1. Originally created by Malissa Williams, revised by Tom Craig
ALIGNMENT FOR BEGINNERS Rule 6, The Team: Composition and Positions, Section 4, Player Positions
Originally created by Malissa Williams, revised by Tom Craig
Version MAR 11

2. PLAYER POSITIONS Rule 6, Section 4, Article 1
The positions of players in order of serve shall be RB, RF, CF, LF, LB, CB.
In order to understand this rule you must know the names, abbreviations, and actual positions on the floor of the different players positions.

3. PLAYER POSITIONS SERVING TEAM FROM THE SERVER RB - I - 1 - Right Back
NET
FROM THE SERVER
RB - I Right Back
RF - II Right Front
CF - III Center Front
LF - IV Left Front
LB - V Left Back
CB - VI Center Back CF LF RF
III II I CB LB IV V RB VI

4. SERVING TEAM Service Order: RB, RF, CF, LF, LB, CB I RB II RF III CF
NET
Team Roster
& Line Up CF LF RF I
I RB
II RF
III CF
IV LF
V LB
VI CB
III II CB LB V IV RB VI

5. PLAYER POSITIONS Rule 6, Section 4, Article 1
The positions of players in order of serve shall be RB, RF, CF, LF, LB, CB.
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.

6. Service Order: RF, CF, LF, LB, CB, RB Used for the start of a set only
RECEIVING TEAM
Service Order: RF, CF, LF, LB, CB, RB Used for the start of a set only
Team Roster
& Line Up
NET CF LF RF I
I RF
II CF
III LF
IV LB
V CB
VI RB
III II CB LB RB IV V VI
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.

7. TEAM LINE UP R2 LINE UP CARD
GAME 1
S or R S
BLUE - C C
L: 4
SERVE ORDER
PLAYER NO.
36c
36c I 16 16
I I
I I I 8 8 50 50
I V V 26 26
V I 12 12 T1 T2 4
Libero

8. THE SERVE Rule 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 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 .

9. 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

10. EXAMPLE - 1 BLUE - C C L: 4 S 36c 16 8 50 26 12 RB LF CF RF LB CB
First round of serves
Last Server ? Front 3 ? Back 3 ?

11. EXAMPLE - 2 BLUE - C C L: 4 S 36c 16 8 50 26 12 RB RF CF LF LB CB
First round of serves
Last Server ? Front 3 ? Back 3 ?

12. EXAMPLE - 3 BLUE - C C L: 4 S 36c 16 8 50 26 12 RB RF CF LF LB CB
Second round of serves
Last Server ? Front 3 ? Back 3 ?

13. EXAMPLE - 4 BLUE - C C L: 4 S 36c Third round of serves 16 8 50 26 12
Last Server ? Front 3 ? Back 3 ?

14. GOING FROM THE CARD TO THE COURT
BLUE - C C
L: 4
36c RF 16 CF LF 8 50 LB 26 CB RB 12
R2 LINE UP CARD

15. GOING FROM THE CARD TO THE COURT
NET 16
BLUE RECEIVING FROM THE RIGHT SIDE 36 8 12 50 26

16. PLAYER POSITIONS Rule 6, Section 4, Article 3 a.
AT THE MOMENT OF SERVE
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.

17. LEGAL
Side Line or center line
or ILLEGAL
OUT OF
BOUNDS IN
BOUNDS

18. LEGAL or
Side Line or center line
ILLEGAL
OUT OF
BOUNDS IN
BOUNDS

19. Signal for Illegal Alignment
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.

20. PLAYER POSITIONS - RIGHT Rule 6, Section 4, Article 3 b.
AT THE MOMENT OF SERVE
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.

21. PROPER ALIGNMENT - RIGHT
NET
Right side players must be closer to the right sideline than the center player in their corresponding row. LF CF RF LB CB RB
LET’S LOOK AT SOME EXAMPLES

22. ALIGNMENT - RIGHT SIDE - 1CF
LEGAL
RIGHT SIDE LINE or RF
ILLEGAL

23. ALIGNMENT - RIGHT SIDE - 2CF
LEGAL
RIGHTSIDE LINE or RF
ILLEGAL

24. ALIGNMENT - RIGHT SIDE - 3CF
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.
LEGAL
WHY ? ? or
RIGHT SIDE LINE
ILLEGAL
The RF must have at least part of one foot closer to the right sideline than the CF, even IS NOT closer. RF

25. ALIGNMENT - RIGHT SIDE - 4
LEGAL CF
RIGHT SIDE LINE or RF
ILLEGAL

26. PLAYER POSITIONS - LEFT Rule 6, Section 3, Article 3 b.
AT THE MOMENT OF SERVE
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).

27. PROPER ALIGNMENT - LEFT
NET
Left side players must have at least one foot closer to the left sideline than the center player in their corresponding row. LF CF RF LB CB RB
LET’S LOOK AT SOME EXAMPLES

28. ALIGNMENT – LEFT - 1
LEGAL CF
LEFT SIDE LINE or LF
ILLEGAL

29. ALIGNMENT - LEFT - 2 CF
LEGAL
LEFT SIDE LINE or LF
ILLEGAL

30. CF or LF LEGAL WHY ? ? ILLEGAL ALIGNMENT - LEFT - 3 LEFT SIDE LINE
The LF must have at least part of one foot closer to the left sideline than the CF, even IS NOT closer.

31. ALIGNMENT - LEFT - 4 CF
LEGAL or
LEFT SIDE LINE
ILLEGAL LF

32. FRONT and BACK ROW Rule 6, Section 3, Article 3 b.
PLAYER POSITIONS -
FRONT and BACK ROW Rule 6, Section 3, Article 3 b.
AT THE MOMENT OF SERVE
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.

33. PROPER ALIGNMENT - F & B
NET
CENTER LINE LF CF RF
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. LB CB RB

34. PROPER ALIGNMENT - F & B
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

35. LEGAL ILLEGAL ALIGNMENT - F & B - 1 CB CF CENTER LINE
WHY: One part of the CF’s foot is closer to the center line than both feet of the CB CF
LEGAL
ILLEGAL

36. WHY ? LEGAL ILLEGAL ALIGNMENT - F & B - 2 CB or CF CENTER LINE
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.
LEGAL CB or CF
ILLEGAL

37. 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.

38. ADJACENT PLAYERS
Illegal alignment (overlapping) only occurs between adjacent players. The arrows below show adjacent players.
NET CF LF RF CB RB LB

39. NON - ADJACENT PLAYERS CAN
Players that are not in in corresponding rows or positions are NOT adjacent and cannot be illegally aligned with each other. LF CF RF LB CB RB
NON
ADJACENT
PLAYERS
CAN
OVERLAP
EACH OTHER

40. NON - ADJACENT PLAYERS OVERLAPPINGCF
LET’S CHECK THEM CB
The CB is in front of the LF
LEGAL
They ARE NOT adjacent
Front Row LF
Back Row RF LB RB
Front & Back
LEGAL
ILLEGAL

41. ADJACENT PLAYERS - 3.b. FRONT ROW
Adjacent players are circled
FRONT ROW
NET
Must be
Player Aligned with RB RF CF LF LB
CB CF, LB, RB LF CF RF LB CB RB
NOTICE: the LF and CB ARE NOT adjacent, therefore the CB CAN be in front of the LF

42. ADJACENT PLAYERS
Now let’s look at each player position and who they must be properly aligned with.

43. ADJACENT PLAYERS - 1 RIGHT FRONT LF CF RF Must be Player Aligned with
NET LF CF RF
Must be
Player Aligned with
RF CF, RB CF LF LB CB RB LB CB RB

44. ADJACENT PLAYERS - 2 CENTER FRONT Must be Player Aligned with RF
NET
Must be
Player Aligned with RF
CF CB, LF, RF LF LB CB RB LF CF RF LB CB RB

45. ADJACENT PLAYERS - 3 LEFT FRONT Must be Player Aligned with RF CF
NET
Must be
Player Aligned with RF CF
LF LB, CF LB CB RB LF CF RF LB CB RB

46. ADJACENT PLAYERS - 4 LEFT BACK Must be Player Aligned with RF CF LF
NET
Must be
Player Aligned with RF CF LF
LB LF, CB CB RB LF CF RF LB CB RB

47. ADJACENT PLAYERS - 5 CENTER BACK Must be Player Aligned with RF CF LF
NET
Must be
Player Aligned with RF CF LF LB
CB CF, LB, RB RB LF CF RF LB CB RB

48. ADJACENT PLAYERS - 6 RIGHT BACK LF CF RF Must be Player Aligned with
NET LF CF RF
Must be
Player Aligned with RF CF LF LB CB
RB RF, CB LB CB RB

49. PLAYER POSITIONS Rule 6, Section 3, 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 ?

50. Situation - 1 or LF RF LEGAL LB RB CF ILLEGAL CB R1 R2
LET’S CHECK THEM
Situation - 1 R1 R2 LF RF
FRONT ROW
LEGAL LB RB or CF
BACK ROW
ILLEGAL CB
RF and CF are overlapping
FRONT to BACK

51. Situation - 2 or LF LEGAL LB CF ILLEGAL CB RF RB R1 R2 PROBLEM
LET’S CHECK THEM
Situation - 2 R1 R2 LF
FRONT ROW
LEGAL or LB CF
ILLEGAL CB
RF and CF are overlapping RF
PROBLEM RB
BACK ROW
The RB does not have at least one foot closer to the right sideline than the CF

52. NO NEED TO CHECK FRONT & BACK
Situation - 3
LET’S CHECK THEM R1 R2
FRONT ROW CF
LEGAL CB or LF RF
ILLEGAL
PROBLEM
RF and CF are overlapping LB
NO NEED TO CHECK FRONT & BACK RB
BACK ROW
The RB does not have at least one foot closer to the right sideline than the CF

53. NO NEED TO CHECK ANY MORE
LET’S CHECK THEM
Situation - 4 R1 R2 LF
FRONT ROW
LEGAL LB
PROBLEM or RF CF
ILLEGAL
RF and CF are overlapping
NO NEED TO CHECK ANY MORE RB CB
BACK ROW IS LEGAL
The LF does not have at least one foot closer to the left sideline than the CF

54. Situation - 5 or LF LEGAL LB RF CF ILLEGAL RB CB R1 R2
LET’S CHECK THEM R1 R2 LF
LEGAL LB
FRONT ROW or RF CF
ILLEGAL
RF and CF are overlapping RB CB
BACK ROW
FRONT to BACK
All players are in legal positions

55. Situation - 6 or LF LB LEGAL RF ILLEGAL RB CF CB R1 R2
LET’S CHECK THEM R1 R2 LF LB
LEGAL
FRONT ROW or RF
ILLEGAL RB
RF and CF are overlapping
FRONT to BACK CF
BACK ROW CB
Stack Left Offense

56. NO NEED TO CHECK ANY MORE
Situation - 7
LET’S CHECK THEM R1 R2 RF
FRONT ROW
LEGAL
PROBLEM or
FRONT to BACK
ILLEGAL LF LB
RF and CF are overlapping
NO NEED TO CHECK ANY MORE RB CF CB
BACK ROW
The LF does not have at least one foot closer to the left sideline than the CF

57. NO NEED TO CHECK ANY MORE
Situation - 8
LET’S CHECK THEM
FRONT ROW R1 R2 LF RF CF
LEGAL
PROBLEM or
ILLEGAL CB LB RB
NO NEED TO CHECK ANY MORE
RF and CF are overlapping
A common MS mistake
BACK ROW
FRONT to BACK
The LF is not closer to the left sideline than the CF

58. Signal for Illegal Alignment
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.

59. 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

60. PLAYER POSITIONS ILLEGAL ALIGNMENTS OUT OF POSITION OVER LAPPING
It is probably one of the hardest rules to understand and call correctly and call with confidence.

61. 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.
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.

62. MOVEMENT OF PLAYERS DURING A SET
NET 8 50 16 LF CF RF 26 36 12 LB CB RB

63. MOVEMENT OF PLAYERS DURING A SET
NET 26 50 8 LF CF RF 36 16 12 LB CB RB

64. 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.

65. QUESTIONS ? This presentation is already posted on the HOT web site at Click on “Training” and you will see a list of 5 PP presentations that can be used for training