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Amendment: Beach volleyball is playing in rally point system with 15 points/set. There will be three sets in a match.
History & Game Characteristics
History:
Beach volleyball emerged in about 20s to 40s in Santa Monica, California where families were seen playing 6 against 6. There were also rumours that six-man teams were playing on Hawaiian beaches although now it is
played with two teams of two players.
The fever catches on rapidly in the USA where people could escape the depression by going to the Beach. Beach Volleyball becomes part of the California lifestyle, much like surfing, in 1950s & 60s. The sport
is associated with the beach, the sun and modern music.
Open tournaments were held on eight beaches in California: Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, State, Manhattan, Corona del Mar, Laguna, San Diego and even on Lake Tahoe's shores. The first Manhattan Beach Open took place.
President Kennedy attended the first official beach volleyball event in Sorrento Beach, Los Angeles.
Beach Volleyball reaches international level with U.S.A. and Brazil leading the way. The sport becomes professional and international in 1970s & 80s. It reaches Olympic Status at
Atlanta 1996 and the FIVB Beach Volleyball International Circuit, the "World Tour", expands in Europe, Latin America and Asia.
Historical Timeline:
1920s
There are unconfirmed whispers of men's teams playing on the beach in Hawaii, but most accounts place the sport's origin in
Santa Monica, California where the first Volleyball courts are put up on the beach.
1930s
Beach Volleyball appeared in Palavas, Lacanau and Royan (France), around Sofia (Bulgaria), Prague (Czech Republic) and Riga (Latvia).
The first two-men Beach Volleyball game was played in Santa
Monica, California.
1947
The first official two-man Beach Volleyball tournament held at State Beach (CA) with no Prize Money was organised by Holtzman and won by Saenez–Harris.
American soldiers played beacg volleyball on the European shores for the first time.
1948
The first tournament held at State Beach, California rewardard the best teams with a crate of Pepsi!
1950s
The first circuit is organised on 5 beaches in California: Santa Barbara, State, Corona del Mar, Laguna and San Diego.
In Brazil, the first tournament sponsored by a newspaper
publishing company takes place.
1957
Bernie Holtzman and Gene Selznick win an event that featured Greta Tyson, star of "Pyjama Tops", as "Queen of the Beach".
Beach Volleyball was becoming more than just a sport, it was turning into a real show.
1974
First commercially sponsored tournament takes place in San Diego (CA) with 250 spectators. A total 1,500 US$ Prize Money is offered. The winners are Dennis Hare & Fred Zuelich.
1976
Inaugural Championships of Beach Volleyball was staged at State Beach, Pacific Palisades (CA) with 5,000 US$ Prize Money. Menges & Lee win the tournament in front of 30,000 spectators.
1977
Pro Beach Volleyball tournaments are held in Santa Cruz, Lake Tahoe and Los Angeles, USA
1980
First sponsored tour in the USA with 7 events in the calendar and 52,000 US$ Prize Money.
1982
Beach Volleyball becomes popular on the beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema in Rio de Janeiro (BRA).
The USA tour becomes national with tournaments held from Denver to New York and Clearwater (FL)
1986
First international Beach Volleyball exhibition in Rio de Janeiro with 5,000 spectators.
Brazilian Volleyball Champions, like Renan, Bad? Montanaro,
William, Jackie Silva, Isabel Salgado, Vera Mossa, Regina Uchoa, along with the 1984 Olympic Volleyball Champion, Pat Powers (USA) and the King of the Beach, Sinjin Smith (USA)
become leading figures in the world-wide growth of Beach Volleyball.
1987
The first international FIVB sanctioned Beach Volleyball tournament was held at Ipanema Beach (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) with 22,000 Prize Money. Sinjin Smith & Stoklos (USA) win the tournament.
1988
1 FIVB Men's tournament is held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with 51,500 US$ Prize Money. The winners are: Kiraly & Powers (USA).
1989/90
3 FIVB Beach Volleyball events (World Series)
140,000 US$ total Prize Money
The first FIVB Beach Volleyball International Circuit, named the
World Series, was created with men's tournaments in Brazil, Italy & Japan. The Brazilian event sells out with thousands of people outside the stadium wanting to get in.
1989/90 Men World Champions: Smith & Stoklos (USA)
1990/91
Four FIVB beach volleyball events (World Series)
US$ 200,000 total in prize money and FIVB bonus pool.
France, Italy, Japan and Brazil hosted men's FIVB Beach Volleyball events.
September 1990: the first FIVB Beach Volleyball World Council gathers in Lausanne to determine the programme for beach volleyball.
1991/92
Seven FIVB beach volleyball tournaments (World Series) with a total of US$ 600,000 in prize money and FIVB bonus pool.
Australia & Spain hosted FIVB beach volleyball events for the
first time.
1992/93
Six FIVB beach volleyball tournaments (World Series) totalling
US$ 950,000 in prize money and FIVB bonus pool.
Beach Volleyball was played as a demonstration sport in
Almeria, Spain (1992 with over 100 players representing the five continents whilst the Olympic Games were held in Barcelona. The first women's FIVB beach volleyball World Series took place in Almeria.
USA team Smith and Stoklos enter into the legend by becoming World Champions for the fifth time.
A Beach Volleyball Department was created within the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB).
1993/94
Six FIVB beach volleyball tournaments (World Series) US$ 880,000 total in prize money & FIVB bonus pool.
Brazil, USA & Chile hosted women's FIVB beach volleyball events.
His Excellency Juan Antonio Samaranch, IOC President, Billy Payne, ACOG President and IOC members attended the February FIVB beach volleyball finals held in Rio de Janeiro, as
well as 140,000 spectators (in one week).
24th September 1994 : Recognition is given to beach volleyball as an Olympic discipline at the IOC meeting in Monte Carlo.
Twenty-four men's teams and eighteen women's teams competed for the Olympic gold medal in Atlanta for the first time in 1996.
1994/95
Twelve FIVB beach volleyball tournaments ('World Series' and Goodwill Games) 1,440,000 US$ total in prize money and FIVB bonus pool.
Brazil, Chile, France, Japan, Puerto Rico, the USA & Chile hosted FIVB beach volleyball competitions.
Beach Volleyball was included for the first time in the Goodwill Games held in St. Petersburg (Russia).
1996
27 FIVB beach volleyball tournaments (World Championships-Series and the Olympic Games) US$ 4,300,000 total prize money & FIVB bonus pool.
France & Portugal organised the men's Grand Slam events and a women's Grand Slam took place in Puerto Rico.
The first Olympic Beach Volleyball competition took place in
Atlanta Beach from 23rd - 28th July, in a 10,000-seat stadium. Twenty-four men's teams and eighteen women's teams competed for Olympic medals and over 107,000 spectators
attended the event. Beach volleyball had a complete 'sell out' in tickets.
Men - Olympic Beach Volleyball medallists :
- Gold: Kiraly & Steffes (USA)
- Silver: Dodd & Whitmarsh (USA)
- Bronze: Child & Heese (CAN)
Women - Olympic Beach Volleyball medallists :
- Gold: Jackie Silva & Sandra Pires (BRA)
- Silver: Monica & Adriana Samuel (BRA)
- Bronze: Cook & Pottharst (AUS)
More than 95 National Federations have regular beach volleyball activities. 1995/96 : 27 FIVB Beach Volleyball tournaments (then named 'World Championship Series')
totalling US$ 3,500,000 in prize money & FIVB bonus pool.
Host Broadcasters presented 100 hours of news, highlights and broadcasting.
FIVB Final Beach Volleyball Ranking serves as a basis to qualify
the best pairs in the world for the Olympics. Some 600 athletes representing 42 countries took part in the Olympic qualification season.
Over 50 National Federations have set up a Beach Volleyball
National Council to promote the sport in their countries
1997
22 FIVB beach volleyball tournaments (World Tour) totalling 3,900,000 US$ in prize money and FIVB bonus pool.
Ericsson and Nike presented the Men's and Women's Beach
Volleyball World Championships at the UCLA Campus. Men and women players were rewarded on an equal footing with total of US$ 600,000 prize money and the event was broadcast in more than 120 countries.
For the first time Austria, Italy & France hosted the women's World Tour events and Bulgaria and Czech Republic organised the challenger events.
A new competition format with single elimination bracket and
rally scoring system was tested in Marseille and Los Angeles.
1998
25 FIVB beach volleyball tournaments (World Tour and Goodwill Games) with a total of US$ 3,900,000 in prize money and FIVB bonus pool.
New World Tour Open organisers : Argentina, Canada, China & Czech Republic whereas Chile and Bulgaria organised the challenger events.
For the first time in the World Tour, men and women players
were rewarded at the same level with US$ 170,000 prize money per Open event.
Goodwill Games featured beach volleyball competitions from 22nd July - to 2nd August in New York's Central Park with the
world's eight best men's and women's teams.
Beach volleyball is included in major sports competitions such as the South East Asian Games, Central & Pan-American Games, Universiade, etc.
FIVB offers new opportunities to mid-level players and organisers by introducing lower event categories : challenger, satellite and amateur tournaments, in addition to the major
World Tour competitions such as the Grand Slam and Open events.
More than 120 National Federations have regular beach volleyball activities.
1999
The World Tour is the only international circuit recognised by the IOC for qualification in the Olympic Games. The qualification process consists of a period which began on 1st
January 1999 and ends on August 15th 2000.
The World Tour includes twelve men's and six women's open events totalling 3,660,000.00 USD in prize money.
In 1999, the men and women's World Championships were
organised in Europe for the first time. Organised every two years, this event distributes 600,000 USD in prize money ( 300,000 USD for each gender ) and was held in a special facility
for 5000 spectators. By the end of the competition the total number of spectators reached nearly 50.000.
For the first time beach volleyball was included in the Pan
American Games which were held in Canada. In a packed stadium of 5000 spectators, the men's Canadian team Holden / Leinemann won the gold medal, and the women's team Adriana Behar / Shelda(BRA) got into first place.
2000
The year of the Olympic Games in Sydney where the top 24 men's and 24 women's teams in the world will be competing on Bondi Beach in the most important competition in the world. A
wonderful venue with a stadium of 10,000 spectators and modern facilities
have been set up to offer a top-class event to the Olympic family : players, fans, media, sponsors, etc.
Teams representing more than 50 countries have taken part in the Olympic Games qualification process.
The Athens Olympic Games Organising Committee has confirmed that Beach Volleyball is included in the Olympic
Games programme in 2004
The World Tour features 26 events totalling four million dollars in prize money.The Women's Tour has a tremendous increase in the number of tournaments from seven in 1999, up to twelve in
2000. Men and women athletes are given the same opportunities.
The FIVB has assigned the 2001 World Championships to Austria (1st - 5th August 2001) and has reached an agreement
with Turner Inc. to include beach volleyball into the 2001 Goodwill Games in Brisbane, Australia (29th August - 4th September).
A new rally scoring system has been tested on the occasion of
a challenger and two satellite events for eventual future implementation.
Game characteristics:
Beach Volleyball is a sport played by two teams of two players each on a sand court divided by a net. The ball is played by hitting it with any part of the body.
The objective of the game is for each team to send the ball regularly over the net to ground it on the opponent's court, and to prevent the ball from being grounded on its own court.
The ball is put into play by the serving player. The player serves by hitting the ball, with one hand or arm, over the net to the opponent's court.
A team is entitled to hit the ball three times to return it to the opponent's court.
A player is not allowed to hit the ball twice consecutively (except at blocking and at the first contact).
The rally continues until the ball touches the ground, goes out or a team fails to return it properly.
In Beach Volleyball, only the serving team may score a point (except in the deciding set).
When the receiving team wins a rally, it gains the right to serve (also scoring a point in the deciding set), this is called a "side out". The serving player must be alternated every time there is a "side out".
In Beach Volleyball, there are three sets in a match, it is playing in rally point system with 15 points/set.
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Beach Volleyball
