A Beginners Guide To Beach Volleyball

Transcription

1 A Beginners Guide To Beach Volleyball Introduction In Canada, beach volleyball has experienced tremendous growth over the course of the last 10 years. The Atlanta Olympic Games proved to be a major breakthrough for the sport, care of the bronze medal won by the team of John Child and Mark Heese. In addition, Canadian men's and women's teams have been travelling around the globe to compete at numerous international, FIVB events and helping to establish Canada as a beach power. Proven by Gold Medal won at the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg by Jody Holden and Conrad Leinemann. The popularity of the sport is attracting competitors and participants of varied skills level from the recreational participant to the Olympian. Despite sharing some of the basic elements of the sport with its "indoor cousin", beach volleyball has certainly established itself as a sport in and of itself, with many unique characteristics. The following are just a few of the distinct aspects of beach volleyball which participants should be aware of before setting-out to play in organized tournaments or simply just for fun. The following is a basic introduction to the sport as well as some general information and guidelines. Playing Environment Beach volleyball's most apparent distinction is that it is played outdoors and on the beach in sand. However, having stated the obvious, the brevity of our summer season here in Canada has prompted enterprising beach volleyball enthusiasts (and business entrepreneurs) to invest in, and develop indoor facilities. All that is necessary is ample space and tonnes of sand. Usually any spacious, warehouse-like structure will offer the basic facilities required to house indoor beach volleyball courts. Keep in mind though, that there are a number of logistical concerns, like heating that spacious warehouse in the dead of winter that should be taken into consideration before building your indoor facility! Canada's official National Beach National Team Training Centre is located at Toronto s Beach Blast, a 6 court indoor beach volleyball facility. North Beach Indoor Volleyball Academy (Toronto), the VolleyDome (Calgary) and Rally Pointe (Calgary) are 3 other well established indoor facilities in Canada that enable our men's and women's beach volleyball athletes to practice and keep pace with their counterparts in the warmer climates of California, Australia, Brazil, etc. Indeed, these indoor beach complexes have provided Canada's athletes with the opportunity to train in the sand year-round without necessarily having to incur the expense and disruption of "migrating south". Additionally, these indoor facilities have attracted beach volleyball enthusiasts of Updated - Fall,

2 all skill levels. With the appropriate ambiance and a little imagination, you can convince yourself (if just for a few hours) that it's summer. Beach volleyball outdoors, and on a real beach is still the best locale for the sport. Wherever you can find some space, you can dump some sand and create your own beach volleyball court. Many schools and community groups across the country have built beach volleyball courts in recent years. If you build it, they will come seems to be a motto well suited to the building of beach volleyball courts. Nutrition and Physical Care Much like any other sport activity, nutrition and physical preparation are integral to the enjoyment of beach volleyball. Playing outdoors and exposing oneself to the sun, hot temperatures and humidity can have harmful affects on participants physically if they do not prepare themselves and take the necessary, sensible precautions. Replenishing fluids is absolutely critical to any sport activity and beach volleyball is certainly no exception. However, because beach athletes are often playing in hot humid temperatures, dehydration represents a more significant concern. That is why it is not unusual to see beach volleyball players carrying large insulated coolers of water every time they head down to the beach. Similarly tournament organizers are always striving to attract "sport drink" sponsors to ensure that athletes have ample supplies of fluids. Beach athletes must also take special care and apply (and reapply) sunscreen to prevent severe sunburn and preclude dangerous skin cancer. Hats should also be worn, especially if you are intending to spend the entire day at the beach. If you are waiting your turn to play it is prudent to avoid sitting in the sun, and if there are no trees available to take advantage of the shade, it is worth the money to invest in a large beach umbrella. Your enjoyment in the sand will be enhanced significantly if you take the necessary precautions to protect yourself. Beach Volleyball Attire Needless to say, every sport cultivates its own particular 'look'. Much like surfing or snowboarding, beach volleyball has developed its own unique personality and 'culture'. Dressing to play beach volleyball is not an expensive proposition unless you're the type that needs to change outfits every hour and has to own at least one pair of sunglasses from every major high profile manufacturer. The basic playing 'uniform' for the men can consist of as little as a pair of shorts; for the women a 1 or 2 piece bathing suit or any combination of top and bottom available in a variety of different materials. Preferably what you wear should be light in color, light in weight and comfortable to move in. Updated - Fall,

3 One piece of advice is worth repeating: if you are exposing any part of your body it is absolutely critical that you apply a strong sunscreen and continue to reapply at regular intervals especially if you perspire or occasionally cool-off by jumping into a lake, ocean or under a shower. There are numerous products on the market that provide various levels of protection and in some instances, are both water and sand resistant. Regardless of your impressive 'pecs' or washboard stomach, it is advisable to wear at least a tank top (preferably a T-shirt) to minimize the body's exposure to the sun's harmful rays. Also, a hat and 'cool shades' are mandatory! Sunglasses manufacturers have become mainstays of the beach volleyball scene. There are numerous clothing manufacturers who will also help you look great and provide necessary functionality. Bottom-line, before going to the beach to play volleyball all day long, protect yourself and try to look cool at the same time! Don't forget it's not always sunny and bright at the beach and sometimes the weather is overcast and cool. If you are in a tournament you will be expected to 'tough it out' so always bring extra clothing, raingear and keep an eye on the horizon. Equipment This is easy! All you need is a beach with lots of space and soft sand, a volleyball net, lines to designate the playing area/court, portable posts/standards if permanent posts are not available, a ball, a pump, and, most importantly, a lot of enthusiasm. There are a variety of manufacturers who produce different types of 'portable systems'. If you need to find out more detail, pick up a copy of Canada's only national volleyball magazine, True North Volleyball, to source any one of a number of volleyball equipment retailers who are distributing various beach volleyball systems or simply call any one of the provincial volleyball associations for more details on where to purchase volleyball equipment in your local area. For volleyballs, major ball manufacturers such as Wilson, Mikasa, Spalding, etc., all produce a variety of different types of beach volleyballs to accommodate all levels of play from beginner/recreational to professional. Wilson is the official ball of the national tour in Canada and Mikasa is the official ball of the World Tour. Both volleyball brands can be purchased from VC. Rules Who needs rules! It all depends on how important it is for you to keep score. Beach volleyball can be played 2 people per side (doubles) or any other version such as triples, fours or even the traditional indoor format of 6 per side. If you are a beginner, it is advisable to play at least 4 per side. Doubles is a very demanding game and requires a significant level of physical fitness and experience. Beginners will undoubtedly discover that doubles can be a very Updated - Fall,

4 frustrating game to play without the requisite beach volleyball playing background. Regardless of how many players per side, a volleyball game is won by the team that first score 21 points with a minimum lead of 2 points. In the case of a game tied at 20-20, play should continue until a 2 point lead is achieved. Official matches are usually the best 2 of 3 sets with the third set (if required) being played to 15 points. Rally point scoring is used, so that means a point will be scored every play - regardless of who is serving. If you would like a copy of the VC Official Outdoor Volleyball Rulebook please contact Volleyball Canada at (613) Strategy If you are just starting-out there is only one basic, very important strategy, have as much fun as possible and don't 'hog' the ball. Play your position! However, at the elite level there are many different playing strategies which teams adopt in competition. Much like any other team sports, the basic strategy in beach volleyball is to exploit your opponent's weaknesses and maximize your strengths. Needless to say, the key to any successful strategy is execution and consistency. Usually teams are comprised of 2 individuals with common characteristics and unique strengths. In order to be successful at the elite level of play, both players must exhibit solid ball control skills. Unlike indoors, you cannot hide a weak service receiver in doubles. Both players must, at the very least, possess excellent passing, setting and attacking skills. Ideally, both individuals should also be excellent defenders and blockers. However, since not all players can perform all of these skills at a consistently high level, many teams will have at least one individual who along with the necessary ball control skills excels at blocking and the other player is usually a defensive specialist. In doubles, the basic strategy is to try to force the opposing team to hit the ball to the area of the court that you're defending. This requires a great deal of patience and strategy and is not easily accomplished. Generally, a blocker will indicate to his/her teammate what particular area of the court (cross-court, or line) he/she intends to cover or 'take away' with their block. This determines where the defender will position himself/herself on the court. Needless to say there are many other strategies to consider. For example, some teams are more vulnerable to hard spike serves, whereas others might have more difficulty passing basic, float-style serves. Strategy is always dependent on the strengths or weaknesses of your opponents. Therefore, the more you know about your opponent's style of play the better prepared you can be. If you are playing just for fun, the most critical strategy is simply to enjoy yourself! Small wagers to determine who picks up the tab for the post-game beverages are encouraged. Updated - Fall,

5 Training Recommendations If you are a serious competitor and are hoping to play at the top levels and perhaps one day even represent Canada at the Olympic Games then physical training is obligatory. The basic physical requirements for beach volleyball at the elite level are speed, strength and stamina. A structured program combining aerobic and anaerobic training is absolutely mandatory. In addition, it is equally important to conduct training in the sand. Sand offers a natural resistance and adapting jump and speed training programs for use in the sand in the sand are highly recommended. If you are interested in specific training programs future articles covering this topic will be posted on our web site soon. Also back issues of True North Volleyball magazine have featured training tips for beach volleyball from fitness experts and former Olympians such as Marc Dunn. Now get out there and enjoy the beach! If you are interested in subscribing to the True North Volleyball Magazine, Canada's only National Volleyball Magazine, give them a call at or become a member of your provincial volleyball association. Most provincial associations offer the magazine as part of their membership package. If you are interested in coaching beach volleyball your provincial volleyball association can update you on up-coming coaching course in your area to improve your coaching skills as well. VC also has coaching and drill manuals available for purchase. If interested contact VC. A Beginner's Guide to Beach Volleyball Updated - Fall,