The Origins of Volleyball

Volleyball is a sport that many of us played for the first time in middle school P.E. classes. Though we may not have cared much about it then, it can be a great sport for both men and women on an amateur level as well as on a collegiate level. But when did it all get started?

Origins of Volleyball

In 1895 in the city of Holyoke, Massachusetts, William G. Morgan, a YMCA director, came up with the idea of an indoor sport that combined concepts of tennis and handball. He called the new came Mintonette. He liked it because it could be played by any number of players and it was less rough than basketball, the other indoor sport that was just catching on. In fact, basketball had been invented just ten miles away in Springfield only a few years earlier.

The game originally allowed for two serving attempts, any number of players on each team, and hitting the net was a foul that removed one point. After it was first seen by spectators, someone suggested that the name be changed from Mintonette to volley ball because of the volleying nature of the game. The name was later made into a single word: volleyball.

Rule Changes

As the game began to spread around the country to different YMCAs and the Army started using volleyball as a sport for soldiers abroad, the rules began to evolve. In the Philippines, the spike made its way into custom. Meanwhile, the game was changed from 21 to 15 points. In 1919, 16,000 volleyballs were distributed by American soldiers around the world and helped to cement its popularity.

Volleyball Today

Volleyball is a surprisingly popular sport around the world. Not only is it played in the United States, but also in Italy, The Netherlands, Eastern Europe, Russia, Brazil, China, and the rest of Asia. Beach volleyball has also become a popular variation of the sport. Volleyball was introduced into the 1996 Summer Olympics and remains an important sport today.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volleyball#Origin_of_volleyball

Similar Articles by J G Hodnette:

Penalty Cards in Soccer: History and Meaning of Red and Yellow Cards

Corner Kicks in Soccer

Soccer Rules: Throw Ins