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Women's Beach Volleyball Facts

Women's Beach Volleyball Facts
Beach volleyball has been a sport since the 1920s when it began to appear in Santa Monica. Santa Monica is considered to be the birthplace of the sport. Beach volleyball did not appear in Europe until the 1930s. The first pro tournament for beach volleyball was held in 1976 at Will Rogers State Beach. Beach volleyball was introduced as an Olympic game in the 1992 Summer Olympics. It wasn't until 1996 that beach volleyball became an Olympic sport for men and women. Beach volleyball is the only sport played in the Olympics that has rules governing how much clothing can be worn.
Interesting Women's Beach Volleyball Facts:
The first volleyball was created in 1900.
Prior to being known as volleyball, it was called mintonette.
Some people insist that beach volleyball was played in Hawaii in 1915 on Waikiki Beach at the Outrigger Beach and Canoe Club.
Paul Johnson was the inventor of the concept of two-man beach volleyball. The first game of this kind was played in 1930.
The average number of jumps a player makes during a beach volleyball match is 300.
The International Volleyball Federation recognized beach volleyball as a sport in 1986.
The beach volleyball world tour is played in the United States, Asia, and in Europe.
Beach volleyball has a smaller court than an indoor game court.
There is no center line in beach volleyball, only two sidelines and two end lines to define the space.
The women's beach volleyball net is set at 2.24 meters. The men's is set at 2.43 meters.
When playing beach volleyball the players can position themselves anywhere, which is unlike the indoor game.
In order to win a beach volleyball match a team must win two out of three sets. A set is 21 points.
Many have complained that the uniforms for women's beach volleyball are too risqué and do not cover enough. Some have suggested that this is order to attract more attention to the sport.
There are two players on a women's beach volleyball team.
The American Women's professional tour, called the WPVA closed in 1998 when it went bankrupt, which was a setback for the sport.
In 2001 AVP, which was formerly the men's beach volleyball tour, reopened and combined both women and men. It filed for bankruptcy in 2010.
In order to score a team must send the ball over the net and ground it in the court. If the opposite team commits an illegal action a point is made.
In order to be classified as beach volleyball the playing surface must be sand.
Like men, women beach volleyball players must be able to serve, pass, set, attack, block, and dig.
Signals during the game include a closed fist (no block for opponent), one finger (block opponent's line attack), two fingers (block opponent's angle attack), and open hand (block ball).
Beach volleyball is governed by the FIVB (Federation Internationale de Volleyball). This is the international governing body but many countries have their own governing bodies as well.


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