General Rules of Beach Volleyball

Beach volleyball is a variation of the popular indoor sport of volleyball. It was developed in Southern California in the 1920s and has become a popular outdoor sport, particularly in beach resort areas.

The game is played on a sand court and involves two teams of two players each. The objective is to hit the ball over the net and into the other team’s court, trying to prevent the other team from returning it.

Beach volleyball has become a popular spectator sport, with professional players competing in high-profile tournaments around the world. It was added as an Olympic sport in 1996, and has been growing in popularity ever since.

Objective of Beach Volleyball

The objective of beach volleyball is for a team to score points by hitting the ball over the net and into the other team’s court, trying to prevent the other team from returning it.

A team scores a point whenever the other team is unable to return the ball before it hits the sand, or if the other team commits a fault (e.g. the ball hits the ground on their side of the court, or a player touches the ball more than once in a row). The first team to reach a predetermined number of points (usually 21) wins the game.

General Rules

1. A beach volleyball game is played between two teams of two players each.
2. The court is a rectangle measuring 16m x 8m, divided into two halves by a net that is 2.43m high for men and 2.24m high for women.
3. The ball is spherical, with a circumference of 65-67cm and a weight of 260-280g.
4. The game begins with a serve, which must be hit over the net and into the other team’s court.
5. After the serve, the ball can be hit by any part of the body except for the feet. Players are not allowed to carry, throw, or hold the ball.
6. A team scores a point whenever the other team is unable to return the ball before it hits the sand, or if the other team commits a fault.
7. A player may not hit the ball twice in a row unless the first hit was a block (i.e. an attempt to stop the ball from crossing the net).
8. Players are not allowed to touch the net or go outside the court while the ball is in play.
9. Each team is allowed a maximum of three hits to return the ball over the net.
10. The ball must be returned to the other team’s court before it hits the ground on the team’s own side of the court.
11. A team wins a game by reaching a predetermined number of points (usually 21), and the first team to win two games wins the match.
12. If the ball hits the line, it is considered in.
13. Substitutions are allowed, but must be made between points and not during a rally (i.e. when the ball is in play).

Penalties

There are several possible penalties in beach volleyball, depending on the specific rule that has been violated. Some common penalties include:

• Loss of serve: If a player commits a fault (e.g. carries the ball, touches the net) while serving, their team loses the right to serve and the other team gains the right to serve.
• Point penalty: If a player commits a serious fault (e.g. hits the ball out of bounds, touches the ball twice in a row) during a rally, the other team is awarded a point.
• Yellow card: If a player commits a minor violation (e.g. delays the game unnecessarily), the referee may issue them a yellow card as a warning.
• Red card: If a player commits a serious violation (e.g. uses abusive language), the referee may issue them a red card, which results in the player being disqualified from the game.
• Game penalty: If a team commits a number of violations during a game, the referee may award a game penalty, which gives the other team a point and the right to serve.

In general, the goal of the penalties in beach volleyball is to maintain the fairness and integrity of the game, while also allowing for a fast-paced and exciting match.