During volleyball games, many points are awarded to the opposing team for small rules violations that players and coaches despise. Some coaches and players agree that these rules should be removed, while others can identify things that should be added to make playing volleyball more enjoyable and less stressful. 

At the start of the 2024 season and 2025-2026 high school season, double contact was removed from both men’s and women’s volleyball. Double contact occurs when a player sets the ball with uneven hands. When this happens, it causes the ball to do a “one-two” motion, making the ball spin. It is a difficult skill to master, requiring precision, control, and consistent practice. When it was eliminated, it sparked a controversial debate. 

“I think they should bring doubles back, because taking it away in the first place was not the right choice. Setters worked really hard to set precisely,” said freshman Mainya Kari. “I think it was kind of like a slap in the face to all setters who worked really hard to become so good, because all the time they spent training went to waste.”

While the removal of doubles frustrated many players, it’s not the only rule that affects the flow of the game. Another rule that impacts game play, specifically for a certain position, involves liberos, who are not allowed to set in front of the ten-foot line.

Liberos specialize in backrow defense; they wear a different color jersey from the rest of their teammates, and mainly focus on passing and digging. They may occasionally set if the setter takes the first ball, but there’s an important restriction: if a libero sets the ball while in front of the ten-foot line, it results in an automatic point for the opposing team. Because of this, they must either pass to a hitter or send the ball over the net as a free ball.

This rule has been pretty controversial because it restricts liberos from fully using all their skills during a match, especially in fast-paced rallies where they often end up being the best option to run the offense in emergencies.

“Libs’ setting abilities allow liberos to perfect another skill other than passing,” said freshman Gabby Odiet. “Libs always have to worry about stepping in front of the 10ft if they decide to use their hands. I think the small rule change would enhance the game and make it more fun to watch.”

When discussing backrow play in volleyball, there are a few key restrictions that mainly affect attacking players. One major rule is the ten-foot line, which separates front-row and back-row players.

Back-row players are allowed to attack the ball, but only under certain conditions. If a back-row player jumps from behind the ten-foot line, they can hit the ball above the net without penalty. However, if they take off from in front of the attack line and then attack the ball above the net, it becomes a fault, and the other team is awarded the point.

These rules get debated in games since players don’t always realize where they take off from or how the play happened, which is why attack faults can sometimes be surprising.

“If I could remove a rule from volleyball, I would take away anything that penalizes a hitter for jumping over the ten-foot line, or higher than the net. This rule is so dumb because sometimes in long rallies the game moves too fast to have court awareness,” said freshman Elsie Hoover.

With these rule changes, many players believe that small adjustments to these rules could help reduce unnecessary penalties while keeping the game competitive and enjoyable.