Volleyball at a picnic, the beach or at the youth level just requires T-shirts or tank tops and shorts. Putting together your uniform for high school or college league play on an indoor court requires a bit more preparation but remains straightforward. The Federation Internationale de Volleyball, the governing body of volleyball worldwide, adds its own apparel requirements for Olympic and other international play, if your gifts take you to the highest level.
Apparel
You and your teammates can practice in T-shirts. Proper volleyball apparel for a league game includes a properly fitting jersey, shorts, socks -- typically knee highs, although ankle socks can be worn -- and footwear, usually basketball or cross-training shoes. Your jerseys must match in color, with your name and number, from 1 to 99 in a contrasting color, on the back. The shirttail needs to be long enough to tuck in. A player designated as a libero wears a different color than her teammates. Avoid wearing long pants that can restrict movement. For FIVB and world indoor competitions, each team must have three colors available, including a jersey that is 75 percent white and two others of dark color.
Styles
Volleyball jerseys come in long and short sleeves. Long sleeves protect your arms during a forehand hit, while short sleeves may be cooler. Shorts come in solid colors or wild print patterns on Spandex fabric. For beach volleyball, men wear shorts and tank top, and women typically wear a bikini, as a one-piece swimsuit can collect sand as the game wears on. Numbers need to be large on the back of the jersey and smaller on the upper front of the jersey.
Accessories
Kneepads, made of foam or rubber covered with fabric, can protect your tender skin from floor burns during games played on hard surfaces. Pick a size that fits snugly. Youth players may find that elbow pads fit better than kneepads, notes the American Sport Education Program. Hooded sweatshirts, Capri pants or warmup suits can help you in a cold gym to warm up while your blood gets flowing before the game.
Ankle Braces
If you have a history of ankle injuries, wear lace-up braces to volleyball or tape your ankles. Check also whether your coach or league requires all players to wear ankle braces as a protective measure regardless of previous injury. Large-scale studies of high school and collegiate volleyball players are drawing the attention of coaches and leagues to the value of preventing ankle injury with braces, although some coaches view the braces as paradoxically weakening the ankles.
References
- FIVB; Sports Regulations: Volleyball; April 2011
- FIVB: Beach Volleyball: Players' Uniforms: Guidelines For Olympic Games; 2004
- Human Kinetics: Equipment, Player Positioning Detailed for Youth Volleyball Coaches
- Special Olympics; Special Olympics Volleyball Coaching Guide; August 2008
- Rowlett High School: Volleyball Program Information
- "Foot & Ankle International"; Prophylactic Ankle Brace Use in High School Volleyball Players: a Prospective Study; C. Frey, et al.; April 2010
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