Olympic beach volleyball is a team sport played by two players on each side of a sand court divided by a net. The objective of the game is to hit the ball – with hands or arms only – over the net into the opponents’ court until the other side is unable to return the ball or the ball heads outside of the court lines. Each rally secures one point.
By whom, where and when was Beach Volleyball invented?
Beach volleyball is a variant of the indoor version, invented in 1895 by American gym teacher William G Morgan.
The first recorded game of beach volleyball was at the Outrigger Canoe Club on Waikiki Beach in Hawaii in 1915, when coach and club captain George Center set up a net on the sand and brought out a volleyball to entertain the club members on a day when there was no surf.
The modern two-player game originated in Santa Monica, California in 1920 when a large sandy recreational area, created for public enjoyment, sowed the seed for beach volleyball.
What are the rules of Beach Volleyball?
The ball is put in play with a serve from behind the baseline, much like tennis, but using hands and arms, not racquets.
Each side has up to three touches to return the ball to the opponents’ half with the rally continuing until a team cannot get the ball back, the ball goes out, or there is a fault in attempting to return the ball, such as hitting the net with any part of the body.
Games are determined by the best of three sets — the first two are played to 21 points, and the third, if needed, to 15. A team needs to be ahead by two points to win a set. If the set is tied at 21-21, play continues until one team leads by two, for example, 23-21.
Beach Volleyball and the Olympics
A demonstration sport at Barcelona 1992, beach volleyball officially joined the ranks of Olympic sports at Atlanta 1996. There are both men’s and women’s editions.
The venue for the Paris 2024 tournament was the Eiffel Tower.
