Unit 5 — Fundamental Skills of Sports: Volleyball

Volleyball was invented in 1895 in the USA by William G. Morgan as a gentler indoor game than basketball. It is now an Olympic sport played in almost every country. In India it is popular in schools, villages and the armed forces. The Volleyball Federation of India runs the national game, and players such as Jimmy George made Indian volleyball known abroad.

Court and equipment

• Court: 18 m long and 9 m wide, divided into two halves of 9 m x 9 m by the centre line under the net.
• Attack line: 3 m from the centre line on each side. It separates the front zone from the back zone.
• Net: 2.43 m high for men and 2.24 m for women in senior play; lower nets are used for younger players. Two antennae mark the sides of the crossing space.
• Ball: about 65-67 cm round and 260-280 g.

The team. Six players are on court: three in the front row and three in the back row. Players have special roles: setters who set up attacks, spikers (hitters) who attack, blockers who defend at the net and the libero, a back-row defensive specialist who wears a different coloured shirt.

Key rules

• Each team may touch the ball up to three times before it crosses the net. A touch by a blocker at the net does not count as one of the three.
• The same player cannot touch the ball twice in a row (except after a block).
• The ball must be hit cleanly, not caught or thrown.
• Players must not touch the net while playing the ball.
• Rally point scoring: a point is scored on every rally, whichever team served. A set goes to 25 points with a 2-point lead. A match is the best of five sets, and a deciding fifth set goes to 15.
• When a team wins back the serve, its players rotate one place clockwise.

How lessons are built. Each skill has a warm-up (side walking, skipping, arm swings), the skill taught in phases, a lead-up game, a cool-down (calf, hamstring and shoulder stretches) and a circle time discussion. Call 'Mine!' loudly when you take a ball, so teammates do not collide with you.

The underhand pass, also called the bump or forearm pass, is the most important skill for receiving a serve or a hard-hit ball. The ball is played off a flat platform made by the forearms, below chest height, and sent up to a teammate, usually the setter.

1. Hand position (making the platform)

• Make a loose fist with one hand and wrap the other hand over it, or lay one palm in the other.
• Keep the thumbs side by side, parallel, pointing forward and slightly down.
• Straighten and lock the elbows, and turn the wrists down. The flat inside of both forearms, just above the wrists, is your hitting surface.

2. Stance

• Feet shoulder-width apart, one slightly ahead of the other.
• Knees bent, back straight, leaning a little forward.
• Arms relaxed and ready in front, below the chest. Stay low; a low position gives better balance and control.

3. Execution

• Move your feet to get your body behind the falling ball, so it comes to the middle of your body.
• Let the ball meet your forearms with the elbows still locked.
• Lift the ball with your legs, extending the knees, and a small upward movement from the shoulders. Do not swing the arms wildly.
• To send the ball higher, extend the knees more strongly.

4. Follow-through

• Keep the platform steady and pointed at your target after contact.
• Get ready for the next ball, because the rally may come straight back.

Think of four snapshots: ready, move to position, contact, extend to target.

Lead-up game: Keep it up. Two teams each form a circle. On the whistle, each team passes the ball around its circle using only underhand passes. If the ball falls, pick it up and restart. After the set time, the team with the fewest drops or the most passes wins.

Judge your pass. Does the ball rise higher than the net and drop near your partner? Did you move your feet, or reach with your arms? A good pass comes from the legs and from being in position, not from a big arm swing. Always call 'Mine!' before you play the ball.

The overhead pass is used when the ball comes high, at about face level or above. It is played with the fingertips, which makes it the most accurate pass in volleyball. That is why setters use it to set up attacks.

1. Hand position and contact

• Raise the hands above the forehead, palms facing up and slightly forward.
• Bring the thumbs and index fingers close to form a triangle (or 'window') through which you can see the ball.
• Spread the fingers and curve them to the shape of the ball, like holding a big bowl.
• Contact the ball with the pads of the fingers and thumbs, never the palms.

2. Body position

• Feet shoulder-width apart, one foot slightly ahead for balance.
• Knees slightly bent; body positioned under the ball.
• Elbows bent and pointing outwards, making a stable cup shape.

3. Execution

• Move quickly to get under and slightly behind the ball. Face the direction you want to send it.
• Meet the ball above your hairline, in line with the middle of your body.
• As the ball touches your fingers, extend the arms and legs together, pushing the ball up and out in one smooth action.

4. Follow-through

• Finish with arms fully stretched and hands pointing at the target.
• Stay balanced, ready for the next move.

Legal and illegal. The ball must leave the hands quickly. If it rests in the hands, it is a catch (held ball). If it spins badly because one hand touched it before the other, it may be called a double contact. Both are faults. Soft, quick fingers and equal pressure from both hands prevent them.

Lead-up game. Use the same circle game as for the bump, but now only overhead passes are allowed. Count the passes before a drop.

Shapes to notice. The underhand pass makes a flat platform with the forearms. The overhead pass makes a triangle with the fingers and a cup with the arms. Bent knees and elbows make angles that act like springs. Discuss which shapes your body made during each pass.

Judge yourself. Is the ball going up with little spin? Does it land where your hands pointed? A spinning ball usually means uneven hands.

Every rally begins with a serve from behind the end line. The underhand serve is the easiest serve to learn and the most reliable for beginners. The arm swings from below like a pendulum, and the ball travels in a gentle arc over the net.

Rules to remember

• Serve from the service zone behind the end line. Do not step on or over the end line until you have hit the ball.
• Serve within 8 seconds of the referee's whistle.
• Toss or release the ball and hit it with one hand or arm.
• A serve that touches the net and still goes over into the court is in play.

1. Stance (right-handed server)

• Stand facing the net with the left foot slightly ahead, toes pointing forward.
• Hold the ball in the left hand, slightly cupped, at about upper-thigh height in front of the hitting arm.
• Bend the knees a little and lean the shoulders forward over the ball, hips slightly back, upper back straight.

2. Execution

• Swing the right arm back and then forward like a pendulum, keeping it straight.
• Strike the bottom-back of the ball with a firm surface: the heel of the hand or a closed fist.
• Shift your weight onto the front (left) foot as you hit.
• Many servers drop the ball just before contact; some hit it straight out of the holding hand. Either is fine if it is clean.

3. Follow-through

• Let the arm continue upward in an arc towards the target, finishing high.
• Let the whole body move forward and up with the swing. Then step quickly into the court to your position.

Lead-up game: Serve and catch. In pairs, one serves and the other catches. Start 6 m apart. After a few serves, swap roles. As you succeed, move further apart until you can serve from behind the real end line over the net.

Sense of space. Try aiming at different parts of the court: deep, short, left, right. Notice how a small change in where you hit the ball, or how high your arm finishes, changes where it lands. Placing a serve in an empty space is the first step to scoring aces.

Judge yourself. Out of ten serves, how many cleared the net and landed in court? Aim for at least eight before learning the overhead serve.

The overhead serve (overhand serve) is hit from above the head, like throwing a ball overarm. It travels faster and flatter than the underhand serve and is harder to receive, so it is the serve used by almost all school and club players once they are ready.

1. Stance (right-hander)

• Stand behind the end line, feet shoulder-width apart, left foot forward (opposite the hitting hand).
• Hold the ball in the left hand at about shoulder height in front of the hitting shoulder.

2. Execution

• Toss: lift the ball with the left hand, nearly straight up and a little in front of the hitting shoulder, just high enough for a full arm swing. A good toss is the secret of a good serve. In official rules you get only one toss, so a toss that is let fall to the floor is a fault; practise it until it is the same every time.
• Step: step forward with the left foot as the ball rises.
• Arm: draw the right arm back with the elbow high, at or above shoulder level, and the hand beside the head, like pulling back a bow.
• Hit: lead forward with the elbow, then whip the arm through and strike the centre-back of the ball with the heel of the open hand (the firm base of the palm), arm almost straight.

3. Follow-through

• Move your weight from the back foot to the front foot.
• Let the hitting hand drop naturally down past the thigh.

Potential and kinetic energy. A strong serve uses the whole body, not just the arm. When you bend the knees, rotate back and cock the arm, the stretched muscles store energy, rather like a stretched rubber band. This stored energy is called potential energy. When you step, straighten the legs, turn the body and swing the arm, that stored energy changes into the energy of motion, called kinetic energy, and is passed into the ball. The smoother the chain from legs to hips to shoulder to hand, the more energy reaches the ball.

Lead-up game: Pentagon target. Mark a large pentagon in the middle of the opponent's court, with its corners touching the end line and side lines. Each player serves ten overhead serves. Serves landing inside the pentagon score; serves landing outside the court score zero. The highest score wins.

Judge yourself. Is your toss landing in the same spot every time if you let it drop? Consistency of the toss decides consistency of the serve.

Setting (also called boosting) is usually the team's second touch. The setter takes the passed ball and places it in the air near the net so that a spiker can hit it hard. A good set can make an ordinary spiker look great. A bad set can make the best spiker useless. The setter is like the playmaker in football or the captain who decides the plan.

1. Stance

• Watch the path of the passed ball and move to get under it early.
• Face the target, usually the left front (position 4) where most attacks are made.
• Raise the hands above the forehead in the overhead pass shape, with elbows bent and pointing outward to make a cup.

2. Execution

• Play the ball with an overhead (finger) pass, extending the arms and legs together.
• Choose the type of set:
  • High set: a high ball near the net, which gives the spiker time to approach. Safest for beginners.
  • Low or quick set: a fast, low ball that the spiker hits early, before blockers can get ready.
  • Front or back set: forward to the hitter in front of you, or backward over your head to a hitter behind you, to surprise the blockers.
• Place the ball about 50 cm to 1 m away from the net, so the spiker can hit without touching the net.

3. Follow-through

• Finish with arms extended towards the target and watch the ball's path.
• Move to cover the spiker in case the ball is blocked back.

Lead-up game: Set into the bucket. A bucket is placed on a raised table near the net post. A feeder passes the ball to the setter five times. The setter must set so the ball rises at least about 30 cm (one foot) above the net height and then drops into the bucket. A set that does not rise above the net does not count. The setter with most successes wins.

Think like a setter. Which of your spikers is in the best position to win the point? Where are the opponent's blockers standing? Setting to the side where blockers are weakest, or faking one way and setting the other, helps the team dodge the block.

Judge yourself. Is the ball the same height and distance from the net each time? Spikers need sets they can trust.

The spike (also called the smash or attack) is a powerful downward hit that sends the ball over the net into the opponent's court. It is the main way of winning points. A spike can be hit from anywhere, but spiking near the net gives a steeper angle and is the most effective.

1. Approach (right-hander)

• Start about 3-4 m from the net, watching the setter and the ball.
• Take a three-step approach: left, right, left. The first step is short to judge the set, the second is long and fast, and the third closes the feet together for take-off. Left-handers do the opposite: right, left, right.
• Swing both arms back on the last steps, then bend the knees to load the jump.

2. Jump and arm swing

• Swing both arms forward and up and jump straight up from both feet, so you do not drift into the net.
• Raise the non-hitting arm to point at the ball, helping balance and aim.
• Draw the hitting arm back with the elbow high and the hand behind the head, like a bow being pulled.
• Turn the torso slightly. Power comes from the whole chain: legs, hips, trunk, shoulder and arm.

3. Contact

• Hit the ball at the highest point you can reach, slightly in front of the hitting shoulder.
• Use the open palm, with the hand firm, and contact the top-centre of the ball.
• Snap the wrist downward at contact to put topspin on the ball and send it down sharply.

4. Follow-through and landing

• The arm continues down and across the body, without touching the net.
• Land on both feet with bent knees to absorb the shock, then get ready for the next ball.

Safety. Never cross the centre line under the net on landing, because you may land on an opponent's foot and sprain an ankle. Warm up the neck, shoulders and legs before spiking practice.

Lead-up game: Feed and spike. In pairs, the spiker passes to the feeder, who sets the ball high, and the spiker spikes across the net. After five attempts swap roles. The pair with the most successful spikes wins.

Honesty in practice. Claiming more successful spikes than you really made may win the drill but stops you learning. Count truthfully, and settle disagreements by talking calmly or asking the teacher.

The block is the first line of defence against a spike. One, two or even three front-row players jump at the net with their hands raised to stop the ball or deflect it back into the opponent's court. A block touch does not count as one of your team's three touches.

Who can block? Only the three front-row players may block. Back-row players, including the libero, are not allowed to complete a block.

1. Stance

• Stand close to the net, about an arm's length away, facing it.
• Knees slightly bent, weight on the balls of the feet, ready to move sideways.
• Hands raised in front of the shoulders, palms facing the net.

2. Reading the attacker

• Watch the setter first to see where the set goes.
• Then watch the spiker, not the ball: their approach line and the direction of the shoulder show where the hit will go.
• Move sideways with quick shuffle or crossover steps to line up in front of the spiker's hitting arm.

3. Execution

• Jump straight up slightly after the spiker jumps. Jumping too early means you come down while they are still hitting.
• Push the hands up and over the net into the opponent's space (this reaching over is allowed when blocking).
• Keep the fingers spread and firm and the thumbs close, so the ball cannot pass between the hands.
• Angle the hands down and in, so the ball drops into the opponent's court rather than flying out.

4. Landing

• Pull the hands back without touching the net.
• Land on both feet with bent knees to absorb the impact, then turn quickly to play the next ball.

Safety and rules. Touching the net while blocking is a fault. Landing over the centre line on the opponent's side can cause ankle injuries, so jump straight up. Keep fingers firm to protect them from a hard-hit ball.

Lead-up game: Clap over the net. Pairs face each other across the net. For 30 seconds they jump together and clap palms above the net, while moving along the net towards the side line. A clap with a net touch does not count. The pair with the most claps wins. This teaches timing, reach and sideways movement.

Anticipate. Discuss how to tell the real spiker from a decoy who runs in but does not get the ball.

A dig is an emergency defensive pass that stops a hard-hit spike, or a sudden tip near the net, from touching the floor. The digger keeps the ball alive by sending it up, ideally towards the setter, so the team can counter-attack. Good diggers win matches without scoring a single spike.

1. Stance

• Feet wider than shoulder-width, knees well bent, body low.
• Weight forward on the balls of the feet for a quick start.
• Arms out in front, hands ready to join into a platform.

2. Execution

• Read the spiker's arm and move early to get behind the line of the ball.
• Join the hands and keep the arms straight, as in the underhand pass.
• Do not swing the arms. A spiked ball already has plenty of speed. Instead, absorb it: let the arms 'give' a little and use the bent legs as shock absorbers.
• Angle the platform so the ball rebounds upward towards the middle of your court and the setter.
• Use both hands together whenever possible. If the ball is out of reach, a one-arm dig or an open-hand dig can save it.

3. Follow-through and safe falling

• Stay balanced after contact and recover to your position.
• If you must dive or fall, roll onto the side of the hip and back, or slide on the chest with arms out, to spread the impact. Never land on a straight arm, the elbow or the knees directly.
• Only try dives after your teacher has taught safe falling on mats.

Lead-up game: Drop and catch. A feeder stands about 1.2 m (four feet) in front of the digger and holds a soft ball in each hand at shoulder height. The digger crouches in the ready stance with hands joined. The feeder drops one ball without warning, and the digger must react, get under it and catch it before it bounces. Ten attempts each; the most catches wins.

Concentration. The dig trains you to keep your attention fixed on the attacker and the ball for the whole rally. A digger who looks away for a moment is beaten.

Look after one another. In a fast game players fall and collide. If you or a teammate show signs of distress, such as wincing, limping, holding a joint, bruising, a rash, bleeding or sharp pain, stop and tell the teacher at once. Helping an injured player is part of good sportsmanship.

Volleyball is a team game, and the final lessons bring every skill together.

Court positions and rotation. The six places on each side are numbered:

The player in position 1 serves. When your team wins a rally on the opponent's serve, you win the right to serve, and every player moves one place clockwise before serving: 2 goes to 1 (and serves), 1 goes to 6, 6 to 5, 5 to 4, 4 to 3 and 3 to 2. If you win a rally on your own serve, the same server serves again and nobody rotates. Rotation makes every player play every position, front and back. Being in the wrong position at the moment of the serve is a fault.

Team drills

• Ball rotation drill: three groups, setters, spikers and blockers. A setter sets, a spiker hits and a blocker on the other side blocks. Players move to the next group until everyone has set, spiked and blocked.
• Ace accuracy contest: two teams line up at the service line. Each player serves once, aiming at numbered target zones in the opponent's court. A serve into the named zone earns an extra point. An ace is a serve that wins the point directly.
• Ball throw game: teams of six play with catching and throwing instead of hitting. The receiving team catches the serve and must throw it back over within 3 seconds, staying in position. Teams rotate when they win the serve, and the first to 11 wins. This teaches rotation and court space without technique worries.

The 11-point match. Teams of six play a short match to 11 points using rally scoring and correct rotation. The winners play the next team. Before playing, find out and draw the real court dimensions and discuss the main rules with your classmates.

Assessment. Your teacher rates pass, serve, spike, block and dig on a five-level scale: from needing more practice (1), to demonstrating the skill (2), performing it correctly (3), choosing it to suit the game (4) and assessing and appreciating good play by the opponent (5). There is also a scale for overcoming self-distress, from reacting angrily without thinking to calmly learning from setbacks.

Personal behaviour. Shake hands, applaud a strong opponent and support teammates who make mistakes. Report any injury or sign of distress straight away.