Volleyball can be played indoors or on grass or sand courts outdoors, and team sizes vary. The size of a team can refer to the number of players on the court or the number of members on the team roster, and team size affects the positioning and rotation of the players throughout the game. Although many rules are universal regardless of team size, certain rules are specific to a four-player volleyball team.
Playing Area
The court is shaped like two adjacent squares, or one large rectangle, and measures 59 feet by 29 feet, and 6 inches along its boundary. A minimum space of 9 feet, 10 inches wide surrounds the court and is called the free zone. Sand courts consist of fine sand, and grass courts are covered in uniform grass. The surface of the court should be flat, even and free of puddles or holes. Indoor courts require a hard or semi-hard gymnasium floor. Any hazardous areas within the boundaries of the court are designated out of play. Rope or tape marks the boundary lines along the edge of the court. These boundary lines are considered to extend indefinitely for the purpose of marking service zones. The ball is served from either team’s service zone, which is the free zone at each end of the rectangular court. The net should stand 7 feet, 11 5/8 inches at the middle of the court for men and 7 feet, 4 1/8 inches for women’s play.
Teams and Rotation
Four-on-four volleyball requires four players from each team to take the court at one time, but up to six members can appear on the team roster. Two players from each team stand near the net, and two stand near the back of each team’s court. When serving, one team member enters the service zone until the ball is delivered over the net, and then that player returns to a position at the back of the court. Members of the serving team do not rotate when a point is scored. When the receiving team scores a point, the team members rotate positions. The rotation order is specified by the starting lineup, and it is maintained throughout the game. The captain of each team represents his team during coin tosses, disputes and other dealings with officials.
Equipment
There are no specific uniform requirements, but players should be presentable and dressed appropriately for the competition. Sunglasses, hats and visors are not advised but can be work at a player’s own risk. Socks, booties or bare feet are preferred, but shoes without nonflexible cleats or spikes may be worn. Jewelry, pins or other potential causes of injury are forbidden on the court. The ball should be flexible leather or rubber, with a diameter from 25 1/2 inches to 26 1/2 inches, and it should weigh 9 to 10 ounces.
Scoring
A team scores a point when it serves the ball and it lands on the ground within the other team’s boundary lines. If the serving team scores a point, it continues to serve. If the ball touches the ground within the serving team’s boundaries, the receiving team rotates and becomes the serving team, but it does not score a point. Points are scored by the serving team only when the ball touches the ground on the receiving team’s side. A volleyball match can be a single game or a best-of-3 contest. In single-game matches, the first team to reach 15 points with a two-point lead wins. If a team leads by less than two points, the game continues until one team leads the other by two points. In best-of-3 matches, the first two games are played to 11 points, with the same two-point requirement to win. A third game, if any, is played to seven points and does not require a two-point lead to win.
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