RULE DIFFERENCES:BEACH VS.INDOOR

COURT SIZE & SCORING Beach court 8mX16m Match is best 2 out of 3 : first 2 sets played to 21 and the third set to 15. Rally Point scoring Time Outs: one time out per game plus a technical time-out when the score reaches 21  Switch sides every 7 points: this is due to weather conditions (ie.sun,wind) & every 5 points during the third set if need be. Indoor court 9mX18m Match is best of 5 sets: sets played to 25 with the fifth set played to 15. Rally point scoring Time outs: 2 time-outs plus a technical time out when the score reaches 16  Switch court sides ever set. Flip a coin for the fifth set.

THE BALL The beach ball has a lower ball pressure. This allows for longer rallies and the ball is more adaptable to the outdoor conditions.

THE CENTRELINE There is no center-line on the beach. You can penetrate under the net provided you do not interfere with your opponent

SERVE RECEPTION It is illegal to double contact the first ball. You can not take the serve with your hands you must use the underarm forepass. Serve Reception: The basic way to teach SR is to have the athletes pass in front of them. I always say you “pass where you want to hit” (ie. As a right side hitter I want to stay on the right side, this will open up all my shots/angles. If I pass more to the middle of the court then my angles have diminished. Bring the setter to your side of the court this will create a relationship & rhythm to your attack.

SETTING OVER THE NET:FREE BALL Indoors: there is no restriction to this action however the outdoor rule requires the ‘set-over’ to be perpendicular to your body & the path of the ball. An exception is made for sets to a teammate that happen to get ‘blown’ over the net by weather conditions

THE SET The Set: much greater hold on the ball vs. what you can see in the indoor game. Setting is still very difficult to master as the ball must come out perfectly clean without any spin on the ball.  Women are still having difficulty using their hands on a regular basis internationally. So many of the women are bump setting because they just don’t want to chance having the referee calling them which would be an unforced error, resulting in a point.  Need to re-enforce this at an early age!  It very important to establish the relationship with setter and hitter and by using your hands you can establish this earlier at the younger age groups.

There is no open hand tipping on the beach What Athletes may use: Roll Shot-High Line/Cut shot Pokey Cobra THE ATTACK

THE BLOCK The block counts as the first contact leaving 2 remaining contacts before the ball must be played over the net whereas the indoor game allows 3 more contacts. Blocking Responsibilities  Hand signals  Line  Cross court  Take the ball  Not blocking Blocking Responsibilities affects the Defender “I” formation Locked In Defense Swing Block

HARD DRIVEN ATTACK It is legal to momentarily lift or push a hard driven ball on first contact. This type of contact allows for overhand ‘beach digs’ that would be ruled as a lift indoors. The spirit of this rule is to keep the ball in play longer

SUBSITUTIONS There are ‘NONE’ on the beach. Team Chemistry is very important in this sport. It is very easy for young athletes to fall into the trap of the “blame game”.  “I don’t get served so it my teammate that let the team down”  The Americans are the kings and queens of this...with that said they have a large body of players to chose from where in Canada we don’t.  As coaches it is very important that we keep it real for the athletes.

COACHING Depending upon the country you live determines whether you can coach on the side line  Canada: at the youth level U21 you are able to coach during time outs and btwn sets. FIVB: does not allow coaching during the match  With this said it is very interesting how coaches still yell out in their foreign tongue ques. Also signals are often used by coaches on the sideline.

COACHING TIPS At the younger age groups: - Just give the kids an opportunity to play in a beach VB tournament and have a practise once in awhile to get the kids interested -As coach’s you will be amazed with the new found energy in both yourself and the athletes just from a change. If you are really anti-beach then think of it as “cross-training”. -Important to start with movement patterns in the sand. (ie. Cross-over, side to side mov’t, forward and back). Need to establish the ‘sand legs’ early. -Drills should be athlete driven as much as possible. I know that at the younger age it may be difficult at times but it’s important if the coach is needed that many of the athletes are involved in the drill. There is no rest time for a beach athlete so it’s important that you keep the athletes moving as much as possible. -Drills should be progressive: setting..pass-set,pass-set-hit, pass set-hit-cover

THANK YOU To finish with, I leave you with the dancing girls that entertain the fans at time-outs and during sets. Isn’t this sport great...they think of everything! Thank you Kathy Tough