Late 19th century Massachusetts was a breeding ground for team sports. Basketball was invented in Springfield in 1891, and in 1895, volleyball made its debut in Holyoke. According to Volleyball World Wide, this new game combined parts of several other sports, including tennis, baseball, basketball and handball.
The Beginning
Volleyball was the brainchild of William Morgan, the physical education director at the YMCA in Holyoke, Massachusetts. According to the Volleyball Hall of Fame, Morgan liked basketball, but felt it was too strenuous for an older population. He invented the game of mintonette, which became known as volleyball because of the volleys between the two teams. In the beginning years, the game looked very different than it does now. You could have any number of players on a team, and limitless hits on the ball before it went over the net.
Expanding the Sport
Volleyball World Wide says the nascent sport rapidly gained popularity, largely thanks to international YMCAs. It spread to Canada in 1900. It began in Cuba and Puerto Rico in 1905 and 1909, respectively. The first international volleyball tournament took place in Manila in 1913. By the early 1950s, millions of people were playing volleyball in about 60 countries. The game not only grew popular in the gym, but also on the beach. It became an Olympic sport in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
Volleyball Organizations
Several groups have helped develop American volleyball over the years. In 1928, the United States Volleyball Association, now called USA Volleyball, began to standardize rules and organize competitions. By 1970, the National Collegiate Athletic Association oversaw its first volleyball championship competition. Specialized groups have also sprung up, including the California Beach Volleyball Association in 1965 and the Women's Professional Volleyball Association in 1986.
Famous Figures
Volleyball has had its share of outstanding coaches and players who helped popularize the game. William Morgan was inducted into the Volleyball Hall of Fame. So was Harold Friermood, who helped get the sport into the Olympics. Famous players include Americans Karch Kiraly and Flo Hyman. Kiraly won Olympic gold medals in both beach and indoor volleyball, and Hyman was a powerhouse of an athlete who led the U.S. women's team to an Olympic silver medal in 1984.
Member Comments