8th Grade
VOLLEYBALL STUDY GUIDE
Volleyball is a game that is played indoors or outdoors. Its playing surface can
be grass, sand, or gymnasium floor. Volleyball is a fast pace game played by men, women or in a coed format.
Volleyball was first developed in the United States by William G. Morgan in Holyoke, Massachusetts, 1895 at the YMCA.
It was created for businessmen who required a game that involved less physical contact than basketball. In 1928, the
YMCA published the official rules of the game of volleyball and created the United States Volleyball Association (which
recently was renamed to USA Volleyball) to enforce the rules of the game.
THREE ESSENTIAL SKILLS OF VOLLEYBALL
FOREARM PASS: is the most frequently used skill in the game of volleyball. Used when the ball
is below the player's head. The forearm pass is often used to receive the other team's serve and
to pass the ball to the setter.
 CUES
o Hands together, thumbs down
o On your toes, Knees Bent
o LIFT (with legs), SHRUG (with shoulders)
o DO NOT SWING YOUR ARMS!!!!
SETTING: is generally an overhead pass that is directed to the point where the attacker can best hit for a
kill. Setting is a very accurate way of passing the ball. Usually you have the center middle person try and
be the setter.
 CUES
o Index fingers and thumbs together
o Look through the window, above your forehead
o Legs and arms act like a spring
o Push the ball up and out with your finger pads
SERVING: is an integral part of a volleyball match. A highly effective serve will score an outright winner called an
ACE (See below). There are two types of serves: overhand serve or underhand serve (in the middle school we
stressed the underhand serve). This is used to put the ball into play.
 ACE: when a team is unable to play the ball after the first contact of the serve
 CUES (for an underhand serve)
o Feet together, ball in your non-dominant hand
o Step with your opposite foot
o Keep ball still while contacting it
o Contact the ball with the heel of your hand
RULES OF THE GAME
 A team consists of six players
 A point is scored on every serve (called "rally scoring"). The team that wins the rally scores the point and serves
next.
 Players rotate every time their team wins the serve from the other team. Players rotate in a clockwise direction.
 A ball that lands on the line is considered in bounds.
 Each team is allowed 3 hits of the ball before it goes over the net.
 Each player is only allowed 1 consecutive hit of the ball.
 A ball that hits the net and goes over is legal, and play continues.
 A player may NOT contact the net at any time.
 The ball may be hit with any part of the body, but not with an underhand motion.
FOULS/ERRORS
 A player holds or throws the ball (CARRY)
 A player touches the net with any part of the body or hands
 A player does not clearly hit the ball or allows the ball to come to rest on any part or parts of the body (LIFT)
 A player hits the ball out of the boundaries of the court
 You many not touch the net at any time
 During a volley a player may not hit the ball twice in succession
 You cannot attack or spike a ball that is just being served
 A players fails to make a good serve
SEQUENCE FOR VOLLEYBALL – When the ball comes over the net this is the sequence that you want to try to use to get
the ball back over the net.
 Bump, Set, Over
SCORING – A point is given every time someone serves regardless of who which team serves the ball. Girls and boys
play to 25 points, must win by 2 points or more. In Physical Education class we play to varying point totals.
ROTATION – Players move or rotate on the floor clockwise using the net as twelve O’clock. Players only rotate when
your team has won the serve back from the other team.
NET HEIGHTS
 Men play on a net that is 8 feet tall
 Women play on a net that is 7 feet, 6 inches tall
COURT DIAGRAM
Side-Line
N
E
T
End-Line
Attack
Line
N
E
T
Attack
Line
End-Line
N
E
T
Side-Line