Sand Volleyball Rules

Beach volleyball differs from indoor volleyball almost as much as table tennis differs from tennis. Don't think that you are ready to hit the sand because you were a collegiate indoor volleyball player.

1. The serve has a new rule. If you throw the ball up to serve and end up not hitting it, you lose that point.

2. You might wonder why players are always switching sides during a game when playing beach volleyball. These side switches occur every 7 points if you go to 21 and every 5 if going to 15. This happens because one side is always better than the other.

3. You can actually go on the opposing side to chase down a ball when playing beach volleyball. You obviously can't touch the opposing players though.

4. A beach volleyball is bigger, lighter and less pumped up than an indoor volleyball. Remember to always keep the psi of an outdoor volleyball under 4 psi.

5. In beach volleyball you are allowed to double a hard driven ball. Indoor volleyball does not allow a double to occur on a hard driven ball.

6. Beach volleyball does not allow you to take the serve with your hands. You can not double the serve.

7. The setting is much more strict in beach volleyball. You have to set the ball very clean which will result in the ball not rotating once it leaves your hands.

8. You must be perpendicular to the ball if you set the ball over the net. The only exception is if you set your partner and the wind takes it over the net.

9. The block does count as one of your 3 hits in beach volleyball. This does not mean that the blocker isn't allowed to block and then be the next person to contact the ball.