Common Volleyball Words

ACE- A serve that results directly in a point

ANTENNA- Vertical rods along the outside edge of the net. They extend 32 inches above the net & indicate out-of-bounds along the sideline.

ASSIST- Passing or setting the ball to a teammate who attacks, or spikes, the ball for a kil.

ATTACK- The offensive action of hitting the ball in order to attempt to terminate the play by hitting the ball to the floor on the opponent's side.

ATTACKER- The "hitter" or "spiker"

ATTACK LINE- Also known as the "10-ft. line", it's a line that separates the front row players from the back row players. Back row players can't jump in front of this line to spike the ball.

BACK SET- A set made when the setter's back is towards the hitter.

BACK ROW ATTACK- When a back row takes off to jump behind the 10-ft. line & attacks the ball.

BLOCK- A defensive play by one or more players meant to intercept a spiked ball. The combination of one, two, or three players jumping in front of the opposing spiker & contacting the spiked ball with the hands.

BUMP- Also known as forearm passing

BUMP SET- Instead of hand-setting the ball, the player uses joined forearms to set the ball in an underhand manner.

CENTER LINE- The boundary that runs under the net & divides the court into two equal halves.

CROSS COURT SHOT- 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.

CUT SHOT- A spike from the hitter's strong side that travels at a sharp angle across the net.

DIG- Passing a spiked or rapidly hit ball. Slang for the art of retrieving an attacked ball close to the floor.

DINK- A legal push of hte ball around or over blockers.

DOUBLE HIT- Consecutive hits by the same player, which is illegal in volleyball.

DOWN BALL- A ball that an attacker hits without jumping. Usually the set is not under control or the ball has been set too far from the net.

FIVE-ONE- An offensive system that uses five hitters & one setter.

FLOATER- A serve with no spin.

FOREARM PASS- Join your arms from the elbows to the wrists & strike the ball with the fleshy part of your forearms in an underhand motion.

FOUR-TWO- An offensive system using four hitters & two setters.

FREE BALL- A ball that will be returned by a pass rather than a spike.

HIT- To jump & strike the ball with an overhand, forceful shot.

HITTER- Also known as "spiker" or attacker".

JUNGLE BALL- Any gathering of people who don't really know how to play volleyball. They mostly bump the ball over the net with one hit back & forth, or double hit or lift the ball when they attack it.

JUMP SERVE- Pretty self-explanatory

JOUST- Two blockers from opposite sides are blocking a ball at the same time, trying to push the ball onto the opponent's side.

KILL- An attack that results in an immediate point or side out.

LINE SHOT- A ball spiked along an opponent's sideline, closest to the hitter & outside the block.

OFF-SPEED HIT- A ball that loses power quickly because it was hit with less than usual force.

OVERHEAD PASS- A pass with both hands open, & controlled by the fingers with the face below the ball.

OVERHAND SERVE- Serving the ball by striking it with your hand about the shoulder.

PENETRATION- To get an effective block, the blockers should reach their arms over the net (without touching the net), instead of jumping with your arms straight up.

QUICK SET- A short set made when the hitter is at the peak of his/her jump.

READY POSITION- The flexed, yet comfortable, posture a player assumes before moving to the point of contact.

ROOF- To block a spike, usually straight down for a point.

ROTATION- The clockwise movement of players around the court & through the serving position following a side out.

SERVE- Use to put the ball into play & is the only skill controlled exclusively by one player.

SET- Also known as an overhand pass, the ball is directed to a point where a player can spike it into the opponent's court.

SIDE OUT- Occurs when the receiving team successfully puts the ball away against the serving team, or when the serving team commits an unforced error, & the receiving team thus gains the right to serve.

SIX-TWO- A offesive system in which there two setters alternates setting & hitting. Usually the setters set when they are in the back row, giving the option of three front-row hitters.

SHAG- Another word for collecting, in which you collect the balls during warm-up or practice.

SHANK- An out-of-control pass, that bounces off to the side instead of to the setter.

SLIDE- A hit in which the hitter (mostly the middle blocker) chases the set in order to hit the ball. Usually a slide hit is done when the middle blocker starts his/her approach from the middle, chases the ball that is set to the right side, & does a one-foot take off, instead of a two-feet take off, when he/she jumps.

SPIKE- "Hit" or "attack".

STUFF- A ball that is deflected back to the attacking team's floor by the opponent's blockers.

UNDERHAND SERVE-A serve that is contacted with the fleshy part of your forearm.