top of page

Fundamentals of Volleyball

There are many aspects of a volleyball game.  The most well known are the serve, the pass (bump), set, and hit (spike).  Other contacts include the serve, block, overhead pass, pancake, down-ball, push, etc.  Below are the most common contacts made on the volleyball floor with a brief description.

The Forearm Pass

 

This contact is generally the first contact made after the serve or on defense after the ball has been hit (spiked) by the other team.  The player gets into position, making sure the ball is between her and the net, and then puts her fist inside her hands, extends her arms out, drops her thumbs and passes the ball to her setter.

 

The forarm pass is the most common of all contacts and should be practiced from beginners all the way to the college level.

 

Additional Terms:  "Free Ball"--When a player passes the ball to the opposing side on the second or third hit, the receiving team considers this a free ball, a considerabley easier contact than an overhead attack.  For more information visit prior Olympian, Bev Oden's article on forearm passing.

The Set or Overhead Pass

 

This contact is a more controlled way to place the ball in a specific location.  The difference between the terms "set" and "overhead pass" are the player performing the action.  Most players make this skill much more difficult than it is.  It requires simultaneous contact by both hands with a specific velocity to reach the target (the same skills required of the pass).  This skill should be taught to all players and should be practiced from beginners all the way to college level.

 

Additional Terms: "Push"--This is an attack move to strategically place the ball in the opponents court for a point.  It's is also an option when the hitter is unable to  execute a proper hitting motion on the ball.  For more information visit Bev Oden's article on setting.

The Attack

 

This is the premier contact on a volleyball team.  It is also called a hit or spike.  When executed properly, it is a jump and full swing at the net in an effort to put the ball on the opposing teams court with such velocity, that it can not be returned.  This is an advanced skill and when teaching younger players, should begin with the proper swing technique, then add the jump as  coordination progresses.

 

Additional Terms:  "Down-Ball," "Roll," "Tip"--A down ball is an overhead, one handed swinging attack while standing on the floor.  A roll is an off-speed attack that causes the ball to top-spin.  This can be done standing or jumping.  The tip is a finger-tip attack to strategically place the ball in the opposing court.  For more information visit Bev Oden's article on hitting.

The Serve

Game play is initiated by serve.  The underhand serve is typically used by beginners, and as they get stronger will transition to an overhand serve.  Typical types of overhand serves are the top-spin, floater and jump serve.  The advanced player will choose a specific location and type of serve in order to gain the advantage by either a direct point, or a resulting free-ball.  The server must stand beyond the end line until after contact is made.  Once the ball is served, the player enters the court to play defense.  A missed serve is one that goes out of bounds, does not break plane of the net, or is served outside the antenna.

 

Additional Terms: "Ace"-- A serve that directly results in a point.

Third Party Web Site Link Disclaimer: Any link found on the So-Mo  Volleyball Website is only for the entertainment, learning, or convenience of our visitors.  Any links that take the visitor to other sites are done at your own risk and Southern Missouri Volleyball Academy accepts no liability for any of the linked sites or their content. Southern Missouri Volleyball Academy has no control over the content of other web sites. Any link from the So-Mo Volleyball web site does not mean that Southern Missouri Volleyball Academy endorses that site. All visitors should take the appropriate and necessary precautions to protect themselves from any hazardous or destructive viruses, worms, etc. When viewing other sites, visitors should take notice of that respective web sites privacy policy and any other terms to learn how they use any identifiable information made available to them.

bottom of page