Volleyball Terms: Court Terminology
10 Foot Line / 3 Meter Line - The line ten feet from the center of the volleyball court that signifies where a back row player must leave the ground in order to attack the ball.
Angle - Hitting across the court in a diagonal fashion from the pin to the opposite side.
Back Row - The three volleyball players in the rotation that are positioned behind the 10 Foot Line. By rule, they cannot attack the volleyball without leaving the ground before the 10-Foot Line.
Front Row - The three volleyball players in the rotation that are closest to the net and therefore can attack the volleyball while being in front of the 10-Foot Line.
Line - Hitting straight from the pin down the line in efforts to avoid the block.
Seam - Hitting between the double or triple block.
Volleyball Terms: Actions
Back Row Attack - A type of volleyball attack in which a back row player leaves the ground prior to the ten foot line and spikes the ball over the net.
Block - A volleyball block occurs when one or more front row players stop the opponents attack from crossing the net and send the ball back onto the side in which it came.
Bump Pass - A volleyball pass in which the player strikes the volleyball with their flattened forearms.
Cover the Hitter - Surrounding your teammate while they hit the volleyball in an effort to pop the ball back up if it gets blocked by the opposing team.
Dig - A volleyball dig occurs when a player passes the ball that has been attacked by the opposing team.
Dime - A slang volleyball term for a perfect pass to the setter.
Double Hit - The illegal action of a player hitting the volleyball twice in a row.
Float Serve (Floater) - A volleyball serve in which the player strikes the volleyball with an open hand and subsequently stops the follow through thus creating a serve with little spin and erratic movement (similar to a knuckleball in baseball).
Gator - A type of two handed volleyball dig made popular by beach volleyball players. Learn from the best and let Danny Kinda show you how it’s done.
Hitting Approach - The steps and subsequent arm swing that take place in preparation to attack the volleyball.
Joust - Two opposing blockers reaching the ball above the volleyball net at the same time and attempting to push it to the opposite side.
Jump Serve - A volleyball serve in which the player tosses the volleyball, takes a hitting approach, and strikes the ball in a spiking motion over the volleyball net.
Kill - A volleyball hit that immediately results in a point for the attacking team.
Overhead Pass - A volleyball pass in which the player controls the volleyball with their fingertips while their face is below the ball and elbows are flared out to the sides.
Pancake - Sliding your hand in between the volleyball and the floor just before the ball makes contact therefore popping it back up into play.
Roll - An off-speed shot with spin that is hit with less than full power.
Roof - A slang volleyball term for blocking the opponent’s attack straight down to the ground thus resulting in a point for the team on defense.
Set - Directing a ball to a certain location so a hitter can attack the volleyball.
Setter Dump - Sending the volleyball to the opposing team’s side of the court on the second contact. Usually performed in a way to disguise the action and therefore catching the other team off guard.
Sky Serve - A volleyball serve (most seen in beach volleyball) in which the player strikes the ball in an upward motion sending the volleyball as high as possible in hopes the opposing team misjudges where the ball will land.
Soft Block - A blocking technique in which the player takes a slight step off of the volleyball net and jumps while raising their open hands towards the ceiling to slow the attack for the defense behind them.
Tip - An off-speed shot sent over the net with a players fingertips.
Tool - A volleyball hit that goes off of the opposing block and drops to the floor for a point.
Touch - A blocker or defensive player making contact with the volleyball after it was attacked by the opposing team.
Transition - The switch between offense and defense.
Underhand Serve - A volleyball serve in which the player strikes the ball underhand thus creating a “rainbow” trajectory over the volleyball net.
Volleyball Hit - A volleyball hit occurs when a player strikes the ball in an offensive manner in efforts to have it land on the opposing team’s side of the court.
Volleyball Terms: Set Terminology
(descriptions of set locations coincide to player facing the volleyball net)
A Set - A set for a back row player that is located near the left sideline.
Back One - A quick set to the middle hitter that is located just behind the setter.
Bic - A volleyball set for a back row player that is located in line with the setter’s left shoulder. It is a quick set that is usually run in conjunction with a one.
D Set - A volleyball set for a back row player that is located near the right sideline.
Five Set (Back Set) - A front row set to the opposite hitter located close to the net on the right side of the court.
Four - A front row set to the outside hitter located close to the net on the left side of the court. This set is usually arched and the slowest of the sets to the outside hitter.
One - A quick set to the middle hitter that is located just in front of the setter.
Pipe - A set for a back row player that is located in the middle of the court.
Shoot - A quick set to the outside hitter located close to the net on the left side of the court. This is a timing set and is therefore intended to beat the block set by the opposing opposite hitter.
Slide - A quick back set to the right side pin for the middle hitter.
Tandem - A volleyball play in which the middle runs a one ball while the outside hitter runs a two ball to the left of the middle.
Three (Thirty One) - A fast moving set located between the middle of the volleyball court and the left sideline. It is intended to split the opposing middle hitter and opposite thus leaving no block.
Two - A set straight up above the setter that is usually 3 - 5 feet above the net.
X - A volleyball set in which the middle runs a one ball and the opposite crosses behind and runs a two ball to the left of the middle.
Volleyball Terms: Misc. Terminology
4-2 - A volleyball system in which there are two setters. In this system, the setter is always front row and there are always two hitters.
5-1 - A volleyball system in which there is one setter.
6-2 - A volleyball system in which there are two setters. In this system, the setter is always back row and there are always three hitters.
Free Ball - An easily passable ball sent over the net by the opposing team.
Hitting Percentage = Kills - Errors / Attempts
Out of Rotation - Illegally starting a point (prior to the serve) while not in the correct rotation. The players are free to move laterally once the opposing server makes contact with the ball.
Rally Scoring - A type of scoring where both the serving team and serve receiving team can earn a point.
Rotations - Volleyball rotations are the clockwise rotation of players through the serving position.
Shag - Gathering the loose balls and placing them in the volleyball carts.
Side Out - A change in which team is currently serving the volleyball. This occurs when the serve receive team scores a point and therefore becomes the serving team.
Side Out Scoring - A type of scoring where you are only rewarded a point if you are serving.
Tape - The top of the volleyball net.
Volleyball Game (Set) - A single volleyball game that is played to a predetermined amount of points.
Volleyball Match - A group of volleyball sets ending when a team wins the best of 3 or best of 5.
Volleyball Terms: Positional Terminology
Libero - A defensive specialist who stays in the game the entire time but never goes into the front row in regards to the volleyball rotation. Once in the game, they can never cross the height of the net if they chose to attack a ball.
Middle Hitter - The player who plays in the middle of the court while in the front row. He or she is usually the tallest player on the volleyball team and is most responsible for getting blocks for the defense.
Opposite Hitter / Right side Hitter - The player who plays on the right side of the court while in the front row. Similar to the middle hitter, this player concentrates heavily on front row defense and is tasked with blocking the opposing outside hitter.
Outside Hitter - The player who attacks the volleyball from the left side of the court while he or she is playing in the front row.
Volleyball Passer / Defensive Specialist (DS) - A player designated to play back row for another player in an effort to be better on defense.
Volleyball Spiker - The player attacking the ball in an effort to end the play and win the point.