PlayingVolley is written by Ryan Walker, a former college outside hitter who has coached more than 450 players in club, high school and rec volleyball. This page explains how the guides on this site are researched, checked and kept up to date.
How we check the rules
Volleyball rules differ by level, and many articles online mix them up. Every rule we state is checked against the current rulebook for the level it applies to:
- International: the FIVB Official Volleyball Rules (2025-2028 edition).
- US college: the NCAA women’s volleyball rules book for the current season.
- US high school: the NFHS volleyball rules and the yearly rule changes.
- US club: the USA Volleyball indoor rules book.
When a rule differs between these bodies, we say which body the rule belongs to instead of giving one answer for all of them. If we can’t confirm a rule in a primary source, we leave it out.
Where our numbers come from
Statistics and results come from official sources: NCAA statistics and school box scores, league sites such as LOVB and Major League Volleyball, and FIVB and Volleyball World results. When we measure something ourselves, such as the match durations from 63 NCAA Division I box scores in our match length guide, the article says how the sample was built. Estimates from Ryan’s coaching experience are labelled as estimates.
Tools, calculators and downloads
Our calculators, simulators and printable sheets are built to match the rules and formulas they describe. Before a tool goes live we test every option and compare the results against worked examples, and we re-check them when the rules change.
Product recommendations
Some guides recommend gear and link to Amazon. We earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you, as explained in our disclaimer. Commissions never decide what we recommend, and we check that every linked product is available and is the product we describe before publishing.
Updates and corrections
Rules change every season, so we review our guides regularly and show the date each one was last updated at the top of the article. If you spot an error, email ryan81.walker@gmail.com with the page and what you think is wrong. We check every report against the source, fix confirmed errors and update the date.
Reader questions
Sections called “Questions parents and players ask me” collect the questions Ryan hears most often from parents and players. He answers them in his own words and never publish invented reader comments or reviews.