Volleyball is one of the most popular sports among women in the United States. An Associated Press article from the April 22, 2009 edition of the USA Today stated that women's indoor volleyball was second to only basketball in terms of participation. Of the 1,064 member institutions of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, 992 supported volleyball programs. In 2009, the NCAA looked into sand volleyball as an emerging sport on the college level.
Outdoor and Beach Volleyball
Outdoor volleyball can refer to the game played recreationally in the backyard, or it can refer to beach volleyball, which has gained popularity thanks in part to the success of the U.S. Olympic Gold Medal beach volleyball team. The recreational game can be different from beach volleyball in court surface and dimensions, points systems and number of players.
Court Dimensions
There are differences between the women's indoor and outdoor court. An indoor court measures 18 meters, or 59 feet long and nine meters, or 29 ½ wide. Beach volleyball is generally played with two-player teams. Therefore, the court dimensions are smaller: 16 meters, or 52 ½ feet long and eight meters, or 26 ½ feet wide. An outdoor court set up on grass may have the same dimensions of an indoor court, but not the center or three-meter attack line.
Rules
Indoor and outdoor volleyball also have a number of rule differences. According to Beach Dig, outdoor players switch sides during games. This way both teams equally deal with weather factors, such as wind and angle of the sun. In the outdoor game a set cannot be placed over the net. It must elevate perpendicular to the setter's body. Open-handed tops are illegal outdoors. There is also no center line. Players may touch an opponent's side to retrieve the ball.
Points
The point systems also differ between indoors and outdoors. In competitive play, indoor volleyball is conducted in the best-out-of-five game format. Each of the first four games is played to 30; a team must win by two points. The fifth goes to 15 points. Each team switches ends after each game. In outdoor or beach volleyball it is a best-of-three format. The first two games run to 21 points, the last one plays to 15.
Players
Indoor volleyball is contested with six players per side. Each one begins in specific positions when the ball is served; they rotate to a different position after a point is scored. Beach volleyball consists of two-person teams. When one player serves, the second typically guards the net. There is no restriction on where a player starts.
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