Volleyball Terms Flashcards
The vertical rods (normally white and red) mounted near the edges of the net. The antennas are mounted directly above the sidelines and are not-in-play. Antennas are not usually used on outdoor nets
Antenna
A serve that is not passable and results immediately in a point
Ace
Fast run toward the net by a spiker before he jumps in the air
Approach
Passing or setting the ball to a teammate who attacks the ball for a kill. This stat is normally only logged for high school, college, and national/Olympic play
Assist
The offensive action of hitting the ball. The attempt by one team to terminate the play by hitting the ball to the floor on the opponents side
Attack
Receiving players’ aggressive attempt to block a spiked ball before it crosses the net
Attack block
An unsuccessful attack which does one of the following: 1) the ball lands out of bounds, 2) the ball goes into the net and terminates play or goes into the net on the third hit, 3) the ball is blocked by the opposition for a point or sideout, 4) the attacker is called for a center line violation, 5) the attacker is called for illegal contact (lift, double hit…) on the attack
Attack error
Also “hitter” or “spiker”. A player who attempts to hit a ball defensively with the purpose of terminating play in his or her teams favor
Attacker
A line 3m from the net that separates the front row players from the back row players. Commonly referred to as the “10 foot line”
Attack line
The area from the endline to the attack line
Backcourt
A set delivered behind the setter’s back, which is subsequently hit by an attacker
Back set
When a back row player attacks the ball by jumping from behind the 3m line before hitting the ball. If the back row player steps on or past the 3m line during take-off, the attack is illegal
Back row attack
A defensive play by one or more players meant to deflect a spiked ball back to the hitter’s court. It may be a combination of one, two, or three players jumping in front of the opposing spiker and contacting the spiked ball with the hands
Block
Any time the official calls a double hit, a thrown ball or a lift (except on a serve reception or attack). For our purposes, this category also includes any blocking errors (when an official calls a blocker for a violation such as going into the net, centerline violation, reaching over the net, etc.)
Ball handling error
The use of joined forearms to pass or set a ball in an underhand manner
Bump pass
A ball that falls to the floor in an area that’s surrounded by two, three, four, or more players. At the instant after the ball hits the floor, it appears as if the players are encircling and staring at a campfire
Campfire
The boundary that runs directly under the net and divides the court into two equal halves
Center line
An individual attack directed at an angle from one end of the offensive teams side if the net to the opposite sideline of the defensive teams court
Cross court shot
A spike from the hitters strong side that travels at a sharp angle across the net
Cut shot
An offensive play meant to disguise the spiker who will receive the set
Decoy
Set to be hit away from the net to confuse or disrupt the timing of the blockers
Deep set
Passing a spiked or rapidly hit ball. Slang for the art of passing an attacked ball close to the floor
Dig
A legal push of the ball around or over blockers
Dink
Two players working in unison to deflect an attacked ball at the net back to the hitters side
Double block
Successive hits or contacts by the same player (illegal)
Double hit
A game with two players on each side, most commonly played on a sand court
Doubles
A 6-player offensive system that uses five hitters and one setter
Five-one
Inside-out path of an outside spiker who hid behind a quick hitter
Flare
A serve which does not spin or rotate and therefore moves in an erratic path. This is similar to a “knuckle ball” pitch in baseball
Floater
Join your arms from the elbows to the wrists and strike the ball with the fleshy part of your forearms in an underhand motion
Forearm pass
A violation of the rules
Foul
A set 1’ from the sideline, and 1’ to 2’ above the net
Four set
A 6-player offensive system using four hitters and two setters
Four-two
A ball that will be returned by a pass rather than a spike. This is usually called aloud by the defense instructing players to move into serve receive positions
Free ball
A ball that comes to rest during contact resulting in a foul
Held ball
To jump and strike the ball with an overhand, forceful shot
Hit
Also “spiker” or “attacker”
Hitter
Kills vs. attempts
Hitting percentage
Any volleyball game with people who don’t really know how to play volleyball. A common euphemism for this type of game is “picnic volleyball”
Jungle ball
A serve that is started by the server tossing the ball into the air and jumping into and hitting the ball in its downward motion
Jump serve
An attack that results in an immediate point or side out
Kill
The marks that serve as boundaries of a court
Line
A ball spiked down an opponents sideline, closest to the hitter and outside the block
Line shot
A serve that contacts the net. If the ball dribbles over, it’s playable just like any other ball that contacts the net on the way over. If the ball fails to clear the net, it will become dead when it either hits the serving team’s court, or is contacted by a player on the serving team
Let serve
A defensive system that uses the middle back player to cover deep spikes
Middle-back
A defensive system that uses the middle back player to cover dinks or short shots
Middle-up
The original name of the game of volleyball, created by William Morgan
Mintonette
Player at the net, which is on the side away from the opponents attack
Offside block
Any ball spiked with less than maximum force but with spin
Off-speed hit
A left-front or right-front attacker normally taking an approach which starts from outside the court
Outside hitter
A pass executed with both hands open, controlled by the fingers and thumbs, played just above the forehead
Overhand pass
Serving the ball and striking it with the hand above the shoulder
Overhand serve
Refers to the positions of the players in the rotation prior to the contact of the ball when serving
Overlap
A one-handed defensive technique where the hand is extended and the palm is slid along the floor as the player dives or extension rolls, and timed so that the ball bounces off the back of the hand
Pancake
The act of reaching across and breaking the plane of the net during blocking
Penetration
A serve that results in a point (an ace by NCAA standards) as the serve is not returnable due to a bad pass by the receiver, this number includes aces
Point of service
A set (usually 2’ above the net) in which the hitter is approaching the setter, and may even be in the air, before the setter delivers the ball. This type of set requires precise timing between the setter and hitter.
Quick set
The flexed, yet comfortable, posture a player assumes before moving to contact the ball
Ready position
A serve that a player should have been able to return, but results in an ace (and only in the case of an ace). If it is a “husband/wife” play (where the ball splits the two receivers), the receiving team is given the reception error instead of an individual
Reception error
A severe penalty in which an official displays a red card. The result of a red card may be a player is disqualified, the team loses the serve, or the team loses a point. A red card may be given with or without prior yellow card as a warning; it is up to the official’s discretion
Red card
A ball that when spiked is blocked by a defensive player such that the ball deflects straight to the floor on the attacker’ side
Roof
The clockwise movement of players around the court and through the serving position following a side out
Rotation
One of the six basic skills; used to put the ball into play. It is the only skill controlled exclusively by one player
Serve
The player who puts the ball into play
Server
An unsuccessful serve in which one or more of the following occurs: 1) the ball hits the net or fails to clear the net, 2) the ball lands out of bounds, 3) the server commits a foot fault
Service error
A point the serving team scores when this player has served the ball. The point can be an immediate (in the case of an ace) or delayed (a kill or opponent attack error after a long rally). Therefore, the sum of the teams service winners equals their score
Service winner
The tactical skill in which a ball is directed to a point where a player can spike it into the opponents court
Set
The player who has the 2nd of 3 contacts of the ball who “sets” the ball with an “overhand pass” for a teammate to hit. The setter normally runs the offense
Setter
Occurs when the receiving team successfully puts the ball away against the serving team, or when the serving team commits an unforced error, and the receiving team thus gains the right to serve
Side out
Occurs when a blocker gets hit in the head or face by a spiked ball
Six pack
A 6-player offense using 2 setters opposite one another in the rotation. Setter 1 becomes a hitter upon rotating into the front row as setter 2 rotates into the back row and becomes the setter
Six-two
Also hit or attack. A ball contacted with force by a player on the offensive team who intends to terminate the ball on the opponents floor or off the opponents blocker
Spike
A serve in which the ball is given a slight under-hand toss from about waist high and then struck with the opposite closed fist in an “underhand pitching” motion
Underhand serve
When a hitter pushes the ball off of the opposing block so it lands out of bounds
Wipe
A warning from an official indicated by the display of a yellow card. Any player or coach who receives two yellow cards in a match is disqualified. A single yellow card does not result in loss of point or serve
Yellow card
