Beach Volleyball Facts & Worksheets

Beach Volleyball is a team sport played by teams with two or more players on a beach court. Like indoor volleyball, the game aims to send and land the ball on the undefended side of the opponent. Each team also works together to keep the opposite team from putting the ball down on their half of the court.

See the fact file below for more information on Beach Volleyball, or you can download our 31-page Beach Volleyball worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

BEACH VOLLEYBALL

• Beach volleyball is a sand-based court sport played by two teams of two people. The game’s object is to hit an inflatable ball over a net that hangs high in the center of the court and into the other team’s half.
• Beach volleyball developed in Hawaii around 1915 and spread to Europe in the 1930s. Competitions became more prevalent in the following decades, and the sport grew in popularity significantly throughout the 1980s.
• Beach Volleyball had its maiden appearance in the Olympics as recently as 1992. It was only a demonstration event during these games, but it was eventually included as an official Olympic sport four years later. Since then, it has been a constant in the Olympics.
• The two most thriving nations in Olympic volleyball are the United States of America and Brazil. The United States has won 10 medals (6 gold, 2 silver, and 2 bronze), whereas Brazil has won 13. (3 gold, 7 silver, 3 bronze).

GAME OBJECT

• The fundamental goal of Beach Volleyball is to smash the ball so that the opposite side cannot return it in a “legal” manner.
• A “serve” is when one team strikes the ball over the net to start the game. Both teams will then engage in a “rally,” in which the ball is passed between both sides of the court, soaring above the net. 
• A rally ends when one side cannot return the ball, and a point is awarded to the team who caused the blunder.
• The side that first achieves 21 points (by two points) is called the set winner, and two set wins are necessary to win the whole match.

SKILLS

Serve

• Serving is putting the ball into play by striking it with the hand or arm behind the backcourt boundary. Float serve, jump-float serve, top-spin serve, jump serve, sky ball serve, and reverse sky ball serve are some examples of underhand and overhand serves.
• Beach volleyball is frequently played outside. The wind’s direction and speed, and the sun’s position, are taken into account while deciding which serve to utilize.

Pass

• The pass is the first of a team’s three permitted interactions. Passing in indoor volleyball is done in two ways: forearm pass, or bump, where the ball contacts the inner portion of the linked forearms or platform at the waistline, and overhand pass, where it is handled with the fingers, like a handset, over the head. 

Digging

• Digging is a skill comparable to passing, but it does not apply to receiving the serve or a free ball, but rather to attempt to avoid an opponent’s assault hit from reaching the court.

Set

• The set is the second team contact to position the ball for an attack on the third hit. The ball, like a pass, can be set using either a forearm pass method called a bump set or an overhand pass technique called a handset.

Attack

• A spike or a shot are the two types of beach volleyball attacks. Spikes are made by hitting the ball firmly with one open hand on a downward trajectory from above the net’s top. 
• A relatively gentle shot involves launching a ball into an open (undefended) region of the court. Due to the fewer defenders on the court, beach volleyball allows for a broader range of shots than indoor volleyball.

Block

• Players can use a block to:
  • Score a direct point by redirecting an opponent’s attack back into their court.
  • Channel an attack on the defender by “taking away” part of the court.
  • Slow down the ball so the defender has time to pursue it.

PLAYERS AND EQUIPMENT

Court

• Each Beach Volleyball team consists of two players, and the sport is played on a 26.2 ft square sand court. 
• During male matches, a 7-foot-11-inch-high net is installed in the center of the court. 
• The net in female matches is placed at a lower height of 7 feet 4 inches. The posts on either side of the net are spaced at an identical distance from the post padding.

Ball

• Beach volleyball balls are often brightly colored (white, yellow, orange) and weigh roughly 9-10 ounces, with 2.5-3.2 lb/sq inches of pressure inside.

Clothing

• Players have been required to wear specific uniforms when competing in a Beach Volleyball match since the turn of the millennium. Females may dress in long-sleeved shirts and shorts or a one- or two-piece swimsuit. 

Player Specializations

• Blocker: A blocker is positioned at the net, responsible for removing a portion of the court (e.g., a line or angle) with their block. Height, leaping ability, timing, and location are all significant variables in blocking.
• Defender: Defenders are responsible for positioning themselves in the backcourt region not covered by the block to dig the hard-driven spike or track down the soft shot. Defense requires agility, quickness, and digging abilities.

Techniques

• To increase their chances of winning, professional players must practice their serves, knowing how to strike the ball hard enough and in the proper spot so that the opposing team cannot return it.
• After serving, attacking is the second most crucial ability in Beach Volleyball. 
• Players can “attack” the ball in various ways, including utilizing multiple portions of their hands to assist the ball in landing in specified court regions (where the opposing team cannot return the ball). 
• The knuckles and fingers are regularly utilized to influence the ball’s pace and direction.
• Beach volleyball defense is about stopping the ball as it travels to the ground on your side of the court. Players employ unique “block signals” to communicate with their teammates about the type of block they intend to use. 
• These are often made behind their backs so that the other team is unaware of what they are about to undertake. Different finger gestures are used to signify various sorts of blocks. These signals are developed and practiced ahead of time to ensure that communication among teams is as successful as possible.

RULES

• Beach Volleyball is a court sport with a variety of rigorous regulations, including:
  • Players can only touch the ball three times before returning it across the court, including blocks.
  • There are a variety of techniques and smashes that are categorized as illegal in Beach Volleyball, including “hand touches,” “tips,” and “dinks.”
  • Beach volleyball players can cross below the net, although this is considered a foul if it tampers or interferes with the other team’s play.
  • Players have no predetermined position. Thus they can move to any portion of the court they choose if it is on their side.

Faults

• When a referee determines that a team’s playing activity breaches the rules, a fault is committed. When a team makes a mistake, the opposite side wins a point and the chance to serve. If both sides make a mistake simultaneously, the point is replayed. The following are examples of common faults:
• Four hits: When a team makes more than three contacts before sending the ball over the net, this is referred to as four hits.
• Assisted hit: a player hits the ball within the playing area with the assistance of a teammate or any object.
• Double contact: When a player contacts the ball twice in a row unless, after a block touch, this is referred to as double contact.
• Catch/lift: a catch/lift occurs when a player catches or tosses the ball.
• Service order error: a team serves outside of the scope of the service order

SCORING

• In Beach Volleyball, points are scored when a team manages to hit the ball in a certain way so that the opposing team cannot return the ball legally. An illegal return involves:
  • Hitting the net.
  • Hitting the ball too often during one rally (three touches are permitted).
  • Failing to strike the ball at all.
• During the first two sets, teams must change ends and move to the opposite side of the court every 7 points. During the third set, they are also compelled to exchange sides every 5 points.
• A timeout is called when there is an aggregate total of 21 points scored, such as when the score is 14-7.

WINNINGS

• The first team to win two sets in Beach Volleyball is proclaimed the champion. An individual set is won by scoring 21 points – or 15 points in the last set – by a two-point margin. 
• So, if the score is 21-20, the set will continue until one team has a two-point advantage (e.g., 24-22)

Beach Volleyball Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Beach Volleyball across 31 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Beach Volleyball, a team sport played by teams with two or more players on a beach court. Like indoor volleyball, the game aims to send and land the ball on the undefended side of the opponent.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

1. Beach Volleyball Facts
2. Legendary Player
3. Game Lingo
4. The Olympics
5. Sand Masters
6. Blocking Signals
7. Gallery Wall
8. TIME OUT!
9. What Type?
10. Guidelines
11. Strategy Plan

Frequently Asked Questions

What is beach volleyball?

Beach volleyball is a variant of volleyball played on sand courts, usually outdoors. It follows similar rules to indoor volleyball but is adapted to the outdoor environment, with some differences in rules and tactics.

How many players are on a beach volleyball team?

In beach volleyball, each team consists of two players. Unlike indoor volleyball, which typically has six players on each side, the smaller team size in beach volleyball encourages fast-paced and dynamic gameplay.

What are the main differences between beach volleyball and indoor volleyball?

Some of the main differences between beach volleyball and indoor volleyball include the team size (two players in beach and six players in indoor), the court size (beach courts are smaller), the surface (sand for beach, hard floor for indoor), and the influence of weather conditions in beach volleyball.

How is scoring different in beach volleyball compared to indoor volleyball?

Beach volleyball typically uses a rally scoring system, meaning a point is scored on every serve. Matches are usually best-of-three sets, with the first two sets played to 21 points and a third set (if needed) played to 15 points. Teams must win by a margin of two points.

What are some strategies used in beach volleyball?

Strategies in beach volleyball include effective communication between teammates due to the smaller team size, adapting to changing weather conditions and wind, placing shots carefully to take advantage of the sandy surface, and serving and receiving with precision to gain an advantage over the opponents.

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