Beach Volleyball vs Indoor Volleyball: Similarities and Differences

Beach Volleyball Vs Indoor Volleyball

Beach Volleyball is a team sport of two teams of two players each played on a sand come divided by a net. Each teams works a joint force to prevent the ball from being grounded on their own side of the court from the opponent team.

The first beach volleyball tournament took place in 1947, however the first professional player’s union was formed in the 80s and the first international tournament sanctioned by the International Volleyball Federation was held in 1987.

In this game, each team are allowed to touch the ball at least three time to return it across the net. However, an individual player is not allowed to touch the ball twice consecutively after a touch off an attempted block.

Once a block touch has been made, then only two more touches are left, after that the ball must be hit over. To put the ball into play, the server hits the ball from behind the court to pass it over to it’s opponent’s, this is known as a serve.

Once there is a serve, the receiving team sets the ball up for an attack and the game begins officially as the two teams tussle for a win. Meanwhile the team on defense usually have a defender to cover the ground and a blocker that surrounds the net.

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History of Beach Volleyball

Beach volleyball was first played as an Olympic game in Atlanta 1996 Olympics game. It was first seen in 1992 in the Summer Olympic games in Barcelona as a demonstration sport. Beach volleyball most likely originated on Wakiki beach in Hawaii in 1915 while the modern game that consist of two players originated in Santa Monica. Beach volleyball can be a fun game to play especially at your leisure time however, an official game has it’s set down rules which players are to abide by.

Beach Volleyball vs Indoor Volleyball: Rules of Beach Volleyball

It is important to know and be conversant with the rules of beach volleyball as it could help those playing for the first time or veterans in the game.

3 Touches Per Side

In this game, each team is only allowed to make contact with the ball three times and thereafter they are to send the ball over to the other side. Each team are also permitted to block the ball as it comes over the net. This touch is not counted as part of the three touches, hence a team is given about four chances to make contact with the ball. Also, no player is allowed to touch the ball twice in a row.

Avoid Contact With The Net

In beach volleyball, no part of the body is allowed to touch the net. All contacts with the net is to be avoided. However players are allowed to pass under the net as long as it doesn’t interrupt an opponent trying to play the ball.

Two Players Per Team

Only two players per team are allowed to play the beach volleyball. Hence responsibility such as serving a pass are alternated between the two team members.

Indoor Volleyball: Beach Volleyball vs Indoor Volleyball

Indoor volleyball on the other hand is a similar game to beach volleyball although location helps to differentiate both games. The main objective of both games is to pass the ball to the other side of the net and ground it on the opponent’s side of the court.

It is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team’s court following set rules.

Indoor Volleyball started officially as part of the Summer Olympics Games in Tokyo, 1964. Volleyball matches are played to the best of five sets.

The first four sets are played to 25 points, with the final set being played to 15 points. A team must win a set by two points. The teams change courts at the end of each set.

Beach Volleyball vs Indoor Volleyball: Rules of Indoor Volleyball

The basic rules of volleyball are the same across all variations of the sport hence the rules of beach volleyball can also be regarded as same for Indoor volleyball.

Similarities Between Indoor Volleyball and Beach Volleyball

The two games are both played by two teams with each team having a maximum of three touches on the ball each.
The nets of both beach and indoor Volleyball courts are placed at the same height which is about 2.43m high for men and 2.44m high for women.
Action in both sports begin when the ball is served.

Differences Between Indoor Volleyball and Beach Volleyball

The indoor volleyball court is larger than that of the beach volleyball. It is about 18m long and 9m wide while that of the beach volleyball is only 16m long and 8m wide.
Although both games are played by two teams, however, beach volleyball consist of two teams with two players each while indoor volleyball consist of two teams with six players each.
Indoor games are won by playing up to five matches, beach volleyball on the other hand is won after playing three matches.

Volleyball is a very interesting game to play and wherever you decide to play the game, it’s your choice to make.