Volleyball Rotational Fault
Like many other sports, volleyball is played by athletes in very specific positions. An important facet of the game is the rule requiring that players move in a certain order. Whenever athletes get out of order or disrupt the rotation, they have committed a fault. Read on to learn all about rotational faults in volleyball.
Definition
There are six positions on a volleyball court that are numbered counterclockwise, starting from the far right position in the back row. That means that position number one is the spot where the server enters the court, number two is directly in front of that, and it goes all the way around, with position six directly to the left of position one.
Everyone, with the exception of the libero, is expected to rotate through each position on the court and has committed a fault if they don’t follow this order. The entire team rotates together every time the receiving side has a turn to serve. For example, if the receiving side blocks a spike from the other team and scores a point, it is now the receiving team’s serve. The receiving team will rotate clockwise, sending the player in position two to the back row (position one) to serve. Referees will call out a team anytime that a player hasn’t rotated before the serve or if a player rotates into the wrong position.
Result
The result of a rotational fault depends on who commits the fault. If the team being called for a rotational fault is receiving, the opposing team is given a point. If the team guilty of the fault is serving, they lose their chance to serve, and the other team gets a point. In the second instance, the opponent is given a chance to serve and a point.
Referee Signal
To signal a rotation fault, the referee will make a circular motion with their forefinger. The forefinger is pointed downwards, and the direction of the circle is clockwise. This signal is made at the waist level and circles no more than twice. After that, the referee will indicate the player or players who have committed the fault. The same signal is also used to call positional faults in volleyball.
Examples
- The player in position three overlaps the player in position two.
- The player in position one gets closer to the net than the player in position two.
- The player in position six doesn’t move to position five before the serve.
Helpful Links
Similar Violations to Rotational Fault
FAQ
What is a rotational fault?
A rotational fault is an error in which a player is not in the position that they are supposed to be in before a serve. Most commonly, this player has overlapped another player on their team or failed to move to the correct spot. The positions in volleyball are very important, and referees keep track of where every player on the court is supposed to be during each set. Players must rotate clockwise each time the receiving team becomes the serving team.
What are the consequences of being called for a rotational fault in volleyball?
The consequences of a rotational fault depend on who commits the fault. If the team being called for the violation is receiving, the opposing team is given a point. If the team guilty of the offense is serving, they lose their chance to serve, and the other team gets a point. In the second instance, the opponent is given a chance to serve and a point.
How does the rotation work in volleyball?
Although the six volleyball positions are numbered counterclockwise, players move clockwise through the positions. The far-right position in the back row is number one, and the rest of the positions are numbered counterclockwise from there. This means that the front row is numbered four, three, two from left to right, and the back row are five, six, one from left to right. A team rotates every time they switch from receiving to serving.