In indoor volleyball, two six-player teams compete against each other, each standing on one side of the net on a rectangular, symmetrical court. The International Federation of Volleyball, or FIVB, provides standard specifications for volleyball courts used in international competition. Except where noted, USA Volleyball, the governing body in the United States, follows FIVB specifications.
Boundaries
An indoor volleyball court measures 29 feet 6 inches wide and 59 feet long. A border around the court is formed by sidelines and endlines. These boundary lines must be drawn within the court's dimensions. Balls that hit the boundary lines count as in bounds.
Front Zone
On each side of the net, an attack line divides the court into a front zone and back zone. The attack line runs parallel to the net and marks the edge of the front zone at 9 feet 10 inches from the net. The entire width of the attack line represents part of the front zone. The back zone extends for 19 feet 8 inches.
Free Playing Space
FIVB requires courts to have at least 9 feet 10 inches of free playing space around the court on all sides. For World Competitions, FIVB requires courts to have at least 16 feet 4/10 inches of free playing space on the sides and at least 26 feet 3/10 inches on the ends. USA Volleyball requires courts to have at least 6 feet 6 ¾ inches of free playing space on all sides. FIVB rules also require courts to have a minimum of 23 feet of free space above the surface of the court.
Net
The net must measure 7 feet 11 5/8 inches high for men's competitions and 7 feet 4 1/8 inches for women's matches. The net consists of black mesh with an even thickness and white canvas bands along the top and bottom. Antennae extend 32 inches above the net at each side, marking the outer edges of the legal crossing space above the net.
Comparison
The volleyball net is much higher than the nets used in badminton and tennis. The regulation badminton net measures 5 feet at the center and the regulation tennis net measures 3 feet at the center. The volleyball court is shorter than the standard 78-foot long tennis court and longer than the standard 44-foot long badminton court. The indoor volleyball court is only slightly longer and wider than the standard beach volleyball court, which measures 52 feet 6 inches long and 26 feet 3 inches wide.
Member Comments