VOLLEYBALL

Volleyball is a sport played by two teams separated by a net.  There are six players in each team.  The game begins with one team throwing the ball over the net towards the opposing team.  The opposing team must not let the ball touch the ground and they must send the ball to other team as quickly as possible. If the ball touches the ground the other team scores a point.  The game was started in 1895 by William G. Morgan, a PE teacher.  First it was called Mintonette.  It was a combination of tennis and handball, but was not as rough a sport as basketball which had just been invented.  In 1896 the game became known as Volleyball.  It became an Olympic sport in 1924.

 

The Volleyball Court

The Volleyball Ball:   The rules state that the ball must be spherical, made of leather and have a circumference of 65 – 67 cm.  It must weigh between 260 – 280 g.

 Volleyball Skills and Positions:  There are six skills which must be learnt by the players.  These are: the serve, the pass, the set, the attack, the block and the dig.  There are five positions which are: setters, liberos, middle blockers, sometimes called middle hitters, outside hitters and opposite hitters.

It is the national sport of Sri Lanka.  It is a very popular game – even Buddhist monks play volleyball in India!

By Gabriel Flores Derega, 6º C