Position in Volleyball

Position in Volleyball

Outside Hitter

This player hits from the strong corner. What do I mean by that? If you're right handed, the strong corner is front-left. Lefties come from the front-right corner to be most powerful.

Middle Blocker

Usually a very tall member of the team. Plays mostly in middle front and blocks every hit. Will usually move to form a double block with either outside hitters.

Setter

Main responsibility is to set up the hitters--wherever they may be (this could even mean back row). The second contact of each possession is meant for the setter, but if he/she can't get it, he/she must yell 'help.' If for some reason the setter must touch the first contact in a possessoin, he/she should cry 'setter out' to let your team mates know that the setter cannot get the second ball.

Libero/Defensive Specialist

These two positions are not one and the same, but the descriptions for each are very similar. Defensive specialists only play in the back row, but if they want to come in the game, they must make a substitution with the referees. Liberos only play back row, but they are allowed to go in and out the game as much as they need. Bookkeepers usually have a tracking sheet for the libero. Liberos must wear a different jersey than the rest of the team to differentiate between them and the rest of the team. They do a lot of rolling and digging to keep the ball in play.

Six basic skills of Volleyball

Six Basic Skills of Volleyball

Serve-Used to put the ball in play.  The action is done with arm swing that sends the ball over the net into the opponent's court. 

Forearm Pass-Used to receive the ball from your opponents, as in service, or as a technique to accurately control the ball in a way that eliminates lifting or carrying the ball.  the fundamental action of passing is to rebound the ball off of the forearms (which are held together tightly with the palms and thumbs positioned together) from a slightly squatted and balanced position.  

Setting- Used to receive a teammate's pass in order that the play may continue by passing the ball overhead to an attacker.  the fundamental action of setting is to contact the ball with the finger pads momentarily at the forehead and following through with arms fully extended to the hitting target.  

Kill or Attack-Used to put the ball into the opponent's court in order to earn a point or side out.  the fundamental action of attacking incorporates a quick approach followed by a strong, full arm swing, and follow-thru.  

Block-Used to stop the ball from crossing the net as a result of an opponent's attack.  A block is effective if it immediately places the ball back into the opponent's court or if it temporarily slows down the ball in order for a defender to make a dig.  The fundamental action of blocking is to stand facing the net with feet shoulder width apart, arms nearly extended above the head, ready to jump above the net to deflect the ball back into the opponent's court.  

Floor Defense-used to receive the opponent's attack.  The key skills are digging and sprawling.  The dig resembles a forearm pass from a low ready position and is used more for balls that are hit near the defender.   The sprawl is a result of an attempted dig for a ball that is hit further away from the defender and resembles a dive.  

Rules of Volleyball

Rules of Volleyball

Scoring. The first team to reach 25 points and by at least two points wins a set. Matches are usually the best-of-three or best-of-five sets. The offense scores on a defensive miss or out-of-bounds hit, while the defense scores on an offensive miss, out-of-bounds hit or serve that goes into the net. A team also can score if the opposing team commits a penalty.

One, two, three. The ball can be hit up to three times per side (in addition to blocking) before it must go over the net. A fourth hit is not allowed.

Two hits equal one. If two or more teammates contact the ball simultaneously, it is considered one play. Neither player, however, may touch the ball again until another teammate touches it.

The serve. A volleyball player can serve underhand or overhand, but can’t step over the end line until after contacting the ball. The serve (or any volleyball hit) can graze the net as it goes over the net.

Serve return. The volleyball serve must first be hit by the opposing team with a bump, or underarm pass, before it is can be hit with a set, block or attacking shot.

Serve rotation. A team will rotate one spot in a clockwise manner each time it regains the volleyball serve from the opposing team.

Net game 1. The volleyball can be played off the net on a serve or during a volley.

Net game 2. A volleyball player can’t reach over the net except on a follow-through or to make a block (and only after the opponent contacts the ball). A player’s body can go under the net as long as it doesn’t interfere with the opposing team.

Position switch. Players can switch positions during a rally.

Boundary line is in. The ball is in play if it lands on a sideline or end line.

History of Volleyball

History of Volleyball

In volleyball history, volleyball is recognized as a truly international, widely played, popular sport.On February 9,https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volleyball1895, in Holyoke, Massachusetts (USA), William G. Morgan, a YMCA physical education director, created a new game called Mintonette as a pastime to be played (preferably) indoors and by any number of players. The game took some of its characteristics from tennis and handball. Another indoor sport, basketball, was catching on in the area, having been invented just ten miles (sixteen kilometers) away in the city of Springfield, Massachusetts, only four years before. Mintonette was designed to be an indoor sport, less rough than basketball, for older members of the YMCA, while still requiring a bit of athletic effort.

The first rules, written down by William G Morgan, called for a net 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) high, a 25 ft × 50 ft (7.6 m × 15.2 m) court, and any number of players. A match was composed of nine innings with three serves for each team in each inning, and no limit to the number of ball contacts for each team before sending the ball to the opponents’ court. In case of a serving error, a second try was allowed. Hitting the ball into the net was considered a foul (with loss of the point or a side-out)—except in the case of the first-try serve.

After an observer, Alfred Halstead, noticed the volleying nature of the game at its first exhibition match in 1896, played at the International YMCA Training School (now called Springfield College), the game quickly became known asvolleyball (it was originally spelled as two words: "volley ball"). Volleyball rules were slightly modified by the International YMCA Training School and the game spread around the country to various YMCAs.

Reference

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volleyball

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Introduction of Volleyball

What is Volleyball?

Volleyball is an Olympic and NCAA sport, as well as a game played by people on indoor courts and outdoors at playgrounds and beaches, and in backyards. Volleyball was invented in 1895, just four years after the invention of basketball. The inventor’s name was William G. Morgan. He called the game mintonette, and created it to include facets of basketball, baseball, handball, and tennis.

Today, the usual volleyball game can be summarized as follows. Two teams placed on opposite sides of a net and with six players on each side, use their hands and arms to strike a ball from one side of the court to the other over the net. Each team tries to make the volleyball touch the ground within the boundaries of the opposing team and tries to send it over the net and prevent it touching the ground within the boundaries of their side. Only three touches per side are allowed before the ball reaches the opposing team’s airspace.

The serving team continues to serve as long as it scores, which it does if the ball drops to the ground on the opposing side before it can be hit over the net. Scoring gains a single point. If the serving team fails to score by letting the ball fall to the ground within their boundaries, failing to hit it over the net in three tries, or hitting it over the net but out of bounds, the serve passes to the other team, and no point is scored by either team. Players rotate their positions clockwise when they receive service from the other team.

Volleyball has undergone many changes as it has developed. The net moved from 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 m) high to over 7 feet (2.13 m): 7 feet 11 5/8 inches (2.43 m) for men and 7 feet 4 1/8 inches (2.24 m) for women. Co-ed teams play with the men’s height. The special ball for the sport of volleyball was developed in 1900.

The set and the spike are credited to players in the Philippines in 1916. The following year, the scope of the game of volleyball was set with a reduction in total points for a win from 21 to 15. The rule limiting each side to three hits and the back row attack rules came into play in 1920. Volleyball became an Olympic sport in 1964 in Tokyo.

Reference

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-volleyball.htm

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Badminton Equipment

Badminton Equipment 

Racket

The badminton racket is one of the most important tools a player has in the game. Badminton rackets are much lighter than most other sports rackets because they are made from materials such as carbon fiber or lighter metals such as aluminum. Parts of the racket include the head, throat, shaft and handle with a maximum length of 27.77 inches and a width of 9 inches. It Strings that are stretched across the opening of the racket in a checkerboard pattern, which acts as the hitting surface. Badminton rackets can vary widely in cost depending on whether they are purchased as part of a basic backyard set or as more expensive professional models.

Shuttlecock

The badminton shuttlecock, also referred to as a shuttle or birdie, acts similarly to a ball in other racket sports. However, the design of the birdie creates more drag as it is propelled through the air due to its feathered shape. The shuttlecock is made up of a cone shape with a hard cork at its tip. Shuttlecocks can be made from a variety of materials -- more expensive models are actually made from feathers, and less expensive models are made from plastic feathers. The shuttle has 16 feathers attached to the base and the length of the feathers range between 2.44 and 2.75 inches

Net

A mesh net divides the badminton court into two sides. A badminton net is placed lower than a volleyball net at five feet and one inch high on the sides and five feet high in the center. The length may vary depending on whether doubles or singles are playing, with singles reaching 17 feet and doubles reaching 22 feet. The net is 30 inches wide with a 3-inch white tape doubled over the top..

Badminton Strokes

Badminton Strokes

It's very important to perform your badminton strokes correctly in order to execute quality badminton shots.

Remember, you must master these basic strokes in order to play like a pro!

Basically a stroke is the swing motion of your racket arm. It is not a badminton shot. However you'll need to perform these strokes to hit certain shots.

The power of any badminton shot comes from how well you perform your  strokes (swing motion). A beginner should first learn how to perform the correct strokes.

Why is it important to perform the correct strokes from the start?

It is impossible to hit strong backhand shots in badminton if you perform the wrong backhand stroke.

Let's look at an example...

John did not learn the correct badminton backhand stroke and have been hitting backhands using 'his own style' for several years.

After few years of wrong backhand stroke technique, John finds it difficult to 're-learn' the correct backhand stroke technique. He is already too used to the wrong technique.He has developed a bad habit!

Why are bad habits BAD in badminton?

1. It restricts you from performing quality badminton shots.
2. Bad habits often become your weakness. You perform your overhead backhand strokes wrongly. There is no way you could hit a backhand clear to the baseline. The only shot you can do is a straight backhand drop. Your opponent knows about it. After hitting the shuttle to your backhand area, your opponent rush to the forecourt and waits for your drop shot. 

Once you have developed the habit of performing your strokes, it's very difficult to change the way you perform these strokes in the future. Therefore, it's important that you learn the correct strokes right from the start (all types of strokes, not only the backhand.

If you think you have 'bad habits', it is never too late. You'll find some useful guides on badminton strokes below to help you become a better a player. Of course, practice is always the key to perfection. 

The basic strokes are:

• Overhead Forehand Stroke
• Overhead Backhand Stroke
• Underarm Forehand Stroke
• Underarm Backhand Stroke

When the shuttle flies towards a particular area around your body, you'll need to use different strokes to hit the shuttle. The picture above shows you the 4 different areas around your body where you're required to use the 4 different badminton strokes to return the shuttle.

Once you learn how to perform these basic strokes, you can then use these strokes to hit all types of shots in badminton; Clear, Drop and Smash.

Badminton Techniques

Badminton Techniques

 For Beginners
Do not rush through to learn all the different types of badminton shots. Learn and practice each type of shot until you're really good at it. Then move on to learn new types of shots.

I will provide you with a step by step schedule below to assist your journey to become a pro.

For Advanced Players

Since you're reading this page, I'm guessing that you already know most or all of the techniques but want to improve your skills, right? Feel free to browse the links below this page.

Remember, whether you're a beginner or an advanced player, mastering one technique at a time is better than knowing a little bit of all the techniques.

Knowing and practising the correct badminton techniques makes you a true PRO.

Badminton Shots (Forehand)

There are ONLY 3 types of shots:

1. Clearing (or Lobbing)
2. Drop Shots
3. Smash

Use lobs and drops to weaken your opponent's footwork and then dominate the game! When you're putting constant pressure your opponent, you can easily win a point.

1. Badminton Clear/Lob and Underarm Forehand Clear
   Learn how to lob properly and your opponent won't be able to return a powerful shot.
2. Badminton Drop
   If you connect a proper drop shot, your opponent is less likely to execute a powerful shot too.
3. Badminton Smash and Badminton Jump Smash
   Do not train the smash or jump smash until you have mastered the above shots. However a powerful smash WINS A POINT!!

Badminton Shots (Backhand Variations)

A weak badminton backhand gives your opponent the chance to dominate a match. Know the correct technique and sources of power for a badminton backhand.

1. Badminton Backhand Clear/ Lob and Undearm Backhand Clear
   Learn this together with other badminton shots. Use a backhand clear/lob to send the shuttle to the back of the court!
2. Backhand Drop Shot
   Learn how to counter your opponents' attack to your backhand area with a backhand drop. Execute this properly and it can be a quality offensive shot.
3. Badminton Backhand SmashSurprise your opponent with a powerful backhand smash! Learn the correct technique to execute this difficult shot.

Your Badminton Techniques and Skills Roadmap

Apart from improving your shots, here are other important techniques you need to master during a game.

Defending

Defending a Badminton Smash
Do you want to know how to return a shot if your opponent smashes? Here are tips to defend against a powerful smash.

Badminton Defense: Defending Smashe

Badminton Footwork
Move around the badminton court in an organised manner. If you have good footwork, you'll have extraordinary agility and you'll be able to return every shot from your opponent!

Badminton Serve
Before learning any other shots, know the correct technique for serving first. If you can serve well, your opponent won't be able to give a deadly return shot.

Gripping Technique

Learn how to grip your racket correctly - the most important basic technique!s and Powerful Shots
A more detailed tutorial with pictures to help you improve your defence against powerful shots and smashes!

Basic Badminton Techniques

Badminton Footwork
Move around the badminton court in an organised manner. If you have good footwork, you'll have extraordinary agility and you'll be able to return every shot from your opponent!

Badminton Serve
Before learning any other shots, know the correct technique for serving first. If you can serve well, your opponent won't be able to give a deadly return shot.

Gripping Technique

Badminton Court

Badminton Court

The Badminton Court shall be a rectangle laid out with lines of 40 mm wide, preferably in white or yellow color. The Badminton Court Dimensions are of 13.4 m in length and 6.1m in width.

The post shall be 1.55m in height from the surface of the court and shall remain vertical when the net is strained. The net shall be made of fine cord of dark color and even thickness with a mesh of not less than 15mm and not more than 20mm. The net shall be 760mm in depth and at least 6.1m wide.

The top of the net shall be edged with a 75mm white cloth. The top of the net from the surface of the court shall be 1.524m (5ft) at the centre of the court and 1.55m (5ft 1in) over the side lines for doubles. There shall be no gaps between the ends of the net and the posts. If necessary, the full depth of the net should be tied at the ends.

The recommended surface for a badminton court is wood and bituminous material. Avoid concrete or carpet as playing on it will easily injure you.

Rules of Badminton

Rules of Badminton

Toss

The rules of badminton states that a toss shall be conducted before a game starts. If you win, you can choose between serving first or to start play at either end of the court. Your opponent can then exercise the remaining choice.


Scoring system

The rules of badminton states that a badminton match shall consist of the best of 3 games. In doubles and men's singles, the first side to score 15 points wins the game. In women's singles, the first side to score 11 points wins the game.

If the score becomes 14-all (10-all in women's singles), the side which first scored 14 (10) shall exercise the choice to continue the game to 15 (11) points or to 'set' the game to 17 (13) points.

The side winning a game serves first in the next game. Only the serving side can add a point to its score.

Recently BWF have been testing a new scoring format of 21 points per game on all major Badminton competition and decided to replace the old format permanently.


Change of ends

The rules of badminton states that you have to change ends with your opponent after finishing the first game. If a third game was to be played, you shall change ends when the leading score reaches 6 in a game of 11 points or 8 in a game of 15 points.

Rules of Badminton - Singles

Serving and receiving courts

You shall serve from, and receive in, the right service court when you or your opponent has scored an even number of points in that game.

You shall serve from, and receive in, the left service court when you or your opponent has scored an odd number of points in that game.

You and your opponent will hit the shuttle alternately until a 'fault' is made or the shuttle ceases to be in play.


Scoring and serving

You score a point and serve again from the alternate service court when your opponent makes a 'fault' or the shuttle ceases to be in play because it touches the surface of your opponent's side of court.

No points will be scored when you make a 'fault' or the shuttles ceases to be in play because it touches the surface of your side of court. The serving right will then be transferred to your opponent.


Rules of Badminton - Doubles


At the start of the game, and each time a side gains the right to serve, the service shall be delivered from the right service court. Only your opponent standing diagonally opposite of you shall return the service.

Should your opponent's partner touched or hit the shuttle, it shall be a 'fault' and your side scores a point.


Order of play and position on court

After the service is returned, either you or your partner may hit the shuttle from any position on your side of the net. Then either player from the opposing side may do the same, and so on, until the shuttle ceases to be in play.


Scoring and serving

If you are serving or receiving first at the start of any game, you shall serve or receive in the right service court when your side or your opponent's side scored an even number of points.

You shall serve from or receive in the left service court when your side or your opponent's side has scored an odd number of points.

The reverse pattern shall apply to your partner.

In any game, the right to serve passes consecutively from the initial server to the initial receiver, then to that initial's receiver's partner, then to the opponent who is due to serve from the right service court, then to that player's partner, and so on.

You shall not serve out of turn, receive out of turn, or receive two consecutive services in the same game, except as provided in service court errors and 'lets'.


Service court errors

A service court error has been made when a player has served out of turn, has served from the wrong service or standing on the wrong service court while being prepared to receive the service and it has been delivered.

If a service court error is discovered after the next service had been delivered, the error shall not be corrected. If a service court error is discovered before the next service is delivered, the following rules apply.

If both sides committed an error, it shall be a 'let'. If one side committed the error and won the rally, it shall be a 'let'. If one side committed the error and lost the rally, the error shall not be corrected.

If there is a 'let' because of a service court error, the rally is replayed with the error corrected. If a service court error is not to be corrected, play in that game shall proceed without changing the player's new service courts.

Positions in Badminton

Positions in Badminton Doubles

Tactics depend on skills

Your range of tactical options will be heavily influenced by your hitting skill, your movement skill, and your physical fitness.

For example: if your smash is weak, then it will be a much less effective choice of shot. Or if you are unfit, then you will miss out on many attacking opportunities.

This guide is written with the assumption that you do not have any obvious weaknesses. I understand that’s an unrealistic assumption for most players!

You will need to adapt your tactics to cover your weaknesses — and also to exploit your opponents’ weaknesses!

And of course, you can train to eliminate your weaknesses.

Strategy before tactics!

At high levels of play, one basic strategy is completely dominant: aggressive attacking play! Attacking play usually beats defensive play — in the end.

Applying the principle

How you apply this principle will depend on the situation in the rally. In general, you should play the most aggressive shot possible, providing it does not expose you immediately to an even more violent counter-attack.

Here’s a summary of what you should do, in order of preference (best options first, worst options last):

1. Play a winning shot
2. Improve your current attack (create an opportunity for a winning shot)
3. Maintain your current attack
4. Gain a new attack
5. Prevent your opponents from gaining an attack
6. When your opponents are attacking, regain the attack yourself
7. When your opponents are attacking too fiercely, defend (lift) and wait for a better counter-attacking opportunity
8. When your opponents have a winning attack, do anything to stay in the rally

The Three Main Situations

At any given moment during a doubles rally, you are in one of three situations:

1. Attacking
2. Defending
3. Fighting for who gets the next attack

Each of these situations is associated with standard positional ideas.

THE BASIC POSITION

Attacking

When attacking, you should adopt a formation with one player in the rearcourt, and the other player towards the front of the court.

The rear player will cover most shots to the rearcourt, continuing to play smashes or drop shots; the forwards player will cover replies to the net or midcourt, either playing kills or shots that provoke another lift.

Defending

When defending, you must adopt a side-by-side formation so that you can cover the full width of the doubles court. If you can’t cover the full width of the court, then you will lose the rally immediately to any well-placed smash (or even a drop shot).

You should stand about one step back from the middle of the court, to give yourselves time to react to the smash. If either of you stands near the net, then he will be vulnerable to a smash.

Fighting for the next attack

When both sides are fighting for the attack, they both tend to start in a defensiveside-by-side position. As one side gains the advantage, one of their players will move forwards to claim the front of the court, and their attack will begin.

History of Badminton

History of Badminton

Origins of the Game

The sport of badminton has its origins in ancient civilisations in Europe and Asia.  The ancient game known as battledore (bat or paddle) and shuttlecock probably originated more than 2000 years ago.

In the 1600s Battledore and Shuttlecock was an upper class pastime in England and many European countries. Battledore and Shuttlecock was simply two people hitting a shuttlecock backwards and forwards with a simple bat as many times as they could without allowing it to hit the ground.

Contemporary Badminton

A contemporary form of badminton  - a game called ‘Poon’, was played in India in the 1800s where a net was introduced and players hit the shuttlecock across the net. British officers in the mid 1800’s took this game back to England and it was introduced as a game for the guests of the Duke of Beaufort at his stately home ‘Badminton’ in Gloucestershire, England where it became popular.

In March 1898, the first Open Tournament was held at Guildford the first 'All England' Championships were held the following year. Denmark, the USA and Canada became ardent followers of the game during the 1930s.

IBF Established in 1934

Then in 1934, the International Badminton Federation was formed, with the initial members including England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, Denmark, Holland, Canada, New Zealand and France, with India joining as an affiliate in 1936.

The first major IBF tournament was the Thomas Cup (world men's team championships) in 1948. Since then, the number of world events has increased with the addition of the Uber Cup (women’s team), World Championships (individual events), Sudirman Cup (mixed team), World Junior Championships and the World Grand Prix Finals.

Commonwealth Games Sport - 1966

Badminton was introduced as a Commonwealth Games program sport in Kingston Jamaica in 1966 and has been part of every Commonwealth Games program since then. Initially all five disciplines were included – singles (men, women), doubles (men, women) and mixed doubles with the Teams Event included in the program in later Commonwealth Games. 

Olympic Games Sport - 1992

Badminton is a relatively new Olympic Games sport. After being a demonstration sport in Munich in 1972, badminton became an Olympic sport in Barcelona in 1992 with the singles and doubles disciplines introduced for the first time in the Olympic Games. In Atlanta in 1996, a mixed doubles event was included and this is the only mixed doubles event in all of the Olympic sports.

The following countries have won medals in badminton at an Olympic Games since its introduction in 1992 -  China, Denmark, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia and Russia.

Susi Susanti from Indonesia won the women’s singles in Barcelona, becoming Indonesia’s first medallist in the 40 years Indonesia had competed at the Games. In the same Olympic Games, Alan Budi Kusama won Indonesia’s second gold medal in the men’s badminton singles.

Reference

http://www.athleticscholarships.net/history-of-badminton.htm

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