1. Proper Alignment
Overlapping
Created by Malissa Williams

2. Proper Alignment
All players, except the server, are in proper position within the team’s playing area at the instant the ball is contacted for serve
Determined by position on the floor of the player’s foot relative to the feet of the adjacent player(s)

3. At the instant of the serve:
Each right-side player shall have at least part of one foot 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)

4. At the instant of the serve
Each left-side player shall have at least part of one foot closer to the left sideline than both feet of the center player in the corresponding row

5. At the instant of the serve:
Each front-row player shall have at least part of one foot closer to the center line than both feet of the corresponding back-row player

6. Points to Remember
Overlapping occurs only between adjacent players; side-to-side and back-to-front CF LF RF CB RB LB

7. Points to Remember
Players may have any part of the body on the boundary line, but not on the floor outside those lines
Out of bounds area
Illegal
Legal

8. Proper Alignment Player Must be properly aligned with RB RF,CB
RF CF,RB
CF CB,LF,RF
LF LB,CF
LB LF,CB
CB CF,LB,RB LF CF RF CB RB LB

9. Watch for possible overlap with:
CB and LB
CB and RB CF CB LF RF LB RB

10. Watch for possible overlap with:
CF and RF
CB and RB RF RB LF CF LB CB

11. Watch for possible overlap with:
LF and CF
LB and CB LF LB RF CF CB RB

12. Illegal alignment or Legal?
Situation #1
Illegal alignment or Legal? LF
Legal LB RF
No overlapping in this slide RB CF CB

13. Illegal alignment or Legal?
Situation #2
Illegal alignment or Legal? LF
Illegal LB
Center back and right back are overlapping CB CF RF RB

14. Situation #3 Illegal Illegal alignment or Legal?LF
Illegal
Note – this is a common alignment called a left stack CF
Center back and right back are overlapping LB CB RB RF

15. Situation #4 Illegal Illegal alignment or Legal?CF
Illegal
Note – this is a common alignment error when the setter is CB CB LF
Right back and Center back are overlapping RF LB RB

16. Illegal alignment or Legal?
Situation #5
Illegal alignment or Legal? LF
Illegal LB RF
Center front and left front are overlappping. CF RB CB

17. Situation #6 Legal Illegal alignment or Legal?LF
Legal
Note – you’ll see this when LB is the setter LB RF
No overlapping CF CB RB

18. Illegal alignment or Legal?
Situation #7
Illegal alignment or Legal? RF
Illegal LF CF
RF and CF are overlapping LB CB RB

19. How to Signal for Illegal Alignment
Blow whistle, step to the side of the offending team (you will need to step to serving side when indicating an improper server), give signal and indicate which player is aligned illegally.

20. Penalties for Illegal Alignment
Point/loss of rally is awarded to the opponent for:
Overlapping by players, other than the server, at the moment a legal serve occurs;
Positioning, at the moment of a legal serve, of any player, other than the server, outside the boundaries of the playing area

21. Important Points to Remember
Watch adjacent players; side-to-side and back-to-front
Consider the foot only touching the floor when judging overlapping
Players can be moving before the service contact, but must not be overlapping when the serve is contacted
Check the Case Book for more examples