How to Play Volleyball

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By eHow Contributing Writer

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(33 Ratings)

Whether it’s on the beach, on the court or in the backyard, a volleyball game can bring tons of fun to any gathering. Playing volleyball doesn’t require a lot of equipment or experience, which is why it’s probably one of the most played sports in the world. It’s easy to learn, and the whole family can participate, making it a great way to bring everyone together for some friendly competition.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Volleyball
Volleyball net

Step 1

Gather your equipment and set up the playing area. Set up the net and mark the playing boundaries by using string (often included in a set) or anything else to identify the perimeters. The area should be 24 feet wide and 48 feet long, with the net at the 24-foot mark of the length. You can, of course, determine your own perimeters for a relaxed backyard game.
Step 2

Divide your friends and family into two teams. An even number of people is desirable on each side. A typical game of volleyball is played with teams of two, four or six people on each team. Decide which team gets possession of the ball first by flipping a coin.
Step 3

Serve the ball. The player positioned in the back-left corner of the field serves the ball by using their hand or arm to propel it over the net. If the ball fails to go over the net on the serve, possession moves to the opposing team. Each time the serve switches teams, players should rotate to the left to change positions and servers.
Step 4

Return the ball. Three hits are allowed on each side of the net, but no player is allowed to hit the ball more than once in a row. The point is to keep the ball from touching the ground and return it to the opposing team over the net. This rallying of the ball continues until one team does not return the ball inbounds or it touches the ground.
Step 5

Score points. In volleyball, only the serving team can score points. Each time a serve and rally sequence results in the serving team keeping possession of the ball (getting the serve over the net and not allowing the ball to touch the ground or go out of bounds), the serving team scores 1 point. If the serving team does not keep possession of the ball, the opposing team does not score a point but instead gets the opportunity to serve.
Step 6

Win the game. The team that first reaches 15 points wins the game. However, a team must win the game by more than 2 points. Thus when a score is 15 to 14, the higher-scoring team does not win until their score exceeds their opponent’s score by at least 2. Play continues as normal until this occurs.