One thing that I find changes overall enjoyment in not only watching sports but sometimes even in developing a desire to play a specific sport is to truly understand more about the specific sport. Once you grow a deeper knowledge about different aspects and goals of the sport more often than not you will figure out if this is a sport that you want to get involved in.
Let's go over some of the main questions asked about volleyball! Below we will talk about what exactly the sport of volleyball actually is, what the overall objective of the game is, what to wear when playing the game, what a libero is plus the differences between a libero and a defensive specialist.
What Is Volleyball?
Volleyball is played on a court between two teams divided by a net. Though teams may have up to a dozen or more players, only six of them are on the court at one time.
While there are many versions of volleyball, there are two main types: Indoor and outdoor. Both can be played competitively or for fun. Indoor volleyball is played on a smooth court. Outdoor volleyball (or Beach Volleyball) can be played on sand, grass, a concrete surface, or in the water.
How Do You Score In Volleyball?
The overall objective of volleyball is for each athlete to use skill involving teams passing a ball over the net without the ball touching the ground or going out of bounds. A ball dropping on the line counts as in bounds.
There are a lot of different plays that are used in order to return the ball over the net, including: a pass, set or a hit, which can be very exciting in playing the sport but also in watching teams play as well.
Teams earn points when their opponent errors, or fails to legally return the ball over the net. The team earning the most points in a volleyball game wins. Each game or another team that can be used is a set, a set is played to 25 points and there are usually 3-5 sets within each match depending on the level, where different rules are applied.
What Do You Wear To Play Volleyball?
Figuring out what to wear depends on whether you are playing indoor or outdoor, and competitively or for fun.
Indoor volleyball practice calls for a t-shirt, athletic shorts, socks, court shoes, and knee pads. Your formal game gear will include a jersey, shorts, socks, shoes, and knee pads.
Beach volleyball players wear swimsuits, sports bikinis, spandex tops and bottoms, full body suits, or shorts and tank-tops, depending on what their league allows it or not.
What Is A Libero?
The word ‘Libero' is an Italian word meaning "free". As in football, soccer, and other sports, indoor volleyball uses defensive specialists called liberos.
Two liberos may be chosen from a team of twelve or more players, but only one "acting libero" can be on the court at a time. Not every team has to have a libero, though. According to FIVB rules, teams have the option to designate up to two liberos for a tournament from among the list of players.
Which Player In Volleyball Wears A Different Color?
Volleyball liberos wear different colored jerseys to have them stand out from their teammates.
How Is A Libero Different Than Other Volleyball Players?
Liberos follow a little different set of rules. The libero was added to the indoor volleyball game in 1999 to liven up the game. The main differences between the libero and a defense specialist involve duties and substitution.
The Libero can only rotate in for back-row players, wears a different color of jersey, can only serve for one player, cannot jump or attack, must sit out one play before returning to the game and when used as a substitute it doesn’t count against the team’s six substitutions per set that are allowed.
A defensive specialist, on the other hand, can rotate in for any player, they are allowed to jump and attack a hit and when they are used as a substitute it does count against the team’s six allowed substitutions per set.
These are just a few of the top questions I have been asked about the sport of volleyball. However, I do know that there are many other questions that may be asked. There is never dumb question and asking to gain knowledge is always a good move!
