A volleyball court sets the stage for a volleyball game. This symmetric rectangle, marked by lines, indicates the official court boundaries for the players, officials and spectators. All players must be inbounds during the serve except the server who must remain out of bounds, behind the back line, until she completes her serve. Official rules permit players to hit the ball from both the in and out of bound areas during a game. The Fédération Internationale de Volleyball provides volleyball court standards used in world competitions.
Measurements
Give your team a true volleyball experience and base your court measurements on official standards. The FIVB dictates an official volleyball court must measure 59 feet by 29 feet, 6 inches, surrounded by a 9-foot, 10-inch-wide free zone, 16 feet, 6 inches wide for world competitions. For an indoor game, regulations require 23 feet of free playing space above the court’s surface.
Free Zones
The volleyball court, free zone and free playing space must be free from obstructions to avoid injuring players and hindering game play. Indoor courts must be a light color. The FIVB recommends applying a contrasting color to the free zone.
Surface
Indoor world championship volleyball games and official competitions sanctioned by the FIVB require a wooden or synthetic playing surface. However, your community recreation center may provide outdoor courts made of asphalt or dirt. Indoor volleyball court standards require a level playing surface, while the FIVB permits outdoor courts to feature a very slight angle of less than a quarter inch for drainage.
Line Locations
A standard volleyball court shows four boundary lines, two attack lines and one center line. The four boundary lines mark the complete length and width of the courts inbounds areas. The net hovers above the center line of the court. Each side of the volleyball court has one attack line marking the front zone. FIVB volleyball standards require the rear edge of the attack line to measure 9 feet, 10 inches behind the center of the centerline.
Line Drawing
The lines on the volleyball court must lay flush with the surface as not to present a danger to the players. Paint or tape works well. The FIVB requires the lines measure 2 inches wide and feature a different color than the surface of the court and surrounding free zone. When marking the boundary lines of the volleyball court, place them entirely inbounds around the court’s circumference. The outer edge of the line marks the end of the regulation measurements.
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