Beach volleyball

Beach volleyball is a fun and exciting team sport played by two teams on a sandy court divided by a net. Each team has between two and six players, and the goal is to send the ball over the net and land it on the other team's side. Just like indoor volleyball, players work together to stop the other team from scoring.

Players can touch the ball up to three times before sending it back over the net, but no player can touch it twice in a row unless it's during a block. The game starts with a serve, where a player hits the ball from behind their side of the court over the net to the other team. The rally continues until the ball hits the ground, goes out of bounds, or a mistake is made. The team that wins the rally scores a point and gets to serve next.

Beach volleyball likely began in 1915 on Waikiki Beach in Hawaii, and the modern two-player version started in Santa Monica, California. It became an Olympic sport in the 1996 Summer Olympics. The sport is governed worldwide by the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball, which organizes major competitions like the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships and the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour.

History

See also: Volleyball § Origin of volleyball

Beach volleyball is a version of indoor volleyball, which was invented in 1895 by William G. Morgan. Beach volleyball likely started in 1915 on Waikiki Beach in Hawaii. A man named George David "Dad" Center set up a net there, and the first known game was played. In 1920, new jetties in Santa Monica, California created a big sandy area for people to enjoy. This helped beach volleyball grow in that area. The first permanent nets went up, and people started playing fun games on public beaches and in private beach clubs. Eleven beach clubs appeared in Santa Monica starting in late 1922. The first competitions between clubs happened in 1924.

Most early beach volleyball games had at least six players on each side, like indoor volleyball. The modern two-player game is said to have started with Paul "Pablo" Johnson of the Santa Monica Athletic Club. In the summer of 1930, while waiting for players, Johnson tried playing with just four people, making two teams of two. The players found that with fewer players, a taller player's advantage could be balanced by a shorter player's speed and control. The two-player version became popular in nearby beach clubs and public courts. Today, the two-player version is the most common and the only one played at top levels.

Beach volleyball became popular in the United States during the 1930s, even during tough times, because it was an inexpensive activity. It also started to appear in Europe. By the 1940s, tournaments were held in Santa Monica for trophies. In 1948, the first tournament with a prize was held in Los Angeles, giving out a case of Pepsi. In the 1960s, there was an attempt to start a professional volleyball league in Santa Monica, which did not succeed, but a professional tournament was held in France.

In the 1960s, famous people like The Beatles tried playing, and US president John F. Kennedy was seen watching a game. In 1974, there was an indoor tournament called "The $1500.00 World Indoor Two-Man Volleyball Championship" in front of 4,000 fans. Fred Zuelich and Dennis Hare won, and Dennis Hare wrote the first book on beach volleyball called The Art of Beach Volleyball.

The first professional beach volleyball tournament was the Olympia World Championship of Beach Volleyball in 1976 at Will Rogers State Beach in Pacific Palisades, California. It was organized by David Wilk of Volleyball magazine. The winners, Greg Lee and Jim Menges, were the first "world champions" and shared US$2,500 from a total prize of US$5,000.

In the following years, the tournament grew and moved to different places. By the 1980s, beach volleyball became very popular with famous players. In 1996, Karch Kiraly won an Olympic gold medal in beach volleyball, adding to his two Olympic gold medals from indoor volleyball. The sport became part of many big events around the world.

Rules

The Fédération Internationale de Volleyball is the main group that controls beach volleyball around the world. They make the rules every four years. Over time, the rules have changed, like making the court smaller and changing how points are scored.

Beach volleyball is played on a sand court that is 16 meters long and 8 meters wide. The court is split in half by a net. The ball used must be round and made to work well outside. It has to be a certain size and weight.

A team has only two players, and they cannot switch out. Points are scored when the ball lands on the other team's side, or if the other team makes a mistake. A game is won by being the first to score 21 points, needing to win by at least 2 points.

Court

Beach volleyball is played on a rectangular sand court. The court is 16 m (52.5 ft) long and 8 m (26.2 ft) wide, surrounded by a clear space, which is at least 3 m (9.8 ft) wide on all sides. The minimum height clearance for beach volleyball courts is 7 m (23.0 ft). The sand should be as leveled as possible and free of potential hazards such as rocks that could cause injuries to players.

The court is divided into equal halves by a net that is 8.5 m (27.9 ft) long and 1 m (3 ft 3.4 in) wide. The top of the net is 2.43 m (7 ft 11 11⁄16 in) above the center of the court for men's competition, and 2.24 m (7 ft 4 3⁄16 in) for women's competition, varied for veterans and junior competitions. An antenna, 1.8 m (5 ft 10.9 in) long and 20 mm (0.8 in) in diameter, is attached to each side edge of the net. The antennas are considered part of the net and extend 80 cm (31.5 in) above it, forming the lateral boundaries within which the ball is allowed to cross.

Two side lines and two end lines, measuring 5 cm (2.0 in) wide, delineate the playing court.

Ball

Main article: Volleyball (ball)

FIVB regulations state that the ball must be spherical and made of water resistant, flexible material, such that it is appropriate for outdoor conditions. A beach volleyball ball has a circumference of 66–68 cm, a weight of 260–280 g and an inside pressure of 0.175–0.225 kg/cm². In 2022, the official ball of the AVP (Association of Volleyball Professionals) tour is the Wilson OPTX AVP, and the official ball of the FIVB (Fédération Internationale de Volleyball) beach volleyball tour is the Mikasa VLS300. This ball was replaced with the new Mikasa Beach Pro BV550C, and was introduced in 2023.This ball was also used in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Teams

A team is composed exclusively of two players, who must always be in play and who cannot be subjected to any substitutions or replacement. At the moment the ball is hit by the server, each team must be within its own court (with the exception of the server), but there are no determined positions on the court, such that no positional faults can be committed.

Scoring

Point, set, match

A team scores a point when: the ball lands on the opposing team's court; the opposing team hits the ball "out"; the opposing team commits a fault; or the opposing team receives a penalty. The team that won the point serves for the next point. The ball is considered "out" if it: lands on the ground completely outside the boundary lines (a ball is "in" if any part of it touches a sideline or end-line); touches an object or person (who is not a player) outside the court; touches the net's antennae; does not cross the net's lateral boundaries (within the antennae) during service or during a team's third contact; crosses completely under the net.

A set is won by the first team to reach 21 points (15 points in the deciding final set) with a two-point advantage. Thus, if the score is 20–all (or 14–all in a final set) or at any tie hereafter, whoever scores two straight points wins. A match is won by whoever wins two sets.

Faults

A fault is committed when a referee judges that a team has made a playing action that violates the rules. When a team commits a fault, the opposing team receives a point and gains the right to serve. If both teams commit a fault simultaneously, the point is replayed. Common faults include:

• Four hits: when a team uses more than three contacts before returning the ball over the net
• Assisted hit: a player uses a teammate or any object as support to hit the ball within the playing area
• Double contact: when a player contacts the ball two times consecutively, except after a block touch
• Catch/lift: a player catches or throws the ball
• Service order fault: a team serves out of the service order
• Foot fault: a player's foot touches the court (including the end line) before or during a service hit
• Net touch: a player touches the net between the antennae or the antenna itself while playing the ball

Major rule changes

In the 1990s, the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball reduced the standard internal pressure for a beach volleyball ball from the indoor standard of 0.30–0.325 kgf/cm² to 0.175–0.225 kgf/cm², and increased the standard circumference of the beach volleyball ball from the indoor standard of 65–67 cm to 66–68 cm.

In the 2001 season, the FIVB began testing rule changes to the court size and scoring system. The beach volleyball court dimension was reduced from the indoor court size of 9 m × 18 m (29.5 ft × 59.1 ft) to 8 m × 16 m (26.2 ft × 52.5 ft), and the scoring system was changed from sideout scoring, wherein only the serving team can score a point, to rally scoring, wherein a point is scored on every serve. The Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) adopted the FIVB's rule changes that same year, which upset many of the sport's purists at the time. The new rules were officially adopted by the FIVB in 2002.

Differences with the indoor game

Beach volleyball is fundamentally similar to indoor volleyball. However, there are several differences between the two games that affect players' strategies, gameplay and techniques.

The main differences in the rules of beach and indoor volleyball for international competitions governed by the FIVB include:

Facilities and equipment

• Playing surface: Beach volleyball is played on sand courts instead of hard courts as in indoor volleyball. The softer sand makes it more difficult for players to move and jump, but also reduces the likelihood of injuries such as jumper's knee. Footwear is not required and players usually play barefoot or with "sand socks".
• Environment: The beach game is often played outdoors, and environmental factors such as wind, rain and sun affect beach players' strategies.
• Court size: A beach volleyball court is 8 m × 16 m (26.2 ft × 52.5 ft), slightly smaller than the 9 m × 18 m (29.5 ft × 59.1 ft) indoor court.
• Balls: Beach volleyball balls are water-resistant and slightly larger than indoor balls, with a rougher external texture and a lower internal pressure to better suit the outdoor playing conditions.

Participants

• Number of players: There are two players on a beach volleyball team and no substitutions, compared to indoor volleyball which has six players and six substitutions per set. This means that beach volleyball players require a versatile skill set, as opposed to specializing in one skill. Fewer players on court also results in the utilization of a wider variety of attack shots in beach volleyball.
• Coaching during matches is not allowed, although exceptions are given for junior tournaments and can only occur when switching sides.
• Aside from alternating service order, there are no player-specific rules
  • No restrictions on which players can attack from which locations (as for back-row players or liberos in indoor volleyball)
  • No positional faults: players may switch positions at will

Playing format

• Scoring system: Matches are best of 3 sets played to 21 points (15 points for a deciding set).
• Switching sides: Teams switch ends of the court every seven points (every five points on a deciding set). This ensures that neither team has an advantage due to environmental factors such as wind and sun glare.

Playing actions

• Open hand tips and dinks are not allowed in two-man beach volleyball as they would allow players to score points too easily.
• A touch off the block counts as one of the three allowed touches, and either player may make the subsequent touch after the block.
• It is legal to cross under the net as long as it does not interfere with opponents' play.
• A ball set over the net as an attack must travel perpendicularly to the player's shoulder line.
• Each team has one time out per set, and there is an official time out in first and second sets when the score sums up 21 total points for both teams.

Gameplay

The teams start on opposite sides of the net. One team is the serving team and the other is the receiving team. A coin toss decides which team serves first and which side they start on for the first two sets. If there is a third set, another coin toss happens before it. The order decided by the coin toss stays the same for the whole set.

For each point, a player from the serving team serves by tossing the ball up and hitting it over the net to land on the other team’s side. The other team must use up to three touches to return the ball, with each player touching it only once in a row unless after a block. Usually, the first touch is a bump or pass, the second is a set to aim the ball, and the third is a spike or shoot to send it back over the net. The team trying to score is on offense.

The defending team tries to stop the ball from landing on their side. A player at the net can block the ball, and if that doesn’t work, another player tries to dig or control the ball from behind. The game continues until the ball hits the ground or a mistake is made.

Teams switch ends after every seven points in the first two sets and five points in the third set. There is a short break when the total points reach 21. Each team can also take one extra break per set.

Player specializations

Players usually have special jobs in defense and offense. On defense, one player might be a blocker at the net, trying to stop the ball, while the other is a defender in the back, ready to catch or control the ball if it gets past the block. Some teams switch these roles, which is called split blocking, to save energy.

On offense, players usually stand on either the right or left side of the court. This helps with receiving serves and choosing where to hit the ball. Left-handed players often prefer the right side, and right-handed players the left side, because it’s easier to hit the ball without crossing over their own body line.

Characteristics of a hit

The ball can be hit with any part of the body, except during a serve when only the hand or arm can touch it. A player can only touch the ball once per hit. If two players from the same team touch the ball at the same time, it counts as two hits, and either can touch it next. If players from both teams touch the ball over the net at the same time, the team on whose side the ball lands gets three more chances to hit it.

When receiving a softly hit ball, players must touch it cleanly. If using both hands, both must touch the ball at the exact same time. For hard-hit balls, players can touch it twice in one action or slightly lift it. Attack hits using an open-handed tip or overhand pass in certain ways are not allowed, which is different from indoor volleyball.

Block signals

Beach volleyball players use hand signals to tell each other what kind of block to make. These signals are made behind the back so the other team can’t see them. They are usually given before the serve, with the left hand talking about the left-side attacker and the right hand about the right-side attacker. Signals can also be given during a rally.

Common block signals

• Closed fist: No block should be made on that side. The blocker should move back and play defense with the defender.
• One finger: Block the opponent’s “line” hit, meaning a ball hit hard towards the sideline. The defender handles “angle” attacks and any high “line” shots.
• Two fingers: Block the opponent’s “angle” hit, meaning a ball hit diagonally across the court. The defender handles “line” attacks and any high “angle” shots.
• Three fingers: Pretend to block an “angle” hit but dive to block a “line” hit at the last moment. The defender does the opposite, pretending to cover the “line” but moving to the “angle”.
• Four fingers: Pretend to block a “line” hit but dive to block an “angle” hit. The defender does the opposite.
• Open hand: The blocker decides how to block based on the opponent’s setup and the hitter’s move. The defender also decides how to defend.
• Shaka: Spread arms wide over the net for a “spread block” to stop low hard hits. The defender catches any shots that go over or around the block.

Note: For some teams, the closed fist and open hand signals mean the opposite. If the partner shows a closed fist, the blocker should block the ball, and open hand means the blocker should move back.

Main article: indoor volleyball

Skills

Competitive beach volleyball players need to learn several basic skills: serving, passing, setting, attacking, blocking, and digging.

Serve

Serving starts the game by hitting the ball into play from behind the back line. Players can serve underhand or overhand, and they choose how to serve based on wind and sunlight. Wind can change where the ball goes, so players use different serves to take advantage of it. For example, they might serve into the wind to make the ball drop shorter. They also decide which opponent to serve to, aiming for the player who might be weaker.

Pass

Passing is the first of three allowed touches. In beach volleyball, players usually bump the ball with their forearms rather than using an overhand pass, which is more common indoors. Digging is similar to passing but is used to stop an opponent’s attack from hitting the ground.

Set

The set is the second touch, meant to position the ball for an attack. Players can bump or hand set the ball, but bumping is more common because outdoor conditions make hand setting harder. After setting, players often turn to defend and tell their partner about blockers and open areas.

Attack

Attacks in beach volleyball can be spikes or shots. A spike hits the ball hard downward from above the net, while a shot is a softer hit to an open area. Beach volleyball uses many types of shots because there are fewer defenders.

Block

Blocking can score a point, guide an attack to a defender, or slow the ball to give defenders time. At higher levels, blockers reach across the net to limit the opponent’s angles. Sometimes players choose not to block and instead move back to defend, a tactic known as peeling or dropping off the net.

Training and skill development

Training includes practicing core skills and simulating game situations, especially with wind and sun. Beginners focus on moving in sand and learning how conditions affect the ball, while more advanced players work on specific skills and intense practice sequences. Training often includes warm-ups, skill drills, and game-like scenarios to improve decision-making and teamwork.

Governing bodies

See also: Category: Volleyball organizations

The main group that runs beach volleyball around the world is the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB). Different areas have their own groups too:

• Asia and Oceania – Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC)
• Africa – Confédération Africaine de Volleyball (CAV)
• Europe – European Volleyball Confederation (CEV)
• North and Central America – North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORCECA)
• South America – Confederación Sudamericana de Voleibol (CSV)

In the United States, USA Volleyball takes care of beach volleyball, along with indoor and sitting volleyball.

Levels of competition

Professional

International

Until 2021, the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour was the main international tour for men and women, organized by the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB). In 2022, this tour was replaced by the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour.

The first FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour began in 1997, replacing earlier series that started in 1989 for men and 1992 for women. Tournaments are ranked from 1 to 5 stars, with 5-star events offering the most prize money. The 2018 World Tour had 47 international tournaments with a total prize purse of over US$7 million. Players could earn FIVB Ranking Points by competing in the World Tour and other FIVB-recognized events, with higher-star events worth more points. The tour ended each season with the World Tour Finals.

The Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour has three levels of competition: Elite, Challenge, and Futures.

The FIVB also organizes the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships every two years, since 1997. These championships include a 48-team main draw and offer a prize purse of US$500,000 for each gender.

Regional

Five regional governing bodies organize their own tours and championships:

• The Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) runs the AVC Beach Volleyball Tour, ending with the Asian Beach Volleyball Championships since 2002.
• The African Volleyball Confederation (CAVB) organizes the African Beach Volleyball Championships.
• The European Volleyball Confederation (CEV) runs the European Beach Volleyball Tour since 1993, which includes Satellite and Masters events leading to the European Beach Volleyball Championships. Since 2018, these events are part of the FIVB World Tour but are still managed by the CEV.
• The North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORCECA) organizes the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Circuit since 2007.
• The Confederación Sudamericana de Voleibol (CSV) runs the South American Beach Volleyball Circuit since 2005.

Players can only join the Continental Tour of their national federation's region. These events offer prize money and FIVB ranking points for players, and National Federation ranking points for their countries, which affect how many teams a country can send to the World Championships and the Summer Olympics.

National

Some countries have their own professional tours, but only FIVB-approved tours can give FIVB ranking points. As of 2017, there are 21 FIVB-approved national tours.

In the United States, the Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) is the main domestic tour, organizing annual tournaments such as the Manhattan Beach Open. The AVP tour is not FIVB-approved and had disagreements with the FIVB in the 1980s and 1990s over rules and sponsorship, which led some top American players to skip FIVB events at first.

In Germany, the Techniker Beach Tour, previously called the Smart Beach Tour, is the top national tour and is FIVB-approved. It is organized by the German Volleyball Association, and each season ends with the German Beach Volleyball Championships.

In Brazil, the FIVB-approved Brazilian Beach Volleyball Circuit is the main national tour, organized by the Brazilian Volleyball Confederation since 1991. It includes the main Open Circuit and a Challenger Circuit, with each season ending with the Superpraia championship.

Multi-sport events

Beach volleyball for both men and women has been part of the Summer Olympics since 1996. It is also played in other big international events, such as the Commonwealth Games (since 2018), Pan American Games (since 1999), Central American and Caribbean Games (since 1998), Asian Games (since 1998), Pacific Games (since 1999), African Games (since 2011), and Asian Beach Games (since 2008).

College

United States

In the 2010–2011 school year, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) began supporting women's beach volleyball, then called "sand volleyball," as an "emerging sport." It started only in Division II, with Division I added the next year. NCAA beach volleyball follows standard rules, with each school fielding five doubles teams. For a sport to become a full championship, at least 40 schools must have teams. By 2015, sixty schools had teams, so it became NCAA's 90th championship sport. Beach volleyball became a fully sanctioned NCAA championship in the 2015–2016 school year, after all three NCAA divisions voted to create a single national championship for all divisions.

In 2019, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) also approved women's collegiate beach volleyball as an "emerging sport," with 16 NAIA schools starting teams in the 2019–2020 school year.

Philippines

Beach volleyball is a championship sport for both men and women in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP). In the NCAA, it is played at both high school and college levels.

Europe

The European Universities Beach Volleyball Championships are held every year as part of the European Universities Championships.

Junior

The FIVB organizes annual U19 and U21 World Championships. Past World Championships for U17 and U23 age groups were also held. Teams earn FIVB ranking points at these events but do not win prize money. The winning U19 teams get to enter the next U21 World Championships directly, and the winning U21 teams get to enter a World Tour 4 or 5-star event of their choice.

Beach volleyball is also part of the Youth Olympic Games since 2014.

Uniform

In 1999, the FIVB decided that players in beach volleyball should wear swimsuits. Women could wear two-piece swimsuits, and men had to wear shorts that came to just above the knees. Some players were not happy with this rule.

Today, women can choose between wearing shorts or a one-piece swimsuit. Many still like the two-piece because it feels more comfortable and lets them move better, especially on hot sand. Some people think the uniforms are meant to look nice and attract attention, while others feel they fit the beach style of the sport.

In some places, the swimsuit rule caused problems because of cultural or religious beliefs. For example, at some games, rules were changed to let players wear more covering clothes. In 2012, the FIVB let players wear shorts and long sleeves if needed, especially when the weather was cold.

Lifestyle and culture

Beach volleyball has a special culture that includes the people, language, fashion, and lifestyle around the sport. It started in places like Hawaii and California and is linked to a relaxed, beach lifestyle. Just like with surfing, beach volleyball often has a fun, party-like feel during matches, with music and entertainment between points.

Players often wear casual clothes like bikinis or boardshorts because of the sport. Like surfers, they depend on the weather, so games can change with the sun and wind. Besides professional games, many people enjoy beach volleyball by traveling to coastal places for camps and holidays. These trips mix learning new skills with social fun in different parts of the world.

Naturist volleyball

Main article: Nudity in sport

Some people who enjoy being without clothes were among the first to play this game. Records show they played regularly in clubs as early as the 1920s. Because they often play outside, a beach version of volleyball fit well with their lifestyle. By the 1960s, many places for people who like being without clothes had volleyball courts. A big event with over 70 teams playing without clothes happens every fall at White Thorn Lodge in western Pennsylvania, along with smaller events held all year in North America.

Common injuries

The most common injuries in beach volleyball are to the knees, ankles, shoulders, and fingers. Pain from using the knees, lower back, and shoulders too much can happen, but it is less common than in indoor volleyball because the sand makes it easier to land. Serious injuries that make players stop are also less common in beach volleyball compared to other team sports. Some players use special tape on their bodies for support, which became popular after an American beach volleyball player, Kerri Walsh, wore it during the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

See also: Volleyball injuries

Variants

See also: Volleyball variations

4x4 beach volleyball

4x4 beach volleyball is a fun version of the usual two-player beach game. It is popular in the United States and Brazil. Official matches are played in sets of 21 points, with four players on each team and up to two extra players who can swap in. This version is played at the World Beach Games.

Snow volleyball

Main article: Snow volleyball

Snow volleyball is a winter version of beach volleyball. It is played on a snowy field with a net in the middle. The rules are mostly the same as beach volleyball, but there are a few differences. Originally, it was played with two players per team, but in December 2018, new rules changed it to three players with one extra player who can swap in. The scoring system was also changed to 15 points per set.