If you don’t have the time to get into shape and acquire that perfect beach body prior to your summer excursion then don’t panic because there are other ways to impress.  While relaxing on the soft sandy beaches watching the tide smoothly come in from the warm blue waters, why not join in with one of the top three most played sports in the world – that’s right, volleyball.
 
Not only can this engaging and fun sport be played on beaches around the world but can also be enjoyed in the comfort of your own city, town or village.  In fact this versatile sport can be played anywhere there is a net.  Volleyball is known to be a fun and sociable sport and can enhance your life by improving fitness and coordination.    
 
Aim Of The Game
 
The aim of volleyball is for each team to score points against their opponents by grounding the ball on the other team’s court.  Beach volleyball is generally a best out of three sets.  The first two sets are played to 21 points and if a third set is required it is usually played to 15 points.  Each set must be won by two clear points.  On the other hand in regular volleyball there are five sets won by the first team to score 25 points. 
 
Positions
 
To play volleyball correctly it is not a case of simply dissecting the court between one of you covering the left and the other covering right.  There are various different positions and plays to be learnt in Volleyball.
 
The middle act as main defender for the team and aims to block the ball at all times, whilst throwing off the other team’s defence.  The outside hitter – also known as left side hitter – hits and blocks on the back left side of the court.  The libero plays in middle of the back row and has impeccable ball control as they need to be great passer and even better at stopping the ball from hitting the ground.  A setter is placed on the back right of the team and is the backbone of the offense and therefore needs to make decisions about who gets the ball and when.  The opposite the setter, on the front right, hits the ball behind and in front of the setter.  They are responsible for blocking the opponent’s outside hitter.  This means the player in this position needs to be a solid blocker as well as good hitter. 
 
Tactics
 
Once you have played for a little while you will quickly learn whether you have the reflexes to be a middle or the decision making skills to be a setter.  Like in life, positioning a person in the right place can be the difference between success and failure. 
 
To appropriately put the right strength in use and use it to its full potential is vital in games today that survive on strategising, like volleyball.  Tall players should ideally stay in the front.  This way there is a better ‘fence’ for the defence and they are in stronger position to hit the ball to the ground.  Placing attackers and blockers strategically on the back row will give better defence; ultimately putting your team in stronger position to win. 
 
 
No matter what your athletic ability or sport, Volleyball is a great sport for anybody to play because of its unique style and relaxed approach.  Not to mention you could make a fantastic new group of friends.   
 

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