dribbling) or by passing it to a teammate, both of which require
considerable skill.

The five players on each side fall into five playing positions. The
tallest player is usually the center, the second-tallest and
strongest is the power forward, a slightly shorter but more agile
player is the small forward, and the shortest players or the best
ball handlers are the shooting guard and the point guard, who
implement the coach's game plan by managing the execution of
offensive and defensive plays (player positioning). Informally,
players may play three-on-three, two-on-two, and one-on-one.
Early history
A game similar to basketball is mentioned in a 1591 book published in
Frankfurt am Main that reports on the lifestyles and customs of coastal
North American residents, Wahrhafftige Abconterfaytung der Wilden.
[5] Among other things, a game of skill is described in which balls must
be thrown against a target woven from twigs, mounted high on a pole.
There's a small reward for the player if the target is being hit.[6]

Creation
James Naismith c. 1920
In December 1891, James Naismith, a Canadian-American professor of
physical education and instructor at the International Young Men's
Christian Association Training School (now Springfield College) in
Springfield, Massachusetts,[7] was trying to keep his gym class active on
a rainy day.

Rules and regulations

Measurements and time limits discussed in this section often vary
among tournaments and organizations; international and NBA rules are
used in this section.
The object of the game is to outscore one's opponents by throwing the
ball through the opponents' basket from above while preventing the
opponents from doing so on their own. An attempt to score in this way
is called a shot. A successful shot is worth two points, or three points if
it is taken from beyond the three-point arc 6.75 meters (22 ft 2 in) from
the basket in international games and 23 feet 9 inches (7.24 m) in NBA
games. A one-point shot can be earned when shooting from the foul
line after a foul is made. After a team has scored from a field goal or
free throw, play is resumed with a throw-in awarded to the non-scoring
team taken from a point beyond the end line of the court where the
points were scored.

Playing regulations
Games are played in four quarters of 10 (FIBA) or 12 minutes (NBA).
College men's games use two 20-minute halves, college women's
games use 10-minute quarters, and most United States high school
varsity games use 8-minute quarters; however, this varies from state to
state. 15 minutes are allowed for a half-time break under FIBA, NBA,
and NCAA rules and 10 minutes in United States high schools. Overtime
periods are five minutes in length except for high school, which is four
minutes in length. Teams exchange baskets for the second half.
Five players from each team may be on the court at one time.
Substitutions are unlimited but can only be done when play is stopped.
Teams also have a coach, who oversees the development and strategies
of the team, and other team personnel such as assistant coaches,
managers, statisticians, doctors and trainers.
The game is controlled by the officials consisting of the referee
(referred to as crew chief in the NBA), one or two umpires (referred to
as referees in the NBA) and the table officials. For college, the NBA, and
many high schools, there are a total of three referees on the court. The
table officials are responsible for keeping track of each team's scoring,
timekeeping, individual and team fouls, player substitutions, team
possession arrow, and the shot clock.

Equipment
The only essential equipment in a basketball game is the ball and the
court: a flat, rectangular surface with baskets at opposite ends.
Competitive levels require the use of more equipment such as clocks,
score sheets, scoreboards, alternating possession arrows, and whistle-
operated stop-clock systems.

An outdoor basketball net

A regulation basketball court in international games is 28 meters (92
feet) long and 15 meters (49 feet) wide. In the NBA and NCAA the court
is 94 by 50 feet (29 by 15 meters).

The basket is a steel rim 18 inches (46 cm) diameter with an attached
net affixed to a backboard that measures 6 by 3.5 feet (1.8 by 1.1
meters) and one basket is at each end of the court. The white outlined
box on the backboard is 18 inches (46 cm) high and 2 feet (61 cm) wide.
At almost all levels of competition, the top of the rim is exactly 10 feet
(3.05 meters) above the court and 4 feet (1.22 meters) inside the
baseline. While variation is possible in the dimensions of the court and
backboard, it is considered important for the basket to be of the correct
height – a rim that is off by just a few inches can have an adverse effect
on shooting.

The size of the basketball is also regulated. For men, the official ball is
29.5 inches (75 cm) in circumference (size 7, or a "295 ball") and weighs
22 oz (620 g). If women are playing, the official basketball size is 28.5
inches (72 cm) in circumference (size 6, or a "285 ball") with a weight of
20 oz (570 g). In 3x3, a formalized version of the halfcourt 3-on-3 game,
a dedicated ball with the circumference of a size 6 ball but the weight
of a size 7 ball is used in all competitions (men's, women's, and mixed
teams)

Violations
The ball may be advanced toward the basket by being shot, passed
between players, thrown, tapped, rolled or dribbled (bouncing the ball
while running).

The ball must stay within the court; the last team to touch the ball
before it travels out of bounds forfeits possession. The ball is out of
bounds if it touches a boundary line, or touches any player or object
that is out of bounds.

There are limits placed on the steps a player may take without
dribbling, which commonly results in an infraction known as traveling.
Nor may a player stop their dribble and then resume dribbling. A
dribble that touches both hands is considered stopping the dribble,
giving this infraction the name double dribble. Within a dribble, the
player cannot carry the ball by placing their hand on the bottom of the
ball; doing so is known as carrying the ball. A team, once having
established ball control in the front half of their court, may not return
the ball to the backcourt and be the first to touch it. A violation of these
rules results in loss of possession.

The ball may not be kicked, nor be struck with the fist. For the offense,
a violation of these rules results in loss of possession; for the defense,
most leagues reset the shot clock and the offensive team is given
possession of the ball out of bounds.
Fouls
An attempt to unfairly disadvantage an opponent through certain types
of physical contact is illegal and is called a personal foul. These are most
commonly committed by defensive players; however, they can be
committed by offensive players as well. Players who are fouled either
receive the ball to pass inbounds again, or receive one or more free
throws if they are fouled in the act of shooting, depending on whether
the shot was successful. One point is awarded for making a free throw,
which is attempted from a line 15 feet (4.6 m) from the basket.

The referee is responsible for judging whether contact is illegal,

sometimes resulting in controversy. The calling of fouls can vary
between games, leagues and referees.

There is a second category of fouls called technical fouls, which may be

charged for various rules violations including failure to properly record
a player in the scorebook, or for unsportsmanlike conduct. These
infractions result in one or two free throws, which may be taken by any
of the five players on the court at the time. Repeated incidents can
result in disqualification. A blatant foul involving physical contact that is
either excessive or unnecessary is called an intentional foul (flagrant
foul in the NBA). In FIBA and NCAA women's basketball, a foul resulting
in ejection is called a disqualifying foul, while in leagues other than the
NBA, such a foul is referred to as flagrant.

Common techniques and practices

Positions
Point guard (often called the "1") : usually the fastest player on the
team, organizes the team's offense by controlling the ball and making
sure that it gets to the right player at the right time.

Shooting guard (the "2") : creates a high volume of shots on offense,

mainly long-ranged; and guards the opponent's best perimeter player
on defense.

Small forward (the "3") : often primarily responsible for scoring points
via cuts to the basket and dribble penetration; on defense seeks
rebounds and steals, but sometimes plays more actively.

Power forward (the "4"): plays offensively often with their back to the
basket; on defense, plays under the basket (in a zone defense) or
against the opposing power forward (in man-to-man defense).
Center (the "5"): uses height and size to score (on offense), to protect
the basket closely (on defense), or to rebound.
Strategy
There are two main defensive strategies: zone defense and man-to-
man defense. In a zone defense, each player is assigned to guard a
specific area of the court. Zone defenses often allow the defense to
double team the ball, a manoeuver known as a trap. In a man-to-man
defense, each defensive player guards a specific opponent.

Offensive plays are more varied, normally involving planned passes and
movement by players without the ball. A quick movement by an
offensive player without the ball to gain an advantageous position is
known as a cut. A legal attempt by an offensive player to stop an
opponent from guarding a teammate, by standing in the defender's
way such that the teammate cuts next to him, is a screen or pick. The
two plays are combined in the pick and roll, in which a player sets a pick
and then "rolls" away from the pick towards the basket. Screens and
cuts are very important in offensive plays; these allow the quick passes
and teamwork, which can lead to a successful basket. Teams almost
always have several offensive plays planned to ensure their movement
is not predictable. On court, the point guard is usually responsible for
indicating which play will occur.

Shooting
Player releases a short jump shot, while her defender is either knocked
down, or trying to "take a charge".
Shooting is the act of attempting to score points by throwing the ball
through the basket, methods varying with players and situations.

Rebounding
The objective of rebounding is to successfully gain possession of the
basketball after a missed field goal or free throw, as it rebounds from
the hoop or backboard. This plays a major role in the game, as most
possessions end when a team misses a shot. There are two categories
of rebounds: offensive rebounds, in which the ball is recovered by the
offensive side and does not change possession, and defensive
rebounds, in which the defending team gains possession of the loose
ball. The majority of rebounds are defensive, as the team on defense
tends to be in better position to recover missed shots; for example,
about 75% of rebounds in the NBA are defensive.

Passing
A pass is a method of moving the ball between players. Most passes are
accompanied by a step forward to increase power and are followed
through with the hands to ensure accuracy.

A staple pass is the chest pass. The ball is passed directly from the
passer's chest to the receiver's chest. A proper chest pass involves an
outward snap of the thumbs to add velocity and leaves the defence
little time to react.
Another type of pass is the bounce pass. Here, the passer bounces the
ball crisply about two-thirds of the way from his own chest to the
receiver. The ball strikes the court and bounces up toward the receiver.
The bounce pass takes longer to complete than the chest pass, but it is
also harder for the opposing team to intercept (kicking the ball
deliberately is a violation). Thus, players often use the bounce pass in
crowded moments, or to pass around a defender.

The overhead pass is used to pass the ball over a defender. The ball is
released while over the passer's head.

The outlet pass occurs after a team gets a defensive rebound. The next
pass after the rebound is the outlet pass.

The crucial aspect of any good pass is it being difficult to intercept.

Good passers can pass the ball with great accuracy and they know
exactly where each of their other teammates prefers to receive the
ball. A special way of doing this is passing the ball without looking at
the receiving teammate. This is called a no-look pass.

Dribbling
Dribbling is the act of bouncing the ball continuously with one hand and
is a requirement for a player to take steps with the ball. To dribble, a
player pushes the ball down towards the ground with the fingertips
rather than patting it; this ensures greater control.
Blocking
A block is performed when, after a shot is attempted, a defender
succeeds in altering the shot by touching the ball. In almost all variants
of play, it is illegal to touch the ball after it is in the downward path of
its arc; this is known as goaltending. It is also illegal under NBA and
Men's NCAA basketball to block a shot after it has touched the
backboard, or when any part of the ball is directly above the rim. Under
international rules it is illegal to block a shot that is in the downward
path of its arc or one that has touched the backboard until the ball has
hit the rim. After the ball hits the rim, it is again legal to touch it even
though it is no longer considered as a block performed.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basketball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are
separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball
on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of
the official program of the Summer Olympic Games since Tokyo 1964.
Beach volleyball was introduced to the programme at the Atlanta 1996
Summer Olympics. The adapted version of volleyball at the Summer
Paralympic Games is sitting volleyball.

The complete set of rules is extensive, but play essentially proceeds as

follows: a player on one of the teams begins a 'rally' by serving the ball
(tossing or releasing it and then hitting it with a hand or arm), from
behind the back boundary line of the court, over the net, and into the
receiving team's court. The receiving team must not let the ball be
grounded within their court. The team may touch the ball up to three
times to return the ball to the other side of the court, but individual
players may not touch the ball twice consecutively. Typically, the first
two touches are used to set up for an attack. An attack is an attempt to
direct the ball back over the net in such a way that the team receiving
the ball is unable to pass the ball and continue the rally, thus, losing the
point. The team that wins the rally is awarded a point and serves the
ball to start the next rally. A few of the most common faults include:

causing the ball to touch the ground or floor outside the opponents'
court or without first passing over the net;
catching and throwing the ball;
double hit: two consecutive contacts with the ball made by the same
player;
four consecutive contacts with the ball made by the same team;
net foul: touching the net during play;
foot fault: the foot crosses over the boundary line when serving or
under the net when a front row player is trying to keep the ball in play.
The ball is usually played with the hands or arms, but players can legally
strike or push (short contact) the ball with any part of the body.

Origins

William G. Morgan in c. 1915

In December 1895, in Holyoke, Massachusetts (United States), William
G. Morgan, a YMCA physical education director, created a new game
called Mintonette, a name derived from the game of badminton, as a
pastime to preferably be played indoors and by any number of players.
The game took some of its characteristics from other sports such as
baseball, tennis, and handball. Another indoor sport, basketball, was
catching on in the area, having been invented just ten miles (sixteen
kilometres) away in the city of Springfield, Massachusetts, only four
years before. Mintonette was designed to be an indoor sport, less
rough than basketball, for older members of the YMCA, while still
requiring a bit of athletic effort.
Rules of the game

A volleyball court

Rotation pattern
Court dimensions
A volleyball court is 9 m × 18 m (29.5 ft × 59.1 ft), divided into equal
square halves by a net with a width of one meter (39.4 in). The top of
the net is 2.43 m (7 ft 11+11⁄16 in) above the center of the court for
men's competition, and 2.24 m (7 ft 4+3⁄16 in) for women's competition,
varied for veterans and junior competitions.

The minimum height clearance for indoor volleyball courts is 7 m (23.0

ft), although a clearance of 8 m (26.2 ft) is recommended.

A line 3 m (9.8 ft) from and parallel to the net is considered the "attack
line". This "3 meter" (or "10-foot") line divides the court into "back
row" and "front row" areas and the back court and front court. These
are in turn divided into 3 areas each: these are numbered as follows,
starting from area "1", which is the position of the serving player:
After a team gains the serve (also known as siding out), its members
must rotate in a clockwise direction, with the player previously in area
"2" moving to area "1" and so on, with the player from area "1" moving
to area "6". Each player rotates only one time after the team gains
possession of the service; the next time each player rotates will be after
the other team wins possession of the ball and loses the point.

The team courts are surrounded by an area called the free zone which
is a minimum of 3 meters wide and which the players may enter and
play within after the service of the ball. All lines denoting the
boundaries of the team court and the attack zone are drawn or painted
within the dimensions of the area and are therefore a part of the court
or zone. If a ball comes in contact with the line, the ball is considered to
be "in". An antenna is placed on each side of the net perpendicular to
the sideline and is a vertical extension of the side boundary of the
court. A ball passing over the net must pass completely between the
antennae (or their theoretical extensions to the ceiling) without
contacting them.

The ball
Main article: Volleyball (ball)
FIVB regulations state that the ball must be spherical, made of leather
or synthetic leather, have a circumference of 65–67 cm (26–26 in), a
weight of 260–280 g (9.2–9.9 oz) and an interior air pressure of 0.30–
0.325 kg/cm2 (4.26 to 4.61 psi; 294.3 to 318.82 mbar or hPa). Other
governing bodies have similar regulations.
Gameplay

White is on the attack while red attempts to block.

Buddhist monks play volleyball in the Himalayan state of Sikkim in India

Each team consists of six players. To get play started, a team is chosen
to serve by coin toss. A player from the serving team throws the ball
into the air and attempts to hit the ball so it passes over the net on a
course such that it will land in the opposing team's court (the serve).

The team on defence attempts to prevent the attacker from directing

the ball into their court: players at the net jump and reach above the
top (and if possible, across the plane) of the net to block the attacked
ball.[3] If the ball is hit around, above, or through the block, the
defensive players arranged in the rest of the court attempt to control
the ball with a dig (usually a fore-arm pass of a hard-driven ball). After a
successful dig, the team transitions to offence.

The game continues in this manner, rallying back and forth until the ball
touches the court within the boundaries or until an error is made.[20]
The most frequent errors that are made are either to fail to return the
ball over the net within the allowed three touches, or to cause the ball
to land outside the court. A ball is "in" if any part of it touches the
inside of a team's court or a sideline or end-line, and a strong spike may
compress the ball enough when it lands that a ball which at first
appears to be going out may actually be in. Players may travel well
outside the court to play a ball that has gone over a sideline or end-line
in the air. A standard competitive volleyball match is played in a best-
of-five sets format and typically goes on for about 90 minutes.

Other common errors include a player touching the ball twice in

succession, a player catching the ball, a player touching the net while
attempting to play the ball, or a player penetrating under the net into
the opponent's court. There are a large number of other errors
specified in the rules, although most of them are infrequent
occurrences. These errors include back-row or libero players spiking the
ball or blocking (back-row players may spike the ball if they jump from
behind the attack line), players not being in the correct position when
the ball is served, attacking the serve in the front court and above the
height of the net, using another player as a source of support to reach
the ball, stepping over the back boundary line when serving, taking
more than 8 seconds to serve,[24] or playing the ball when it is above
the opponent's court.

Scoring

A scorer's table just before a volleyball game

A point is scored when the ball contacts the floor within the court
boundaries or when an error is made: when the ball strikes one team's
side of the court, the other team gains a point; and when an error is
made, the team that did not make the error is awarded a point, in
either case paying no regard to whether they served the ball or not. If
any part of the ball hits the line, the ball is counted as in the court. The
team that won the point serves for the next point. If the team that won
the point served in the previous point, the same player serves again. If
the team that won the point did not serve the previous point, the
players of the team acquiring the serve rotate their position on the
court in a clockwise manner. The game continues, with the first team to
score 25 points by a two-point margin awarded the set. Matches are
best-of-five sets and the fifth set, if necessary, is usually played to 15
points. (Scoring differs between leagues, tournaments, and levels; high
schools sometimes play best-of-three to 25; in the NCAA matches are
played best-of-five to 25 as of the 2008 season.)

Before 1999, points could be scored only when a team had the serve
(side-out scoring) and all sets went up to only 15 points. The FIVB
changed the rules in 1999 (with the changes being compulsory in 2000)
to use the current scoring system (formerly known as rally point
system), primarily to make the length of the match more predictable
and to make the game more spectator- and television-friendly.

The final year of side-out scoring at the NCAA Division I Women's

Volleyball Championship was 2000. Rally point scoring debuted in 2001,
[26] and games were played to 30 points through 2007. For the 2008
season, games were renamed "sets" and reduced to 25 points to win.
Most high schools in the U.S. changed to rally scoring in 2003 and
several states implemented it the previous year on an experimental
basis.

Libero
The libero player was introduced internationally in 1998, and made its
debut for NCAA competition in 2002. The libero is a player specialized
in defensive skills: the libero must wear a contrasting jersey color from
their teammates and cannot block or attack the ball when it is entirely
above net height. When the ball is not in play, the libero can replace
any back-row player, without prior notice to the officials. This
replacement does not count against the substitution limit each team is
allowed per set, although the libero may be replaced only by the player
whom he or she replaced. Most U.S. high schools added the libero
position from 2003 to 2005.

The modern-day libero often takes on the role of a second setter. When
the setter digs the ball, the libero is typically responsible for the second
ball and sets to the front row attacker. The libero may function as a
setter only under certain restrictions. To make an overhand set, the
libero must be standing behind (and not stepping on) the 3-meter line;
otherwise, the ball cannot be attacked above the net in front of the 3-
meter line. An underhand pass is allowed from any part of the court.

The libero is, generally, the most skilled defensive player on the team.
There is also a libero tracking sheet, where the referees or officiating
team must keep track of whom the libero subs in and out for. Under
FIVB (Federation Internationale de Volleyball) rules, two liberos are
designated at the beginning of the play, only one of whom can be on
the court at any time.

Furthermore, a libero is not allowed to serve, according to international

rules. NCAA rules for both men and women differ on this point; a 2004
rule change allows the libero to serve, but only in a specific rotation.
That is, the libero can only serve for one person, not for all of the
people for whom he or she goes in. That rule change was also applied
to high school and junior high play soon after.

In February 2024, the NCAA allowed women's volleyball teams to

designate two liberos for each set of a match, effective with the fall
2024 season. Only one libero can be present on the court at a given
time, and each libero can serve in one specific rotation.

Recent rule changes

Other rule changes enacted in 2000 include allowing serves in which
the ball touches the net, as long as it goes over the net into the
opponents' court. Also, the service area was expanded to allow players
to serve from anywhere behind the end line but still within the
theoretical extension of the sidelines. Other changes were made to
lighten up calls on faults for carries and double-touches, such as
allowing multiple contacts by a single player ("double-hits") on a team's
first contact provided that they are a part of a single play on the ball.

In 2008, the NCAA changed the minimum number of points needed to

win any of the first four sets from 30 to 25 for women's volleyball
(men's volleyball remained at 30 for another three years, switching to
25 in 2011). If a fifth (deciding) set is reached, the minimum required
score remains at 15. In addition, the word "game" is now referred to as
"set".
The Official Volleyball Rules are prepared and updated every few years
by the FIVB's Rules of the Game and Refereeing Commission.[35] The
latest edition is usually available on the FIVB's website.

Skills
Competitive teams master six basic skills: serve, pass, set, attack, block
and dig. Each of these skills comprises a number of specific techniques
that have been introduced over the years and are now considered
standard practice in high-level volleyball.

Serve

A player making a jump serve

A float serve
A player stands behind the inline and serves the ball, in an attempt to
drive it into the opponent's court. The main objective is to make it land
inside the court; it is also desirable to set the ball's direction, speed and
acceleration so that it becomes difficult for the receiver to handle it
properly. A serve is called an "ace" when the ball either lands directly
onto the opponent's court or the first opponent to touch the ball is
unable to volley it (hit it upwards enough for a teammate to continue).

In contemporary volleyball, many types of serves are employed:

Underhand: a serve in which the player strikes the ball below the waist
instead of tossing it up and striking it with an overhand throwing
motion. Underhand serves are considered very easy to receive and are
rarely employed in high-level competitions.
Sky ball serve: a specific type of underhand serve occasionally used in
beach volleyball, where the ball is hit so high it comes down almost in a
straight line. This serve was invented and employed almost exclusively
by the Brazilian team in the early 1980s and is now considered
outdated. During the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, however,
the sky ball serve was extensively played by Italian beach volleyball
player Adrian Carambula. In Brazil, this serve is called Jornada nas
Estrelas (Star Trek).
Topspin: an overhand serve where the player tosses the ball high and
hits it with a wrist snap, giving it topspin which causes it to drop faster
than it would otherwise and helps maintain a straight flight path.
Topspin serves are generally hit hard and aimed at a specific returner or
part of the court. Standing topspin serves are rarely used above the
high school level of play.
Float: an overhand serve where the ball is hit with no spin so that its
path becomes unpredictable, akin to a knuckleball in baseball.
Jump serve: an overhand serve where the ball is first tossed high in the
air, then the player makes a timed approach and jumps to make
contact with the ball, hitting it with much pace and topspin. This is the
most popular serve among college and professional teams.
Jump float: an overhand serve where the ball is tossed high enough
that the player may jump before hitting it similarly to a standing float
serve. The ball is tossed lower than a topspin jump serve, but contact is
still made while in the air. This serve is becoming more popular among
college and professional players because it has a certain
unpredictability in its flight pattern.

Pass

A player making a forearm pass or bump

Also called reception, the pass is the attempt by a team to properly
handle the opponent's serve or any form of attack. Proper handling
includes not only preventing the ball from touching the court but also
making it reach the position where the setter is standing quickly and
precisely.

The skill of passing involves fundamentally two specific techniques:

underarm pass, or bump, where the ball touches the inside part of the
joined forearms or platform, at waistline; and overhand pass, where it
is handled with the fingertips, like a set, above the head. Either are
acceptable in professional and beach volleyball; however, there are
much tighter regulations on the overhand pass in beach volleyball.
When a player passes a ball to their setter, it is ideal that the ball does
not have a lot of spin to make it easier for the setter.

Set
Jump set
The set is usually the second contact that a team makes with the
ball.The main goal of setting is to put the ball in the air in such a way
that it can be driven by an attack into the opponent's court. The setter
coordinates the offensive movements of a team, and is the player who
ultimately decides which player will actually attack the ball.

As with passing, one may distinguish between an overhand and a bump

set. Since the former allows for more control over the speed and
direction of the ball, the bump is used only when the ball is so low it
cannot be properly handled with fingertips, or in beach volleyball
where rules regulating overhand setting are more stringent. In the case
of a set, one also speaks of a front or back set, meaning whether the
ball is passed in the direction the setter is facing or behind the setter.
There is also a jump set that is used when the ball is too close to the
net. In this case, the setter usually jumps off their right foot straight up
to avoid going into the net. The setter usually stands about ⅔ of the
way from the left to the right of the net and faces the left (the larger
portion of net that the setter can see).

Sometimes a setter refrains from raising the ball for a teammate to

perform an attack and tries to play it directly onto the opponent's
court. This movement is called a "dump". This can only be performed
when the setter is in the front row, otherwise it constitutes an illegal
back court attack. The most common dumps are to 'throw' the ball
behind the setter or in front of the setter to zones 2 and 4. More
experienced setters toss the ball into the deep corners or spike the ball
on the second hit.

As with a set or an overhand pass, the setter/passer must be careful to

touch the ball with both hands at the same time. If one hand is
noticeably late to touch the ball this could result in a less effective set,
as well as the referee calling a 'double hit' and giving the point to the
opposing team.

Attack
See also: Volleyball offensive systems

A Spanish player, #18 in red outfit, about to spike towards the

Portuguese field, whose players try to block the way
The attack, also known as the spike, is usually the third contact a team
makes with the ball.The object of attacking is to handle the ball so that
it lands on the opponent's court and cannot be defended.[3] A player
makes a series of steps (the "approach"), jumps, and swings at the ball.

Ideally, the contact with the ball is made at the apex of the hitter's
jump. At the moment of contact, the hitter's arm is fully extended
above their head and slightly forward, making the highest possible
contact while maintaining the ability to deliver a powerful hit. The
hitter uses arm swing, wrist snap, and a rapid forward contraction of
the entire body to drive the ball. A 'bounce' is a slang term for a very
hard/loud spike that follows an almost straight trajectory steeply
downward into the opponent's court and bounces very high into the
air. A "kill" is the slang term for an attack that is not returned by the
other team thus resulting in a point.

Contemporary volleyball comprises a number of attacking techniques:

Backcourt (or back row): an attack performed by a back-row player. The

player must jump from behind the 3-meter line before making contact
with the ball, but may land in front of the 3-meter line. A Pipe Attack is
when the center player in the back row attacks the ball.
Line and Cross-court Shot: refers to whether the ball flies in a straight
trajectory parallel to the sidelines, or crosses through the court in an
angle. A cross-court shot with a very pronounced angle, resulting in the
ball landing near the 3-meter line, is called a cut shot.
Dip/Dink/Tip/Cheat/Dump: the player does not try to make a hit, but
touches the ball lightly, so that it lands on an area of the opponent's
court that is not being covered by the defence.
Tool/Wipe/Block-abuse: the player does not try to make a hard spike,
but hits the ball so that it touches the opponent's block and then
bounces off-court.
Off-speed hit: the player does not hit the ball hard, reducing its speed
and thus confusing the opponent's defence.
Quick hit/"One": an attack (usually by the middle blocker) where the
approach and jump begin before the setter contacts the ball. The set
(called a "quick set") is placed only slightly above the net and the ball is
struck by the hitter almost immediately after leaving the setter's hands.
Quick attacks are often effective because they isolate the middle
blocker to be the only blocker on the hit.
Slide: a variation of the quick hit that uses a low backset. The middle
hitter steps around the setter and hits from behind him or her.
Double quick hit/"Stack"/"Tandem": a variation of quick hit where two
hitters, one in front and one behind the setter or both in front of the
setter, jump to perform a quick hit at the same time. It can be used to
deceive opposite blockers and free a fourth hitter attacking from back-
court, maybe without block at all.
Block

Three players performing a block, also known as a triple block

Blocking refers to the actions taken by players standing at the net to
stop or alter an opponent's attack.[3]

A block that is aimed at completely stopping an attack, thus making the

ball remain in the opponent's court, is called offensive. A well-executed
offensive block is performed by jumping and reaching to penetrate with
one's arms and hands over the net and into the opponent's area.[3] It
requires anticipating the direction the ball will go once the attack takes
place.[3] It may also require calculating the best footwork to executing
the "perfect" block.

The jump should be timed so as to intercept the ball's trajectory prior

to it crossing over the plane of the net. Palms are held deflected
downward roughly 45–60 degrees toward the interior of the
opponents' court. A "roof" is a spectacular offensive block that
redirects the power and speed of the attack straight down to the
attacker's floor as if the attacker hit the ball into the underside of a
peaked house roof.

By contrast, it is called a defensive, or "soft" block if the goal is to

control and deflect the hard-driven ball up so that it slows down and
becomes easier to defend. A well-executed soft-block is performed by
jumping and placing one's hands above the net with no penetration
into the opponent's court and with the palms up and fingers pointing
backwards.

Blocking is also classified according to the number of players involved.

Thus, one may speak of single (or solo), double, or triple block.[3]

Successful blocking does not always result in a "roof" and many times
does not even touch the ball. While it is obvious that a block was a
success when the attacker is roofed, a block that consistently forces the
attacker away from their 'power' or preferred attack into a more easily
controlled shot by the defence is also a highly successful block.

At the same time, the block position influences the positions where
other defenders place themselves while opponent hitters are spiking.

Dig
A volleyball player going for a dig
Digging is the ability to prevent the ball from touching one's court after
a spike or attack, particularly a ball that is nearly touching the ground.
[3] In many aspects, this skill is similar to passing, or bumping:
overhand dig and bump are also used to distinguish between defensive
actions taken with fingertips or with joined arms.[3] It varies from
passing, however, in that it is a much more reflex-based skill, especially
at the higher levels. It is especially important while digging for players
to stay on their toes; several players choose to employ a split step to
make sure they're ready to move in any direction.

Some specific techniques are more common in digging than in passing.

A player may sometimes perform a "dive", i.e., throw their body in the
air with a forward movement in an attempt to save the ball, and land
on their chest. When the player also slides their hand under a ball that
is almost touching the court, this is called a "pancake". The pancake is
frequently used in indoor volleyball, but rarely if ever in beach
volleyball because the uneven and yielding nature of the sand court
limits the chances that the ball will make good, clean contact with the
hand. When used correctly, it is one of the more spectacular defensive
volleyball plays.

Sometimes a player may also be forced to drop their body quickly to

the floor to save the ball. In this situation, the player makes use of a
specific rolling technique to minimize the chances of injuries.

Team play
The U.S. women's team doing team planning in 2007
Volleyball is essentially a game of transition from one of the above skills
to the next, with choreographed team movement between plays on the
ball. These team movements are determined by the teams chosen
serve receive system, offensive system, coverage system, and defensive
system.

The serve-receive system is the formation used by the receiving team

to attempt to pass the ball to the designated setter. Systems can consist
of 5 receivers, 4 receivers, 3 receivers, and in some cases 2 receivers.
The most popular formation at higher levels is a 3 receiver formation
consisting of two left sides and a libero receiving every rotation. This
allows middles and right sides to become more specialized at hitting
and blocking.

Offensive systems are the formations used by the offence to attempt to

ground the ball into the opposing court (or otherwise score points).
Formations often include designated player positions with skill
specialization (see Player specialization, below). Popular formations
include the 4–2, 6–2, and 5-1 systems (see Formations, below). There
are also several different attacking schemes teams can use to keep the
opposing defence off balance.

Coverage systems are the formations used by the offence to protect

their court in the case of a blocked attack. Executed by the 5 offensive
players not directly attacking the ball, players move to assigned
positions around the attacker to dig up any ball that deflects off the
block back into their own court. Popular formations include the 2-3
system and the 1-2-2 system. In lieu of a system, some teams just use a
random coverage with the players nearest the hitter.

Defensive systems are the formations used by the defence to protect

against the ball being grounded into their court by the opposing team.
The system will outline which players are responsible for which areas of
the court depending on where the opposing team is attacking from.
Popular systems include the 6-Up, 6-Back-Deep, and 6-Back-Slide
defence. There are also several different blocking schemes teams can
employ to disrupt the opposing teams' offence.

When one player is ready to serve, some teams will line up their other
five players in a screen to obscure the view of the receiving team. This
action is only illegal if the server makes use of the screen, so the call is
made at the referee's discretion as to the impact the screen made on
the receiving team's ability to pass the ball. The most common style of
screening involves a W formation designed to take up as much
horizontal space as possible.

Strategy

An international match between Italy and Russia in 2005; the Russian

player on the left has just served with three men from his team next to
the net moving to their assigned block positions from the starting ones.
Two others, in the back-row positions, are preparing for defense. Italy,
on the right, has three men in a line, each preparing to pass if the ball
reaches him. The setter is waiting for their pass while the middle hitter
(#10) will jump for a quick hit if the pass is good enough. Alessandro Fei
(#14) has no passing duties and is preparing for a back-row hit on the
right side of the field.
Player specialization
There are five positions filled on every volleyball team at the elite level:
setter, outside hitter (left-side hitter), middle hitter (middle blocker),
opposite hitter (right-side hitter) and libero / defensive specialist. Each
of these positions plays a specific, key role in winning a volleyball
match.

Setters have the task for orchestrating the offence of the team. They
aim for the second touch and their main responsibility is to place the
ball in the air where the attackers can place the ball into the opponents'
court for a point. They have to be able to operate with the hitters,
manage the tempo of their side of the court and choose the right
attackers to set. Setters need to have a swift and skillful appraisal and
tactical accuracy and must be quick at moving around the court. At elite
level, setters used to usually be the shortest players of a team (before
liberos were introduced), not being typically required to perform jump
hits, but that would imply need for short-term replacement by taller
bench players when critical points required more effective blocks; in
the 1990s taller setters (e.g. Fabio Vullo, Peter Blangé) began being
deployed, in order to improve blocks.
Liberos are defensive players who are responsible for receiving the
attack or serve. They are usually the players on the court with the
quickest reaction time and best passing skills. Libero means 'free' in
Italian—they receive this name as they have the ability to substitute for
any other player on the court during each play (usually the middle
blocker). Liberos are not permitted to block or perform attacks,
meaning they never play at the net, which allows shorter players with
strong passing and defensive skills to excel in the position and play an
important role in the team's success. A player designated as a libero for
a match may not play other roles during that match. Liberos wear a
different colour jersey than their teammates.[40]
Middle hitters, or middle blockers, are players that can perform very
fast attacks that usually take place near the setter. They are specialized
in blocking since they must attempt to stop equally fast plays from their
opponents and then quickly set up a double block at the sides of the
court. In non-beginners play, every team will have two middle hitters.
At elite levels, middle hitters are usually the tallest players, whose
limited agility is countered by their height enabling more effective
blocks.
Outside hitters, or left-side hitters, attack from near the left antenna.
The outside hitter is usually the most consistent hitter on the team and
gets the most sets. Inaccurate first passes usually result in a set to the
outside hitter rather than middle or opposite. Since most sets to the
outside are high, the outside hitter may take a longer approach, always
starting from outside the court sideline. In non-beginners play, there
are again two outside hitters on every team in every match. At elite
level, outside hitters are slightly shorter than middle hitters and
opposite hitters, but have the best defensive skills, therefore always re-
placing to the middle while in the back row.
Opposite hitters, or right-side hitters, carry the defensive workload for a
volleyball team in the front row. Their primary responsibilities are to
put up a well-formed block against the opponents' Outside hitters and
serve as a backup setter. Sets to the opposite usually go to the right
side of the antennae. Therefore, they are usually the most technical
hitters since balls lifted to the right side are quicker and more difficult
to handle (the setters having to place the ball while slightly off-set to
the right, and with their back to the attacker), and also having to jump
from the back row when the setter is on the front row. At elite level,
until the 1990s several opposite hitters used to be able to also play as
middle hitters (e.g. Andrea Zorzi, Andrea Giani), before high
specialization curtailed this flexibility in the role. [41]
At some levels where substitutions are unlimited, teams will make use
of a defensive specialist in place of or in addition to a libero. This
position does not have unique rules like the libero position, instead,
these players are used to substitute out a poor back row defender using
regular substitution rules. A defensive specialist is often used if you
have a particularly poor back court defender in right side or left side,
but your team is already using a libero to take out your middles. Most
often, the situation involves a team using a right-side player with a big
block who must be subbed out in the back row because they are not
able to effectively play backcourt defence. Similarly, teams might use a
serving specialist to sub out a poor server.

Formations
The three standard volleyball formations are known as "4–2", "6–2" and
"5–1", which refers to the number of hitters and setters respectively. 4–
2 is a basic formation used only in beginners' play, while 5–1 is by far
the most common formation in high-level play.

4–2
The 4–2 formation has four hitters and two setters. The setters usually
set from the middle front or right front position. The team will,
therefore, have two front-row attackers at all times. In the international
4–2, the setters set from the right front position. The international 4–2
translates more easily into other forms of offence.

The setters line up opposite each other in the rotation. The typical
lineup has two outside hitters. By aligning like positions opposite
themselves in the rotation, there will always be one of each position in
the front and back rows. After service, the players in the front row
move into their assigned positions, so that the setter is always in the
middle front. Alternatively, the setter moves into the right front and
has both a middle and an outside attacker; the disadvantage here lies in
the lack of an offside hitter, allowing one of the other team's blockers
to "cheat in" on a middle block.

The clear disadvantage to this offensive formation is that there are only
two attackers, leaving a team with fewer offensive weapons.

Another aspect is to see the setter as an attacking force, albeit a

weakened force, because when the setter is in the frontcourt they are
able to 'tip' or 'dump', so when the ball is close to the net on the
second touch, the setter may opt to hit the ball over with one hand.
This means that the blocker who would otherwise not have to block the
setter is engaged and may allow one of the hitters to have an easier
attack.
6–2
In the 6–2 formation, a player always comes forward from the back row
to set. The three front row players are all in attacking positions. Thus,
all six players act as hitters at one time or another, while two can act as
setters. So the 6–2 formation is actually a 4–2 system, but the back-row
setter penetrates to set.

The 6–2 lineup thus requires two setters, who line up opposite to each
other in the rotation. In addition to the setters, a typical lineup will
have two middle hitters and two outside hitters. By aligning like
positions opposite themselves in the rotation, there will always be one
of each position in the front and back rows. After service, the players in
the front row move into their assigned positions.

The advantage of the 6–2 is that there are always three front-row
hitters available, maximizing the offensive possibilities. However, not
only does the 6–2 require a team to possess two people capable of
performing the highly specialized role of setter, it also requires both of
those players to be effective offensive hitters when not in the setter
position. At the international level, only the Cuban National Women's
Team employs this kind of formation. It is also used by NCAA teams in
Division III men's play and women's play in all divisions, partially due to
the variant rules used which allow more substitutions per set than the 6
allowed in the standard rules—12 in matches involving two Division III
men's teams[42] and 15 for all women's play.[43]

5–1
The 5–1 formation has only one player who assumes setting
responsibilities regardless of their position in the rotation. The team
will, therefore, have three front-row attackers when the setter is in the
back row and only two when the setter is in the front row, for a total of
five possible attackers.

The player opposite the setter in a 5–1 rotation is called the opposite
hitter. In general, opposite hitters do not pass; they stand behind their
teammates when the opponent is serving. The opposite hitter may be
used as a third attack option (back-row attack) when the setter is in the
front row: this is the normal option used to increase the attack
capabilities of modern volleyball teams. Normally the opposite hitter is
the most technically skilled hitter of the team. Back-row attacks
generally come from the back-right position, known as zone 1, but are
increasingly performed from back-centre in high-level play.

The big advantage of this system is that the setter always has 3 hitters
to vary sets with. If the setter does this well, the opponent's middle
blocker may not have enough time to block with the outside blocker,
increasing the chance for the attacking team to make a point.

There is another advantage, the same as that of a 4–2 formation: as a

front-row player, the setter is allowed to jump and "dump" the ball
onto the opponent's side. This too can confuse the opponent's blocking
players: the setter can jump and dump or can set to one of the hitters.
A good setter knows this and thus will not only jump to dump or to set
for a quick hit, but when setting outside as well to confuse the
opponent.
The 5–1 offence is actually a mix of 6–2 and 4–2: when the setter is in
the front row, the offense looks like a 4–2; when the setter is in the
back row, the offense looks like a 6–2.

Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volleyball