Volleyball - The Perfect Summertime Sport

As the summer sun slowly begins to top the horizon, in many minds only one sport comes to mind, Volleyball! Volleyball is a glorious way to spend afternoons or weekends, getting a good physical workout and generally having a good time. As sports go, volleyball is a relatively safe, and easy to learn solution for family gatherings or just a bunch of friends. People of all ages and physical conditions can get in on the action, and since it is a team sport, no one really has to be a star athlete to participate in the fun. However, for anyone looking to enjoy the sport, there are a few basics principals to the game to make it fun, enjoyable and fair for everyone involved.

First, don't take it too seriously. Everyone likes to win, but it is only a game. Getting too wrapped up in who wins is just going to bring everyone down. However, most games are played to twenty-one points. Traditional scoring means that only the serving team can score. If the ball lands on the serving teams side of the court, the other team simply takes possession of the ball, and earns the right to score if they can make the ball connect with the floor on the opposing teams side. Rally scoring means that someone scores every time the ball comes out of play. If you are looking for a short game, then rally scoring is definitely the way to go. However, traditional scoring definitely has its advantages too, especially if the other team is not very strong defensively.

Another of the basic rules of volleyball is the three-strike rule. Basically what this means is that when a ball is in play, your team has three hits to get it back over the net. After those three hits have been utilized, then the ball is dead, and must be served again. You may also want to remember that while ideally a ball will be struck with the hands or arms to get it back over the net, that it can come off of any part of the body. As long as it does not hit the floor and goes back over the net the ball is still in play!

One last pointer that will help make a backyard volleyball game safe and enjoyable for all is to stay out of the net! In volleyball, you have to get the ball back over the net to the opposing team to score. However, you are not a fish and the net is not a ladder. Therefore there is no reason to be wrapped in net, or to attempt to use it to climb up for that perfect spike!

Everyone can enjoy a fun and relaxing game of volleyball, when the sun is out and the mood is right! So, strike out for a day filled with fun with family and friends. After all, if you follow just a few simple rules then you can have a game that is safe and fun for people of all ages and activity levels! And this game is perfect for the beach, the back yard, wherever the mood strikes! So, get out and have fun!