“Dig into the world of volleyball with these 20 smashing facts that will spike your interest and set you up for a volley of knowledge! From sandy beaches to indoor courts, this article serves up a diverse collection of insights into the sport’s history, rules, and iconic moments. Whether you’re a dedicated player or just a casual observer, get ready to serve and receive a whirlwind of information that will make you want to shout, ‘Let’s play!’ So, without further ado, let’s dive into the exciting world of volleyball and bump, set, and spike our way through these fascinating facts.”
1-5 Fun Facts About Volleyball
1. William G. Morgan is widely recognized as the inventor of volleyball. In 1895, while serving as the physical director of the YMCA in Holyoke, Massachusetts, he embarked on the creation of a sport distinct from basketball, which happened to be the prevailing new sport of that era.
2. It’s noteworthy that William G. Morgan shared an acquaintance with James Naismith, the inventor of basketball.
3. Initially, volleyball went by the name “mintonette.”
4. Surprisingly, basketballs were initially employed for playing volleyball until the introduction of rubber volleyballs in the later part of the 1900s.
5. Now, let’s talk about the iconic move—the volleyball “kill shot.” This term wasn’t part of the game until a 1916 tournament held in the Philippines. This move, known as a spike, involves a player leaping to smack a ball powerfully downward after it’s set high above the net. Initially, this aggressive move was termed “bomba.”
6-10 Surprising Facts About Volleyball
6. Whenever al-Qaeda organized games of volleyball, Mohammed Atef and Osama Bin Laden were forced to be on separate teams since they were both tall and skilled players.
7. In volleyball, the net’s height for women’s games is 7 inches lower than that of men’s. Conversely, in women’s basketball, the net is set at the same height as the men’s.
8. Did you know that in volleyball, kicking is totally allowed? Yep, players can use any part of their body to hit the ball over the net.
9. Remember the iconic volleyball named Wilson from the movie “Cast Away”? Well, the idea for Wilson came about when the movie’s screenwriter, William Broyles, Jr., spent a week on a remote beach in the Sea of Cortez. During that time, a volleyball washed up on shore, inspiring the creation of the character.
10. Believe it or not, Wilson the volleyball from “Cast Away” won an award for ‘Best Inanimate Object.’
11-15 Interesting Facts About Volleyball
11. In volleyball, the player wearing a different colored shirt is called the Libero. Their role doesn’t include serving, attempting to serve results in a penalty.
12. Not only that, A libero cannot serve as a team captain as well.
13. Following the division of the town of Naco by border patrol activities, residents from Naco, Arizona, and Naco, Mexico, initiated an annual tradition of conducting a volleyball match across the dividing fence as a symbol of unity.
14. Now, here’s a cool fact about volleyball: players aren’t allowed to touch the net, except for a little exception. The part of the net outside the antenna is fair game. You can touch it as much as you want without any penalty because it’s technically outside the court.
15. When it comes to speedy serves, Polish volleyball player Wilfredo Leon takes the crown. He once served the ball at a blazing 134 km/h (83.3 mph)!
16-20 Awesome Facts About Volleyball
16. Did you know that volleyball ranks as the fourth most popular sport globally? A staggering count of over 998 million individuals participate in the sport worldwide.
17. Brace yourself for this: the average volleyball player jumps more than 300 times during a single game! This leap-heavy sport outperforms all others in terms of jumping frequency.
18. In fact, engaging in an hour of volleyball burns over 300 calories.
19. The longest volleyball match on record took place in Kingston, North Carolina, in December 2011, extending an astonishing duration of 75 hours and 30 minutes.
20. Wuttchai Suksara is the tallest volleyball player in the world, currently standing at 7 feet 3 inches (224 cm) tall and wearing a size 22 shoe. He represents Thailand’s national volleyball team as a middle blocker.
That’s it for this post guys, I hope you had fun while reading about 20 Facts About Volleyball.
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