Understanding the Beach Volleyball Game
The beach volleyball game is very fun once you understand how it is played. There are 2 teams that are each consisted of 2 players divided by a volleyball net. The court size is about 3 feet narrower and shorter on each side of the net than it is for indoor volleyball. The point of the game is to make the ball hit the sand on the opponents side of the net inside the boundary lines. The games are to 21 and you have to win by 2. Every serve results in a point, this is called rally scoring. Long ago it used to be that only the team that served the ball could win the point, but that was done away with years ago.
The server must be behind the back court line. Once you throw the ball up in the air to serve it, you must hit it. If you don’t like your toss and decide to catch it or let it hit the ground, you will lose the point.
Each team is allowed 3 hits to get the ball back of the net to the other teams side. One person cannot hit it 2 times in a row and you do not have to take all 3 hits before sending the ball back to the other side. The ideal way to do it is for the first person to bump, or pass it to their teammate. That teammate will then set the ball so that the person that passed it can spike it down into the opponents side.
A block counts as 1 of your 3 hits, unlike indoor volleyball where the block does not count as 1 of your 3 hits.
The setting is a little bit different for sand volleyball, you are allowed to cushion it a little bit more so that it comes out very clean without spinning. The beach volleyball set should look smooth and not be held for too long.
Once rule in beach volleyball that is different is that you are never allowed to open hand tip the ball over the net. You may shoot the ball from your palm or use your knuckles (cameltoe) to hit it over the net, but no finger action is allowed on the ball.
You are never allowed to touch the net, the only exception is if the ball hits the net into you. The nets are usually very tight so this does not happen often. Try staying close to the net when jumping to block and reaching over the net with your arms instead of jumping towards the net.
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