• USA Volleyball rules govern all official gamesin the United States.volleyball girl image by alice rawson from Fotolia.com
  
  Volleyball has its origins in the 19th century and was originally played on a borrowed tennis net. The game has come a long way since its origins at the YMCA in Holyoke, Mass. USA Volleyball, formerly known as the United States Volleyball Association, is the official governing body for volleyball in the United States. Its rules govern regulation volleyball competition. Those who want to play like the professionals should know the official rules.
  
  

The Court

• Volleyball courts must be symmetrical and rectangular on a surface that is uniform, flat and horizontal. The rectangle should measure 59 feet by 29 feet 6 inches. There should be a boundary between any spectators or walls measuring 9 feet 10 inches. The distance between the court floor and ceiling must be a minimum of 23 feet. Court lines are to be painted two inches wide in a noticeably different color from the court floor.
  
  

The Net

• The net sits centered on the court perpendicular to the floor. The top of the net should be 7 feet, 11... inches above the floor for men and 7 feet 4... inches for women. The net should measure the same height above the floor on either side. Regulation width for a net runs between 31 feet 6 inches and 33 feet.
  
  

Balls

• Regulation circumference tolerances for volleyballs are between 25.6 inches and 26.4 inches. The balls should weigh between nine and 10 ounces. Inside pressure is set between 4.26 and 4.61 pounds per square inch. All balls used in a single game must have the same attributes. Official competitions use three balls per game.
  
  

Scoring

• Teams score in volleyball one of three ways. First, a team forces a grounded ball in the opponent's court. Second, the opponent team has a fault. Third, the opposing team gets a penalty. Faults are any play action that violates the official rules. Only the serving team may win points. If the receiving team does something that would otherwise score a point, they obtain possession of the ball for service rather than scoring. Volleyball matches are divided into sets. A team wins a set by scoring 25 points while also holding a two-point lead over the opposing team. If the game is tied at 24 points apiece, play continues until one team holds a two-point lead. The first team to win three sets wins the match. If sets are tied at two apiece, the final fifth set requires only 15 points (with a two-point lead) to win a game.