Knowing the rules for playing the ball can make a big
difference to your team’s success.
It can be a very frustrating experience having your players
constantly called for mishandling the ball. Coaching can be
stressful enough without having to also worry about the
officiating.
There are essentially two different types of ball handling
playing faults – double contacts and lifts.
Thoroughly understanding these volleyball rules for playing
the ball can make a huge impact on a volleyball team’s
success.
Double Contacts
Double contacts by a player are legal on a team’s first
contact. For example, when an opponent spikes the ball,
the player playing defense can make a double contact in
attempt to dig the ball. This double contact can be made as
long as the contact is made in a single attempt to make the
play.
A possible scenario for a player making a legal dig would be
if the ball bounced off the player’s forearms then shoulder.
As long as this play was made in one playing motion, this
double contact is legal on the first team hit. Another way a
player could make a dig is with an overhead setting motion
with their hands.
It is legal to double contact with the fingers on the first
team contact.
It is also legal to contact the ball multiple times when
blocking. These contacts aren’t team hits. A block is defined
as a player near the net, reaching higher than the top of
the net, then deflecting the ball coming from the opponent.
When blocking, the ball can be contacted multiple times in
succession. These contacts during blocking aren’t counted
as contacts and the team still has the 3 team hits to return
the ball back to the opponent.
Double contacts are illegal on the team’s second or third
team contacts. Since there are different volleyball rules for
how you play the ball on the first hit compared to the
second and third, it can often appear ball handling is being
called inconsistent by the referee.
For example, it is legal to double contact the ball using a
setting motion on the first team contact, but illegal on the
second and third team contacts. It may appear the calls are
inconsistent because they aren’t being called for the double
contact on the set on the first team contact.
Lift, Held Ball, or Prolonged Contact
Lifting, catching, or throwing the ball is illegal on any
contact. It is important to note that bad technique isn’t
illegal.
For example, there is no fault for bad form or an ugly
looking play. If it’s not a double contact (on the 2nd or 3rd
team hit) or a prolonged contact (ball coming to rest on a
player), then the play is legal no matter how unorthodox or
unusually the technique looks.
There are only two possible calls for an illegal play, double
contact or lift, that’s it.
Knowing the difference between a lift and a double contact
is important. Since double contacts are legal on the first
team hit, the contact must be a prolonged contact for it to
be illegal no matter how ugly the play on the ball.
Some volleyball organizations allow for the ball to be
slightly lifted or pushed when making a defensive play. This
is when a player is digging a hard driven ball.
Also, players can have prolonged contact with the ball when
in a joust. A joust doesn’t count as a team contact. A joust
is a block. When two opposing players are contacting the
ball as the same time, they are blockers, not attackers, so
prolonged contact during a joust is legal.
