Famous Volleyball Players Popular Beach Volleyball Players and Indoor Greats Famous Volleyball Players Popular Beach and Indoor Athletes Famous volleyball players Karch Kiraly, Misty May Treanor, Kerri Walsh, Logan Tom, and more. Wearing his hot pink hat, Karch Kiraly was an easily recognizable figure during his days playing volleyball on the beach. Karch Kiraly has the most professional career beach volleyball tournament victories (148). Karch Kiraly is the only volleyball player to win three gold medals (1984, 1988, 1996). Karch Kiraly is known as the sparkplug that inspired the 1984 and 1988 USA Mens Olympic Volleyball Teams by playing outstanding volleyball and encouraging his teammates to play their best. Karch Kiraly Playing Beach Volleyball in his Famous Pink Hat Logan Tom Logan Tom is a phenomenal athlete and one of the most dynamic volleyball players in the world. Logan Tom's impressive talent has made her one of the most famous volleyball players in the world today. Logan Tom Playing Volleyball on the National Team At 6 feet 1 inch tall, Logan Tom plays volleyball with strength , power, and grace.

Logan Tom was a four-time first-team All-American at Stanford. Logan Tom was a two-time NCAA National Player of the Year. Tom was MVP of the NCAA Final Four in 2001. In the Sydney 2000 Olympics, at 19, Logan Tom was the youngest player on the National Team, yet she started for the team and placed fourth. Logan Tom is an international superstar that has played professionally in Brazil, Italy and Switzerland. Misty May-Treanor Misty May-Treanor is arguably the best all-around skilled womens beach volleyball player ever to play the sport. Misty May Treanor the Current All-Time Wins Leader Misty May was voted the AVP Most Valuable Player in 2005, 2006, and 2007. Misty May is currently the winningest Female Beach Volleyball Player of all time. Misty May holds the world record for most consecutive beach tournament victories (15). Misty May holds the world record for consecutive match victories (90). Misty May Treanor is one of only three players to be named a two-time AVCA National Player of the Year.

Kerri Walsh-Jennings Kerri Walsh currently partners with Misty May Treanor as the best women's beach volleyball team in the world and likely the two most famous volleyball players. Kerri and Misty had an astonishing win streak of 38 matches in their first year on the AVP Tour. Most wins in Women’s Beach Volleyball history with 113 wins Kerri and Misty had an unbelievable 89 match win streak on the AVP Tour and the international circuit between 2003 and 2004. Kerri Walsh is a two-time AVP MVP (2003, 2004). Kerri Walsh has lead the AVP in both blocks and hitting percentage the last two AVP seasons. Steve Timmons In the 80's, Steve Timmons wore a wild red flat top that made him the most identifiable indoor volleyball player in the world. Steve Timmons was famous for his flat top 80's hair style Considered a pioneer of back row hitting, Steve Timmons combined with his outstanding front row attacking skills made him an unstoppable force.

In 1984, Steve Timmons was named MVP of the Olympics by the FIVB after leading USA to a Gold medal. Paula Weishoff Paula Weishoff is one of only 4 USA women's volleyball players to compete in 3 different Olympics. Paula Weishoff, one of the best attackers in USA National Team history Throughout her career, Paula Weishoff was a dominating blocker and server. Paula is the only American volleyball player to have played in Olympic Games 12 years apart (silver in 84, bronze in 92). Paula Weishoff won an Outstanding Player award for her performance at the 1992 Olympics. Ron Von Hagen Players Players College Recruiting Players When you join your Regional Volleyball Association (RVA), you become a registrant of USA Volleyball (USAV), just like the players on the 2008 Beijing Games gold and silver medal winning USA Volleyball teams. For more information on joining your local RVA, click here to see a map of the 40 RVAs. Contact the RVA servicing your area through the website link.

Important Articles: Growing the Game Together – Player and Parent Edition – This special FREE PDF download of the new book compilation featuring posts from the Grow the Game Together blog. This book is subtitled “Insights and Thoughts on the Science, Facts, and Principles of Sport and Volleyball,” and is available for download now ! Serving Secrets for Players & Coaches – This handout gives dozens of great ideas for teaching this closed motor program, for 10 year olds and top level players. Am I Too Short to Play Volleyball? - "It is not how tall you are, it is how GOOD you are." - Marv Dunphy, 1988 Olympic Gold Medal volleyball coach You Will Be a Better Player If You Coach - The title of this article sums it up. What is There to Do in Volleyball After High School? - A very sad factoid crossed my desk recently from Athletic Business magazine. They cited a study stating that only five percent of high school varsity players still participate in their sport when they are 30 or more years old. Play Better Indoors by Playing Outdoors - It is time to give the players a break from all of your coaching-while increasing the numbers of touches they get on the ball.

What to do After an Ankle Sprain - Ankle sprains are the most common acute injury in sports. They are also the most common injury in volleyball. Dear Stupid Player - Last night my phone rang, with a dear friend calling to say his daughter, a player training with our national team, had missed her flight and could I go get her. Then she said a phrase I hear far too often..."I am such an idiot." Play One on One to be Great - The short version of this article is simple - have fun playing more one on one, and you will be better. Please Use the Net - How can we get our coaches and players to change from the powerful tradition/habit of half-court-not-over-the-net training seen at all levels, to using the net all the time? Recipe for an Elite Player - Remember that the difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra. A Conditioning Program - It is important for you to maintain a high level of fitness in order to compete at your physical capability. Cross-Training and Training Options in Volleyball - Most coaches are not aware of the many options to play the game of volleyball. This handout is intended to give you reference to options to the indoor 6 vs.

6 game, that you might have your players experience. FUNdaMENTAL Volleyball - The fundamentals of volleyball provide you with a sound foundation from which to create the things that you need to become the best volleyball player you can be. Kessel's Volleyball Lessons By Mail - Please do not throw this letter away, as you have so many others before this. Training Without a Net or Friends - Volleyball is a game to play with friends, same gender or coed - even reverse coed...It does not matter if those you train with are only 7 years old, or your grandmother, as long as they can provide you with the unique angles of the game, you'll be learning fine. Thoughts on Defense in Volleyball - "There are days when you can't get the ball to hit the floor, no ratter how hard you try," my volleyball coach once told me, "But there is no excuse for not playing good defense.' Thoughts For Setters - These are basically the ideas on setting from one of the most knowledgeable volleyball personalities in the world, Doug Beal, coach of the 1984 U.S. Olympic Men's team.

Thoughts and Guidelines on Service - A great speaker tells a story about the time before he became a great speaker. . The Uniqueness of Volleyball -This article should be explained to (and understood by) all parents in your program, as volleyball is known as a sport that is not a "parent-pleaser." The Most Important Skill in Volleyball - Many coaches spend a great deal of time focusing on the skills of serving, passing, setting, spiking blocking and digging. They add in a virtual verbal barrage of technique comments to each player, in practice and even in the middle of games. A Kids Volleyball Coloring Book! - Give your child, youth teams or nieces and nephews a copy of this ALL volleyball characters coloring book. If you have a volleyball drawing or two that you have done and wish to donate to the next edition, email to mvp@usav.org Kessel's Volleyball Excuse List - This list is intended to simplify the problem of selecting the proper alibi to suit the occasion. Can You Do It - This is a five-minute timed test to determine the general and specific knowledge of volleyball athletes. Volleyball Word Find - Your favorite word find game with a twist...volleyball!

Volleyball Phobia - We all have fears. Joe "the Truth" Harmon has done much research in this area. Volleyball Food Challenge - With some players, every relationship between food and volleyball is very simple -- "I eat, therefore I am." Volleyball Trivia Questions - See how many trivia questions you can answer correctly on your favorite sport! Team Travel Ideas - Here is John Kessel’s collection of best team travel car activities that do not involve watching a DVD, and that can greatly help with team cohesion and meeting group needs. The Game The Game - Volleyball About the sport Volleyball is a complex game of simple skills. The ball is spiked from up to 60 cm above the height of a basketball hoop (about 3.65 metres) and takes fractions of a second to travel from the spiker to the receiver. That means the receiver must assess incoming angle, decide where to pass the ball and then control their pass in the blink of an eye. A purely rebound sport (you can't hold the ball), Volleyball is a game of constant motion. A team can touch the ball three times on its side of the net.

The usual pattern is a dig (an underarm pass made with the forearms), a set (an overhead pass made with the hands) and a spike (the overhead attacking shot). The ball is served into play. Teams can also try to block the opponent's spike as it crosses the net. A block into your own court counts as one of your three touches in Beach Volleyball, but not in Volleyball. Power and height have become vital components of international teams, but the ability of teams and coaches to devise new strategies, tactics and skills has been crucial for continued success. There are six players on court in a Volleyball team, who each must rotate one position clockwise every time their team wins back service from the opposition. Only the three players at the net positions can jump and spike or block near the net. The backcourt players can only hit the ball over the net if they jump from behind the attack line, also known as the three-metre line, which separates the front and back part of the court. Volleyball has developed into a very specialised sport. Most teams will include in their starting line-up a setter, two centre blockers, two receiver-hitters and a universal spiker. Only certain players will be involved with service reception.

Players will also have specialist positions for attack and defence. Substitutions are allowed during the game. From 1998, Volleyball used a new scoring system. Teams scored a point on every rally (rally point system), regardless of which team served. Formerly, a team could only win a point if it served the ball. Winning the serve back from the opposition was known as a side-out. Matches are played best of five sets. The first four sets are played to 25 points, with the final set being played to 15 points. A team must win a set by two points. There is no ceiling, so a set continues until one of the teams gains a two-point advantage. Previously, all sets were to 15 points, with the first four sets having a ceiling of 17 and the final set requiring at least a two-point winning advantage. From 1996, the FIVB introduced a new specialist role: the libero. This player wears a different coloured uniform from the rest of the team and can be substituted in backcourt for any player on the team.

The libero cannot serve, spike the ball over the net or rotate into the front-line positions, but plays a vital role for the team in serve reception and backcourt defence. There must be at least one point played between a libero substituting off for a player and going back on the court for another player – hence he/she cannot be on the court for the whole game. The libero has added an extra dimension to backcourt defence, improving the reception of teams, lengthening the rallies and giving a vital role to shorter players. Service A serve begins each rally. A player must hit the ball with his or her hand over the net to land inside the lines of the court. Players may serve underarm or overarm (hardly anyone at elite level would offer an underarm serve). A popular serve is the "jump" or "spike" serve: the player jumps and serves the ball while airborne. Each player gets only one chance to serve. The serve can touch the net and continue into the opponent's court. Before this rule was introduced, a net touch on service ended the rally and the point was awarded to the receiving team. When the serving team loses a rally, it loses the right to serve. The receiving team then rotates one position on the court.

Dig The "dig" is a forearm pass that is used to control the ball and pass it to the setter at the net. It is usually the first contact by the team and an effective shot to use in defence, such as when receiving a spike. The "libero" handles much of the team's serve reception and is pivotal in backcourt defence. Set The "set" is an overhead pass used to change the direction of the dig and put the ball in a good position for the spiker. It is usually the team's second contact. Setting is the tactical centre of Volleyball. A setter must be good enough to keep the big blockers from dominating the net. The setter must feed his or her best hitters while also looking for opponent's blocking weaknesses (such as a short player on the front line or a slow centre blocker). Spike The "spike" is when the ball is hit or smashed across the net. It is the most powerful shot in Volleyball – and the most effective way to win a rally. Block This is the first line of defence in Volleyball. The objective of the "block" is to stop the spiked ball from crossing the net or to channel the spike to defenders. The three front-court players share blocking.

Teams usually opt for a "read and react" block (whereby they try to react to the ball leaving the setter's hands) or for a "commit" block (whereby they decide before the point whether to jump on the quick middle balls). The key to good blocking is penetration – the best blockers reach well over the net and into the opponent's court rather than reaching straight up, when the block can be easily penetrated by quality hitters. The Ball After testing many colours, the FIVB introduced a ball with yellow, blue and white panels at the World Championships in Japan in 1998. It replaced the traditional all-white ball. The Rally Point System In 1998 the FIVB also tried some different scoring systems. At its World Congress in October 1998, the FIVB ratified the "rally point system." Every rally would now earn a point. The first four sets are played to 25, but the winning team must be ahead by at least two points. The fifth set is played to 15 – and again the winner must have a two-point margin. The system was designed to make the scoring system easier to follow and games faster and more exciting.

The Libero The FIVB introduced a new specialised defensive player, the "libero," in 1996. The libero can perform only as a backcourt player and may not play an attacking shot (when the ball is hit back across the net), serve or block. If the libero makes an overhead set of the ball in front of the 3-metre attack line, the ball may not be spiked over by the team. If the libero makes the same action behind the front zone, the ball may be freely attacked. The libero must wear a jersey with a different colour or design than those of other team members. Rotation Each of the six players on an indoor team rotates a position after winning back service from the opponent. This is the key to the tactics of indoor Volleyball – you cannot simply keep your best blockers and spikers at the net or your best defenders in backcourt. After serving from position one, players rotate to position six (middle back), then position five (left back), position four (left front), position three (middle front) and position two (right front) before returning to serve. A team must be in correct rotation order before the serve is put into play.

Once the ball is served, the players can move positions but backcourt players cannot move to the net to block or spike. They must make all attacking actions from behind the attack line (hence the advent of the backcourt attack to have great spikers participating in all six rotations). The rotation rule explains why a setter often appears to be "hiding" behind his or her players before a point. The setter must be in proper rotation order before sprinting to the net or a point is given to the opposition. Top 9 Women Volleyball Player Profiles 1. Kerri Walsh Jennings Kerri Walsh Jennings is one of the greatest women's volleyball players in the history of the sport. She played indoor volleyball at Stanford but later moved to the beach game. She is a four-time Olympian and three-time gold medalist. She and her long-time partner Misty May-Treanor made history with their winning streaks and their success on the domestic and international stages. More » continue reading below our video Profile of Kerri Walsh 2. Misty May-Treanor Misty May-Treanor is one of the greatest women's volleyball players in the history of the sport.

She played indoor volleyball at Long Beach State but later moved to the beach game. She is a four-time Olympian and three-time gold medalist. She and her long-time partner Kerri Walsh Jennings made history with their winning streaks and their success on the domestic and international stages. More » 3. Tara Cross-Battle Tara Cross-Battle is one of only a few four-time Olympians in indoor volleyball. She played the outside hitter position for Team USA and was one of the best players in the world. Tara was known for her all-around skills as a good passer who was responsible for a large part of the serve receive formation and of course as a world-class hitter who was an enormous part of the offense for the Americans. She was a member of the bronze medal winning USA women’s team at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992. More » 4. Logan Tom Logan Tom is a four-time Olympian at the Outside Hitter Position. At age 19, Logan became the youngest woman ever to be selected for an Olympic team when she made the 2000 Games in Sydney.

She is a skilled all-around player who brings stability to the American serve receive and defense while also providing the team with a solid attack and block at the net. More » 5. Debbie Green Debbie Green is one of the best setters in American volleyball history. She led the U.S. women to a silver medal at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984. She was also a member of the 1980 Olympic team but was not allowed to compete due to the American boycott of the Moscow Games. More » 6. Rita Crockett Rita Crockett is known as one of the best all-around players in women's volleyball history. She played outside hitter and led the American team to its first Olympic gold medal. She went on to have a successful career on the beach and indoor playing professionally both in the U.S. and abroad. She is a member of the Volleyball Hall of Fame. More » 7. Nina Matthies Nina Matthies is one of the winningest female beach volleyball players of all-time. She is also largely responsible for the start of the first women’s professional beach volleyball tour, the WPVA.

For 30 years she has been the head coach of the women’s indoor team at Pepperdine University and she also coaches the women’s sand team there. More » 8. Kathy Gregory Kathy Gregory had one of the longest and most successful careers in women's beach volleyball history. Over nearly 30 years, Kathy competed at the highest levels and became the senior most woman ever to earn a AAA rating, the highest player rating. Kathy coaches the women's program at UC Santa Barbara and has logged over 800 wins in her 30 years there. More » 9. Flo Hyman Flo was best known for her powerful attacks and her graceful leadership by example. She joined the national team in 1974. The team failed to qualify in 1976 and USA boycotted the 1980 Olympics. Flo and her teammates did get a chance to compete in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and won the silver medal, the first Olympic medal ever for women's volleyball.

More » Beach Volleyball - Summer Olympic Sport Beach Volleyball Walsh and May-Treanor hit the heights - London 2012 - Beach Volleyball 28 Jul 2012 Beach volleyball started out in California as a pastime. Due to its popular appeal it developed into a thriving professional sport Family fun Beach volleyball first appeared in the early 1920s in Santa Monica, California. Then what started out as just some family fun became a sport spreading rapidly across the world. By the 1930s, the game had reached countries like Czechoslovakia, Latvia and Bulgaria. Depression free Interestingly, beach volleyball really took off in the United States during the 1930s, perhaps as a little light relief from the Great Depression. The first official two-man tournament took place in 1947, and the first beach volleyball circuit, involving hundreds of players and five California beaches, began in the 1950s. Popular culture However it was the crossover with popular culture that really launched the sport. In the 1960s, The Beatles appeared at the legendary Sorrento Beach in Los Angeles for a quick hit and US President John F.

Kennedy even went to watch a game. Its cool image was a sponsor’s dream and prize money soon poured into the sport. Olympic newcomer Beach volleyball made its Olympic debut at the 1996 Atlanta Games. USA and Brazil shared all the gold medals in the subsequent four editions, except in Sydney where the Australian women’s team dominated. Beach FAQ - CollegeSand.org: Your Guide to Collegiate Beach Volleyball Beach FAQ Beginning of 2014 Sand Season 994days since 2014 AVCA National Championships Dual Play Dual Play Format consists of 2 schools facing off with five doubles teams each. Teams are paired up head-to-head (1v1, 2v2, 3v3 etc). Sets 1 and 2 are played to 21 points, and if a tie then the deciding third set is to 15. Flighted Play Some competitions are flighted. It is basically Dual Play Format with a point system, where respective doubles teams from each school face off. There are 5 flights in order of skill level.

A 1st place finish in each flight earns 4 points, 2nd place earns 3 pts, 3rd place earns 2 pts, and 4th place earns 1 point. Points are totaled for each program, so if a school placed first in all 5 flights, they would get 20 cumulative points. If a team got last in every flight, they would finish with just 5 cumulative points. Beach FAQ Send any unanswered questions to admin@collegesand.org ! Q What is Collegiate Beach Volleyball? A The NCAA recently took on the new sport after the AVCA nurtured it from infancy. Many schools have programs with developing budgets and have very limited scholarship opportunities, but some schools are pulling away by getting top recruits who have been able to specialize in beach volleyball. Q How does someone play beach volleyball in college? A There are scholarships being accepted at institutions across the country, and most of those players took the initiative and contacted the coach of that school directly. Many also played beach volleyball through USAV and it's prestigious High Performance programs. Q How do tournaments work with teams and individual pairs?

A Most tournaments consist of a Dual-Play tournament (Pairs put head-to-head and a program wins based on overall match scores of 5). The second day of a tournament is usually a Pairs Tournament, where teams are seeded from the Dual Play results into single elimination brackets of 8. Q How do championships work? A In 2016, the NCAA got rid of the pairs championships in May- leaving just the Team Championships for programs to compete. In 2012, 4 complete programs were invited to play in the national team championships in Gulf Shores, AL. The top two teams from each of those program were also automatically entered into the pairs championship. On top of those automatically entered, 8 additional pairs are selected by an assigned committee from across the country and they play in a 16-team pairs championship. Over three days, the teams compete in the following: Day 1: Pairs Pool Play; Day 2: Flighted Dual Tournament; Day 3: Pairs Single Elimination Bracket. Q How likely is it that someone will get a beach volleyball scholarship?

A It is difficult to say in this developmental stage of the sport, but ultimately the more experience they have and the more they get their name out there, the more likely they are to receive a scholarship. If an institution is fully funding the sport, they may reach the limit of 6 scholarships or 8 if they don't have an indoor team. Beach Volleyball is an "Equivalency Sport" as opposed to a "Head-Count Sport". The scholarship limits are equivalent to full-ride scholarships, but they can be divided among multiple players as partial scholarships. For example, if a college costs $30,000 to attend, a beach volleyball program can give out up to $90,000 in 2012 (equal to 3 full-ride scholarships). This $90,000 can be split amongst 3 or more players equally, such as 6 players receiving $15,000, or unequally. If a school does not have an indoor volleyball team, it can award up to 8 beach volleyball scholarships.

As a reference, Men's NCAA Division 1 Indoor Volleyball programs can award 4.5 Scholarships and Women's D1 Indoor programs can award 13 scholarships. Many sports have more, some have fewer. Q Can an athlete play on the indoor volleyball team and the beach volleyball team in the same year? A Yes, but scholarships are tricky in this situation. At present, players on an indoor scholarship can play indoor and beach volleyball at the same time, but players that receive beach scholarships CANNOT play on the indoor team due to . Many schools are using their indoor squads to fill out their emerging beach teams, so players are transferring their indoor experience to the beach game. If you want to play both, you need an indoor scholarship. (If there is no scholarship involved, players can play on both teams without conflict). OK: INDOOR PLAYER -> BEACH NOT OK: BEACH PLAYER -> INDOOR Q Who would play just beach volleyball in college? A There are many athletes who prefer beach volleyball over indoor volleyball. There are advantages to both sports, but beach volleyball does less damage to knees since the beach is forgiving, and most players enjoy being outdoors and playing in the elements.

The game calls for much more ball contacts per person and most athletes enjoy touching the ball. Also, after playing competitive doubles beach volleyball, the vast majority of players see a dramatic improvement in indoor skills. Q How is beach volleyball different from indoor volleyball? A There are just 2 people per team and no substitutions, this makes stamina much more important, add on top of that the challenge of moving in the deep sand and integrating the wind and glare of the sun into your strategy. Sets (games) are played to 21, and a match is best of 3. Teams switch sides every 7 points in sets to 21 and every 5 points in games to 15 (such as the tie-breaker set). A Technical Time Out is called by the ref when the score adds to 21 points. Handsets are called much more, as the ball cannot rotate sideways after coming off the fingertips and can rotate very little forward or backward, convincing many beach players to bumpset and not use their hands, risking a point. Players cannot set the ball over the net unless the shoulders are square to the direction the ball, forward or backward (it is very rare to set the ball over).

Open hand tips are not allowed, and either tip with the knuckels (a "dink"). A ball cannot be taken with open hands (like a handset) unless it is hard driven and downward, so beach players often practice multiple ways to take a ball overhead without setting. The block counts as one of the three hits, but the blocker can contact the ball a second consecutive time after the block, giving the defender just one hit to play the ball over the net. Given these huge differences, the strategic differences are infinite and the game is changed drastically. Q Why are there "defender" and "blocker" positions? A Although beach volleyball players must be well-rounded, there is still some specialization. One partner will usually be the designated blocker because they are more imposing at the net, while the defender is quick and agile, ready to dig anything that comes past the blocker. Many times, the shorter player is the defender and is served the majority of the balls, since a taller player will more likely be the better attacker. That said, the chemistry between every team is different and some teams choose to "split-block", which means they switch defensive roles depending upon the situation.

This usually requires two players of medium height, and can be successful in the right scenario professionally. Recreational players usually split block so the server never has to run up to block at the net, which uses a ton of energy. Q What can I do to further my chances of earning a college scholarship? A Hit the beach and find a coach! The more experience you have, the better you'll be. Get in contact with collegiate coaches, but have something to give them, like a video of you playing against a good team. Play as much as possible and record it. If you introduce yourself in the video, make sure the sound quality is good- there's nothing worse than the wind blowing in the microphone at the beach! Make it fun, simple, and direct. Q Is men's collegiate beach volleyball being considered by the NCAA? A No. Much like men's indoor volleyball, it's an uphill battle due to budget and scholarship constraints. Many believe it would make since to field men's teams and share the same facilities and equipment, especially at schools that have built their own beach courts, but there are a few hurdles. Q What are "Old-School" rules? A The rules changed over 10 years ago to be more TV-friendly.

The court used to be larger and there were no antennas. Serves could not hit the net and trickle over (called a "let serve"), and they used side-out scoring to 15 points. Side-out scoring makes the game completely different, as only the serving team can score. Games could easily take over an hour and comebacks were far more common. The larger court (30'x60') meant players were less specialized and the extremely tall blockers were not as successful since they would have to move so much to chase down balls. In the 1990s, the AVP tried to make the sport more TV-friendly by having a play clock- which added drama to a side-out game that may take much too long for many fans. Send your unanswered questions to admin@collegesand.org ! Volleyball : AIS : Australian Sports Commission Body Size and Shape Characteristics of the Sport Indoor volleyball is a dynamic, fast paced game. Matches are generally played to the best of five sets with the first four sets played to 25 and the final set played to 15. Points can be scored regardless of which team has served. Six players are on court at a time.

Six substitutions are allowed per set but substitutes can only enter the game once per set, can only replace a starting player and can only be replaced by the same player. The exception is the libero, a defensive specialist who can substitute into the back-court at any time during the game. Indoor volleyball is a game of explosive strength, agility, skill and concentration. The game relies highly on the anaerobic energy system though aerobic endurance is important for recovery between points, stamina and tolerance to heat. Training At the elite level, players train for 30+ hours per week. Training includes skill, strength and conditioning programs. In addition, athletes may undertake extra individual skill or conditioning sessions. For the elite player, indoor volleyball is a year-round sport. At lower levels, volleyball tends to be a winter sport although short summer rosters may also be run. Many players may play a combination of indoor and beach volleyball throughout the year. Training levels vary from twice daily at the elite level to no training for those playing in recreational or mixed rosters. Competition Elite indoor volleyball players require frequent match practice. In Australia, this requires regular overseas tours to find quality opponents. Elite players contest around 50 International matches per year.

The majority of indoor volleyball players participate in rosters that involve a weekly match. Weekend tournaments may also be scheduled throughout the year. The main professional indoor volleyball competitions are in Europe. Most elite Australian players spend the Australian summer on contract to professional teams in Europe. Physical Characteristics Height is an obvious advantage for indoor volleyball players. In addition, having reduced body-fat levels can help optimise speed, agility and jumping ability. Indoor volleyball players need powerful legs to assist with jumping and strong upper bodies to develop power for spiking, serving and blocking. Players need to balance strength and lean muscle mass with the ability to jump and land repeatedly. Common Nutrition Issues Training Nutrition Young volleyball players tend to have large energy needs to support growth and lean tissue development. Add the carbohydrate requirements of a heavy training schedule and the extra carbohydrate required for building muscle, and elite volleyball players end up with a large daily requirement for carbohydrate. All volleyball players need to consume suitable amounts of nutrient-dense carbohydrate foods such as pasta, rice, bread, cereal, vegetables, fruit and sweetened dairy products. Players in heavy training need to start recovery nutrition tactics immediately after each training session. Ideally, players should aim for nutrient dense carbohydrate foods that contain protein to help facilitate muscle tissue growth and repair.

Recovery snacks should be combined with fluid to replace any fluid lost during the session. Bulking Up Players trying to increase muscle size and strength need a high-energy diet in addition to a quality training program which includes resistance or weights training. The nutritional requirements for increasing muscle bulk and strength include not only the protein needed to form new muscle tissue, but sufficient energy to fuel the training needed to stimulate muscle growth. Other nutrients such as vitamins and minerals may also be needed. In short, increased energy from nutrient-rich foods is required. Achieving a high-energy intake is not as easy as it sounds. It requires organisation and commitment. The following tips will help: Be organised. Have suitable foods available at all times. Make use of portable foods such as cereal bars, fruit, dried fruit, fruit buns, juice and milk in tetra packs etc. Increase the number of times you eat rather than the size of meals. Add extra kilojoules to meals without adding bulk by using foods such as jam, honey, syrup and sugar. Avoid excessive intake of fibre, and make use of foods with less bulk (white bread, Cornflakes, Rice Bubbles, tinned fruit).

Drink high-energy fluids such as smoothies, milkshakes and liquid meal supplements such as PowerBar Protein Plus powder. Include a protein containing food as part of your pre and post-resistance training snack. Fluids during Training and Games High-intensity exercise in a controlled atmosphere stadium can lead to large sweat losses - especially in large players. Volleyball players need to make the most of opportunities to hydrate during matches - time outs, time spent on the bench, breaks between sets. During training, frequent breaks should be scheduled to allow players to grab a quick drink. Each player should keep their own drink bottle nearby so they can drink whenever the opportunity arises. Water is a suitable fluid, but a sports drink may promote better performance by topping up fuel stores for both the muscle and brain. Game Preparation - The Pre-Event Meal The pre-game meal should fuel and hydrate players, but leave them feeling comfortable for the game. Ideally, the menu calls for a high-carbohydrate choice eaten at least 2-3 hours before a game. Pasta with low-fat sauces, rolls or sandwiches, baked potatoes with low-fat fillings, creamed rice, and fruit salad with yoghurt, are all examples of suitable choices.

Each player or team should experiment to find the routines that work best for their situation. Eating together as a team can be a great way to raise team morale and get focused for the game. It also ensures that all players have their pre-game nutrition needs looked after. Post-Game Recovery Tactics Effective recovery focuses on foods that help refuel the muscle, repair and regenerate the muscle tissue, rehydrate the body and revitalize the body . This means foods that contain fluid, carbohydrate, protein and plenty of vitamins and minerals. Left to chance, recovery eating may take a back seat to the post-game meetings, stretching and injury treatment, drug testing, media interviews, or the trip back to home or the team hotel. Many teams organise post-game recovery snacks that can be consumed simultaneously with these activities - sports drinks, liquid meal supplements, fruit, sandwiches and cereal bars are some of the many quick options. Depending on the time of the game and the athlete's appetite, this post-game snack may be supplemented by a later meal. Tournament Nutrition and Road Trips As soon as the match schedule is known, plan a meal routine that schedules appropriate pre-event meals and recovery strategies.

When several games are played in succession over as many days, pro-active recovery techniques will be important in maintaining performance right through the end of the schedule. If you are playing away from home, plan where you will be eating meals, and organise the menus in advance. It is stress-free when a hungry team arrives at a restaurant to find buffet-style meals waiting, tailor-made to their special needs. Similarly, take control of meals eaten on planes, buses and other travel options. Always carry some high-carbohydrate snacks such as cereal bars, fruit and yoghurt for emergencies. In hotels, empty the mini bars to make room for more nutritious snacks and drinks. This fact sheet is based on National team athletes and is therefore specific to these athletes. Written by AIS Sports Nutrition, last updated October 2013. © Australian Sports Commission.

Question: How many players compete in a professional beach volleyball game?
Answer: Two