Volleyball Glossary for Kids and Beginners

Volleyball is a fun sport that people of all ages can enjoy. But whether you're playing on the beach, in gym class, or in your backyard, it's a good idea to learn a little about the words people use to talk about this sport. Understanding the vocabulary of volleyball can help you learn how to play and get better at the game.

• Ace: A serve that the other team can't return, which earns your team a point
• Antenna: One of the poles on the sides of the net that mark the boundary for legal play
• Assist: When a player sets up a teammate to make a successful hit
• Attack: When a player tries to hit the ball so it lands in the other team's court
• Back Row: The three players who stand farthest from the net
• Block: When players jump near the net to stop the ball from coming over
• Bump: Hitting the ball with your forearms
• Court: The playing area for volleyball
• Dig: A defensive move where a player dives to keep the ball from hitting the ground
• Double Hit: When a player hits the ball twice in a row, which is not allowed
• Foot Fault: When a player steps over the serving line while serving
• Free Ball: A ball that the other team can easily play because it wasn't hit hard
• Front Row: The three players closest to the net
• Kill: A successful hit that the other team can't return
• Let: When the serve hits the net
• Libero: A special player who can only play in the back row and wears a different color jersey
• Match: A series of games
• Net: The barrier in the middle of the court that players must hit the ball over
• Out: When the ball lands outside of the court
• Overhand Serve: Serving the ball by throwing it up and hitting it with the hand above the shoulder
• Pass: Using your arms to hit the ball to a teammate
• Point: A score earned when the ball hits the ground on the other team's side or they make a mistake
• Rotation: Moving a team's players around the court in a specific order before the team serves. This gives different players on the team a turn to serve.
• Serve: When you start play by hitting the ball over the net to the other team
• Set: Using your fingers to push the ball up into the air for a teammate to hit
• Side Out: When the team that is serving loses the point and the other team gets to serve
• Spike: Jumping and hitting the ball hard over the net and toward the ground
• Substitute: Switching one player for another during the game
• Time Out: A short break requested by a coach to talk to their team
• Underhand Serve: Serving the ball by holding it in one hand and hitting it with the other hand from below the waist

Additional Resources

• Volleyball Rules and Key Moves
• Volley and Volleyball Skills for Kids
• Volleyball 101: Olympic Rules and Regulations
• Basic Rules of Volleyball
• Types of Volleyball
• Rules of Volleyball
• Play Equipment
• History of Volleyball
• Volleyball Activity Card
• NCAA Volleyball Rules
• Virtual Tour of the Volleyball Hall of Fame
• Dimensions of a Volleyball Court
• Rotations and Serves in Indoor Volleyball
• Volleyball Gaining Popularity With Young Athletes
• Six Benefits of Playing Volleyball

Learn about the author: Ben Thompson