There are many social opportunities to be realized when young people play volleyball at the beach with family and friends. While some people come to the beach for relaxation, they can also enjoy playing volleyball to get some form of exercise during their time off from work or other responsibilities in their busy life. Playing volleyball at the beach will also give people the opportunity to work on their tan, and by the time the day is over, they will generally be well ahead of the color scheme that they are trying to achieve in their body.
Playing volleyball at the beach does not require a lot of people but larger crowds are generally more fun and make the game more exciting. As few as two people are required to get a game of volleyball started, and there are likely to be more people that come around later that will volunteer to play for a while and this will simply add to the fun in the friendly game. Boys use volleyball games to get girls into polite conversation, and while they are learning how athletic the girls are, they are also probably learning what their telephone numbers are and what school they go to.
Some girls can show off their athletic talents by challenging boys to a volleyball match spontaneously. These girls know how good they are at volleyball because they play the game competitively in their school’s athletic program. The boys might think that they will beat the girls because they think they are more athletically inclined to do it. These boys will be sorely distressed when the girl’s volleyball team beats them two games out of three.
Volleyball is based more on body techniques than the amount of muscles that a person has, but young people do enjoy looking at flexing muscles that come into being when boys extend their bodies in pursuit of a volleyball that is in their playing area. The girls do not mind at all that the boys are smug and so self-assured, and this type of behavior will usually motivate the girls to play harder than they are used to. Girls can get a lot of satisfaction out of beating boys at any game, but while playing volleyball against boys, the girls might also have other things in mind and let the boys win more than they were supposed to.
An enjoyable day can be experienced by playing volleyball because other activities can be done at the same time. Some people will set up grills and barbeque hamburgers and hotdogs while watching other players enjoy the volleyball game. Most beaches will have volleyball nets set up to entice vacationers to enjoy the beach. Playing games of volleyball relaxes people and gives them the perfect option for enjoying oceanic sceneries while doing it.
People can enjoy playing louder music than normal when they are playing volleyball on the beach. The wide open spaces offered on a public beach make it possible for large groups of people to meet without feeling confined in any way. Some people will make new friends that they can go out with at a later date, because people that like the physical conditioning provided by volleyball practice will likely enjoy other sports as well. Volleyball players can enjoy weight training to harden their muscles to be ready for the next volleyball match that they play on vacation.
By: Janice Sherwood
Posts Tagged ‘Crowds’
How To Referee Volleyball
November 30th, 2009In every sport the officials are an important part of the game. Upon their judgment, many times, rests the outcome of the game or match. Volleyball is no exception to this rule. Having alert, decisive, and discerning officials can make the difference between a good or poor tournament.
Since “power” volleyball in this country is a relatively new game, there is a good bit of educating to be done with the general public and with many players relative to what constitutes good officiating.
During the past few years volleyball has been going through “growing pains” in moving from what used to be known as an “old man’s,” or purely recreational, sport to a game that is destined to become one of the great participant and spectator sports. Today in Europe and in the Orient it is not unusual for crowds of fifteen to twenty-five thousand to gather for championship matches.
Being a volleyball official is difficult, but, as in every other sport, the official is an important part of the game. If the game of volleyball is to continue to grow and develop, there must be those who are willing and competent to officiate and guide it in its growth.
Some might ask why volleyball is so difficult to officiate. When one considers that a spiked ball travels up to 110.5 miles per hour and the official must determine how the ball is played by the defensive team, it is easy to see the importance of having competent officials.
It has been said many times that Bob Feller’s speed ball traveled 98.6 miles per hour and Jack Kramer’s serve 104 miles per hour. Therefore, an official must be “on his toes” at all times to render the best decisions possible, not only on spiked balls but for all kinds of court play.
Not only must the official be an individual who can make instantaneous decisions, but he must be a student of the rules. It is quite possible for an official to make a mistake in judgment, but he should never make a mistake in rules interpretation. It is highly recommended that an official study the rules carefully before each tournament unless he officiates very regularly. This gives him an opportunity to “sharpen up” before the match.
There are five officials in volleyball who must be considered as most important to the success of a game – the referee, the umpire, the scorer, the timekeeper, and the linesman. Each of these officials has a number of very important duties to perform if the outcome of the game is to be satisfactorily achieved. Although all of the above-mentioned officials are important, “the referee shall be the superior official of the game and shall have the power to overrule decisions of other officials when, in his opinion, they have made errors.”
Probably the greatest problem confronting the referee is the consistency with which he calls errors. Volleyball is probably the most difficult game to referee, since the ball may not come to rest for a period of time. It may not be held, carried, or thrown, as in most other sports. It must be “clearly hit.” This means there cannot be any follow-through to speak of, or the ball is carried, lifted, or thrown. Therefore, one referee may see a play slightly different from another referee.
The particular angle at which a referee sees the play can also make a difference. As for the spectators who may or may not know the rules, they may cause the unseasoned referee concern when they vent their enthusiasm over a called or uncalled play.
Refereeing at a game of volleyball can be very satisfying, and well worth the time and trouble it takes to become proficient in this sport.
By: Jimmy Cox
