VOLLEYBALL A. History * The origins * William G. Morgan (1870-1942), who was born in the State of New York, has gone down in history as the inventor of the game of volleyball, to which he originally gave the name "Mintonette".

* The young Morgan carried out his undergraduate studies at the Springfield College of the YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association) where he met James Naismith who, in 1891, had invented basketball. After graduating, Morgan spent his first year at the Auburn (Maine) YMCA after which, during the summer of 1895, he moved to the YMCA at Holyoke (Massachusetts) where he became director of physical education. In this role he had the opportunity to establish, develop and direct a vast programme of exercises and sport classes for male adults.

* His leadership was enthusiastically accepted, and his classes grew in numbers. He came to realise that he needed a certain type of competitive recreational game in order to vary his programme. Basketball, a sport that was beginning to develop, seemed to suit young people, but it was necessary to find a less violent and less intense alternative for the older members.

* At that time Morgan knew of no similar game to volleyball which could guide him; he developed it from his own sports training methods and his practical experience in the YMCA gymnasium. Describing his first experiments he said, "In search of an appropriate game, tennis occurred to me, but this required rackets, balls, a net and other equipment, so it was eliminated, but the idea of a net seemed a good one. We raised it to a height of about 6 feet, 6 inches (1.98 metres) from the ground, just above the head of an average man. We needed a ball and among those we tried was a basketball bladder, but this was too light and too slow. We therefore tried the basketball itself, which was too big and too heavy."

* In the end, Morgan asked the firm of A.G. Spalding & Bros. to make a ball, which they did at their factory near Chicopee, in Massachusetts. The result was satisfactory: the ball was leather-covered, with a rubber inner tube, its circumference was not less than 25 and not more than 27 inches (63.5 cm and 68.6 cm, respectively), and its weight not less than 9 and not more than 12 ounces (252 gr and 336 gr, respectively).

* Morgan asked two of his friends from Holyoke, Dr. Frank Wood and John Lynch, to draw up (based on his suggestions) the basic concepts of the game together with the first 10 rules.

* Early in 1896 a conference was organized at the YMCA College in Springfield, bringing together all the YMCA Directors of Physical Education. Dr. Luther Halsey Gulick, director of the professional physical education training school (and also executive director of the department of physical education of the International Committee of YMCA's) invited Morgan to make a demonstration of his game in the new college stadium. Morgan took two teams, each made up of five men (and some loyal fans) to Springfield, where the demonstration was made before the conference delegates in the east gymnasium. The captain of one of the teams was J.J. Curran and of the other John Lynch who were respectively, mayor and chief of the fire brigade of Holyoke.

* Morgan explained that the new game was designed for gymnasia or exercise halls, but could also be played in open air. An unlimited number of players could participate, the object of the game being to keep the ball in movement over a high net, from one side to the other.

* After seeing the demonstration, and hearing the explanation of Morgan, Professor Alfred T. Halstead called attention to the action, or the act phase, of the ball's flight, and proposed that the name "Mintonette" be replaced by "Volley Ball." This name was accepted by Morgan and the conference. (It is interesting to note that the same name has survived over the years, with one slight alteration: in 1952, the Administrative Committee of the USVBA voted to spell the name with one word, "Volleyball", but continued to use USVBA to signify United States Volleyball Association).

* Morgan explained the rules and worked on them, then gave a hand-written copy to the conference of YMCA directors of physical education, as a guide for the use and development of the game. A committee was appointed to study the rules and produce suggestions for the game's promotion and teaching.

* A brief report on the new game and its rules was published in the July 1896 edition of "Physical Education" and the rules were included in the 1897 edition of the first official handbook of the North American YMCA Athletic League. * Worldwide Growth * The physical education directors of the YMCA, encouraged particularly by two professional schools of physical education, Springfield college in Massachusetts and George Williams College in Chicago (now at Downers Grove, Illinois), adopted volleyball in all its societies throughout the United States, Canada (in 1900 Canada became the first foreign country to adopt the game), and also in many other countries: Elwood S. Brown in the Philippines (1910), J. Howard Crocker in China, Franklin H. Brown in Japan (1908), Dr. J.H. Gray in Burma, in China and in India, and others in Mexico and South American, European and African countries.

* By 1913 the development of volleyball on the Asian continent was assured as, in that year, the game was included in the programme of the first Far-Eastern Games, organized in Manila. It should be noted that, for a long time, Volleyball was played in Asia according to the "Brown" rules which, among other things, used 16 players (to enable a greater participation in matches).

* An indication of the growth of volleyball in the United States is given in an article published in 1916 in the Spalding Volleyball Guide and written by Robert C. Cubbon. In that article Cubbon estimated that the number of players had reached a total of 200,000 people subdivided in the following way: in the YMCA (boys, young men, and older men) 70,000, in the YWCA (girls and women) 50,000, in schools (boys and girls) 25,000 and in colleges (young men) 10,000.

* In 1916, the YMCA managed to induce the powerful National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to publish its rules and a series of articles, contributing to the rapid growth of volleyball among young college students. In 1918 the number of players per team was limited to six, and in 1922 the maximum number of authorized contacts with the ball was fixed at three.

* Until the early 1930s volleyball was for the most part a game of leisure and recreation, and there were only a few international activities and competitions. There were different rules of the game in the various parts of the world; however, national championships were played in many countries (for instance, in Eastern Europe where the level of play had reached a remarkable standard).

* Volleyball thus became more and more a competitive sport with high physical and technical performance.

(Source: http://www.fivb.org/en/volleyball/History.asp)

B. Facilities * Volleyball Court Dimensions * The Volleyball court is 60 feet by 30 feet in total. The net in placed in the center of the court, making each side of the net 30 feet by 30 feet. * Center Line * A center line is marked at the center of the court dividing it equally into 30 feet squares, above which the net is placed.

* Attack Line * An attack line is marked 10 feet of each side of the center line.

* Service Line * A service line, the area from which the server may serve the volleyball, is marked 10 feet inside the right sideline on each back line.

* The Net * The net is placed directly above the center line, 7 feet 4 inches above the ground for women and 8 feet above the ground for men.

* Poles * Volleyball poles should be set at 36 feet apart, 3 feet further out from the sidelines.

* Ceiling Height * The minimum ceiling height should be 23 feet, though they should preferably be higher.
(Source: http://www.topendsports.com/sport/volleyball/equipment.htm)

C. Scoring * Overview * There are two scoring methods used for volleyball. The first is known as sideout scoring, which basically means the only team that can score is the team that is serving. If the non-serving team hits the ball in the opponents' court or their opponents make an error, they earn the right to serve only. With rally scoring, either team can score regardless of who the serving team is. Games typically must be won by a minimum of two points with both scoring systems.

* Rally Scoring * With rally scoring, teams score a point when the other team fails to return the ball over the net, hits the ball out of bounds, commits an infraction or makes a service error.

* Sideout Scoring * In sideout scoring, the serving team scores a point when the opponents fail to return the ball over the net, hit the ball out of bounds or commit an infraction. The non-serving team will earn the right to serve when the opponents fail to return the ball over the net, hit the ball out of bounds, commit an infraction or make a service error.

* Rally Game Parameters * In rally scoring, games are played until a team scores 25 points, provided there is at least a two-point margin of victory. Matches are typically decided by the best three-out-of-five games format. If a fifth game is played, the team that scores 15 points first is the winner, provided there is a two-point margin of victory.

* Sideout Game Parameters * With sideout scoring, all games are played to 15, provided there is at least a two-point margin of victory. Some organizations will put a cap on sideout scoring, so that the first team to reach 17 points is the winner of a game, even if the two-point margin is not present.

(Source: http://www.livestrong.com/article/85456-volleyball-scoring-rules/)

D. Equipment * The Ball * The standard volleyball is made of leather or synthetic leather, weighs between 9 and 10 ounces and has a circumference of 25.6 to 26.4 inches. The ball has a rubber bladder and can be one color or a combination of colors. Synthetic leather is lighter and is fine for beginner players. Junior volleyballs for children 12 years old and younger weigh between 7 and 8 ounces.

* The Net and Court * The outdoor volleyball court measures 18 x 9 m, surrounded by a free zone that is 2 meters wide on all sides. The minimum playing space for U.S. volleyball competitions is 7 meters. The volleyball net is 32 feet long by 3 feet wide. For women, the net should be 7 feet, 4 1/8 inches high. For men, the net should be 7 feet, 11 5/8 inches high. U.S. regulation volleyball playing surfaces must be flat and not present any hazards to the players.

* Lines * The playing court is marked by two sidelines and two end lines. All lines must be 2 inches wide and must be created with a light color that is easy to discern from the playing court. An attack line should be placed three meters from the center line. The center line divides the court into two 9 x 9 meter courts.

* Posts and Cables * The volleyball net structure is held together with metal cables and posts. Posts are placed 0.5 to 1.0 meter outside the sidelines and 2.55 meters high. Posts should be round, smooth and padded, to prevent injury to the players should they dive or crash into them. Metal wires and cables may need to be covered if it is determined that they present a danger to the players.

* Antenna and Side Bands * Antenna are flexible rods that are 1.8 meters long made of fiberglass, fastened at the outer edge of each side band. Side bands are two white bands attached vertically to the net and placed above each sideline.

* Knee pads * Knee pads should be sturdy enough to protect your knees from falls, slides and dives, but flexible enough to allow you to bend comfortably. Your volleyball knee pads must be made of fabric that breathes and manages moisture. Good quality pads have a gel or foam shock-absorbing material that will cover and protect your patella. It is best to purchase your pads from a reliable sporting goods store that will allow you to try them on. If you have difficulty finding the right fit, have the store professional measure you and order custom-fit pads. Popular volleyball knee pad brands include Asics, Mizuno, adidas, Nike and Mikasa.

* Shoes * Arch and ankle support is key when choosing a volleyball shoe. Mizuno, Asics and Nike are just a few of the popular brands of volleyball shoes, which are lightweight, allowing you to be faster on your feet, as well as bearing good shock absorption on your toes. Volleyball shoes also provide for better lateral movement than typical running or cross-training shoes.

* Clothing and Jewelry * All clothing should be lightweight to allow maximum flexibility and breath-ability, as well as made of a material that absorbs sweat and keeps skin dry. Spandex shorts are a good option, as they are flexible, light and absorb odor. Socks, while not required, absorb sweat and prevent blisters. Jewelry is not permitted in volleyball, with the exception of smooth wedding bands. Glasses must be worn with a strap to keep them secure.
(Source: http://healthyliving.azcentral.com/basic-equipment-used-volleyball-1714.html)

E. Rules * Volleyball is a complex game of simple skills. The ball is spiked from up to 60 cm above the height of a basketball hoop (about 3.65 metres) and takes fractions of a second to travel from the spiker to the receiver. That means the receiver must assess incoming angle, decide where to pass the ball and then control their pass in the blink of an eye. A purely rebound sport (you can't hold the ball), volleyball is a game of constant motion.

* A team can touch the ball three times on its side of the net. The usual pattern is a dig (an underarm pass made with the forearms), a set (an overhead pass made with the hands) and a spike (the overhead attacking shot). The ball is served into play. Teams can also try to block the opponent's spike as it crosses the net. A block into your own court counts as one of your three touches in beach volleyball, but not in volleyball.

* There are six players on court in a volleyball team, who each must rotate one position clockwise every time their team wins back service from the opposition. Only the three players at the net positions can jump and spike or block near the net. The backcourt players can only hit the ball over the net if they jump from behind the attack line, also known as the three-metre line, which separates the front and back part of the court.

* Volleyball has developed into a very specialised sport. Most teams will include in their starting line-up a setter, two centre blockers, two receiver-hitters and a universal spiker. Only certain players will be involved with service reception. Players will also have specialist positions for attack and defence. Substitutions are allowed during the game.

* Since 1998, volleyball bas been using a new scoring system. Teams scored a point on every rally (Rally Point System), regardless of which team served. Formerly, a team could only win a point if it served the ball. Winning the serve back from the opposition was known as a side-out.

* Matches are played best of five sets. The first four sets are played to 25 points, with the final set being played to 15 points. A team must win a set by two points. There is no ceiling, so a set continues until one of the teams gains a two-point advantage. Previously, all sets were to 15 points, with the first four sets having a ceiling of 17 and the final set requiring at least a two-point winning advantage. * In 1998, the FIVB introduced a new specialist role: the libero. This player wears a different coloured uniform from the rest of the team and can be substituted in backcourt for any player on the team. The libero cannot serve, spike the ball over the net or rotate into the front-line positions, but plays a vital role for the team in serve reception and backcourt defence. There must be at least one point played between a libero substituting off for a player and going back on the court for another player – hence he/she cannot be on the court for the whole game. The libero has added an extra dimension to backcourt defence, improving the reception of teams, lengthening the rallies and giving a vital role to shorter players.

(Source: http://www.fivb.org/en/volleyball/Basic_Rules.asp)