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Volleyball

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Sports

   Volleyball is an Olympic sport in which two teams separated by a high
   net use their hands, arms, or (rarely) other parts of their bodies to
   hit a ball back and forth over the net. Each team is allowed three hits
   to get the ball over the net to the other team. A point is scored if
   the ball hits the ground in the opponents' court, if the opponents
   commit a fault, or if they fail to return the ball properly.
   Volleyball game
   Enlarge
   Volleyball game

   Volleyball can be a very active sport that can be an excellent source
   for aerobic exercise. It also helps players improve their hand-eye
   coordination and the ability to override the instinctive desire to
   dodge a fast-moving object such as a ball.

History of the game

   On February 9, 1895, in Holyoke, Massachusetts, William G. Morgan, a
   YMCA physical education director, created a new game called Mintonette
   as a pastime to be played preferably indoors and by any number of
   players. The game took some of its characteristics from tennis and
   handball. Another indoor sport, basketball, was catching on in the
   area, having been invented just ten miles (sixteen kilometres) away in
   the city of Springfield, Massachusetts only four years before.
   Mintonette (as volleyball was then known) was designed to be an indoor
   sport less rough than basketball for older members of the YMCA, while
   still requiring a bit of athletic effort.

   The first rules, written down by William G. Morgan, called for a net 6
   feet 6 inches (1.98 metres) high; a 25 × 50 foot (7.6 × 15.2 metre)
   court; and any number of players. A match was composed of 9 innings
   with 3 serves for each team in each inning; and no limit to the number
   of ball contacts for each team before sending the ball to the
   opponents’ court. In case of a serving error, a second try was allowed
   while a ball hitting the net was to be considered a foul (with loss of
   the point or a side-out) — except in the case of the first-try serve.
   To protect the fingers of the ladies, they were allowed to catch the
   ball and then throw it back into play.

   After an observer, Alfred Halstead, noticed the volleying nature of the
   game at its first exhibition match in 1896 played at the Springfield
   YMCA, the game quickly became known as volleyball (originally spelled
   as two words volley ball). Volleyball rules were slightly modified by
   the Springfield YMCA and spread around the country to other YMCA
   locations.

   An international federation, the Fédération Internationale de
   Volleyball (FIVB), was founded in 1947, and the first World
   Championships were held in 1949 for men and 1952 for women. Volleyball
   was added to the program of the Olympic Games in 1964, and has been
   part ever since. Beach volleyball became a FIVB-endorsed variation in
   1986 and was added to the Olympic program at the 1996 Summer Olympics.

   It was not until 1900 that a ball was made specifically for the new
   game, and the rules were not how we know them today. It took until 1916
   for the skill and power of the set and spike to be introduced, and four
   years later a "three hits" rule and back row hitting guidelines were
   established. In 1917, the game was changed from 21 to 15 points. In
   1919, American Expeditionary Forces distributed 16,000 volleyballs to
   their troops and allies: this provided a stimulus for the growth of
   volleyball outside the United States.

   The first country outside the United States to adopt volleyball was
   Canada in 1900. The sport is now popular in Brazil, all of Europe
   (where especially Italy, Netherlands and Serbia are major forces since
   the late Eighties), Russia, other countries including China and the
   rest of Asia, as well as the United States. The FIVB estimates that 1
   in 6 people in the world participate in or observe indoor volleyball,
   beach volleyball, or backyard (recreational) volleyball.

Rules

   Volleyball court
   Volleyball court

Equipment

   The game is played on volleyball courts 18 metres long and 9 metres
   wide, divided into two 9 x 9 metre courts by a one-metre wide net
   placed so that the top of the net is 2.43 metres above the centre of
   the court for men's competition, and 2.24 metres for women's
   competition (these heights are varied for veterans and junior
   competitions). There is a line 3 metres from and parallel to the net in
   each team court which is considered the "attack line". This "3 metre"
   line divides the court into "back row" and "front row" areas. These are
   in turn divided into 3 areas each: these are numbered as follows,
   starting from area "1", which is the position of the serving player:
   4 3 2
   5 6 1

   After a team gains the serve (also known as siding out), its members
   must rotate in a clockwise direction, with the player previously in
   area "2" moving to area "1" and so on, with the player from area "1"
   moving to area "6" (see also the Errors and Faults section).

   The team courts are surrounded by an area called the free zone which is
   a minimum of 3 metres wide and which the players may enter and play
   within after the service of the ball. All lines denoting the boundaries
   of the team court and the attack zone are drawn or painted within the
   dimensions of the area and are therefore a part of the court or zone.
   If a ball comes in contact with the line, the ball is considered to be
   "in". An antenna is placed on each side of the net perpendicular to the
   sideline and is a vertical extension of the side boundary of the court.
   A ball passing over the net must pass completely between the antennae
   (or their theoretical extensions to the ceiling) without contacting
   them.

   The volleyball is made of leather or synthetic leather and inflated
   with compressed air. It is round and 65-67 cm in circumference.

Game play

   Each team consists of six players, three located in front of the attack
   line and three behind.

   To get play started, a team is chosen to serve by coin toss. A player
   from the serving team (the server) throws the ball into the air and
   attempts to hit the ball so it passes over the net on a course such
   that it will land in the opposing team's court (the serve). The
   opposing team must use a combination of no more than three contacts
   with the volleyball to return the ball to the opponent's side of the
   net. These contacts usually consist first of the bump or pass so that
   the ball's trajectory is aimed towards the player designated as the
   setter; second of the set (an over-hand pass using wrists to push
   finger-tips at the ball) by the setter so that the ball's trajectory is
   aimed towards one or more players designated as the attacker and third
   by the attacker who spikes (jumping, raising one arm above the head and
   hitting the ball so it will move quickly down to the ground on the
   opponent's court) to return the ball over the net. The team with
   possession of the ball that is trying to attack the ball as described
   is said to be on offense.

   The team on defense attempts to prevent the attacker from directing the
   ball into their court by having players at the net jump and reach above
   the top (and if possible, across the plane) of the net in order to
   block the attacked ball. If the ball is hit around, above, or through
   the block, the defensive players arranged in the rest of the court
   attempt to control the ball with a dig (a fore-arm pass of a
   hard-driven ball). After a successful dig, the team transitions to
   offense.

   The game continues in this manner until the ball touches the court
   within the boundaries or until an error is made.

Errors and faults

     * The ball lands out of the court, in the same court as the team that
       touched it last, under the net to the opposing team's court, or the
       ball touches the net "antennas". The ball also may not pass over or
       outside the antennas even if it lands in the opponents' court^1.
     * The ball is touched more than three times before being returned to
       the other team's court^2.
     * The same player touches the ball twice in succession^3.
     * A player "lifts" or "carries" the ball (the ball remains in contact
       with the player's body for too long).
     * A player touches the net with any part of his or her body or
       clothing while making a play on the ball (with the exception of the
       hair).
     * The players of one team do not manage to touch the ball before the
       ball lands in their half of the court.
     * A back-row player spikes the ball while it is completely above the
       top of the net, unless he or she jumped from behind the attack line
       (the player is however allowed to land in front of the attack
       line).
     * A back-row player attempts to block an opposing team's attack by
       reaching above the top of the net.
     * The libero, a defensive specialist who can only play in the back
       row, makes an "attacking hit", defined as any shot struck while the
       ball is entirely above the top of the net.
     * A player completes an attack hit from higher than the top of the
       net when the ball is coming from an overhand finger pass (set) by a
       libero in the front zone.
     * A player is not in the correct position at the moment of serve, or
       serves out of turn. This type of foul is related to the position
       currently occupied by the players (see the table in the Equipment
       section). When ball is served, players can place themselves freely
       on the field (e.g. a "back-row" player can be close to the net) so
       long as they obey the following rules: The area "1" player must be
       behind the area "2" player and to the right of the area "6" player.
       The area "6" player must be behind area "3" player, to the left of
       area "1" player and to the right of area "5". The area "5" player
       must be behind the area "4" player and to the left of the area "6"
       player. Symmetric rules must be respected by the front-row players
       (those in areas "2", "3" and "4").
     * When hitting, a player makes contact with the ball in the space
       above the opponent's court (in blocking an attack hit, this is
       allowed).
     * A player touches the opponent's court with any part of his or her
       body except the feet or hands^4.
     * When serving, a player steps on the court or the endline before
       making contact with the ball.
     * A player takes more than 8 seconds to serve.

     * At the moment of serve, one or more players jump, raise their arms
       or stand together at the net in an attempt to block the sight of
       the ball from the opponent (screening)^5.

   Notes: ^1 If the ball passes outside the antennas on the first contact
   for the team, e.g. as the result of a bad pass or dig, a player is
   allowed to go after the ball as long as he or she does not touch the
   opponent's court and the ball travels back to his or her team's court
   also outside the antennas.

   ^2 Except if a player blocks (touches a ball sent over the net by the
   opposing team, while reaching above the top of the net) a ball that
   stays in the blocker's side of the net. In such an instance the blocker
   may play the ball another time without violating the rule against
   playing the ball twice in succession. If the ball is touched during a
   block, that contact is not considered one of the team's three contacts.

   ^3 At the first hit of the team, the ball may contact various parts of
   the body consecutively provided that the contacts occur during one
   action. Also, when a player touches the ball on a block, he or she may
   make another play on the ball.

   ^4 Penetration under the net with hands or feet is allowed only if a
   portion of the penetrating hands or feet remains in contact with or
   directly above the player's court or centre line.

   ^5 Screening is only a fault if the players stand directly next to each
   other in a way that clearly impedes vision, and the serve is a low line
   drive over their heads. (This is a judgment call by the referee. Teams
   are generally given a warning before being sanctioned for screening.)

Scoring

   When the ball contacts the floor within the court boundaries or an
   error is made, the team that did not make the error is awarded a point,
   whether they served the ball or not. The team that won the point is
   awarded the right to serve for the next point. If the team that won the
   point served the previous point, the same player serves again. If the
   team that won the point did not serve the previous point, the players
   of the team rotate their position on the court in a clockwise manner.
   The game continues, with the first team to score 25 points (and be two
   points ahead) awarded the set. Matches are best-of-five sets and the
   fifth set (if necessary) is usually played to 15 points. (Scoring
   differs between leagues, tournaments, and levels; high schools
   sometimes play best-of-three to 30; in the NCAA games are played
   best-of-five to 30.)

   Before 1999, points could be scored only when a team had the serve
   (side-out scoring) and all sets went up to only 15 points. The FIVB
   changed the rules in 1999 (with the changes being compulsory in 2000)
   to use the current scoring system (formerly known as rally point
   system), primarily to make the length of the match more predictable and
   to make the game more spectator- and television-friendly.

The Libero

   In 1998 the libero player was introduced internationally, the term
   meaning free in Italian; the NCAA introduced the libero in 2002. The
   libero is a player specialized in defensive skills: the libero must
   wear a contrasting jersey colour from his or her teammates and cannot
   block or attack the ball when it is entirely above net height. When the
   ball is not in play, the libero can replace any back-row player,
   without prior notice to the officials. This replacement does not count
   against the substitution limit each team is allowed per set, although
   the libero may be replaced only by the player whom they replaced.

   The libero may function as a setter only under certain restrictions. If
   she/he makes an overhand set, she/he must be standing behind (and not
   stepping on) the 3-metre line; otherwise, the ball cannot be attacked
   above the net in front of the 3-metre line. An underhand pass is
   allowed from any part of the court.

   Furthermore, a libero is not allowed to serve, according to
   international rules, with the exception of the NCAA women's volleyball
   games, where a 2004 rule change allows the libero to serve, but only in
   a specific rotation. That means, the the libero can only serve for one
   person, not all the people that he/she goes in for.

Other recent rule changes

   Other rule changes enacted in 2000 include the introduction of the let
   serve which allows play to continue even if a served ball touches the
   net as long as it continues into the opponents' court. Also, the
   service area was expanded to allow players to serve from anywhere
   behind the end line but still within the theoretical extension of the
   sidelines. Other changes were made to lighten up calls on faults for
   carries and double-touches, such as allowing multiple contacts by a
   single player ("double-hits") on a team's first contact. From 2006
   there are plans for trying new rule changes, such as having a second
   serve option when failing the first (as in tennis) or a second
   alternative libero in the team.

Skills

   Competitive teams are supposed to master six basic skills: serve, pass,
   set, attack, block and dig. Each of these skills comprises a number of
   specific techniques that have been introduced along the years and are
   now considered standard practice in high-level volleyball.

Serve

   Setting up for an overhand serve.
   Enlarge
   Setting up for an overhand serve.
   A man making a jump serve.
   Enlarge
   A man making a jump serve.
   A woman making an underhand pass or bump.
   Enlarge
   A woman making an underhand pass or bump.

   A player stands behind the baseline and serves the ball, in an attempt
   to drive it into the opponent's court. His or her main objective is to
   make it land inside the court; it is also desirable to set the ball's
   direction, speed and acceleration so that it becomes difficult for the
   receiver to handle it properly. A serve is called an "ace" when the
   ball lands directly onto the court or travels outside the court after
   being touched by an opponent.

   In contemporary volleyball, many types of serves are employed:
     * Underhand and Overhand Serve: refers to whether the player strikes
       the ball from below, at waist level, or first tosses the ball in
       the air and then hits it above shoulder level. Underhand serve is
       considered very easy to receive and is rarely employed in
       high-level competitions, and is used if a player is disabled or as
       a strategy.
     * Sky Ball Serve: a specific type of underhand serve, where the ball
       is hit so high it comes down almost in a straight line. This serve
       was invented and employed almost exclusively by the Brazilian team
       in the early 1980s and is now considered outdated.
     * Line and Cross-Court Serve: refers to whether the balls flies in a
       straight trajectory parallel to the side lines, or crosses through
       the court in an angle.
     * Spin Serve: an overhand serve where the ball gains topspin through
       wrist snapping.
     * Floater: an overhand serve where the ball is hit with no spin so
       that its path becomes unpredictable. This type of serve can be
       administered while jumping or standing. This is akin to a
       knuckleball in baseball.
     * Jump Serve: an overhand serve where the ball is first tossed high
       in the air, then the player makes a timed approach and jumps to
       make contact with the ball. There is usually much topspin imparted
       on the ball. This is the most popular serve amongst college and
       professional teams.
     * Round-House Serve: the player stands with one shoulder facing the
       net, tosses the ball high and hits it with a fast circular movement
       of the arm. The ball is hit with the palm of the hand, creating a
       bounce off spin.

Pass

   Also called reception, the pass is the attempt by a team to properly
   handle the opponent's serve or "free ball". Proper handling includes
   not only preventing the ball from touching the court, but also making
   it reach the position where the setter is standing quickly and
   precisely.

   The skill of passing involves fundamentally two specific techniques:
   underarm pass, or bump (“ bagher” in European terminology), where the
   ball touches the inside part of the joined forearms or platform, at
   waist line; and overhand pass, where it is handled with the fingertips
   above the head and is common of setters.

Set

   The set is usually the second contact that a team makes with the ball.
   The main goal of setting is to put the ball in the air in such a way
   that it can be driven by an attack into the opponent's court. The
   setter coordinates the offensive movements of a team, and is the player
   who ultimately decides which player will actually attack the ball.

   As with passing, one may distinguish between an overhand and a bump
   set. Since the former allows for more control over the speed and
   direction of the ball, the bump is used only when the ball is so low it
   cannot be properly handled with fingertips, or in beach volleyball
   where rules regulating overhand setting are more stringent. In the case
   of a set, one also speaks of a front or back set, meaning whether the
   ball is passed in the direction the setter is facing or behind the
   setter. There is also a jump set that is used when the ball is too
   close to the net. In this case the setter usually jumps off his or her
   right foot straight up to avoid going into the net. The setter usually
   stands about ⅔ of the way from the left to the right of the net and
   faces the left (the larger portion of net that he or she can see).

   Sometimes a setter refrains from raising the ball for a teammate to
   perform an attack and tries to play it directly onto the opponent's
   court. This movement is called a "dump". The most common dumps are to
   'throw' the ball behind the setter or in front of the setter to zones 2
   and 4. More experienced setters toss the ball into the deep corners or
   spike the ball on the second hit.

Attack

   An attack in progress
   Enlarge
   An attack in progress

   The attack (or spike, the slang term) is usually the third contact a
   team makes with the ball. The object of attacking is to handle the ball
   so that it lands on the opponent's court and cannot be defended. A
   player makes a series of steps (the "approach"), jumps, and swings at
   the ball.

   Ideally the contact with the ball is made at the apex of the hitter's
   jump. At the moment of contact, the hitter's arm is fully extended
   above his or her head and slightly forward, making the highest possible
   contact while maintaining the ability to deliver a powerful hit. The
   hitter uses arm swing, wrist snap, and a rapid forward contraction of
   the entire body to drive the ball. A 'bounce' is a slang term for a
   very hard/loud spike that follows an almost straight trajectory steeply
   downward into the opponent's court and bounces very high into the air.

   Contemporary volleyball comprises a number of attacking techniques:
     * Backcourt attack: an attack performed by a back row player. The
       player must jump from behind the 3-metre line before making contact
       with the ball, but may land in front of the 3-metre line.
     * Line and Cross-court Shot: refers to whether the ball flies in a
       straight trajectory parallel to the side lines, or crosses through
       the court in an angle. A cross-court shot with a very pronounced
       angle, resulting in the ball landing near the 3-metre line, is
       called a cut shot.
     * Dip/Dink/Tip/Cheat: the player does not try to make a hit, but
       touches the ball lightly, so that it lands on an area of the
       opponent's court that is not being covered by the defense.
     * Tool/Wipe/Block-abuse: the player does not try to make a hard
       spike, but hits the ball so that it touches the opponent's block
       and then bounces off-court.
     * Off-speed hit: the player does not hit the ball hard, reducing its
       acceleration and thus confusing the opponent's defense.
     * Quick hit/"One": an attack (usually by the middle blocker) where
       the approach and swing begin before the setter contacts the ball.
       The set (called a "quick set") is placed only slightly above the
       net and the ball is struck by the hitter almost immediately after
       leaving the setter's hands.
     * Slide: a variation of the quick hit that uses a low back set. The
       middle hitter steps around the setter and hits from behind him or
       her.
     * Double quick hit/"Stack"/"Tandem": a variation of quick hit where
       two hitters, one in front and one behind the setter or both in
       front of the setter, jump to perform a quick hit at the same time.
       It can be used to deceive opposite blockers and free a fourth
       hitter attacking from backcourt, maybe without block at all.

Block

   A triple block
   Enlarge
   A triple block

   Blocking refers to the actions taken by players standing at the net to
   stop or alter an opponent's attack.

   A block that is aimed at completely stopping an attack, thus making the
   ball remain in the opponent's court, is called offensive. A
   well-executed offensive block is performed by jumping and reaching to
   penetrate with one's arms and hands over the net and into the
   opponent's area. The jump should be timed so as to intercept the ball's
   trajectory prior to it crossing over the net. Palms are held deflected
   downward about 45-60 degrees toward the interior of the opponents
   court. A "roof" is a spectacular offensive block that redirects the
   power and speed of the attack straight down to the attacker's floor, as
   if the attacker hit the ball into the underside of a peaked house roof.

   You can also use a "swing block" in which the blocker wants to stay
   very close to the net (like in a regular block) and will use his/or
   arms to "swing" and block the ball. With all blocking, timing is very
   important. If you don't start at the right time, the block will not
   work. You want to start your blocking approach when the hitter begins
   to start their hitting approach.

   By contrast, it is called a defensive, or "soft" block if the goal is
   to control and deflect the hard-driven ball up so that it slows down
   and becomes more easy to be defended. A well-executed soft-block is
   performed by jumping and placing one's hands above the net with no
   penetration into the opponent's court and with the palms up and fingers
   pointing backward.

   Blocking is also classified according to the number of players
   involved. Thus, one may speak of single (or solo), double, or triple
   block.

   Successful blocking does not always result in a "roof" and many times
   does not even touch the ball. While it’s obvious that a block was a
   success when the attacker is roofed, a block that consistently forces
   the attacker away from his or her 'power' or preferred attack into a
   more easily controlled shot by the defense is also a highly successful
   block.

   At the same time, the block position influences the positions where
   other defenders place themselves while opponent hitters are spiking.

Dig

   Woman going for a dig.
   Enlarge
   Woman going for a dig.

   Digging is the ability to prevent the ball from touching one's court
   after a spike, particularly a ball that is nearly touching the ground.
   In many aspects, this skill is similar to passing, or bumping: overhand
   dig and bump are also used to distinguish between defensive actions
   taken with fingertips or with joined arms.

   Some specific techniques are more common in digging than in passing. A
   player may sometimes perform a "dive", i.e., throw his or her body in
   the air with a forward movement in an attempt to save the ball, and
   land on his or her chest. When the player also slides his or her hand
   under a ball that is almost touching the court, this is called a
   "pancake".

   Sometimes a player may also be forced to drop his or her body quickly
   to the floor in order to save the ball. In this situation, the player
   makes use of a specific rolling technique to minimize the chances of
   injuries.

Coaching

Basic principles

   Coaching for volleyball can be classified under two main categories:
   match coaching and developmental coaching. The objective of match
   coaching is to win a match by managing a team's strategy. Developmental
   coaching emphasizes player development through the re-enforcement of
   basic skills during exercises known as "drills". Drills promote
   repetition and refinement of volleyball movements, particularly in
   footwork patterns, body positioning relative to others, and ball
   contact. A coach will construct drills that simulate match situations
   thereby encouraging speed of movement, anticipation, timing, and
   team-work. At the various stages of a player's career, a coach will
   tailor drills to meet the strategic requirements of the team.

Strategy

   An image from an international match between Italy and Russia in 2005.
   A Russian player on the left has just served, with three men of his
   team next to the net moving to their assigned block positions from the
   starting ones. Two others, in the back-row positions, are preparing for
   defense. Italy, on the right, has three men in a line, each preparing
   to pass if the ball reaches him. The setter is waiting for their pass
   while the middle hitter with no. 10 will jump for a quick hit if the
   pass is good enough. Alessandro Fei (no. 14) has no passing duties and
   is preparing for a back-row hit on the right side of the field. Note
   the two liberos with different color dress. Middle hitters/blockers are
   commonly substituted by liberos in their back-row positions.
   Enlarge
   An image from an international match between Italy and Russia in 2005.
   A Russian player on the left has just served, with three men of his
   team next to the net moving to their assigned block positions from the
   starting ones. Two others, in the back-row positions, are preparing for
   defense. Italy, on the right, has three men in a line, each preparing
   to pass if the ball reaches him. The setter is waiting for their pass
   while the middle hitter with no. 10 will jump for a quick hit if the
   pass is good enough. Alessandro Fei (no. 14) has no passing duties and
   is preparing for a back-row hit on the right side of the field. Note
   the two liberos with different colour dress. Middle hitters/blockers
   are commonly substituted by liberos in their back-row positions.

Player specialization

   Players do not usually master all six skills, but rather focus on one
   or more of them in connection with the tactics employed by each team.
   The most common specialization comprises three positions:
   attacker/blocker (also differentiated in "outside" and "middle"),
   setter and liberos (defensive specialist).

   Generally, taller players with the ability to jump high are utilized as
   attackers/blockers, where they attempt to block or spike opponents'
   initial hits and return the ball at high speed on steep trajectories so
   that the ball lands before the other team has time to react.
     * Setters have the task for orchestrating the offense of the team.
       They aim for second touch and their main responsibility is to place
       the ball in the air where the attackers can hit the ball into the
       opponents' court in the easiest way possible. They have to be able
       to operate with the hitters with variety and break up the enemy's
       block. Setters need to have swift and skillful appraisal and
       tactical accuracy, and must be quick at moving around the court.

     * Liberos are defensive specialists, who are responsible for
       receiving the attack or serve (the dig) and are usually the players
       on the court with the quickest reaction time and best passing
       skills. Liberos do not necessarily need to be tall, as they never
       play at the net, allowing shorter players with strong passing
       skills to excel. A player designated as a libero for a match may
       not play other roles during that match.

     * Middle blockers or Middle hitters are players that can perform very
       fast attacks that usually take place near the setter. They are
       specialized in blocking, since they must attempt to stop equally
       fast plays from their opponents and then quickly set up a double
       block at the sides of the court. In general they are the tallest
       players, but are often less skillful defensive players.

     * Outside hitters, also known as power hitters, attack from near the
       antennas. Since most sets to the outside are high, the outside
       hitter may take a longer approach, sometimes even starting from
       outside the court sideline. An outside hitter generally relies on a
       powerful swing to score, but some offensive plays may call for an
       angled approach and/or quick attacks to confound the defense.
       Outside hitters must also master passing, since they generally help
       the libero in receiving the opponent's serve. A strong-side hitter
       is an outside hitter that specializes in attacking from the
       front-left position. This hitting position is advantageous for a
       right-handed hitter, because the set will come from the right, and
       can therefore be delivered efficiently to the hitting arm.
       Conversely, the attacker in the front-right position is the
       weak-side hitter. Since the set is coming from his left, a
       right-handed hitter in the weak-side position will have to swing
       across his body to attack. Thus, left-handedness can be a desirable
       quality in a weak-side hitter.

Formations

   The three standard volleyball formations are known as "4-2", "6-2" and
   "5-1", which refers to the number of hitters and setters respectively.
   4-2 is a basic formation used only in beginners' play, while 5-1 is by
   far the most common formation in high-level play.

4-2

   The 4-2 formation has four hitters and two setters. The setters usually
   set from the middle front position. (In the rare competitive 4-2, the
   setters more often set from the right front position.) The team will
   therefore have two front-row attackers at all times.

   The setters line up opposite each other in the rotation. The typical
   lineup has two outside hitters. By aligning like positions opposite
   themselves in the rotation, there will always be one of each position
   in the front and back rows. After service, the players in the front row
   move into their assigned positions, so that the setter is always in
   middle front. Alternatively, the setter moves into the right front and
   has both a middle and an outside attacker; the disadvantage here lies
   in the lack of an offside hitter, allowing one of the other team's
   blockers to "cheat in" on a middle block.

   The clear disadvantage to this offensive formation is that there are
   only two attackers, leaving a team with fewer offensive weapons.

   Another aspect is to see the setter as an attacking force, albeit a
   weakened force, because when the setter is in the front court they are
   able to 'tip' or 'dump', so when the ball is close to the net on the
   second touch, the setter may opt to hit the ball over with one hand.
   This means that the blocker who would otherwise not have to block the
   setter is engaged and may allow one of the hitters to have an easier
   attack.

6-2

   In the 6-2 formation, a player always comes forward from the back row
   to set. The three front row players are all in attacking positions.
   Thus, all six players act as hitters at one time or another, while two
   can act as setters. So the 6-2 formation is actually a 4-2 system, but
   the back-row setter penetrates to set.

   The 6-2 lineup thus requires two setters, who line up opposite to each
   other in the rotation. In addition to the setters, a typical lineup
   will have two middle hitters and two outside hitters. By aligning like
   positions opposite themselves in the rotation, there will always be one
   of each position in the front and back rows. After service, the players
   in the front row move into their assigned positions.

   The advantage of the 6-2 is that there are always three front-row
   hitters available, maximizing the offensive possibilities. However, not
   only does the 6-2 require a team to possess two people capable of
   performing the highly specialized role of setter, it also requires both
   of those players to be effective offensive hitters when not in the
   setter position. At the international level, only the Cuban National
   Women's Team employs this kind of formation. It is also used in Women's
   NCAA play, partially due to the variant rules used which allow 15
   substitutions per set (as opposed to the 6 allowed in the standard
   rules).

5-1

   The 5-1 formation has only one who assumes setting responsibilities
   regardless of his or her position in the rotation. The team will
   therefore have three front-row attackers when the setter is in the back
   row, and only two when the setter is in the front row, for a total of
   five.

   The player opposite the setter in a 5-1 rotation is called the opposite
   hitter. In general, opposite hitters do not pass; they stand behind
   their teammates when the opponent is serving. The opposite hitter may
   be used as a third attack option (back-row attack) when the setter is
   in the front row: this is the normal option used to increase the attack
   capabilities of modern volleyball teams. Normally the opposite hitter
   is the most technical skilled hitter of the team. Back-row attacks
   generally come from the back-right position (position 1), but are
   increasingly performed from back-centre in high-level play.

   The big advantage of this system is that the setter always has 3
   hitters to vary sets with. If the setter does this well, the opponent's
   middle blocker may not have enough time to block with the outside
   hitter, increasing the chance for the attacking team to score.

   There is another advantage: when the setter is a front-row player, he
   or she is allowed to jump and "dump" the ball onto the opponent's side.
   This too can confuse the opponent's blocking players: the setter can
   jump and dump or can set to one of the hitters. A good setter knows
   this and thus won't only jump to dump or to set for a quick hit, but as
   well to confuse the opponent.

   The 5-1 offense is actually a mix of 6-2 and 4-2: when the setter is in
   the front row, the offense looks like a 4-2; when the setter is in the
   back row, the offense looks like a 6-2.

Variations

   There are many variations on the basic rules of volleyball. By far the
   most popular of these is beach volleyball, which is played on sand with
   two people per team, and rivals the main sport in popularity.

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volleyball"
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