Sports: Volleyball

History of Volleyball
The game of volleyball, originally called "Mintonette", was invented in 1895 by William G. Morgan. He decided to blend the elements of basketball, baseball, tennis and handball to create a game for his classes of businessmen which would demand less physical contact than basketball. The first volleyball net which was borrowed from tennis was 6 feet 6 inches above the floor. Team volleyed the ball back and forth across the net until one team missed. The first competitive game of volleyball was played July 7, 1896. 

Volleyball is a sport played by two teams on a playing court divided by a net. The object of the game is to send the ball over the net in order to ground it on the opponent's court, and to prevent the same effort by the opponent. The team has three hits for returning the ball (in addition to the block contact). The ball is put in play with a service, hit by the server over the net to the opponents. The rally continues until the ball is grounded on the playing court, goes 'out' or a team fails to return it properly. 

  Rules in Volleyball
Some rules include:

• Each team must consist of six players on the court. Usually three persons are in the front row and three in the back row. 
• Each team is allowed to have a maximum of three touches before hitting the ball over the net.
• The net must be under eight feet (2.43 m) for men and under seven feet (2.24 m) for women. 
• Players are not allowed to hit or block the opponent's serve.
• Players are not allowed to catch, hit or throw the ball.
• No player can ever make contact with the ball twice in succession, and the ball cannot be caught or carried over the net. 
• The ball is ruled out if it lands outside of the boundary lines (without touching the opponents). 

Volleyball Court

 Skills in Volleyball
Skills are essential when playing volleyball. The six basic skills are:

• Serve: Serving is done when the arm swings and sends the ball over to the opponent's side of the court. A serve is called an "ace" when the ball lands directly onto the court or travels outside the court after being touched by an opponent. There are different serving styles in volleyball.
• Pass: Passing is the most important skill in volleyball. The pass is an attempt by a team to properly handle the opponent's serve, or any form of attack.
• Set: The set is used to receive a teammate's pass in order that the play may continue by passing the ball overhead to an attacker.
• Attack: The attack is also known as the spike. The object of attacking is to handle the ball so that it lands on the opponent's court and cannot be defended. 
• Block: Blocking is used to stop the ball from crossing the net as a result of an opponent's attack. Blocking is not allowed on serves. 
• Dig: Digging is the act of preventing the ball from touching one's court after an attack. The dig resembles a forearm pass and is used more for the balls that are hit near the defender.