A Thorough Guide on the Volleyball Court Dimensions for Beginner Players
It’s not how big you are but how big you play.
John Wooden
Source: Student athlete connections.
Do you know the volleyball court dimensions as a beginner player?
Would you like to learn about the court dimensions as a beginner volleyball player so that it’ll give you a proper understanding when you start playing the sport?
Then you are in the right place!
In this post, we’ll have a closer look at the complete details of volleyball court dimensions, what are the lines of a volleyball court, the various zones involved in it and much more.
So without anymore delay, let’s dive in!
Did you know? There are over 65000 coaches coaching volleyball around the USA alone. If we take into account of the global volleyball coaches, this number will definitely increase. What it means is that getting a quality volleyball coach is relatively simple!
Volleyball Court Dimensions for Beginner Players
Basic Dimensions of a Volleyball Court
As a beginner volleyball player, it’s very important to have a clear idea on the basic dimensions of a volleyball court. Why? Because this knowledge will help you to understand a couple of things pretty clearly from the beginning of your playing journey.
They are, number one the distance you need to cover on the court and number 2, gauging the overall flow of each rally.
When you are able to effectively understand these 2 things, your performance will be pretty good during the match.
Having said that, here’s the basic dimensions of a volleyball court.
A standard volleyball court is 18 meter in length and 9 meter in width. Just like the length and width, the indoor volleyball court must have 7 meter ceiling height for an unobstructed play.
The outdoor volleyball court doesn’t have any ceiling height requirements.
The Free Zone in a Volleyball Court
The free zone is a spot outside of a volleyball court that allows players to move freely without bumping into their opponent team members and spectators.
Much like a volleyball court, the free zone also has specific dimension requirements to follow.
- The free zone must extend at least for 2/3 meters from each ends and sides of a volleyball court.
- It should start right after the end boundary line of all 4 sides of the court.
- The free zone must not be blocked by anything.
The Substitution Zone of a Volleyball Court
The substitution zone for all players except Libero falls in the free zone. It runs between the attack lines at both the ends of a volleyball court. The player who’s going to come into the court as a substitute for another player must wait in the substitution zone and only after the scorer’s approval, get into the playing area.
The substitution zone for Libero can be located anywhere in the back court. The Libero doesn’t require scorer’s approval to substitute during the match. Also, they can substitute as many times and there is no restriction for that.
You need to remember that the Libero substitution doesn’t count towards the total substitution limit of a team.
Types of a Volleyball Court
There are generally 3 types of courts used to play volleyball. They are:
- Hardwood volleyball court: These courts are specifically used for indoor volleyball matches and can be found in places where professional volleyball competitions take place.
- Synthetic volleyball court: The synthetic volleyball courts are widely used for outdoor volleyball matches. You can see this type of volleyball court in schools and local sports areas.
- Tile volleyball court: This type of court is easy to build and can be mostly found in recreational centers.
Both hardwood and Synthetic volleyball courts provide great traction and stable surfaces to play for volleyball players and in the case of tile courts, the surface is stable but the traction will be little lesser.
How to Measure the Volleyball Court Length and Width?
The best way to accurately measure the length and width of a volleyball court is to do it from the inside area of the boundary lines. You need to remember that the boundary lines of a volleyball court must be 2 inches wider. So when you measure it from the inside area of the court, you’ll be able to obtain the exact length and width measurement.
The length of the volleyball court must be 18 meters and on the other hand, the width has to be 9 meters. You can use a measuring tape to measure both length and width of a volleyball court.
Various Lines Involved in a Volleyball Court
Now that you have a pretty good understanding on the volleyball court dimensions, it’s time to learn about the various lines involved in it.
- Attack lines: These lines can be found at both sides of the court. The lines are marked 10 feet from the net. Also, the attack lines stretch across the entire width of the court and they divide the playing area into 2 halves namely front and back court.
- Sidelines: The sidelines are the ones that determine whether a ball is inbound or outbound. Just like the attack lines, the sidelines can also be found in both sides and it stretches across the entire length of the volleyball court.
- Baselines: The baseline can be located at the backside of each end of the court. It stretches across the entire width of the playing area. It also divides the playing area from the free zone at the each end of the court.
- Centerline: The centerline runs across the entire width of the court and you can find it right below the net. It has an important functionality of dividing the court into 2 halves.
The Net Height for Playing Volleyball
The net height to play volleyball varies for both men and women players. For the men’s volleyball game, the net height is 2.43 meters and for women’s, it should be 2.24 meters.
This is the official net height that’s used during the professional volleyball competitions. It is also the recommended net height by the international volleyball federation (FIVB.)
The net height is usually measured from the center of the court and the measurements are applicable for both indoor and outdoor volleyball matches. The co-ed volleyball matches use men’s volleyball net height regulations.
Kindly note that there’s a different net height setting for beach volleyball matches.
Various Zones Involved Inside a Volleyball Court
We’ve already discussed about the zones outside of a volleyball court in the above sections.
For a reminder, the free zones and the substitute zones are located outside of the volleyball court.
In the playing area, there are a total of 6 different zones. These zones are directly related to player rotational positions.
- Zone 1: It is located in the right back of the playing area and it is also called as position 1.
- Zone 2: Zone 2 is located in the right front of the playing area and it is called position 2 as well.
- Zone 3: This particular zone can be found in the middle front of the playing area and it is known as position 3 in the player position setting.
- Zone 4: It is located in the left front of the court and it is called position 4 in the player position setting.
- Zone 5: Zone 5 can be found in the left back of the playing area and it is called position 5.
- Zone 6: This zone is located in the middle back of the court and it is position 6 in the player position setting.
FAQs on Volleyball Court Dimensions for Beginner Players
What are the Different Parts of a Volleyball Court?
Here’s the list of the different parts of a volleyball court.
- Attack line.
- Sidelines.
- Baselines.
- Center line.
- The net area.
- Front and back courts.
- Service zone.
- Free zone.
- Substitution zone.
- Libero replacement area.
- Front and back row of the court.
- Coach restriction line.
- Zones 1 to 6.
How Many Zones are There in a Volleyball Court?
There are a total of 6 zones on the playing area of a volleyball court. The zones are named after the player rotational positions. Apart from that, there are 3 zones located outside of the volleyball court namely free zone, substitution zone and the Libero replacement zone.
What is the Shape of a Volleyball Court?
The shape of a volleyball court is rectangular and it has a length of 18 meters and width of 9 meters.
Conclusion
Having sufficient knowledge on the volleyball court dimensions, the various lines and zones involved will be helpful for you as a beginner volleyball player in so many ways.
I truly hope that you now have a clear idea on the volleyball court dimensions.
What are the critical points you’ve learned about a volleyball court from this post?
Would you like to add anything to this list?
Don’t forget to share your thoughts in the comments section below!
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LET’S BE SOCIAL!
I had no idea there were so many types of volleyball court, thanks for sharing these facts!
Hi Jenny, thanks for your comment. Glad you found this post helpful to know about volleyball court dimensions.
This is awesome! I feel I now know so much about this amazing game! I love Volleyball and honestly I had no idea about any of these details. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
Hi Karen, thanks for your comment. Glad you found this post helpful to know about volleyball court dimensions. Very happy to know that you love volleyball.
Knowing about the court ahead of actually playing can give you a real understanding! Thank you for sharing this guide.
Hi Jupiter Hadley, thank you very much! Glad you found this post helpful.
My niece plays volleyball in school. Good to know these things. I will have to share this post with her, too.
Hi Lynndee, thanks for your comment. Glad you found this post helpful. Very happy to know that your niece plays volleyball. Convey my best wishes to her!
Great article, Hari! As a beginner, understanding the exact dimensions of the volleyball court is crucial for proper practice and gameplay. Your detailed breakdown of each section of the court, including the net height and boundary lines, is incredibly helpful.
Hi Jais, thank you so much for your encouraging comment. Very happy to know that you found this post super helpful to know about volleyball court dimensions.
WOW, I must say this is such a great read and a lot of good information about Volleyball. I too didn’t know that Volleyball courts have zones. I feel like I can better understand the game now when watching it.
Hi LisaLisa, thanks for your comment. Glad you found this post pretty helpful to know about volleyball court dimensions.
Thanks so much for explaining so clearly and in detail the volleyball court dimensions. It is really very helpful for beginner players and for all who want to know more about this sport.
Hi Hadassah Treu, thanks for your encouraging comment. Glad you found this post helpful to know about volleyball court dimensions.
Thank you for this thorough guide to volleyball court dimensions. You have a lot of knowledge, and explain the details in a way that is easy to understand. I appreciate that.
Hi Lisa, thanks for your encouraging comment. Glad you found this post helpful to understand about the volleyball court dimensions.
Thank you for this detailed guide on the volleyball court dimensions. It’s been years since I played volleyball and this was a good reminder.
Hi Debbie, thanks for your comment. Glad you found this post helpful to rekindle your memories of volleyball court dimensions. Very happy to know that you played volleyball in your younger days.
This guide is incredibly helpful! The detailed explanations make volleyball so much easier to understand.
Hi Catherine Kay, thanks for your encouraging comment. Glad you found this post helpful to understand volleyball.
Your detailed guide on volleyball court dimensions is helpful—it’s great to be informed when attending a match!
Hi Crysti, thanks for your comment. Glad you found this post helpful to understand about volleyball court dimensions.
This guide on volleyball court dimensions is incredibly helpful for beginner players like myself. Understanding the layout of the court is essential for improving my game and avoiding mistakes during play. Thank you for breaking down the dimensions and providing clear explanations!
Hi Nicole, thanks for your comment. Glad you’ve found this post helpful to understand about the volleyball court dimensions. Very happy to know that you are starting out in volleyball. All the very best!
“Fantastic breakdown of court dimensions! This guide is perfect for beginners looking to understand the layout and maximize their practice sessions.”
Hi mark berg, thanks for your comment. Glad you found this post helpful for beginner players to understand about volleyball court dimensions.
it’s really helpful to understand the layout of the court and what each zone means in a volleyball game.
Hi LavandaMIchelle, thanks for your comment. Glad you found the info on volleyball court helpful.
A very thorough guide indeed! Thanks for sharing all the details and specifics! I’m pretty new to volleyball so it’s interesting to learn about it through your site.
Hi Tammy, thanks for your comment. Glad you found the info in this guide helpful to learn about the volleyball court dimensions.
I’m not a volleyball player and don’t know much about the game, but your instructions are very well done.
Hi Tammy, thanks for your very encouraging comment. Means a lot. Glad you found the info in this post helpful as a beginner to volleyball.
This is an interesting look at volleyball courts and their purpose in the game. I never gave much thought to this, and the dimensions are important to note!
Hi Marysa, thanks for your comment. Glad you found the info about volleyball court dimensions helpful.
I had no idea about any of these dimensions. I’ve watched a lot of volleyball on TV, but I had no idea there were things like free zones.
Hi Beth, thanks for your comment. Glad you found the info about volleyball court dimensions helpful to know.
This is way more information we ever got in PE back in high school. I love watching people play volleyball. It requires so much accurate athletic ability.
Hi Sandi, thanks for your comment. Glad to know that you’ve learned a lot about volleyball court dimensions from this post. I totally agree with you! Volleyball requires pretty good athletic ability and also the ability to make quick decisions on the court.
Now I can follow along at my daughter’s games with confidence! Thanks a bunch for breaking it down so well.
Hi LavandaMIchelle, thank you so very much! Glad you found the info in this post helpful. Very happy to know that your daughter plays volleyball. Convey my best wishes to her!
Fun read and interesting fact about how many coaches are in the US alone! Crazy! I like to play volleyball sometimes at the beach, this was fun to read. Thanks!
Hi Cassie, thanks for your comment. Glad you found the info in this post enjoyable to read.
This is a really interesting post! I learned a lot! It makes sense that there would be zones to make sure that players and spectators stay safe, but I didn’t know there was structure to where the players stood. That was interesting to learn!
Hi Charli Dee, thanks for your comment. Glad you found the info in this post about volleyball court dimensions helpful to know.
There is so much great information that you have shared here. This would come in so handy for anybody that is a beginner volleyball player.
Hi Yeah Lifestyle, thanks for your comment. Glad you found the info in this post about volleyball court dimensions helpful to know.
This is a fantastic resource for beginner volleyball players! Your detailed explanation of court dimensions, lines, and zones is incredibly helpful for anyone new to the sport. It’s also encouraging to know there are so many coaches available to help players improve their skills. Thanks for providing such clear and comprehensive information!
Hi Sue-Tanya Mchorgh, thanks for your encouraging comment. Glad you found the information on volleyball court dimensions helpful for beginner volleyball players.
Great post! This is really helpful for beginner volleyball players to understand the court dimensions and zones. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Ambra, thanks for your comment. Glad you found the information on volleyball court dimensions helpful for beginner volleyball players.
This was really interesting. I love watching volleyball, but I never knew all the ins and outs.
Hi Claudia, thanks for your comment. Glad you learned about volleyball court dimensions from this post. Very happy to know that you love to watch volleyball matches.
This was a great read. I actually didn’t know that volleyball courts had zones!
Hi Beth, thanks for your comment. Glad you’ve learned certain aspects of volleyball court from this post.
This is so so cool! Thank you so much Hari for the awesome information. I am a huge fan of Volleyball but don’t know much about it, I just love watching it. Thank you for the info, they’re great.
Hi Karen, thanks for your encouraging comment. Glad you’ve learned about volleyball court dimensions from this post. Very happy to know that you love to watch volleyball matches.