Summertime brings the opportunity to play sports outside, including baseball, tennis, and sand volleyball. Sand volleyball, otherwise known as beach volleyball, is similar to indoor volleyball. Players have to hit a ball over a net to score points for their team, and at the end of the match, the team with the most points wins. Although the core rules for indoor and sand volleyball are comparable, there are some key differences.

The Rules of Sand Volleyball

The Court

The court size for sand volleyball is eight meters squared per each side. Between the two halves of the court is a net. The height of the net may vary based on the location and game, but regulation height is 2.43 meters for men and 2.24 meters for women. The entire court is surrounded by a thin barrier in the sand which indicates the out-of-bounds area.

Number of Players

Unlike indoor volleyball, which requires six players on each side and allows for substitutes to rotate in, beach volleyball is played with two players per team. Participants must be on the court for the entirety of the game, so no substitutions are allowed.

Volley

A coin flip determines which team gets the first serve. Once they serve, each side is allowed three hits to get the ball back over the net. This is known as a volley. The volley ends if the ball falls out of bounds or if the other team fails to return the ball back over the net. The team that wins the volley is granted a point.

Scoring

Only one point is granted at a time. The point goes to the team that wins the volley without allowing the ball to go out of bounds. To win, you must score at least 21 points and have a two-point margin over your opponents. For instance, if the score is 21-20, the game will have to continue until the score is 22-20. The win goes to the team who wins two of three 21-point sets. 

Illegal Hits

Open hand touches or tips are illegal during the game, as are open-hand scoops. The only time you may hit the ball with an open hand is during serves, blocks, and spikes.

If you’re looking for a place to play sand volleyball in Dayton, OH, check out Greene Valley Recreation Club. The member-owned club offers activities and play areas for the whole family, including pools and a playground. To learn more about membership, visit their website. For more information on other services, including swim lessons, call (937) 426-3273 today.