Beach Volleyball: A How to Guide

April 28, 2010 by jameslucas.

Beach Volleyball - A How To Guide

By Geoff James

Beach Volleyball is a spin-off of the sport played on sand. It was invented in sunny Southern California, and has ridden a wave of popularity all the way to the Olympics. The rules of play are similar to on-court volleyball, but teams are much smaller, ranging from 2-6 players per side. Most commonly and in professional competition, teams are of 2 players.

Other than the obvious changes in terrain and team size, the other rules are generally the same. A team has three touches to get the ball over the net, and grounding the ball on the opponent’s side of the court scores points.

A Beach Volleyball court is 8 by 16 meters, compared to the standard 9 x 18 measurement of an indoor court. The regulation ball is softer and larger than an indoor court ball. The team to get the best out of 3 games wins the match. Indoor games are played to 25 points, but beach games are played to 21. The final major difference is the allowance of balls passing under the net, so long as it does not interfere with the opponent’s ability to keep the ball in play.

Block signals are heavily relied on in beach volleyball. These universal signals are made behind a player’s back so opponents cannot see. Due to the uniform (bikinis for women and a tank top and shorts for men), many more conservative communities are opposed to the sport. Many Muslim communities choose not to participate in the games.

Whether you are on a competitive or recreational team, giving the champions volleyball trophies is an affordable yet classy congratulations!

Article Source: Geoff James

Beach Volleyball: A How to Guide

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