Volleyball: what it is, history, rules and fundamentals

What is volleyball

Volleyball, volleyball, volleyball or volleyball is a sport that consists of the meeting of two teams consisting of six players each, who face each other in a chanca divided by a net or mesh on which they must pass a ball in order for it to touch the floor of the opposing field to make a score.

Therefore, the objective of volleyball is to score points with the ball passes to the opponent's field, which will try to prevent the opposing team through defensive plays such as touches, attacks or blocks.

It should be mentioned that the ball can be propelled with any part of the body through clean blows. However, hands and forearms are generally used. During the game the ball cannot be held or held.

The word volleyball derives from the English volleyball , written until 1952 as volley ball .

Volleyball history

Volleyball is a sports game created by William George Morgan in 1895, when he was a teacher and sports coach at the YMCA (Christian Youth Association) in Holyoke, Massachusetts (United States).

Morgan saw the need to create an alternative and less intense physical activity than basketball, a sport created by his partner James Naismith in 1891, which could be practiced by both young people and adults in closed or open spaces. In this way volleyball was born under the name of mintonette.

For its creation Morgan took into account all the sports techniques that he already knew and put into practice with his students, his purpose was to create a team game to train and compete, therefore he established both his first rules and the elements of the game.

In 1896 Morgan made the first public presentation of volleyball at a conference of the various YMCA associations. From that moment on, volleyball was very receptive and began to expand in various countries.

In principle, volleyball was a sport practiced exclusively by men, but over the years, women's volleyball was also included.

Today volleyball is a sport that has an international organization founded in 1947, the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB). It is the place where their regulations are defined and they organize the various activities around this sport.

The first world championships were organized in 1949 for the men's category, and in 1952 for the women's category. Beach volleyball joined the FIVB in 1986 and the Olympic Games in 1996.

Volleyball rules

Below are the basic rules of volleyball.

Playing field or court

The image shows the center line of the field and on which the dividing network supported by the posts is placed. The rods that delimit the playing area are also seen, and the lines that delimit the attack zone can be seen, just in front of the net. The blue ground with white lines is the free zone.

• The playing field or court is rectangular in shape and must be 18 m long or 9 m wide. The free area of ​​the field must measure 3 m on each of its four sides, since there are also plays there. The field must be marked by a line on which the dividing net or mesh is placed. This line divides the court into two equal parts measuring 9 m, and where each of the teams will play.Then, next to the center line, a line must be marked that delimits the attack zone and measures 3 m on each side. of the court. The remaining part is the defensive zone and where the defenders and the libero are positioned.

The net or mesh

• The net or mesh must measure between 9.5 or 10 m long and one wide. The mesh protrudes towards the lateral lines about 50 cm. It has two edges to identify the top and bottom of the mesh. On the upper band of the network protrude rods or antennas of 80 cm each, to demarcate the game Zone. They must not be touched by the players or by the ball; they must be held by two posts at a height of 2.24 in the female category, or 2.43 in the male category.

Ball or ball

The ball used in traditional volleyball is the same one used in the beach volleyball variation.

• The ball or ball must have a circumference between 65 or 67 cm and a weight between 260 or 280 g. Its pressure must be between 0.3 or 0.325 kg / cm ^2. Its exterior must be made of synthetic material or leather, padded and can have a combination of two or three colors.

Teams

In the image, you can distinguish the libero player from the team in blue and white.

• Each team can be made up of 14 players, of which two are libero. Each team must have a coach, one or two assistant coaches, a doctor and a therapist. During the game only six players per team participate. has a captain identified with a band. Libero players play a defensive position. They can enter and leave the field several times to replace any of their teammates, except the team captain. All the players who are going to play must be in uniform (shorts, shirt identified with a number from 1 to 20, on the front and back, and sports shoes). The only uniform that varies in color is that of the libero.

Positions and rotations

• Three forward players are located in front of the net in the attack zone and three in the defense zone, who are the defenders and the libero, in the back of the court. The incorrect position by the players at the time of service. Also if a player steps on the opposite court below the net, interfering with the plays of the other team, the players must not touch the spaces of the opposing team, this is considered a fault, in the event that a team snatches the service on the other, the players, minus the libero, must rotate position clockwise.

Annotation

• Volleyball lasts four or five sets, the first team to win in the first three sets is the winner and the game is over. Additionally, a team wins a set in case of reaching 25 points or surpassing them with an advantage of two (25-23), and in case of having 25-24 results it would be necessary to wait 26-24 and so on. Additionally, a fifth time can be established, with a goal reduction of 15 points without eliminating the advantage of two points. When a team scores a point, the game must begin. A team scores points when the opponent commits a foul. scores when the ball touches the ground inside the opponent's team's field. Players can touch the ball up to three times before passing it to the other side of the net, a fourth touch generates a fault.

Fouls or infractions

• More than three touches by the team or two consecutive touches by the same player, except for the first touch for the block that is not taken in the count indicated above. Contact with the net in the outer zone, rods, posts or any other element that interferes with the game. If the ball touches the ground, regardless of whether it corresponds to a move by the player himself or the opposing team. If the ball leaves the limits of the court, the fault corresponds to the player and the team that touched the ball for the last time, the opposing team obtaining points.

Volleyball basics

In the image you can see a ball kick execution.

The fundamentals of volleyball refers to the different motor techniques that are executed to hit and propel the ball during the various game actions.

• Serve or serve: starts on each move from behind the baseline. As a strategy it is aimed at the weak point of the opposing team. Attack: aims to intercept any ball from the opposing team. It is about jumping next to the net with arms raised to return the ball to the opposite field, or narrowing the attack field to find that the ball is out of play. Three players can participate in the block. Reception: control the ball to deliver it to the partner so that he can play it. Placement: the player who corresponds to make the second touch must put the ball in perfect condition so that the third player can finish it in the opposite field. The auctions are intended to go to poorly defended areas and go with speed so that the opposing player cannot control it. Forearm strike: the forearms are placed at the waist to receive and hit the low balls in order to make a good pass to the game partner or prevent the ball from touching the ground, this way the ball can take again height and better direction. Finger strike: it is a precise blow that is used to make passes between teammates or to pass the ball to the other side of the net. In this case, the high balls are received with the fingers, which allows greater precision and direction. Shot: it is about returning the ball to the opposite side with great force and unexpectedly for the opponents, in order to score a point.

Volleyball Features

Below are the main characteristics of volleyball:

• The playing field or field is rectangular and must be duly marked by a series of lines that delimit the various playing areas. It is necessary to place the net in the middle of the field in compliance with the provisions of the game rules. The ball differs in size and weight with respect to the balls used in other sports such as soccer or basketball. All players must make use of the uniform, in which the number and name of this is syndicated. The games consist of 4 sets, however This can vary and the winner of a game can be defined in three or with sets as the case may be. The duration of a game of volleyball is variable, therefore it depends on the performance of the players and the refereeing.

Types of volleyball

Below are the main types of volleyball most played.

Beach volleyball

As its name indicates, it is played on a sand field divided by a net and has the same objective as traditional volleyball, however, it has some differences such as:

• The teams are made up of two players. The players do not have a fixed position on the court, there are no changes or substitutions. The matches consist of three sets, that is, the first winner wins two, each set is played with 21 points with advantage two and, if necessary, a third set is disputed up to 15 points with two advantages.

Sitting volleyball

Sitting volleyball is designed for athletes with disabilities and who must remain seated. In this case, the net is placed at a height of 1.15 m for men, and 1.05 m for women.

Ecuavolley

Echovoley is a variant of Educator's own volleyball. This sport began to be played around the 20th century, and little by little it spread throughout the country until the need arose to organize national games and establish a series of regulations, including:

• Each team is made up of three players. The playing field is 18 m long by 9 m wide. The positions of the players are: setter (forward), flyer (later player), and server (helps to cover unprotected areas by his teammates). The net is placed 2.85 m high. The ball used is soccer. It is not allowed to touch the net with your hands. You must sing "ball" before the serve. with a hand.

See also:

• SportOlympic Games