Volleyball Equipment Definition

Volleyball was invented in 1895 by William Morgan, a YMCA instructor in Holyoke, Massachusetts, who wanted to give businessmen the chance to gather and play a game that was less physically demanding than basketball. Morgan strung a tennis net across a gym room at a height of about 6-1/2 feet and the men batted a plastic ball back and forth over it. Today, the USA Volleyball (USAV) oversees the sport in America, while the International Federation of Volleyball (FIVB) is in charge of international competitions, including the Olympics. The two governing bodies have developed specific criteria that must be met for volleyball equipment to be considered official.

  1. Net

    • A volleyball net is made of 4-inch-square black mesh that is 3 feet 3 inches from top to bottom and between 31-1/2 and 33 feet across. The length depends on the placement of the support posts. A band of twofold white canvas, 2-3/4 inches wide, is sewn across the top of the net, and a similar band, 2 inches wide, is sewn across the bottom. A cable runs through the top band and exits at holes at either end. The cord's ends are attached to posts. A rope runs through the bottom of the net and also attaches to the posts. Although the net is set at different heights for non-official competition, it must be raised to 7 feet 11-5/8 inches for men's games and 7 feet 4-1/8 inches for women's matches.

    Side Bands

    • In international competition, there also are vertical white bands fastened to the outside edges of the net. They are two inches wide and 3 feet 3 inches inches long and line up with the sideline, or outer boundary of the court. The bands are not required by USAV, but they are typically used.

    Antennae

    • Attached either to the net or to the vertical bands are antennae that identify the side boundaries of the court. The rods are made of fiberglass or other flexible material, are 3/8 inches around and 5 feet 11 inches long. Each antenna must rise 2 feet, 8 inches above the net and be marked with stripes of different colors (typically, red and white). A ball that makes contact with an antenna is considered out of bounds.

    Posts

    • The posts that hold the net in place must be round, smooth and mounted without the use of wires which could interfere with play. Many gymnasium floors have holes drilled into them for play (the holes are covered at all other times). The poles are typically adjustable, but must reach at least 8 feet 4 inches in height. In international play, the posts are placed 3 feet 3 inches outside of the sidelines. They can be placed closer under USAV rules, and ceiling-mounted net support systems also are allowed.

    Ball

    • An official volleyball must be made either completely out of leather or have a synthetic leather case into which a rubber or rubber-like bladder is inserted. The ball can be one color (often white) or a combination, such as the red, white and blue ball typically seen in major competitions. It must be between 25-1/2 and 26-1/3 inches around and weigh between 9 and 10 ounces. Balls should be inflated to between 4.26 and 4.61 psi.