Ten fun facts about Volleyball

1. The History of Volleyball

In 1895, William G. Morgan invented the game of volleyball and the following year, he brought two teams to Springfield College to demonstrate the game in front of 29 directors attending a conference. This was the first time the game was ever played in public, and it was an instant success - the directors were so impressed that they decided to adopt the game as an official sport at the college. Since then, volleyball has become one of the most popular sports in the world, with millions of people playing it in countries all over the globe.

Also → The History of Water Polo at the Olympic Games

2. The History of the World Volleyball Championships

In 1949, the inaugural World Championships for men were held in Czechoslovakia, with 10 teams competing for the gold medal. The Soviet Union emerged victorious, while the host nation, Czechoslovakia, was awarded the silver medal. Three years later, in 1952, the first World Championships for women were held in the Soviet Union, with the home team claiming the gold medal and Poland taking the silver. This marked the beginning of a long-standing tradition of international volleyball competitions, with the sport now being played in over 200 countries around the world.

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3. The History of Volleyball at the Olympic Games

The sport of Volleyball made its Olympic debut at the 1964 Tokyo games, having previously been introduced as a non-Olympic sport in 1949. The Soviet Union, who had already established themselves as a volleyball powerhouse by winning the world championships, continued their dominance and won the first ever Olympic gold medal in the sport. This marked the beginning of a long and successful history of Volleyball in the Olympic Games.

Also → Softball Becomes an Olympic Sport

4. The Agile Athlete: How Volleyball Requires a Lot of Jumping

Volleyball is an intense sport that requires a lot of jumping. On average, players jump around 300 times during a single match, with research showing that a player must jump around 5 times per play in order to score a point for their team. This means that a player must be agile and have good jumping ability in order to be successful in the sport.

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5. The Height That Defines It

Volleyball is a sport that has its roots in both tennis and handball. The first volleyball net was actually a tennis net that had been raised to a height of 6.6 feet (201 centimeters). This height was chosen as it was the same as the average height of a man at the time, and it has remained the standard height for volleyball nets ever since. The game has evolved over the years, but the net height has remained the same, making it a defining characteristic of the sport.

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6. The History of Beach Volleyball

In 1930, the first two-man beach game was played, and it wasn't until 18 years later that the first official beach volleyball tournament was held at Will Rogers State Beach in Santa Monica, California. This tournament marked the beginning of the sport's popularity, and since then beach volleyball has become a beloved pastime for many people around the world.

Also → British Tennis: A Sport with Roots in Great Britain

7. The History of Volleyball

When volleyball was first invented in 1895, it was called 'mintonette'. However, the name was changed to 'volleyball' in 1897 to better reflect the nature of the game. For more than 50 years, the name was spelled as two words - 'volley ball' - until it was changed to its current one-word spelling in 1952. Since then, the name has remained unchanged and the sport has become one of the most popular in the world.

Also → The History of Badminton: From Shuttlecock to the Olympic Game

8. The History of the Volleyball Ball

In 1900, the first volleyball ball specifically designed for the sport was created, although the company Spalding claims to have created the first volleyball a few years earlier. This claim is disputed, however, as there is no definitive evidence to support it. The ball created in 1900 was the first to be designed specifically for the sport, and it has since become an integral part of the game.

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9. The 220 Countries of Volleyball

Volleyball is an incredibly popular sport, with an estimated one billion participants worldwide. It is played in 220 countries, as evidenced by the 220 national federations registered with the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB). This means that volleyball can be found in almost every corner of the globe, making it one of the most widely-played sports in the world.

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10. The Longest Volleyball Game Ever Played

In December 2011, Amstelveen, the Netherlands, set the record for the longest volleyball game ever played, lasting an incredible 85 hours. But the record didn't stand for long - in January 2017, the same city broke its own record with an even more impressive 101-hour game. This remarkable feat of endurance and skill is a testament to the passion and dedication of the players involved.

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