Volleyball rules and regulations include measurements regarding court dimensions, lines and zones. Sanctioned volleyball competitions adhere to the regulations set by USA Volleyball and Fédération Internationale de Volleyball, or FIVB, the international governing body. Regulation measurements for a volleyball court differ for six-player indoor competition and two-player beach competition. Some minor variations also exist for high school and collegiate competition.
Dimensions
A volleyball court must be rectangular in shape with the sides symmetrical. The basic dimensions for an indoor volleyball court are 59 feet by 29 feet 6 inches. A beach volleyball court is smaller and must measure 52 feet 6 inches by 26 feet 3 inches. For indoor volleyball courts, the overhead clearance must be 23 feet for all USA Volleyball sanctioned events and is recommended for all others. The National Federation of High Schools follows this recommendation, while the NCAA woman's volleyball competition recommends clearance of 41 feet, and requires 25 feet for facilities made after 2006.
Lines on the Indoor Volleyball Court
For indoor volleyball, all lines on the court must be 2 inches wide and a light color that contrasts the floor color. The playing court is marked by two boundary lines that run the length of the court, and two end lines the width of the court. A center line runs the width of the playing court under the net and divides the court into two equal sized playing areas. The entire width of the center line is considered to belong to both playing areas. Unless the match is a nationally sanctioned event, these are the only lines necessary for play.
Lines on the Beach Volleyball Court
The playing area of a beach volleyball court is marked by two end lines running the width of the court and two sidelines along its length. The playing area does not have a center line. The lines are made with a 2 to 3 1/8 inches wide colored ribbon that is easily distinguishable from the color of the sand. The ribbon should be made of resistant material and anchored with a flexible material that is soft. The playing area of a beach volleyball court is marked by two end lines running the width of the court and two sidelines along its length. The playing area does not have a center line. The lines are made with a 2 to 3 1/8 inches, wide colored ribbon that is easily distinguishable from the color of the sand. The ribbon should be made of resistant material and anchored with a flexible material that is soft.
Free Zone
The area outside the playing court is called the free zone. Both indoor and beach volleyball rules require a free zone of 9 feet 10 inches around the entire playing court. A player may use the free zone to play the ball in these competitions. NCAA women's rules and the NFHS rules allow a smaller free zone of six feet. However, unlike USA Volleyball, a player cannot use the free zone to play the ball.
References
- USA Volleyball: Domestic Competition Regulations
- FIVB: Rules of the Game -- Volleyball
- FIVB: Rules of the Game -- Beach Volleyball
- USA Volleyball: 2009-2011 Indoor Rules -- Section I - Chapter 1 - Facilities and Equipment
- USA Volleyball: 2009-2011 Beach Rules -- Section I - Chapter 1 - Facilities and Equipment
- USA Volleyball: Summary Comparison -- NCAA/USAV/NFHS Volleyball Rule Difference 2010
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