Be the Referee: Foot Save in Volleyball
By
Paige Winne
MHSAA Director of Brand Management
October 20, 2026
Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.
Below is this week's segment – Foot Save in Volleyball - Listen
We have a soccer move today – but we’re on the volleyball court. Let me explain.
Team A dumps the ball over the net. A player for Team B is not able to get her hands on it but kicks it up into the air before it touches the ground. The ball is then set up for a spike, which delivers Team B a point. Or does it?
Is kicking the ball a legal move?
It is. Play would continue with the kick counting as the first touch. Team B is then able to set and spike as they would if the first hit came from a player’s hand.
There’s no rule against making a save with your foot, as long as the ball doesn’t touch the ground.
Previous 2026-27 editions
Oct. 13: Soccer Advantage - Listen
Oct. 6: Defensive Holding - Listen
Sept. 29: Minimum Number of Volleyball Players - Listen
Sept 22: Soccer Changes - Listen
Sept: 15: Dead Ball Penalty - Listen
Sept. 8: Libero Ejected - Listen
Sept. 1: Soccer Foul After Shot on Goal - Listen
Aug. 25: Fumble Out of Bounds - Listen
Highlight Reel: Hudsonville/Zeeland East
November 7, 2014
The Hudsonville volleyball team defeated Zeeland East 3-1 in a Class A District game Thursday. Click the headings below for MHSAA.tv highlights and the final link to watch the match in full.
VANHOOF WORKING OVERTIME - Zeeland East won the first set of this Class A District Semifinal against Hudsonville, 27-25. Alison VanHoof gets the Chix up by a point with this kill. Hudsonville won the next three sets to take the match.
ANDERSON DOWN THE SIDE - Hudsonville finished the second set with a 19-5 run to win, 25-9. Here's a nice play by Jennie Anderson going down the side for a point.
KILLER KELLER - Hudsonville went up 2-1 in the match against Zeeland East when Madilyn Keller attacked from the back row for the set point.
KELLER KNOCKS ANOTHER ONE DOWN - In the fourth set, here's Madilyn Keller again with a nice kill for Hudsonville against Zeeland East.
GREAT RALLY! - The intensity of tournament play shows in this point between Zeeland East and Hudsonville late in the fourth set in great defensive plays on both sides of the net.
Watch the entire match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.