🏖️🏐 Beach Volleyball

Beach volleyball is the two-a-side version played on sand, with no substitutions and no specialists: both players serve, dig, set and hit. The court is smaller than indoors and sets run to 21 rather than 25.

🚀 Start Here

• Beach Volleyball Equipment List
• Positions and Roles Explained
• Beach Volleyball Terms and Slang
• Best Beach Volleyball Athletes of All Time
• Where Beach Volleyball Is Most Popular

⏳ Beach Volleyball History

• 1920: Birth of beach volleyball in Santa Monica, California; adaptation of indoor volleyball rules.
• 1927: The first official beach volleyball games were organized at the Playground and Recreation Association of America’s convention in Santa Monica.
• 1940s to 1950s: Emergence of distinct beach volleyball culture and gameplay; rise of two-player team format and international appeal.
• 1960: Inception of the Manhattan Beach Open, a significant moment showcasing the sport’s athletic and cultural appeal.
• 1970s to 1980s: Formation of professional beach volleyball circuits, including the Pro Beach Volleyball Tour and AVP.
• 1996: Inclusion of beach volleyball in the Atlanta Olympic Games; beach volleyball becomes a recognized global competitive sport.
• 2000s: Expansion of major international beach volleyball events and emergence of world-class players from Europe and Asia.
• 2010: Growth in mainstream appeal of beach volleyball through television coverage, marketing, and adaptation of rules.
• 2019: Adoption of new rules to de-emphasize gender-specific uniform requirements, highlighting the sport’s progressive approach.