ALIGNMENT FOR BEGINNERS

Rule 6, The Team: Composition and Positions,Section 4, Player Postions

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Originally created by Malissa Williams, revised by Tom Craig

Adapted by Al Cleary (Used with Author’s Permission)

Version 31 19 Jul 13

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PLAYER POSITIONSRule 6, Section 4, Article 1

In order to understand this rule you must know the names, abbreviations,

and actual positions on the floor of the different players positions.

The positions of players in order of serve shall be RB, RF, CF, LF, LB, CB.

PLAYER POSITIONS

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LF CF RF

LB

CB

RB

NET

FROM THE SERVER

RB - I - 1 - Right Back

RF - II - 2 - Right Front

CF - III - 3 - Center Front

LF - IV - 4 - Left Front

LB - V - 5 - Left Back

CB - VI - 6 - Center Back

SERVING TEAM

IIIV

V VI

III

I

SERVING TEAM

Service Order: RB, RF, CF, LF, LB, CB

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LF CF RF

LB

CB

RB

NET

I RB

II RF

III CF

IV LF

V LB

VI CB

Team Roster

& Line Up

IIIV

VVI

III

I

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The receiving team lines up one back for the first serve of each set ONLY because they have to rotate when they win a rally and are awarded the serve and then

the RB will be the first server.

PLAYER POSITIONSRule 6, Section 4, Article 1

The positions of players in order of serve shall be RB, RF, CF, LF, LB, CB.

RECEIVING TEAMService Order: RF, CF, LF, LB, CB, RB

Used for the start of a set only

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LF CF RF

LB

CBRB

NET

The first server for the receiving team (for the start of the set ONLY) will be the RF because they have to rotate when they win a rally and get the serve.

I RF

II CF

III LF

IV LB

V CB

VI RB

II

IV V VI

III I

Team Roster

& Line Up

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R2 LINE UP CARD

I I

I V

I I I

V

V I

I 36c

16

8

50

26

12

SERVE ORDER

PLAYER NO.

Libero 4

GAME 1 S or R

TEAM LINE UP

S

36c

16

8

50

26

12

BLUE - C C L: 4

T1

T2

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

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THE SERVERule 8, Section 2, Article 1

• The first server of the set is the right back position of the serving team. Thereafter, when a team is awarded a loss of rally, the player in the right front position rotates to serve.

• The RF on either team is always the next player listed after the last server (RB). In this system, the R2 makes a mark on their line up card (LUC) each time a player begins a term of service. (Not mandatory but highly recommended).

• How do you know who the 3 front row players (RF-CF-LF) are if you don’t know who served last (RB)?

• For this class we will only be using position names, in your own chapter, referees need to learn how check player positions using the line up card and players numbers .

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HOW TO CHECK PLAYER POSITIONS

• Before the start of almost every rally it is necessary for the R2 to check that players on the receiving team are in their correct positions and that there are no illegal alignments or over lapping.

• How does the R2 do this ? They use the R2 LUC. They find out who served last, the RB. The next 3 numbers after that number are the 3 front row players (RF-CF-LF). The next 3 numbers listed are the 3 back row players (LB-CB-RB).

• Find the last server, get the front 3 off your LUC and check them on the court, then get the back 3 off your LUC and check them on the court.

• This should take about 10 seconds, then put your LUC card down and watch play.

• Using a LUC is a DEAD BALL SKILL. SOME EXAMPLES

10Last Server ? Front 3 ? Back 3 ?

36c

16

8

50

26

12

RB

LF

CF

RF

LB

CB

BLUE - C C L: 4S

EXAMPLE - 1

First round

of serves

11Last Server ? Front 3 ? Back 3 ?

36c

16

8

50

26

12 RB

RF

CF

LF

LB

CB

BLUE - C C L: 4S

EXAMPLE - 2

First round

of serves

12Last Server ? Front 3 ? Back 3 ?

36c

16

8

50

26

12

RB

RF

CF

LF

LB

CB

BLUE - C C L: 4S

EXAMPLE - 3

Second round

of serves

13Last Server ? Front 3 ? Back 3 ?

36c

16

8

50

26

12

BLUE - C C L: 4S

EXAMPLE - 4

Third round

of serves

14R2 LINE UP CARD

36c

16

8

50

26

12

RF

CF

LF

LB

CB

RB

BLUE - C C L: 4

GOING FROM THE CARD TO THE COURT

R

GOING FROM THE CARD TO THE COURT

15

12

8

16

36

50 26

NET

BLUE RECEIVING FROM THE RIGHT SIDE

PLAYER POSITIONSRule 6, Section 4, Article 3 a.

AT THE MOMENT OF SERVE

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All players, except the server and including the libero, shall be within the team’s playing area

and may be in contact with boundary lines or the center line, but may not have any part of the body touching the floor outside of those lines.

This is usually determined by the position of the players feet touching the floor.

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OUT

OF

BOUNDS

LEGALor ILLEGAL

IN

BOUNDS

Side Line or center line

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OUT

OF

BOUNDS

LEGAL orILLEGAL

IN

BOUNDS

Side Line or center line

Signal for Illegal Alignment

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R2 MECHANIC

The violation can only be whistled once the ball is

contacted for serve and at that moment, a player is touching

the floor out of bounds or across

the center line.

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PLAYER POSITIONS - RIGHTRule 6, Section 4, Article 3 b.

• Each right-side player shall have at least part of one foot touching the floor closer to the right sideline than both feet of the center player in the corresponding row (except the server and the center back of the serving team).

• In an actual match, you would use the R2’s line up card to find out the players numbers that are right side. In the examples that follow we will only use position names.

AT THE MOMENT OF SERVE

PROPER ALIGNMENT - RIGHT

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Right side players must be closer to the right sideline than the center player in their corresponding row.

LF CF RF

LB CB RB

NET

LET’S LOOK AT SOME EXAMPLES

ALIGNMENT - RIGHT SIDE - 1

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CF

RF

LEGAL

ILLEGAL

RIGHT SIDE LINE

or

ALIGNMENT - RIGHT SIDE - 2

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CF

RF

LEGAL

ILLEGAL

RIGHTSIDE LINE

or

ALIGNMENT - RIGHT SIDE - 3

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CF

RF

LEGAL

ILLEGAL

The RF must have at least part of one foot

closer to the right sideline than the CF, even IS NOT closer.

RIGHT SIDE LINE

or

WHY ? ?But don’t go looking for trouble here, if they are very close to even and you can’t be absolutely sure, let it go.

ALIGNMENT - RIGHT SIDE - 4

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CF

RF

LEGAL

ILLEGAL

RIGHT SIDE LINE

or

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PLAYER POSITIONS - LEFTRule 6, Section 4, Article 3 b.

Each left-side player shall have at least part of one foot touching the floor closer to the left sideline than both feet of the center player in the corresponding row (except the server and the center back of the serving team).

AT THE MOMENT OF SERVE

PROPER ALIGNMENT - LEFT

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LF CF RF

LB CB RB

NET

Left side players must have at least one foot closer to the left sideline than the center player in their corresponding row.

LET’S LOOK AT SOME EXAMPLES

ALIGNMENT – LEFT - 1

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CF

LF

LEGAL

ILLEGAL

LEFT SIDE LINE or

ALIGNMENT - LEFT - 2

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CF

LF

LEGAL

ILLEGAL

LEFT SIDE LINE or

ALIGNMENT - LEFT - 3

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CF

LF

LEGAL

ILLEGAL

The LF must have at least part of one foot

closer to the left sideline than the CF, even IS NOT closer.

LEFT SIDE LINE

or

WHY ? ?

ALIGNMENT - LEFT - 4

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CF

LF

LEGAL

ILLEGAL

LEFT SIDE LINE

or

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PLAYER POSITIONS - FRONT and BACK ROW

Rule 6, Section 4, Article 3 b.

• Each front-row player shall have at least part of one foot touching the floor closer to the center line than both feet of the corresponding back row player.

• In a real match you would use the R2’s line up card and players numbers to determine front & back row players. In these examples, we will only use position names.

AT THE MOMENT OF SERVE

PROPER ALIGNMENT - F & B

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LF CF RF

LB CB RB

NET

Front row players must have at least one foot in contact with the floor closer to the center line than their corresponding back row player.

CENTER LINE

PROPER ALIGNMENT - F & B

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In the following examples the same rules apply to the following pairs:

LF - LB CF - CB RF - RB

We will only be showing examples of the CF and CB

LET’S LOOK AT SOME EXAMPLES

ALIGNMENT - F & B - 1

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CF

CB

LEGAL ILLEGAL

CENTER LINE

WHY: One part of the CF’s foot is closer to the center line than both feet of the

CB

ALIGNMENT - F & B - 2

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CF

CB LEGAL

ILLEGAL

CENTER LINE

or

WHY ? The CF must have at least

part of one foot closer to the center line than both

feet of the CB, here the CF is obviously behind the CB.

ADJACENT PLAYERS

Rule 6, section 4 states that players must be properly aligned with the

players in front and in back of them and to the left and right of

them in corresponding rows.

Another term for players in corresponding rows and positions (left to right and front to back row)

is adjacent players.

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ADJACENT PLAYERS

Illegal alignment (overlapping) only occurs between adjacent players. The arrows

below show adjacent players.

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LF CF RF

LB

CB RB

NET

NON - ADJACENT PLAYERSPlayers that are not in in corresponding rows or positions are NOT adjacent and cannot be illegally

aligned with each other.

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LF CF RF

LB

CB RB

NON

ADJACENT

PLAYERS

CAN

OVERLAP

EACH OTHER

NON - ADJACENT PLAYERS OVERLAPPING

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RB

LF

CF

RF

LB

LEGAL

The CB is in front of

the LF

LEGALThey ARE

NOT adjacent

ILLEGAL

Front RowBack Row

LET’S CHECK THEM

CB

Front & Back

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Must be

Player Aligned with

RB

RF

CF

LF

LB

CB CF, LB, RB

LF CF RF

LB CB RB

NET

ADJACENT PLAYERS - 3.b.

FRONT ROW

NOTICE: the LF and CB ARE NOT adjacent, therefore the CB CAN be in front of the LF

Adjacent players are circled

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ADJACENT PLAYERS

Now let’s look at each player position and who they must be properly

aligned with.

ADJACENT PLAYERS - 1

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Must be

Player Aligned with

RF CF, RB

CF

LF

LB

CB

RB

LF CF RF

LB CB RB

NET RIGHT FRONT

ADJACENT PLAYERS - 2

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Must be

Player Aligned with

RF

CF CB, LF, RF

LF

LB

CB

RB

LF CF RF

LB CB RB

NETCENTER FRONT

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Must be

Player Aligned with

RF

CF

LF LB, CF

LB

CB

RB

LF CF RF

LB CB RB

NET

ADJACENT PLAYERS - 3

LEFT FRONT

ADJACENT PLAYERS - 4

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Must be

Player Aligned with

RF

CF

LF

LB LF, CB

CB

RB

LF CF RF

LB CB RB

NETLEFT BACK

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Must be

Player Aligned with

RF

CF

LF

LB

CB CF, LB, RB

RB

LF CF RF

LB CB RB

NET

ADJACENT PLAYERS - 5

CENTER BACK

ADJACENT PLAYERS - 6

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Must be

Player Aligned with

RF

CF

LF

LB

CB

RB RF, CB

LF CF RF

LB CB RB

NETRIGHT BACK

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PLAYER POSITIONSRule 6, Section 4, Article 3 c.

• After the ball is contacted for serve, players may move from their respective positions.

• Why do players move ?

• Usually a team moves to get into better offensive or defensive positions; setter, middle blocker, outside hitter, opposite hitter, defensive specialist, etc.

• How do you check players positions quickly and accurately ?

Situation - 1

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LEGAL

LF

CF

RF

LB

CB

RB

LET’S CHECK THEM

FRONT ROW

BACK ROW

ILLEGAL

or

FRONT to BACK

R1 R2

Situation - 2

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LF

CF

RF

LB

CB

RB

The RB does not have at least one foot closer to the right sideline than the CB

LEGAL

ILLEGAL

or

LET’S CHECK THEM

FRONT ROW

BACK ROW

PROBLEM

R1 R2

Situation - 3

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LF

CF

RF

LB

CB

RB

The RB does not have at least one foot closer to the right sideline than the CB

LET’S CHECK THEM

FRONT ROW

BACK ROW

PROBLEM

LEGAL

ILLEGAL

or

NO NEED TO CHECK

FRONT & BACK

R1 R2

Situation - 4

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LF

CFRF

LB

CB RB

LEGAL

ILLEGAL

or

LET’S CHECK THEM

PROBLEM

NO NEED TO CHECK

ANY MORE

The LF does not have at least one foot closer to the left sideline than the CF

BACK ROW IS LEGAL

FRONT ROW

R1 R2

Situation - 5

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LF

CF RF

LB

CB RB

LEGAL

ILLEGAL

or

LET’S CHECK THEM

All players are in legal positions

FRONT ROW

BACK ROWFRONT to BACK

R1 R2

Situation - 6

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LF

CF

RF

LB

CB

RB

LEGAL

ILLEGAL

or

LET’S CHECK THEM

FRONT ROW

BACK ROW

FRONT to BACK

Stack Left Offense

R1 R2

Situation - 7

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LF

CF

RF

LB

CB

RB

LEGAL

ILLEGAL

or

LET’S CHECK THEM

FRONT ROW

BACK ROW

FRONT to BACK

PROBLEM

NO NEED TO CHECK

ANY MORE

The LF does not have at least one foot closer to the left sideline than the CF

R1 R2

Situation - 8

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LFCF RF

LB CB RB

LEGAL

ILLEGAL

or

LET’S CHECK THEM

FRONT ROW

BACK ROWFRONT to BACK

PROBLEM

NO NEED TO CHECK

ANY MORE

A common MS mistake

R1 R2

The LF is not closer to the left sideline than the CF

Signal for Illegal Alignment

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R2 MECHANIC

Blow the whistle, you are already on the side of the offending team, give the signal. and

indicate which players are aligned illegally.

Give their numbers and positions.

Make the call with CONFIDENCE

• Once the ball is contacted for serve and you have an illegal alignment. Blow your whistle to stop play. (Receiving team is out of position).

• As the R2 you are already on the receiving side for the serve, so there is no need to move, give the signal with the arm on the offending side (your outside arm).

• Before you tell the coach the exact violation, you may want to verify with the table that you have kept up correctly with the last server. You can ask the table, “42 should be the next server, correct ? “

• Then turn to the coach and tell them the violation as follows. # 15 the CF is closer to the right sideline than # 34 the RF. Your front row should be 34, 15, 20. It was 15, 34, 20.

• Make the signal for Loss Of Rally, Point to the other team.

• EXAMPLE

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PLAYER POSITIONSILLEGAL ALIGNMENTS

OUT OF POSITIONOVER LAPPING

It is probably one of the hardest rules to understand and call correctly

and call with confidence.

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THE EASY PART IS OVER

It is pretty easy to judge player positions/alignments using position

names such as: RB, RF, CF, LF, LB, CB.

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In a real match, player’s jerseys do not have their position names on them ?

Their jerseys have numbers on them and their position changes on every rotation.

MOVEMENT OF PLAYERS DURING A SET

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50 8 16

26 12

36

NET

LF CF RF

LB

CB RB

MOVEMENT OF PLAYERS DURING A SET

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50 8

16

26

12 36

NET

LF CF RF

LB

CB RB

Now you have to learn how to use the R2’s Line Up Card (LUC) with numbers not

position names.

But at least you have a good understanding of the rule and a solid foundation to build on.

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QUESTIONS ?

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