The History of Volleyball
For a sport that has been around for over a century, the origin of volleyball traces its roots to a rather humble beginning. History has it that William G. Morgan, who invented the game of volleyball in 1895, came up with the idea so that people who found basketball’s ‘bumping’ or ‘jolting’ too strenuous could have an alternative physical activity to fall back on. William G. Morgan, who served as the physical director at the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) Holyoke, Massachusetts, looked at the sports around and picked the aspects that he thought suited his brief the best. The ball came from baske`tball, the net from tennis and the use of hands from handball. While this made up a game of volleyball, it was lent some competitive tone with the introduction of innings - later to be called sets - that was borrowed from baseball. Morgan introduced the sport -- called mintonette, the original name of volleyball -- at the YMCA Physical Director's Conference a year later at Springfield College, Massachusetts. "In search of an appropriate game, tennis occurred to me, but this required rackets, balls, a net and other equipment, so it was eliminated, but the idea of a net seemed a good one," Morgan explained. "We raised [the net] to a height of... just above the head of an average man. We needed a ball and among those we tried was a basketball bladder, but this was too light and too slow. We therefore tried the basketball itself, which was too big and too heavy.” A new specially designed ball, which was lighter and smaller, was introduced in 1900. Though it was incomplete with no fixed rules and a format to follow, the sport did enough to win over the delegation and soon became a part of YMCA’s wide network throughout the USA with a new name - volley ball (initially it was termed as two words). Volleyball was officially selected to spell as a single word in 1952. A sport that traced its origin to basketball, baseball, tennis and handball - and now estimated to be played by over 800 million globally - had thus been established.
How to play Volleyball
Girls Volleyball 4A Regional Final Yorkville vs. Naperville North 10.28.21-WATCH GAMEPLAY RIGHT HERE! from NCTV17 Naperville Sports Weekly on Vimeo.
Volleyball is a game that can be played indoors or outdoors. The object of the game is to hit the ball over the net and into the other team’s territory, without letting the ball hit the ground. The team that wins the most points in a set, usually wins the match. In full-sided volleyball, there are six players on each team–three on the front row and three on the back row. Players have to hit the ball over the net, block the other team’s shots, and set up plays. To start the game, one player from either team serves the ball over the net. The receiving team has three chances to hit the ball back over the net. If the ball touches the ground then the other team gets a point. The first team to reach 25 points with a 2-point differential, wins the set. There are typically multiple sets in a match.
The fundamental rules of Volleyball
There are a few fundamental rules of volleyball that players must adhere to play the game. These rules include:
- You must be behind the line on your side of the net when you hit the ball.
- You cannot touch the ball twice in a row.
- Carrying the ball is not allowed. This means that the ball must rebound from a player hitting it with their arms or hands without getting caught or thrown.
- You may only use your arms and hands to make clean contact with the ball.
- You can only contact the ball on your side of the net.
- Violating any of these rules can result in a point for the other team. It is important for players to be aware of these rules and follow them closely to play the game effectively.
Volleyball is a fun and exciting sport that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. By understanding and following the fundamental rules of the game, players can ensure that they are playing safely and according to the official regulations.
The steps on how to improve in Volleyball
- Improve your physical fitness Sprint running for 40-50 yards at your maximum speed for 15 minutes with 30 seconds break helps you to improve physical stamina and endurance.
- Practicing Serve Balancing of right and left feet to your body’s center of gravity is very important. Learn how to balance the stance while serving.
- Perfecting Passes Locking of elbows, shoulder and arm position, and balancing of body postures while passing are critical for maturing into a responsible player.
- Try slow-motion training Slow-motion training can help you to increase the awareness and agility of your mind on the volleyball court.
- Learning to Block Jumping, ball handling, shoulder, arm and hand positioning, and ball watching are the most critical parts for practicing ball blocking.
- Training on Power Hits Shoulder and arm exercises like dumbbell arm swing, military-press, and pushups can help to practice power hitting.On-court practices of spiking, returning, and power-hitting are some of the exercises that can help to improve into a point winning player.
- Dynamic Position Shifting To be an efficient volleyball player, it is important to practice playing from all the positions from being a right-side hitter, setter; middle blocker, opposite and outside hitter to being a Libero. It is a great way to be able to think from all positions for improving individual skills and team coordination to perfection.
The appropriate attire for womens Volleyball
Whether you’re part of an official team or just want to have some fun with friends, volleyball is a great way to pass the time and hone your athletic skills. Wearing proper clothes while practicing can make it easier to play while helping you stay cool.
- Select a close-fitting shirt. Baggy shirts will hinder your ability to move quickly around the court, so choose something form-fitting. It should be long enough to cover your stomach, but not so long that it hangs down over your thighs.
- Choose a sports bra. Regular bras with underwire will not offer adequate support for the amount of movement you’ll be doing while playing. Sports bras come in a variety of styles, like racerback and front-fastening, and offer varying levels of compression.
- Select a pair of spandex shorts. Spandex will fit snugly to your body and give you the most freedom of movement. Regular gym shorts may be alright, but check with your coach to be sure.
- Select crew or knee socks. What type of socks you wear is a personal preference, so choose what feels best to you. Knee socks may offer added protection of the skin on your legs if that’s a concern. Avoid ankle socks, since those can easily slip down into your shoe and distract you as well as cause blisters.
- Buy knee pads. You should invest in a pair of knee pads if you’re at all concerned about hurting your knees as you dive for a ball.
- Tie your hair back. Put your hair into a ponytail or braid if it’s long. Try to keep short hair off your face using a headband or hair clips. This applies to bangs as well – pin them back or use hairspray to keep them away from your forehead.
- Remove any jewelry. Wearing earrings, necklaces, bracelets, or rings can injure you or someone else on the court. Be sure to take all of those items off beforehand and store them somewhere safe during practice.
Volleyball Essentials (prices may vary). Product Name Category Price Nike volleyball womens performance spandex shorts Clothing $14.97 Nike womens long sleeved legend tee Clothing $31.96 Volleyball shoes ASICS womens gel-rocket womens volleyball shoes $54.95 Nike dri-fit head band Head wear $10.97 Nike essentials volleyball knee pads Gear $18.79 All About Volleyball Quiz!
Sources Used
- https://www.i9sports.com/blog/how-do-you-play-volleyball
- https://volleycountry.com/news/7-tips-to-massively-improve-your-volleyball-skills
- https://www.wikihow.com/Dress-Appropriately-for-Volleyball-Practice
- https://olympics.com/en/news/what-history-volleyball-game-origin-mintonette-ymca-fivb-olympics