When volleyball heads to the beach, it doesn’t just change location. Players still try to hit the ball over the net, and bumps, sets, blocks and spikes carry the day on both courts. But there are quite a few differences in beach vs. indoor volleyball.
Here’s a quick summary.
Beach volleyball uses only two players
Indoor volleyball teams use six players on the court, and each plays a specific position. Teams also include substitutes on the bench.
Beach volleyball teams only include two players, often referred to as “pairs” or “doubles.” They don’t have to be in a specific spot when serving or receiving and aren’t allowed to substitute.
Beach volleyball courts are smaller
Two players cover less ground than six players, so beach volleyball courts are smaller. Beach courts measure 16m by 8m (about 52 ½ by 26 ¼ feet), two meters narrower and one meter shorter than indoor courts (18m by 9m, or about 59 feet by 29 ½ feet).
The 3-meter line
Indoor volleyball courts include the 3-meter line (normally called the 10-foot line in the USA). Back-row players must make over-the-net contact only by jumping from behind that line and the libero cannot hand set in front of it.
Beach volleyball courts have just the outside boundaries. Beach players scramble around one big rectangle and can hit from anywhere.
Beach volleyball plays shorter games
Beach volleyball teams play fewer sets. Beach volleyball teams need to win two sets and the first two sets end when the winning team scores 21 points (not 25 like in an indoor set).
If beach volleyball teams split the first two sets, they play the third and final set to 15 points (like indoor). Beach teams also need to win by two or more points in each set.
In indoor club tournaments, the matches are best of three. In (most) high school and college, they’re best of five.
Beach volleyballers switch sides more often
Weather matters in beach volleyball. Conditions can change drastically from one set to another, or even from onerallyto the next.
As a result, beach volleyball teams switch sides after every seven points, no matter the score.
Indoor volleyball teams only switch sides after each set, or after winning eight points in a fifth set (if needed).
Beach volleyball limits how players may hit the ball
Beach volleyballers can’t use open-handed fingertips totap or dinkthe ball over the net—palms, knuckles, heels of hands or rigid, locked fingers only.
Both beach and indoor volleyball players can touch the ball a maximum of three times before returning it over the net. A touch at the net that simply deflects the ball but doesn’t stop play is not considered a touch.
In indoors, first-ball multiple touch is legal. Multiple contacts are not allowed on the beach.
Beach and indoor volleyball have different dress codes
Like most athletes, indoor volleyball players wear shoes. They also must wear volleyball shorts or spandex, and a top.
As you might expect, beach volleyball players usually play barefoot, although some may wear sand socks. They also wear shorts and tank tops, or sports bikinis.Beach volleyball players avoid loose-fitting clothes. No one likes to get sand in their shorts, especially athletes.
Some other notable differences between beach and indoor volleyball:
- Beach players can step onto their opponent’s side of the court to retrieve the ball, under two conditions. They can’t interfere with players from the other team, and they must hit the ball back to their own side of the net. Indoor players cannot go fully across the center line.
- Indoor volleyball servers have eight seconds after the referee’s whistle to put the ball in play. Beach players get only five seconds.
- Warm-up times vary for both disciplines.
- Beach volleyballs weigh the same (260-280 grams, or 9-10 oz) as an indoor volleyball, but they’re a bit larger (26-27 inches around), and their surfaces are slightly softer, with stitched panels. That makes beach volleyballs feel a bit lighter than indoor volleyballs.
- Beach volleyball nets have thicker tops (7 to 10 cm) than their indoor cousins (5.08 to 6.99 cm). its heavier weight helps a beach volleyball net stand up to outdoor conditions.
Beach and indoor volleyball coaches have different rules, too
Indoor volleyball coaches get very involved with their teams. Coaches usually attend the entire match, and they can shout instructions and call timeouts at any time.
Beach volleyball coaches face many more restrictions.
- They can’t actively coach players during sets, only before the match starts or during breaks.
- They can’t call timeouts.
- Beach volleyball coaches often manage several teams playing simultaneously in a tournament, so they may not even attend a match.
