Volleyball scoring, rules and officials
Scoring
In recent years, volleyball rules have changed how teams score points. In 1998, the rules were changed to a rally point system and this now allows both teams to score a point during a rally, regardless of which team served.
In competitive adult matches all games are played to a best of five sets. Volleyball is very different to most sports as the first four sets are played to 25 points, but if the match goes to a fifth set this game is only played to 15 points. In order to win a set, a team must win by two clear points, and as there is no ceiling to a game it could theoretically go on forever!
Rules
Volleyball England, the recognised national governing body for volleyball, beach volleyball and sitting volleyball in England specifies the following rules:
- An official volleyball court is 18 m Ă— 9 m.
- To start a point, the server can serve from anywhere behind the end line, either overarm or underarm, into the opposing team's side of the court.
- The opposing team is allowed a maximum of three touches on their side of the court before sending the ball back over the net.
- A player is not allowed to touch the ball twice in a row. However, they could hit the ball on the first and third contact.
- The ball must be hit - not caught.
- In sideout scoring, the serving team scores a point when the opponents fail to return the ball over the net, hit the ball out of bounds or commit an infraction.
- Whichever team wins the point then goes on to serve.
- Every time a team wins the serve from the other team, the players rotate their position on court clockwise so that everyone gets a chance to serve.
Officials
A first (or main) referee, second referee, a scorer and two line judges are required to umpire an official game of volleyball.
Just like most sports, the main referee upholds the rules throughout the whole game and their decision is final. However, unlike football, a volleyball team is allowed to make a formal protest with the scorer.
The second referee stands opposite the main referee and is responsible for all substitutions, timeouts and the actions of the scorer's table.
The official scorer keeps track of the score throughout the volleyball game and they also note down all the players' names.
Similar to tennis, an official game needs two to four line judges governing each game.