Volleyball Glossary for Kids and Beginners
Volleyball is a fun sport that people of all ages can enjoy. But whether you're playing on the beach, in gym class, or in your backyard, it's a good idea to learn a little about the words people use to talk about this sport. Understanding the vocabulary of volleyball can help you learn how to play and get better at the game.
- Ace: A serve that the other team can't return, which earns your team a point
- Antenna: One of the poles on the sides of the net that mark the boundary for legal play
- Assist: When a player sets up a teammate to make a successful hit
- Attack: When a player tries to hit the ball so it lands in the other team's court
- Back Row: The three players who stand farthest from the net
- Block: When players jump near the net to stop the ball from coming over
- Bump: Hitting the ball with your forearms
- Court: The playing area for volleyball
- Dig: A defensive move where a player dives to keep the ball from hitting the ground
- Double Hit: When a player hits the ball twice in a row, which is not allowed
- Foot Fault: When a player steps over the serving line while serving
- Free Ball: A ball that the other team can easily play because it wasn't hit hard
- Front Row: The three players closest to the net
- Kill: A successful hit that the other team can't return
- Let: When the serve hits the net
- Libero: A special player who can only play in the back row and wears a different color jersey
- Match: A series of games
- Net: The barrier in the middle of the court that players must hit the ball over
- Out: When the ball lands outside of the court
- Overhand Serve: Serving the ball by throwing it up and hitting it with the hand above the shoulder
- Pass: Using your arms to hit the ball to a teammate
- Point: A score earned when the ball hits the ground on the other team's side or they make a mistake
- Rotation: Moving a team's players around the court in a specific order before the team serves. This gives different players on the team a turn to serve.
- Serve: When you start play by hitting the ball over the net to the other team
- Set: Using your fingers to push the ball up into the air for a teammate to hit
- Side Out: When the team that is serving loses the point and the other team gets to serve
- Spike: Jumping and hitting the ball hard over the net and toward the ground
- Substitute: Switching one player for another during the game
- Time Out: A short break requested by a coach to talk to their team
- Underhand Serve: Serving the ball by holding it in one hand and hitting it with the other hand from below the waist
Additional Resources
- Volleyball Rules and Key Moves
- Volley and Volleyball Skills for Kids
- Volleyball 101: Olympic Rules and Regulations
- Basic Rules of Volleyball
- Types of Volleyball
- Rules of Volleyball
- Play Equipment
- History of Volleyball
- Volleyball Activity Card
- NCAA Volleyball Rules
- Virtual Tour of the Volleyball Hall of Fame
- Dimensions of a Volleyball Court
- Rotations and Serves in Indoor Volleyball
- Volleyball Gaining Popularity With Young Athletes
- Six Benefits of Playing Volleyball
Learn about the author: Ben Thompson