Volleyball Net Height
Knowing the correct volleyball net height is one of the most important aspects of setting up a volleyball court. In competitive play, accurate volleyball net height is one of the ways they keep the games fair for all of the players. It is also important to have the proper volleyball net height during practice, so your body learns what to expect and how to perform appropriately when you are on the court.
An official volleyball court is a rectangle, 18 meters long by 8 meters wide, and the net divides the volleyball court into two equal halves. The volleyball net is one meter wide, and it hangs above the centerline of the court. The proper height of the volleyball net depends on who is playing in the game.
There are two different volleyball net height requirements, one for men's games and one for women's games. For the men, the net should be 2.43 meters (or 7 feet, 11 5/8 inches) from the floor. For the women, the net should be 2.24 meters (or 7 feet, 4 inches) from the floor. The men's volleyball net height requirements are used for co-ed competition.
Official volleyball net height measurements are taken from the exact center and at the top of the net to the floor of the court. The net's height at the sidelines cannot be greater than 3/4 of an inch off from the official height requirement.
For beach volleyball, the sand is raked and the measurements are made from the top of the net to the top of the sand. If you are playing grass volleyball, the net height is measured from the ground rather than the top edge of the grass.
There is an antenna placed on either side of the volleyball net along the boundaries of the court to help determine when the ball goes out of play. The antennae are perpendicular to the sidelines, and they act as an imaginary upward extension of the court's side boundaries.
In order to stay in play, the ball must stay inside the two antennae and completely clear the top of the net. The ball goes out of play if it hits the net or the antenna. It the ball goes outside of either antenna or crosses the net exactly on top of either antenna, it is out of play. In fact, the ball goes out of play if it hits any of the volleyball poles, the cables or the netting.
Setting an accurate volleyball net height is important during recreational games, and it is required in competitive play. Practicing with the proper net height will also help to improve your serving and scoring abilities.