Volleyball

Introduction – Volleyball is a popular sport that is played professionally, as well as in recreational leagues, on school teams, in backyards, sandlots, or beaches. The game of volleyball can be enjoyed virtually anywhere a net can be set up, including over a swimming pool.

Origin – Volleyball was developed by William G. Morgan, a physical fitness instructor at the YMCA in Holyoke, Massachusetts. His goal was to invent a game for all ages that was not as physically taxing as basketball. When a basketball itself proved to be too heavy for the sport, Morgan commissioned Spalding to make the first “volleyball” out of calf skin. Eventually, the game moved from recreation only into the professional competitive realm, and is now a featured sporting event in the Olympics. FIVB, the International Volleyball Federation, is the worldwide governing body for Volleyball and Beach Volleyball.

How to play – A typical volleyball game uses six players on each side. The aim is to deliver the ball over the net and “ground” it (have it touch the ground) on the opposing side while preventing the ball from touching the ground on their side. Three forwards and three backs compose a team. The inflated rubber or leather volleyball, about 27 in. (69 cm) in circumference, is served from behind the back lines of the court. Players bat the ball across the top of the net into any part of the opponents’ court. Any part of the body (especially the open hand or fist) may be used to bat the ball, but players may not catch or carry it. A maximum of three hits per team is permitted in returning the ball to the opponents’ court. Teams must return the ball without allowing it to touch the ground. The team scoring 15 points first wins the game, though the margin of victory must be at least two.

“Volleyball is one of the most interactive games going. It is a game of intuition, imagination, improvisation – but most of all, of reciprocity – of teamwork. There is no way to free-lance in volleyball.”

– Marv Dunphy, Former American Volleyball Player and Head Coach.