Volleyball Players Terms Part 2

These volleyball players terms are part of sports gamerisms, Define Your Game!
Volleyball Terms, part 2 completes the glossary provided for volleyball players and fans of heaters and spikes.

Volleyball Players Terms: F

• Facial:  a spike that makes contact with an opponent's face. A very big OUCH!
• Fish or Tuna:  a player who is entangled in the volleyball net.
• Five-one: offensive strategy using 6-players to include 5 hitters and 1 setter.
• Five Set: includes a right front hitter and a back set.
• Floater:  a serve that does not spin, is flat and is seen fluttering, dropping or changing direction.
• Foot Fault:  the act of putting your foot on or over the end line when serving.
• Forearm pass: occurs when the arms area from elbows to the wrists are formed to hit the ball in an underhand motion.
• Foul: game rules violation.
• Four-two: offensive strategy using 6-players to include 4 hitters and 2 setters.
• Free Ball:  a weak attack that is easy to return by the opponent.
• Friendly Fire: the act of being hit in the head by a teammate serving behind you.
• Front Zone: the area in front of the attack line.
  

Volleyball Players Terms: H

• Held Ball: is a foul occurring when ball stops during contact.
• Heater:  a hard deliberate spike. It's a pounder!
• Hit:  the act of hitting the ball.
• Hitter: refers to spiker or attacker.
• Hitting Percentage: calculated as kills vs. attempts.
  

Volleyball Players Terms: I - K

• Interval:  time between sets, usually three minutes.
• Isolation Play: strategic move to isolate an attacker against a defender.
• Joust: occurs when 2 opposing players together battle for an above-the-net ball.
• Jungle Ball/Picnic Volleyball: game played by inexperienced players.
• Jump Serve: term for the beginning of a serve where the player tosses the ball upwards followed by a quick jump up to hit the ball downwards.
• Key: attempt to predict the opposing team's next play.
• Kill: the act of hitting the ball with great force into the opponent’s court. One of the most exciting plays of the game and a definite crowd pleaser.
• Kneepads:  pads worn by players to protect the knees when making contact with the floor during digs.
  

Volleyball Players Terms: L

• Let Serve: occurs when a serve touches the net. Results in either a ball-in-play if it goes over the net or dead ball if it stays in the serving team’s court.
• Line: marked boundaries of a volleyball court.
• Line Judge:  person situated on each out of bounds line who judges whether a ball is in or out of bounds.
• Line Shot: occurs when the ball is spiked at opponent's sideline close to the hitter and outside the block.
• Lip: a successful dig. Another crowd pleaser worth applause!
  

Volleyball Players Terms: M - N

• Match:  a series of three sets played in best of three format.  The first team to win two sets wins the match.
• Middle-back: defensive strategy using the middle back player to cover deep spikes.
• Middle-up: defensive strategy using the middle back player to cover dinks or short shots.
• Mintonette: Original name by William Morgan, inventor of the game.
• Multiple Offense: strategy whereby a team mixes up different tactical plays against opponents. Keep 'em guessing, yes?
• Net: refers to the net between the two sides that the ball must travel over.
  

Volleyball Players Terms: O

• Off-speed Hit: spiked ball not hit hard, but with spin.
• Officials:  enforcers of the rules who judge the game as it happens and award points.
• Outside Hitter: left or right attacker moving from outside the court.
• Overhand Pass: passing with both hands open utilizing fingers and thumbs.
• Overhand Serve: serving the ball with a motion above the shoulder.
• Overlap: players’ positions before ball contact when serving.
  

Volleyball Players Terms: P - Q

• Pancake: occurs when a player uses one hand, open palm to dive and retrieve a hit. Alternatively, the hit is returned using the back of the hand.
• Passer:  a player who passes the ball to an attacker.
• Penetration: occurs when reaching across the net to block a hit.
• Points:  the result of a successful rally.  Worthy of cheers and yeahs!
• Power Alley: term for long hit that avoids the spiker and moves to the farthest point of the court.
• Power Tip: ball hit with maximum force by opposing team player.
• Quick Set: timely move between setter and hitter team members. A 1-2 step of set and hit against the opposing team.
  

Volleyball Players Terms: R

• Rally:  the act of the ball being put into play.  The team who does not let the ball touch the ground or go out of bounds is the winner of the rally. The longer the rally, the longer the excitement and suspense for the fans!
• Ready Position: player preparing to make ball contact.
• Reception error: occurs when a serve is not returned and results in an ace for the opposing team.
• Red Card:  a penalty awarded for misconduct.  The most severe in the game and results in loss of serve.
• Roof: spiked ball that is blocked by the opposing team and quickly lands on the attacker’s side of the court.
• Rotation:  the pattern in which players move on the court during change of possession.
  

Volleyball Players Terms: S

• Scorekeeper:  the keeper of the official point tally.
• Screening:  blocking the view of the server from the defending team.
• Serve:  the act of hitting the ball into play at the beginning of each rally.
• Server: team member who places the ball into play.
• Service Error: a failed serve resulting in a point for the opposing team.
• Service Winner: a successful serve resulting in a point for the serving team.
• Set: strategy move to set the ball skillfully so that a team member can spike it.
• Setter:  a player who specializes in setting up teammates to attack.
• Sideline:  the side boundary on the volleyball court.
• Side Out:  loss of serve by one team, resulting in the serve being given to the other team.
• Six Pack: blocker is struck in the face or head by a spiked ball.
• Six-two: strategy using 6-players to include 2 setters that change positions whereby one player moves to the front as a hitter and the other moves to the back as the setter.
• Smash:  a hard hit ball with high velocity.
• Spike:  the act of hitting the ball above ones head with great velocity into the opponent's side of the court.
• Spiker:  one who is designated to spike. Likely, the star of the game!
• Strong Side: hitter that changes positions from left to right or alternatively from right to left.
• Stuff: jargon for block.
  

Volleyball Players Terms: T - Z

• Time Out:  stoppage of play called by one team.
• Tip:  the act of using the finger tips to tip the ball across the net.
• Turning In: blocker turning towards the court to direct the ball in-bounds.
• Underhand Serve: a serve that is tossed underhanded and hit with the opposite closed fist.
• Volley Pass: the passing of the ball to a teammate using the fingers.
• Weak Side: occurs when a right-handed player is hitting from right-front position or vice-versa.
• Wipe: occurs when a hitter moves the ball from the opponents block in order to be out of bounds.
• Yellow Card:  the first warning for misconduct determined by a referee.  The combination of a yellow and red card being awarded results in ejection from the game.
• Yips: bad case of nerves resulting in shakes that make it very difficult for a gamer to play well. This phrase can be used in reference to many games and is recognized by both players and fans alike.
  

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