In volleyball, players must work together as a team to score points. Passing comprises a large portion of the teamwork, with expert digging and accurate sets needed to orchestrate an effective offense. Players use overarm, or overhead, sets to pass the ball into position for decisive spikes. Yet USA Volleyball and the Federation Internationale de Volleyball follow a strict set of rules for overarm passing, with the standards governing American and international volleyball competitions from youth to collegiate and professional matches.
Identification
To execute an overarm pass, a volleyball player uses both hands to propel the ball upward with only the fingers. The player takes position with the palms facing upwards and with one hand on either side of the ball, using soft wrists and stiff fingers to flick the ball back into the air.
Function
Overarm passing provides greater accuracy on sets as opposed to simple bump sets, which can be more acts of desperation than precision. Overarm passing allows players to place the ball exactly where they want it, achieving the height, loft and location for aggressive offensive play.
Catching
When overarm passing, volleyball players may not catch or throw the ball. As soon as the ball contacts the fingers, the player must flick the ball back into the air without delay. Allowing the ball to settle on the hands for any amount of time commits a catching violation, and the referee halts play and awards the point or service to the other team. The referee may also call a throwing violation if it appears the player didn’t flick the ball but instead threw it into the air.
Double-Hit
Volleyball referees will often whistle overarm passers for a double-hit violation, which occurs when the ball isn’t set with both hands at the same time. Players must contact the ball with both hands simultaneously and then release the ball with both hands simultaneously. Staggered contact results in a double-hit. The fault loses the point or possession, depending on the game’s scoring system. Referees will tend to look for excessive spin or abnormal directional changes to indicate a double-hit fault. But as long as the player contacts the ball simultaneously with both hands, the pass should be legal regardless of the resulting spin or directional change.
Consideration
Volleyball rules allow for double-hits when players perform an overarm pass while receiving serve or when attempting a dig. However, rules prohibit any double-hits when setting after the initial serve reception or dig. Referees will often allow questionable overarm passes if they come as the result of an athletic play. Beach volleyball refs permit not such leeway. In beach volleyball, the overarm pass must come off the hands without any spin whatsoever, regardless of how much spin or height the ball had originally.
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