Dictionary of Volleyball Terms.

Volleyball Dictionary

3-meter line

n. the attack line.

31X

n. a series of plays in which the middle attacks the three (31) and the left crosses, fake-crosses, or flairs from the three-hitter.

51X

n. a series of plays in which the middle attacks the one (51) and the right crosses, fake-crosses, or flairs from the one-hitter.

4-2

n. an offense with four spikers and two setters. The setters are setters when they are in the front row, and defenders when they are in the back row.

5-1

n. an offense with five spikers and one setter.

6-2

n. an offense with four spikers and two setters. The setters are spikers when they are in the front row, and setters when they are in the back row.

10-foot line

n. the attack line. A slight misnomer since the line is actually 3 meters from the center line.

ace

n. a service ace.

angle

n., adj. cross-court.

antenna

n. a flexible rod that rises above the net to delineate the sideline boundary. The antenna is considered part of the net and is out of bounds.

assist

n. awarded when a player passes, sets, or digs the ball to a teammate who attacks the ball for a kill.

attack

n. the attempt by one team to terminate the play by hitting the ball to the floor on the opponent's side. The term refers to an individual effort or a combined team offensive pattern.

attack angle

n. the direction of a spiker's approach to a set ball and the imaginary path of the spike across the net if hit in the same line as the approach angle.

attack approach

n. the accelerating running movement of a spiker, usually involving three or four steps, to the point where the spiker jumps to hit the ball.

attack error

n. results when an attacker hits the ball out of bounds, is stuffed by the opposing blockers, hits the ball into the antenna, is called for an illegal contact, hits the ball down on his side of the net, touches the net, or is called for a line violation.

attack percentage

n. a statistic used to determine a player or team's attack effectiveness, defined as (kills - attack errors)/attack attempts. A negative attack percentage is possible (if there are more errors than kills).

attacker

n. A player who attempts to hit a ball offensively with the purpose of terminating the play in his team's favor.

attack line

n. a line three meters from, and parallel to, the net. A back-row player cannot legally attack the ball above the net unless he takes off on his jump from behind this line. See also 10-foot line, 3-meter line.

audible

n. a play called in mid-rally.

auxiliary setter

n. the player assigned to set when the designated setter cannot, usually the right-front player.

back one

n. a low, quick set behind the setter.

back row

n. the three players whose court position, according to the official scorekeeper, is near the baseline.

back set

n. a set delivered behind the setter.

back slide

n. a quick slide behind the setter.

backspin

n. the resulting movement of the ball when spin is imparted in the vertical plane in a backward direction, usually due to striking underneath the ball.

ball handling error

n. charged when a player is called for mishandling the ball (usually a lift or a double hit) while digging or setting.

baseline

n. the back boundary of the court. See also endline.

beach dig

n. an overhead dig characterized by using open hands, fingers straight but together, either with thumbs alongside each other or the front of one hand pressed against the back of the other hand. It is often executed with a pushing motion, considered illegal indoors but legal outdoors.

block

n.

1.

the combination of one, two, or three players jumping in front of the opposing spiker and contacting the spiked ball with the hands. v.

2.

the action of stopping or slowing a spiked ball with the hands above the net.

block assist

n. awarded when two or three players block the ball into the opponent's court for a point of side-out. Each player received a block assist even if only one player actually blocks the ball.

block attempt

n. the action of blocking without touching the ball.

block error

n. charged when the blocker touches the net, or is called for a line violation, illegal contact, back row block, or reaching over the net.

block solo

n. awarded when one player blocks the ball into the opponent's court for a point of side-out. That player is the only blocker attempting to block the ball.

blocker(s)

n. the player(s) responsible for blocking the opponent's attack.

block shadow

n. the shadow of the block.

break

n. an abrupt change of direction in the attacker's approach.

break point

n. the spot where the attacker changes direction.

broad jump

n. a forward jump in the attacker's approach.

bump

n. descriptive slang for forearm passing.

center line

n. the line which lies in the plane of the net and extends from sideline to sideline, dividing the court.

camel toe

n. a ball struck with knurled fingers.

chain of command

n. the levels of authority on the team.

cobra

n. a ball struck with straight, locked fingertips

collapse

n. a defensive posture where a defensive player sits over one heel while playing a ball and rolls on his back. Used to play balls close to the floor and to cushion hard spikes during retrieval attempts, this skill is also known as a half roll.

combination

n. an offensive play that includes two or more players who attack in concert.

commit

n. a blocking scheme in which one player, usually the middle blocker, jumps with, and attempts to stuff, the quick attacker.

complementary set

n. a medium-height set that combines with the quick set.

control block

n. a block attempt that deflects and slows down a spiked ball so the back-row defenders can easily play it.

counter-rotate

n. a backcourt defense in which the off-blocker moves near the block and the middle-back moves to the cross-court corner.

cover the hitter

v. to perform spike coverage.

creep

v. to move stealthily so as to escape notice.

cross

n.

1.

a combination in which the path of one attacker crosses the path of another.

2.

cross-court.

crossover

n. a lateral footwork pattern in which the second step crosses over the first, used to cover medium distances.

cross-court

n., adj. an individual attack directed at an angle from one end of the offensive team's side of the net to the opposite sideline of the defensive team's court.

cross step

n. a footwork pattern designed to allow a player to move quickly to a correct, balanced precontact position in either forearm or overhead passing.

deep

adj. away from the net, toward the endline.

defensive system

n. a team tactical system of deploying players to positions to defend against an opponent's attack. An effective system deploys players in the areas most likely to be attacked and takes the strengths and weaknesses of the individual defenders into account.

dig

n.

1.

the act of retrieving an attacked ball close to the floor.

2.

Awarded when a player successfully passes a ball which has been attacked by the opposition.

dink

n., v. slang for tip.

disappear

v. to position oneself behind a teammate attacker so as to be hidden from the blocker's view.

dive

n., v. a defensive retrieval technique in which a player extends for a ball near the floor, causing both feet to leave the floor. The player contacts the ball with one or both arms and slides on the abdomen and thighs.

double block

n., v. a block formed by two players.

double contact

n. contacting the ball twice in succession, or the ball contacts various parts of the body successively.

double hit

n. a double contact.

double-stack

n. a commit-block scheme in which both the left and the right start behind the middle in order to follow the crossing attacker.

down ball

n. an attack, neither a hard spike nor a free ball, usually made by a player with his feet on the floor, which the defense tries to field with its back-court players only.

drive

n., v. a down-ball, normally used when the attacker does not have time to approach or the setter cannot jump.

dump

n.

1.

a ball that has been attacked by the setter on the second contact -v.

2.

to attack the ball on the second contact -interj.

3.

an exclamation made by a player to inform his teammates that the setter is attacking the ball.

extension roll

n. a defensive retrieval technique similar to a dive, except that after contacting the ball with either one or two arms, the player turns as the body contacts the floor and rolls as the momentum of the movement carries the feet over the shoulder, returning the player to his or her feet.

fake cross

n. a play that starts as a cross but changes the direction of its play-set hitter with a veer.

fake X

n. a play in which the right fake-crosses the one-hitter and then attacks to the right of the setter.

five

n. a medium-height set on the right sideline.

flair

n. a play in which the right fake-crosses the one-hitter, and then attacks on the right sideline.

float serve

n. a floater.

floater

n. a serve that moves in an unpredictable path due to lack of spin.

floor defense

n. any retrieval of an attacked ball that gets by the block.

follow

n. to move with, and then block, an attacker, often changing positions with another blocker in the process.

follower

n. the outside blocker who crosses the commit-blocker.

foot fault

n. The fault that occurs when the server steps on the end line before striking the ball, or any other active player is standing outside of the court (any part of the foot outside of the line) when the ball is served.

forearm pass

n. one of the six basic volleyball skills. It is a ball-handling skill that a player uses to legally contact the ball at a level below the waist using the forearms as the contact surface. See also bump.

four

n. a shoot that is attacked near the left sideline.

free ball

n.

1.

a slow, arcing shot, allowing an easy pass and a good attack by the receiving team. -interj.

2.

an exclamation made by a player to inform his teammates that they will receive a free ball.

front

v. to position oneself, in order to block, in front of the attacker's arm.

front-row

n. the three players whose court position, according to the official scorekeeper, is near the net.

front slide

n. a quick slide in front of the setter.

game plan

n. the team's offensive and defensive emphases for a particular opponent, usually organized by rotation.

glide

n. a long, smooth run that precedes a spike.

goofy

adj. goofy-footed.

goofy-footed

adj. a player who uses reverse footwork on his attack approach. For a right-handed player, the feet should be planted right-left just before the attack jump. If the right-handed player plants left-right, he is goofy-footed. For a left-handed player, the feet should be planted left-right just before the attack jump. If the left-handed player plants right-left, he is goofy-footed.

hit

n., v. spike.

hitter

n. an attacker.

hut

n. a medium-height set on the left sideline; the term originated from the hitter's mid-rally call to his setter.

inside

n. toward the center of the net.

inside the block

n. a ball that has been attacked in the cross-court angle so that it passes by the block nearest the center of the court.

J stroke

n. A modified forearm pass technique where the thumbs are turned up and the elbows are bent, forming a "J". This technique is used to dig hard-hit balls and balls played close to the net.

jump serve

n. a serve in which the player jumps and attacks the ball as in spiking.

jump set

n. a set executed while the setter is in the air.

junk

n. Slang for off-speed shots, balls intentionally hit off the block, and deflected shots that do not travel in expected paths or to anticipated locations.

kill

n. an attacked ball that strikes the floor or lands out of bounds after touching an opponent.

kill efficiency

n. attack percentage.

knuckler

n. an emergency one-hand technique used to play a ball close to the face and tight to the net. The fingers are curled at the second knuckle and the hand is cocked back. The ball is actually contacted on the heel of the hand.

left-stack

n. a commit-block scheme in which the left starts behind the middle in order to follow the crossing attacker.

lift

n. an illegal contact, resulting when the ball is in contact with the player for too long.

line shot

n. a straight-ahead, sideline attack.

lineup

n. the players' serving order, which reflects their starting locations on the court.

load

n. to arrange the blockers so that the team's most effective blocker confronts the opponents' most effective attacker.

middle

n. either the middle-front or middle-back player.

midline

n. an imaginary line drawn equidistant from the sidelines, that is, lengthwise, on the court; an imaginary line drawn vertically on the player's body that divides it into comparable left and right parts.

multiple-attack

n. an offense consisting of plays in which two or more players attack at different places on the net at different times.

net block

v. slang describing when a blocker places his hands, palms forward, against the net to deflect a ball that has been passed into the net by the opponents.

off-blocker

n. the outside blocker not included in the double block.

off-hand

n. a set delivered from the left side of the right-handed attacker and vice-versa.

off-speed shot

n. any ball spiked with less than maximum force but with spin. vice-versa.

on help

n. a player's defensive floor position and body posture that allows him or her to play an attacked ball in front of him and toward his teammates.

one

n. a low, quick set that is attacked either directly in front of, or behind, the setter.

one-footed slide

n. an approach to attack that includes a one-footed jump long the net.

on-hand

n. a set delivered from the right side of the right-handed spiker and vice-versa.

open-handed tip

n., v. tip.

open up

n. to step away from, and face, the ball's path in receiving serve.

opposite

n. three positions away in the line-up; the player opposite the setter.

outside

n. toward the sideline.

outside-in

n. defending, either at the net or in the backcourt, from the sideline to the interior of the court.

overlap

n. a foul in which one player is out of position in relation to another player (defined by player's foot placement) when the ball is served.

overhead pass

n. a ball-handling skill using both hands simultaneously to contact the ball above the head and direct it to the intended target.

overpass

n. a ball that is passed across the net.

overset

n. a ball that is set across the net.

pace

n. the overall rhythm of the team or of a player.

pancake

n. a one-handed defensive technique in which the player flattens his hand against the floor in order to save the ball.

pass

n. the first contact of a served ball; a forearm pass.

pepper

n. a (usually) warm-up drill in which two players pass, set, and hit the ball back and forth.

perimeter

n. a backcourt defense in which four players arrange themselves near the boundaries of the court.

pike

n. to bend forward at the waist so that both the torso and the legs are in front of the hips.

play

n. an attack with a planned fake, usually including two or more hitters; a combination.

play-set

n. a medium-height set usually near the middle of the court that, when combined with a quick set, constitutes a play.

point

n. a front-row position in the serve-receive formation; the unit of scoring.

point of contact

n. the place on the court or along the net at which the ball is contacted.

post

n. the standard that supports the net.

posture

n. body position while performing a skill.

precontact position

n. the floor location arrived at and the body positioning assumed before the ball arrives.

pump

n. a play in which an attacker fakes spiking a quick set and then spikes, at the same location, a medium-height set.

push

n. to lengthen a set; an attack where the player pistons their arm rather than swinging, "pushing" the ball across the net; an illegal lift.

quick

n. a low, fast, inside set.

quick/shoot

n. a play that includes both a quick set and a shoot set.

quick slide

n. a quick attack that includes a two-footed takeoff and a broad jump along the net.

rally

n. One series of play, from the service until the ball is dead.

read

n. to determine what event will take place before it occurs; a blocking scheme in which the front-row players watch the setter in order to determine where to block; a backcourt defensive scheme based on all players reading their opponents and their teammates.

ready position

n. the flexed, yet comfortable posture a player assumes before moving to the point of contact.

rebound angle

n. angle of the contact surface of the body at the moment of ball contact, commonly refers to forearm passing and hand position in blocking.

reception error

n. a service reception error.

release

n. a high set, usually delivered to the left sideline, that serves as an outlet when the play goes awry; a block pattern in which an outside blocker fronts the quick hitter as the middle double blocks on the sideline; the action of the ball leaving the setter's hands; the action of the setter moving towards the net.

reverse

n. a combination in which the usual quick hitter attacks a play-set and the usual play-set hitter attacks a quick set.

reverse bump

n. a desperation ball-handling technique sometimes necessary but seldom encouraged. It occurs when a player brings the hands together in front of the face, elbows bent. The ball is contacted in front of the face on the back of the forearms.

right-stack

n. a commit-block scheme in which the right starts behind the middle in order to follow the crossing attacker.

roll shot

n. a ball cleanly hit with the heel or palm of the hand.

rotate

n. to advance on position in the line-up; a backcourt defense in which the line defender moves near the block and the middle-back moves behind the line defender.

rotation

n. the players' locations on the court, according to the scorer.

safety

n. a planned change in the blocking scheme used when the team confronts an attack it cannot cover.

scoop

n. slang referring to the J stroke. The ball is played with the hands clasped together, the thumbs parallel and pointed up, and the elbows bent.

seam

n. the mid-point between two players.

serve

n. one of the six basic skills, used to put the ball in play. It is the only skill controlled exclusively by one player.

serve receive

n. the tactical skill of directing the opponent's serve to the setter so that he or she can set. Forearm passing is the most common technical skill used to serve receive.

service ace

n. a serve that hits the floor or causes the serve-receiver to misplay the ball in such a manner that another player cannot make a second contact.

service error

n. charged when the serve touches the net, fails to clear the net, lands out of bounds, touches the antenna, or the server is called for a line violation, delay of service, or rotational fault.

service reception error

n. charged when the serve strikes the floor untouched, no teammate is able to make a second hit, or the player is called for an illegal contact.

set

n., v. the tactical skill in which a ball is directed to a point where a player can spike it into the opponent's court. Overhead passing is the most common technical skill used to set.

setter

n. the player responsible for accurately setting the ball to his teammates so they can attack it. This usually occurs on the second team contact.

setter attack

n. a dump

shag

v. to retrieve balls that have been played, missed, or terminated in a drill and returning them to the leader of the drill.

shot

n. any directed individual attack attempt.

side-out

n. occurs when the receiving team successfully puts the ball to the floor against the serving team, or when the serving team commits an unforced error, and the receiving team thus gains the right to serve.

skill

n. the coordinated, effective function required by a specific motor task.

skip step

n. resembles a hop. The feet are moved simultaneously from one position to a new balanced position. Primarily used to describe a common footwork pattern in ball handling.

slide

n. an attack where the attacker runs past the setter towards the right-side of the net, takes off on one foot, and attacks.

specialize

n. to concentrate efforts on one part of the game.

spike

n., v. to hit the ball forcefully into the opponents' court.

spike coverage

n. players on the attacking team assume low ready positions around their attacker in order to to retrieve rebounds from the opposing blockers.

spiker

n. the attacker.

split block

n. a double block that leaves a space between its blockers.

shadow of the block

n. the area behind the block into which the opposing spikers cannot hit the ball hard.

shallow

n. near the net.

shank

n. a severely misdirected forearm pass.

shoot

n. a low, fast set to an attacker who is away from the setter.

shuffle

n. a footwork pattern in which the feet do not cross each other, used to cover short distances.

sidespin

n. the resulting movement of the ball when spin is imparted in the horizontal plane, usually due to striking the ball off-center, causing the ball to follow a somewhat sideways path.

slide

n. an attack approach that includes a last moment move along the net.

soft block

n. a technique in which the blocker angles his hands backward in order to deflect the ball and slow its speed.

spike

n. an attack to put the ball to the opponent's floor with force.

soft block

n. a technique in which the blocker angles his hands backward in order to deflect the ball and slow its speed.

spike

n. an attack to put the ball to the opponent's floor with force.

stack blocking

n. a blocking scheme where one or more blockers stand behind another blocker in order to follow the crossing attacker.

stack-man

n. a commit-block scheme in which the follower is assigned to block one attacker only.

stack-read

n. a commit-block scheme in which the follower determines, by reading the setter, whom he blocks.

step-around

n. a one-footed slide in which the attacker moves around the setter.

step-in

n. a one-footed slide in which the attacker moves toward the setter.

step-out

n. a one-footed slide in which the attacker moves away from the setter.

stuff

v. to block the ball to the floor.

stuff block

n. a ball that has been blocked to the floor.

swing

n. to move from one sideline to the other, usually in approaching to attack; a type of offense that uses the swing approach.

switch

n. to change positions on the court.

system

n. Usually refers to the combined offensive (passing, plays, routes, attacks) and defensive strategies (blocking, digging) used by a team. A team can also have a specific system for a particular task, such as a blocking system (like stack blocking).

tandem

n. a combination in which one player attacks immediately behind another.

tape

n. the top of the net.

target

n. the player who is intended to receive the ball in any given play. The target can be the setter who is in the correct court position, an opponent who is designated to receive a serve, or a spiker who is waiting to receive a set.

target area

n. the court position where the target players should be.

team contact

n. when the team touches the ball. Not including the block, each team gets three contacts of the ball each time it crosses the net.

technique

n. the mechanics of a skill.

telegraph

n. to show one's intention to the opponents.

terminal attack

n. a spike or tip that has been successfully executed so that it is unplayable by the defensive team.

terminal contacts

n. contacts which lead directly to points or side-outs for the contacting team. ace serves are all terminal contacts. An unforced error such as a net violation is also considered terminal.

three

n. a shoot that is attacked between the setter and the left sideline.

throw

n. a lift, usually characterized by a throwing motion.

tip

n.

1.

one-handed placement or redirection of the ball with the fingers -v.

2.

to place or redirect the ball with the fingers of one hand.

tomahawk

n. descriptive slang for a reverse bump.

topspin

n. the resulting movement of the ball when spin is imparted in the vertical plane in a forward direction, usually due to striking the ball and following through by snapping the wrist. A ball with topspin will drop faster than a ball with little or no spin.

toss

n.

1.

a skill used to initiate the contact of service.

2.

a skill used to duplicate the dynamics and trajectory of a pass, serve, or set during a drill. Both hands should be used to impart less spin on the ball.

touch

n.

1.

a player contacting the ball. -interj.

2.

an exclamation made by a blocker to inform his backcourt defenders that he has contacted the ball.

touch block

n. a control block.

trajectory

n. the curve the ball takes on its path from one player to another.

transition

n. the change from defense to offense.

trap

n.

1.

a set close to the net that gives the blocker the advantage. -v.

2.

to concentrate the block on one hitter, ignoring another.

triple-block

n. a block formed by three players.

two

n. a medium-height set that is usually attacked near the center of the net. See also play-set.

underhand serve

n. a serving technique in which the ball is contacted at about waist height by the serving hand.

unforced error

n. an error committed by a player that is unrelated to the opponent's play. Touching the net, stepping over the center line, and serving into the net are examples of unforced errors.

veer

v. to change direction sharply during a spike approach, see also break.

wing

n. the player located on the extreme right or left of the formation.

W

n. a serve-receive formation with three players in the front row, two in the back (in the shape of a "W").

X

n. a cross in which the middle attacks a front one and the right attacks a two to the left of the middle.

X series

See 51X.

zone block

n. when the blockers take away a significant portion of the defensive back court in which the opposing spiker can hit by being in good blocking position relative to the opposing spiker.