Welcome! Here’s volleyball history for kids! That will help you discover how this fun and exciting sport was invented over 100 years ago. You will also learn about the people who helped create the game and explore how volleyball has grown to become one of the most popular sports in the world. We’ll also share some fun facts about how the ball, net, and rules came to be, making it easy for kids to understand and enjoy the history of volleyball!
A popular sports game was invented in 1895 by William Morgan. The founder of volleyball held the position of director of physical education at the International YMCA School. Together with his students, the teacher came up with an engaging activity—to toss a ball over a net stretched about 2.5 meters above the ground.
Volleyball is an exciting sport that helps provide a boost of positivity, a full break from everyday worries, and a chance to relax. The goal of the game is to direct the ball to the opponent’s side of the court in such a way that they cannot return it or make an error.
See Also: Volleyball for Kids: Benefits, Basic rules, and Age to Start
Volleyball History for Kids: Biography of the Founder of Volleyball
The founder of this exciting game was born in 1870 in the small town of Lockport. In 1891, Morgan graduated from school, where he met the founder of basketball, James Naismith. It was on the recommendation of this experienced mentor that William became a student at the International YMCA School. After working for about a year as a physical education teacher in Maine, he transferred to another branch of the school located in Massachusetts. There, he continued his work in his field and soon rose to the prestigious position of director of the YMCA. William Morgan’s job responsibilities included developing effective sports programs for young men. He also actively participated in the development of sports and organized sporting competitions.
See Also: 15 Fun and Interesting Facts About Volleyball
The Emergence of Volleyball: Volleyball History for Kids
In the last years of the 19th century, basketball was very popular among fans of active sports. Although the game attracted many athletes, basketball required a lot of physical activity. Unprepared players or older people could not run across the field with the ball for long, so they often had to take the role of spectators, watching the more active players.
To meet the needs of athletes of all ages, William Morgan set out to create a game with a ball that was no less interesting but not as physically demanding. In creating volleyball, the best elements of other games were borrowed. The ball came from basketball, the net from tennis, the hand-playing technique from handball, and the serving technique from baseball.
Initially, something similar to tennis was considered a comfortable sport for people of various ages and fitness levels. However, organizing such a game required a lot of equipment, making it somewhat difficult to implement this idea. Instead, they decided to take the tennis net and raise it to a greater height, about 2 meters above the average person’s height. As a sports item for throwing over the net, they first tried using the bladder of a basketball, but due to its light weight, it could not perform the desired functions. The basketball itself was too heavy for the game, which significantly complicated serving it to the opponent’s side of the court.
See Also: Volleyball Game for Kids: 10 Best Volleyball Games to Keep Kids Engaged
Creation of the Ball: Volleyball History for Kids
After testing all the available balls at the sports school, William Morgan concluded that none of them were suitable for volleyball. The only rational solution was to create a new, special piece of sports equipment. He was assisted in this by Dale Callahan, a designer at the AG Spalding & Bros. equipment company.
The prototype of the modern volleyball was introduced in 1896. The circumference and weight of the ball were smaller than those of a basketball. The design was simple—an inner bladder covered with leather. Over time, the model was improved. In 1900, the AG Spalding & Bros brand officially released the first batch of volleyballs.
Read more: Volleyball for Kids: Basic Volleyball Rules for Kids
The First Volleyball Game: Volleyball History for Kids
In 1896, William Morgan shared his idea of the game he had developed with Luther Halsey Gulick, the director of the Springfield YMCA School. The idea was approved, and the teachers decided to present the sport at a conference, where delegates from the Athletic League were expected to attend.
The first demonstration of the game was scheduled for February 9, 1896. The participants were two teams, each with five players. The objective was to pass the ball high over the net, while the opposing team had to keep it in the air for as long as possible, preventing it from touching the ground. William Morgan presented volleyball as a versatile game that could be played both outdoors and indoors.
How the Game Got Its Name: Volleyball History for Kids
The current name of volleyball came about thanks to Alfred Halstead, a member of the delegation. He suggested using the word “volley” (which means “to hit in mid-air” in English) combined with the word “ball.” The idea was well received by both Morgan and the other conference participants. The game began to be called “Volley Ball.” It wasn’t until 1952 that the USVBA Administrative Committee decided to combine the two words into one.
William Morgan personally worked on developing the basic rules of the game. The exciting sport became popular among players of various ages. In 1896, volleyball was included in the list of games of the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA).