It doesn't take much to play a backyard game of volleyball. All you need is a ball and a net or rope to volley the ball over. If you're playing tournament volleyball or competing on the national or international level, equipment has evolved over the years and certain requirements must be met.
William Morgan
William Morgan, an instructor at the YMCA in Holyoke, Massachusetts, is credited with starting volleyball in 1895. As the physical education director, he was looking for a competitive recreational game that wasn't as violent and intense as the developing game of basketball. He liked the idea of using a net, as in tennis, but he didn't want to bother with racquets and lots of balls. So, he experimented with his idea for mintonette, which eventually became the game we know today as volleyball.
Ball History
You can't play volleyball without a ball, and Morgan experimented a bit before finding the right ball for the game. The Federation Internationale de Volleyball, the international governing body for the sport of volleyball, reports that Morgan first tried using the bladder from a basketball. It was deemed to be too light and too slow. So, he tried using a basketball itself. That was too big and too heavy. Eventually, he asked A.G. Spalding and Bros. to design a ball that turned out to be just right.
Ball Specs
FIVB reports that the original Spalding ball was covered in leather and had a rubber inner tube. The ball had a circumference of 25 to 27 inches and weighed 9 to 12 oz. In 1912, a uniform size and weight was established. The circumference was set at 26 inches and the weight was set at 7 to 9 oz. In 2010, FIVB rules call for a leather or synthetic ball with a circumference of 65 to 67 cm and a weight of 260 280 g.
Net History
As Morgan was developing his game of mintonette, he liked the idea of using a net, like in tennis. So, he raised a tennis net to a height of about 6 feet, 6 inches -- just above the head of an average man. He designed the game to be played in a gymnasium or exercise hall, but he noted that the nets could also be set up outside. In 1900, the height of the net was raised to 7 feet, 6 inches. As the U.S. and Europe worked to standardize the sport in 1947, the FIVB was formed and the net height was set at 2.43 m for men and 2.24 m for women.
Net Specs
The 1947 standards remain in effect in 2010. FIVB rules dictate that the net is to be placed vertically over the center line and the height is to be measured from the center of the playing court. Rules call for the net to be 1 m wide and 9-1/2 to 10 m long. It's to be made of 10 cm square black mesh.
Court Size
The size of a regulation volleyball court changed a few times over the years. FIVB reports that in 1912, the court size was set at 35 x 60 feet. In 1920, the size was reduced to 30 x 60 feet. In 1947, the U.S. and Europe agreed to standardize the size at 9 x 18 m. In 2010, that was still the regulation size. The court is also to be surrounded by a free zone of a minimum of 3 m on all sides.
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