Beach volleyball variants

Before we look at the volleyball variants for lousy weather, we'll stay at the beach a bit longer. Water volleyball, also known as pool and aqua volleyball, is played in the water, as you might expect. Unlike beach volleyball, the team size can vary from one to four players, depending on the size of the field.

The size of the field in water volleyball can be up to three to six meters long and two to five meters wide. For the techniques from beach volleyball to be applied in water volleyball, it is elementary that the players can stand in the water and do not have to swim.

To win a set, you only need 11 points, not 21. Again, a team must win with a two-point advantage but can also win if it reaches 15 points first. The team that has won three sets first wins the game.

The first bad-weather variant we look at is the most obvious one - indoor beach volleyball. Also known as indoor sand volleyball, it is what the name promises, beach volleyball in a hall. The rules, techniques, and equipment are identical to beach volleyball. The only problem for most beach volleyball players is that these halls are relatively scarce and therefore inaccessible for many. Fortunately, there are other options to play, for example, during the cold season.

The next alternative we will look at is the exact opposite of beach volleyball - snow volleyball. Created in Austria in 2008, according to plans of the FIVB, it will soon be part of the Olympic Winter Games.

The court is, at least in terms of dimensions, identical to those of beach volleyball. Instead of sand, you play on snow. The ball is a regular beach volleyball. Due to the cold temperatures, however, different clothing is necessary. For this reason, the players wear thermal clothing and shoes with studs. There are also differences in terms of team structure. In snow volleyball, there are three players on the field and a substitute player. A team can make two substitutions per set.

The techniques and rules are also almost identical to beach volleyball. Yet, one difference is the scoring, since, in beach volleyball, 15 points are enough to win a set. However, you have to win with a two-point advantage.