Beach/Sand Volleyball

Overview & Examples

Beach/Sand volleyball is quite similar to volleyball with the most glaring difference being that the game is played on sand and not a hard court surface. Play is quite similar to regular volleyball with each team getting three hits to place the ball over the net and onto their opponent’s side.

Traditional Formats

Men’s, women’s and co-rec teams are all common among Intramural programs, with teams generally consisting of 2, 4, or 6 players per team. Some institutions offer beach/sand volleyball in a tournament format, while others offer league play.

Staffing

Two officials per game – an up official who is positioned in an officials stand at the net and a down official positioned at ground level at the net across from the up official – can be used to enforce rules and administer penalties. Four officials may be utilized in competitive play with the addition of 2 line judges. One official (the up official) may be used in recreational play.

The game score is typically kept by a courtside official; however a scorekeeper may be utilized for additional assistance.

Depending on the format, some institutions offer beach/sand volleyball in a self officiated capacity.

Rules

Rules for beach/sand volleyball typically follow rules for indoor volleyball with few variations. USA Volleyball provides beach volleyball rules on which many institutions base their Intramural beach/sand volleyball rules.

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