Physical Education and Health: Team Sports

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Hand Signals used in Volleyball

Hand Signals used in Volleyball

At the end of the module, the student is expected to:

1. Understand the use of hand signals in a volleyball game
2. Identify the different hand signals used in a volleyball game

Official Hand Signals used in Volleyball

Fédération Internationale de Volleyball has defined the official hand signals
used in volleyball. These are the following: (Images are screenshots from:
http://www.fivb.org/EN/Refereeing-
Rules/Documents/FIVB_Volleyball_Hand_Signal_Poster_2015-2016.pdf,
retrieved on March 29, 2017)

1. Authorization to serve

The 1st referee’s hand moves to indicate the direction of the service after
confirming that both teams are ready to play and that the server has the
ball.

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2. Team to serve

The arm is extended towards the team who will serve, occurring mostly
after a fault.

3. Change of courts

Arms are raised on the front and back and twist them around the body to
indicate the switching of courts of opposing teams. This happens after
each set, except if it’s the deciding set.
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Hand Signals used in Volleyball

4. Time-out

Form a letter “T” using both hands by placing the palm of one hand over
the fingers of the other hand held vertically. After that, an arm is extended
towards the team who requested for the time-out. This must be made
when the ball is considered “out” of play and before the whistle indicating
service. These time-outs often lasts for 30 seconds.

5. Substitution

The forearms do a circular motion around each other to indicate

substitution of players. Substitution is when a player enters the game in
place of a participating player who needed to exit the court.
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6. Misconduct warning/Misconduct Penalty

The referee holds up two colored cards to indicate misconduct. A yellow

card signals warning. A red card signals a penalty. Warnings refer to
minor misconducts committed by the player. The referee always issues a
verbal warning first before the appearance of the yellow card.
Misconducts include rude conduct, offensive conduct, and aggression.
When the misconduct escalates, it may result to a penalty symbolized by
the red card. The team member is penalized with a point and service to
the opponent.

7. Expulsion

Both cards are held up in one hand to signal expulsion from the game.
When a player has been signaled expulsion, he/she shall not play for the
rest of the set and must be substituted legally and immediately. He/she
must also stay in the penalty area.
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Hand Signals used in Volleyball

8. Disqualification

Both cards are held up in separate hands to signal disqualification from

the game. This sanction requires the player who committed the
misconduct to be substituted legally and immediately and must leave the
Competition-Control Area for the rest of the match.

9. End of Set or Match

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 Forearms cross the front of the chest with both hands splayed open to
signal the end of the match/set. The end of the match is signaled when
the match is won by the team who won three sets.

10. Ball not tossed or released at the service hit

An extended arm lifts with the palm facing up to indicate that the ball was
not tossed or released at the service hit. In the execution of the service,
the ball must be hit with one hand or any part of the arm after being
tossed or released.

11. Delay in service

Referee holds up eight fingers to indicate the delay in service. The server
must hit the ball within 8 seconds after the referee’s whistle.
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Hand Signals used in Volleyball

12. Blocking fault or screening

Both arms are raised vertically to indicate a blocking fault or screening.

Screening is executed by waving arms or jumping and moving sideways
during the service. The members of the serving team must not block the
view of the server from the opponents.

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13. Positional or rotation of fault

The forefinger moves in a circular motion to indicate a fault in position or

rotation. A positional fault is committed when the player is not in his
designated position at the time of the service of the ball. Rotational fault,
on the other hand, is committed when the server is not the person who is
supposed to serve according to the service order and the players’
positions in the set.

14. Ball “In”

The arms and fingers point toward the floor to signal that the ball is in the
game. The ball is considered “in” if some part of the ball touches the court
including the boundary lines.
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Hand Signals used in Volleyball

15. Ball “Out”

Forearms are raised vertically with both hands and palms open toward
the direction of the body. The ball is considered “out” if the ball falls
outside of the boundary lines or if it touches the area or object outside the
court.

16. Catch

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 One forearm is lifted slowly with the palm of the hand facing upward.
Catch is when the ball is caught or thrown but it does not rebound from
the hit.

17. Double Contact

Two fingers are raised to indicate double contact. Double contact is when
the player hits the ball twice consecutively or the ball touches his/her
body in succession.

18. Four hits

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Hand Signals used in Volleyball

Four fingers are raised up in the event of four hits, or when the members
of the team hit the ball four times before passing it over to the opponents’
side.

19. Net touched by player/Served ball fails to pass to the opponent

through crossing space

The referee points to the respective side of the net where the player
touches it or if the served ball does not go to the opponent’s side. This is
caused by a player from the serving team touching the ball or failing to
cross the vertical plane of the net.

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20. Reaching beyond the net

The referee places a hand above the net with the palm facing downwards
to indicate the the player has touched the ball or an opponent’s space
during or before the opponent attacks.

21. Attack hit fault

From a vertical position of the arm above the head, the forearm makes a
downward motion with the hand open. A player may commit the
following faults of the attack hit: he/she hits the ball within the playing
space of the opponent team, a player hits the ball to an “out,” a player in
the back-row hits the ball for an attack from the front zone at the moment
when the ball is higher than the top of the net.
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Hand Signals used in Volleyball

22. Penetration into the opponent court/Ball crossing the lower space
or the server touches the court (end line) or the player steps outside
his/her court at the moment of the service hit

The referee points to the center or the relevant line on the court when the
player commits the aforementioned faults.

23. Double fault and replay

Both thumbs of the referee are raised vertically if two or more faults are
committed by the opponent side consecutively. This signal indicates the
replay of the rally.

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24. Ball touched

The open palm of one hand brushes against the tips of the fingers of the
other hand in a vertical position.

25. Delay warning/Delay penalty

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Hand Signals used in Volleyball

The referee covers his/her wrist with the yellow card or red card,
depending on what the player has committed. The first delay warrants a
warning. If there are following delays of any type in the same team, a
delay penalty is made and a point and service is awarded to the opponent.

References
Talavara-Gonzales, Carolina. MAPEH in Action 1. Manila: Rex Book Store.
2008.
Guide to Volleyball Basics. Retrieved from: https://www.teamusa.org/-
/media/USA_Volleyball/Documents/Resources/Guide-to-Volleyball-
Basics-
2006.pdf?la=en&hash=C9B3F06AF55063577A62967BA518A318582
A35CA on April 15, 2018
Volleyball Study Guide. Retrieved from:
http://www.edgar.k12.wi.us/faculty/akollmansberger/volleyball%2
0study%20guide.pdf on April 15, 2018
FIVB Official Volleyball Rules 2017-2020. Retrieved from:
http://www.fivb.org/EN/Refereeing-Rules/documents/FIVB-
Volleyball_Rules_2017-2020-EN-v04.pdf on April 15, 2018
Federation Internationale de Volleyball (2014), Official Volleyball Rules
2015-2016. Retrieved from: https://www.fivb.org/EN/Refereeing-
Rules/documents/FIVB_Volleyball_Rules_2015-
2016_EN_V3_20150205.pdf on March 29, 2017.
Videos
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Underhand and overhand serves. Retrieved from:
https://www.sikana.tv/en/sport/learn-to-play-volley-ball/serve-
underarm-and-tennis-overarm on April 15, 2018
Overhand pass. Retrieved from: https://www.sikana.tv/en/sport/learn-to-
play-volley-ball/net-pass on April 15, 2018
Bump pass. Retrieved from: https://www.sikana.tv/en/sport/learn-to-play-
volley-ball/bump on April 15, 2018
Receiving the ball. Retrieved from: https://www.sikana.tv/en/sport/learn-
to-play-volley-ball/receiving on April 15, 2018
Attacking. Retrieved from: https://www.sikana.tv/en/sport/learn-to-play-
volley-ball/spike on April 15, 2018
The block. Retrieved from: https://www.sikana.tv/en/sport/learn-to-play-
volley-ball/block on April 15,