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Sports: Volleyball

[ Background | Equipment | Where ]

Background

Volleyball is a sport for kids and adults of varying skill levels. About 2.5 million people pay volleyball recreationally or competitively in Canada.

Volleyball is played by two teams of six, on a "court" with a high net in the middle. The goal is to hit a ball over the net, so your opponents cannot hit it back, to earn a point. Fifteen points wins a game, and matches are typically best-of-three or best-of-five. The game is played using three key skills: "Bump", "Set" and "Spike".

Beach volleyball is played with between two and six players per side on a sand court. Fewer the players requires a higher skill level and greater teamwork. 10 million people playing in competitive beach volleyball leagues each summer.

Equipment

There is not much equipment required for volleyball: your basic athletic shorts, shirt, and a non-marking court shoe with good support and spring.

Where

For the spectator, Vancouver offers a wide variety of competitive action. At the University of British Columbia, both men and women play in the Canadian Inter-university Athletic Union, a league of university teams from across Canada. The University of BC's teams are called the Thunderbirds and play at the varsity level against universities from across western Canada.

If you wish to get involved in league play, your options are to call one of the private clubs (such as the Jericho Volleyball Club at 879-9800) or contact BC Volleyball's Recreation Line at 737-3096. BC Volleyball runs several leagues and drop-in nights in both indoor and outdoor volleyball.

Games are also played in the summer evenings at Kitsilano and Spanish beaches, and you can usually find a drop-in position if you just show up