Volleyball is a fun game to play when you’re outside with friends. Many parks and campsites have volleyball equipment you can borrow, and nothing spices up a family reunion, company picnic or group campout quite like a fun game of volleyball.

Here are the Basic Volleball Rules…

Simply put, there is a net that stretches across a court, dividing it into two 9m x 9m playing areas. A regulation volley ball net is one-meter (40-inch) wide and placed so that the top of the net is 2.43 meters (7 feet 11 5/8 inches) above the center of the court for men's competitions, and 2.24 meters (7 feet 4 1/8 inches) for women's competitions.

A player on one of the teams serves the ball over the net from behind the back end line or boundary of the court, beginning a rally. The ball has to go directly over the net without any member of the server’s team touching it. The served ball may graze the net and drop to the other side for the point.

The receiving team must not let the ball be grounded within their court, and they have up to only three touches to get the ball back over the net. Usually, the first two touches are to set up an attack, an attempt to hit the ball back over the net in such a way that the other team is unable to return it.

The rally continues until either the ball is missed and grounded, or a team commits a fault. The team that wins the rally is awarded one point, and serves the ball to start the next rally.

Volleyball Serving

The Server must serve from behind the back end line.

The Ball may be served underhand or overhand, but it must be clearly visible to opponents before the serve. And once served, it must clear the net (see scoring below).

The served ball may graze the net and drop to the other side for the point.

The Serve must be returned by a bump only. No carrying, palming or throwing, etc. A player must not block or attack (spike) a serve.

Volleyball Rally Scoring

Today, rally scoring is the standard method of scoring in volleyball. The point and serve go to the team who won the rally, regardless of which team served the ball.

Offense can score when either the defense misses or hits the ball out of bound.
Defense can score when either the defense misses, hits the ball out of bounds, or serves the ball into the net (without clearing the net).

Only one point is scored per serve or rally. A game is played to 25 points and must be won by 2 points.

Team / Personnel Rotation in Volleyball

Each time a team wins the serve, they rotate one person in a clockwise manner, so that the last person who served for the team is not serving for this new rally.
 
Most times there are 4-6 players on each side, but you can go with whatever you have. Just make it as even as possible.

Some Other Volley Ball Rules to Consider

There are a maximum of three hits per side. If the ball doesn’t cross the net after the third hit, it’s point for the other side. Also a player may not hit the ball twice in succession. (Note, a block - jumping and reaching with one's arms and hands over the net and into the opponent's area to keep the ball from crossing the net - is not considered a hit ).

If two or more players contact the ball simultaneously, it is considered one hit and the players involved may not participate in the next hit.

The ball may be played off the net during a volley and on serve, and a ball touching a boundary line is still good.

When a player makes contact anywhere from the waist up, it is considered a legal hit, assuming the ball didn’t visibly cease motion.

Only front line players may switch positions, and that only after the serve.

Typical Volleyball Rule Violations

Stepping on or over the line on a serve, or failure to serve the ball over the net successfully.

Hitting the ball illegally, such as carrying, palming or throwing.

Touching the net, while the ball is in play, unless the ball causes the net to contact the player, in which case there is no foul, and play continues.

Reaching over the net except when executing a follow-through or when blocking a ball.