How to Record a Block
To record a volleyball block by voice, you name the blocker and how the block ended, and Volleyball Code logs the stuff, credits the point to the blocking team, and keeps your block stats honest for you.
How to record a volleyball block
To record a volleyball block, you say four things out loud: the team, the jersey number, the word "block," and how the block ended. The one habit that trips up most coaches is this: in Volleyball Code, block is a skill, not a result. You do not code the hitter's attack as "blocked" and hope the point lands right. You name the blocker directly, and the app credits the stuff to that player and scores the point for the blocking team. Here is the exact flow, step by step, and the three ways a block can end.
Step 1 - Make sure a match is live
You can only record a block once a match is running, so start with two rosters in and your starting rotation picked. If you have not coded a rally yet, walk through how to code a volleyball rally first. Every block builds on the same team, number, skill, result pattern, so once you can code one touch you can code all of them.
Step 2 - Say the block in one line
Tap record and speak the block as a single command in this order:
team [A / B] · number [jersey] · block · [result]The blocker is the player who put the ball down, not the hitter who got stuffed. So a clean stuff block sounds like this, spoken in one breath:
Volleyball Code hears the block, credits the stuff to number 9, adds a point for Team B, and updates the rotation, all before the next serve. That is the whole reason to track blocks by voice: you keep your eyes on the net instead of tapping a tablet, and your block stats still add up.
Step 3 - Pick the result that matches
A block ends one of three ways. Say the matching word and the app scores it correctly:
- Stuff block. Say "point" (or "perfect"). The block put the ball straight down for a point. Volleyball Code scores the point for the blocking team and logs the stuff to that player.
- Block touch. Say "positive" or "continue." The block slowed the ball or deflected it up, and the rally is still alive. No point yet, and you go on to code the next touch.
- Block error. Say "error." The block went into the net, landed out, or was called for a net violation. The point goes to the other team automatically.
Step 4 - Glance and confirm
After you speak, the app shows what it understood as a short action list before it commits anything. A quick glance confirms it caught the right number and result. If the number is wrong, you fix it in one tap. Nothing hits the score or your block stats until you confirm, so a misheard word never quietly credits a stuff to the wrong player.
Step 5 - Let the point take care of itself
You never add or subtract points by hand. Volleyball Code applies the real scoring rules: a stuff block is a point for the blocking team, a block error is a point for the other side, and a block touch that keeps the ball up scores nothing because the rally is still going. This is why coding the block as its own skill matters. Name the blocker with "block point" and the stuff is credited to the right player, instead of disappearing into the hitter's attack line as a plain error.
What each block word does
| You say | What it means | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Block point / perfect | Stuff block, ball down | Point, blocking team |
| Block positive / continue | Block touch, ball still up | Rally continues, no point |
| Block error | Block into net, out, or net violation | Point, other team |
Those three cover every block you will ever call. If you would rather log the play from the hitter's side, you can say "attack blocked" instead, which scores the point for the defense the same way. The attack tutorial covers that path: read how to record an attack to see how the two sides of the same rally fit together. And if you coach without a statistician on the bench, Volleyball Code for coaches shows how the hands-free workflow fits a real match.
Frequently asked questions
How do I record a stuff block?
Say the team, the blocker's number, "block," and "point," for example "Team B number 9 block point." Volleyball Code logs the stuff and scores the point for the blocking team automatically.
Is block a skill or a result in Volleyball Code?
Block is a skill, like serve or attack. You name the blocker and then say how it ended, so a stuff is "Team B 9 block point," not the attacker's swing coded as "blocked."
What do I say when the block only touches the ball and the rally continues?
Say "block positive" or "block continue." The touch is logged to the blocker, no point is scored, and you go on to code the next touch in the rally.
How does a block error get scored?
Say "block error." Volleyball Code treats a block into the net, out of bounds, or a net violation as terminal and awards the point to the other team.
Do I have to add the point myself after a stuff block?
No. Stuff blocks and block errors score automatically. You only speak what happened, and the app applies the scoring and rotation for you.
Track every stuff block without looking down
Call the block out loud and Volleyball Code logs the stuff, the touch, and the point automatically.
Start free →Related: How to Code a Volleyball Rally · Volleyball Code for coaches