UNIT II

Volleyball

LESSON 5

HISTORY OF VOLLEYBALL, FACILITIES & EQUIPMENT, AND OBJECTIVES OF THE

GAME

Set your Goals

At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:

 discuss the history of volleyball

 identify the facilities & equipments in playing volleyball
 explain the mechanics in playing volleyball
 participate actively in class discussion

Expand your Knowledge

History of Volleyball

On February 9, 1895, in Holyoke, Massachusetts (USA), William G Morgan, a YMCA Physical

Education Director, created a new game called Mintonette, as a pastime to be played preferably indoors,
and by any number of players. The game took some of its characteristics from tennis, handball and
badminton. Four years earlier, another indoor sport, basketball was invented in the city of Springfield,
Massachusetts. Mintonette was designed to be an indoor sport less rough than basketball for older
member of the YMCA while still requiring a bit of athletic effort.

The first rule constructed by William G. Morgan was the requirement of a net 6ftx6in (1.98m)
high, a 25ftx50ft (7.6mx 15.2m) court, and any number of players. A match was composed of nine
innings with three serves each team in each inning. There was no limit to the number of ball contacts for
each team before sending the ball to the opponents' court. In case of a serving error, a second try was
allowed. Hitting the ball into the net was considered a foul (with loss of the point or a side-out)-except in
the case of the first-try serve.

In 1895, William G. Morgan, an instructor at the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) in
Holyoke, Mass, decided to blend elements of basketball, baseball, tennis, and handball to create a game
for his classes of businessmen which would demand less physical contact than basketball. He created the
Volleyball (at that time called mintonette). Morgan borrowed the net from tennis, and raised it 6ftx6in
above the floor, just above the average man's head.

During a demonstration game, someone remarked to Morgan that the players seemed to be
volleying the ball back and forth over the net, and perhaps "volleyball” would be a more descriptive name
for the sport.

After Alfred Halstead noticed the volleying nature of the game at its first exhibition match in
1896, played at the International YMCA Training School (now called Springfield College), the game
became quickly known as volleyball (originally written in two words "volley ball”). Volleyball rules were
slightly modified by the International YMCA Training School, and the game spread around the country in
various YMCAs.

The following year, after Spaulding Company made the ball, W.E Day developed new rules of
the game. The net was raised to 7 1/2 feet, multiple hits (dribbling) by, one player was not allowed, and
the game was set to 21 points. In 1912, the more modern version of the rules was introduced, the rule on
the rotation of players before serving. The dimension of the court and the ball were standardized.

In 1916, the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) and the National Collegiate Athletic
Association (NCAA) published the rules of the game and made additional changes. The height of the net
was set to 8 feet, the game score was set to 15 points, the match was set to the best of two winning game
(sets). Four years later, the rule on limiting the number of hits per side to three was established, and the
ball must be played only from above the waist.

The incumbent president of the International Volleyball Federation (IVBF). The first Pan Asian
Game was held in 1917, and was participated by the Philippines and China. In the Pan Asian Game, the
16-man volleyball system was implemented which means that these 32 players involved; 16 players for
each side. Then in 1927, the Far Eastern Games Rules were adopted in the Philippines until 1936. There
were nine players on one side; there were 21 points to a set, a player was given an extra serve if he misses
the first one (just like a tennis serve), players did not rotate. The court was 21mx11m.

America introduced volleyball to Europe during the first and second world wars, as a recreational
activity. The YMCA program was also instrumental in bringing volleyball to many parts of the world.
When volleyball was introduced in Europe, especially in the Soviet Union, they created the European
style, which was attack-oriented and perfected execution of the skills. This style of power volleyball made
them dominate volleyball in international competitions for three decades, winning several titles in both
men and women divisions. Europe has the most titles in the world volleyball championships, and in the
Olympic Games Czechoslovakia contributed to European volleyball with its highly individualistic
mastery in techniques and tactics.

In 1947, the International Volley Ball Federation (IVBF) was founded with Paul Libaud as its
first president. Under his term in 37 years, volleyball improved by leaps and bounds. The IVBF unified
rules were adopted for the first time.

In the East Asia, the Japanese developed their quick attack combinations and their devoted
defense to be ranked in the world top level in the 60's and 70's and the Chinese women's team in the 80's.
Other countries contributed measures that raise volleyball to a highly competitive sport. The Cubans were
known for their great jumping ability. The USA men's team combining European and Asian styles of
play, and implementing new attack and defense tactics, dominated the Olympics and the world
championship.

Volleyball gained popularity worldwide. When volleyball was introduced in the Philippines, a
Filipino started spiking, as one of the spectacular aspects of offense. Spiking actually revolutionized the
game and made the sport a highly competitive one. Dr. Ruben Acosta acknowledged this in his opening
speech in the 1998 World Volleyball Grand Prix held in Manila.
 The Philippine women's volleyball team used to dominate the ASEAN volleyball. The last time
the team won the gold medal in the women's division was in 1995 in Singapore ASEAN Games. Thailand
won over the Philippine team because of Thailand's continuous, systematic and scientific program.
Thailand has dominated women ASEAN Volleyball, and is starting challenge the dominance of Japan,
Korea and China.

Volleyball is now a very popular sport and ranks next to soccer a football as the world's most
popular sports. Volleyball is developing rapid and enormously that technical progress and international
rule changes have dramatically made volleyball spectators' sport. The direction of most sports now is
towards entertainment. Television is playing a big role in bringing spectacular volleyball to our homes
played by top teams of the world, both for men and for women.