history of volleyball essay pdf

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History of volleyball: From humble beginnings to a global sport

Originally called mintonette, the origin of volleyball can be traced back to 1895 in Massachusetts, USA. It was created by American William G. Morgan.

The origin of volleyball traces its roots to basketball, baseball, tennis and handball.

For a sport that has been around for over a century, the origin of volleyball traces its roots to a rather humble beginning.

History has it that William G. Morgan, who invented the game of volleyball in 1895, came up with the idea so that people who found basketball’s ‘bumping’ or ‘jolting’ too strenuous could have an alternative physical activity to fall back on.

William G. Morgan, who served as the physical director at the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) Holyoke, Massachusetts, looked at the sports around and picked the aspects that he thought suited his brief the best.

The ball came from baske`tball, the net from tennis and the use of hands from handball. While this made up a game of volleyball, it was lent some competitive tone with the introduction of innings - later to be called sets - that was borrowed from baseball.

Morgan introduced the sport -- called mintonette, the original name of volleyball -- at the YMCA Physical Director's Conference a year later at Springfield College, Massachusetts.

"In search of an appropriate game, tennis occurred to me, but this required rackets, balls, a net and other equipment, so it was eliminated, but the idea of a net seemed a good one," Morgan explained. "We raised [the net] to a height of... just above the head of an average man. We needed a ball and among those we tried was a basketball bladder, but this was too light and too slow. We therefore tried the basketball itself, which was too big and too heavy.”

A new specially designed ball, which was lighter and smaller, was introduced in 1900.

Though it was incomplete with no fixed rules and a format to follow, the sport did enough to win over the delegation and soon became a part of YMCA’s wide network throughout the USA with a new name - volley ball (initially it was termed as two words). Volleyball was officially selected to spell as a single word in 1952.

A sport that traced its origin to basketball, baseball, tennis and handball - and now estimated to be played by over 800 million globally - had thus been established.

A group of ladies playing a game of volleyball in 1900.

Development of volleyball

The coming years saw rules for the game being drawn up as volleyball continued to bank on YMCA’s popularity to go global.

With YMCA societies playing prominent roles in regions like India , China, Europe, South America and Africa, volleyball would soon spread in these regions.

It was in Asia that it gathered steam. By 1913, the growth of the game in the continent was evident as that year saw it being included in the first Far-Eastern Games, organised in Manila.

It was not until 1900 that a specially designed lighter and smaller ball was devised, which opened up a new array of tactical and technical possibilities for the sport.

Rules for playing volleyball kept establishing over the years; points per set changed from 21 to 15 points in 1917, in the following year the number of players per team was set at six and so on.

A few years later, a new offensive way of playing the game — including what we now call setting and spiking — emerged in the Philippines. It was to be called ‘bomba’ or ‘Filipino bomb’, taking a cue from the pace at which the ball landed in the opposition’s court.

The new tactic also meant the rules of volleyball were further refined and standardised, including the scoring system and the rule stipulating a maximum of three hits per team.

However, all through this period, volleyball was largely restricted to only a few regions. Though there were a few national championships in different countries, none had a fixed set of rules as it varied from region to region.

But all this would change in 1947.

International governing body of volleyball

April 1947 saw the establishment of the Federation Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB).

Representatives from 14 nations - Belgium, Brazil, Czechoslovakia, Egypt, France, the Netherlands, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Uruguay, the USA and Yugoslavia - met in Paris under the leadership of France’s Paul Libaud to set up the association that would govern volleyball at the international level.

Libaud assumed the role of FIVB's first president, a position he held on to till 1984. The first volleyball World Championships for men was held in 1949 in Prague and in 1952 for women in Moscow.

FIVB has since grown into becoming one of the biggest sporting organisations in the world with 222 affiliated bodies.

While the World Championships continues to be the mega attraction for the game, the FIVB has added events like the FIVB World League, the FIVB World Grand Prix, the FIVB World Cup and the FIVB Grand Champions Cup to its roster over the years, apart from eventually becoming an Olympic sport.

Volleyball at the Olympics

With an international body to look after the sport and its growing popularity, indoor volleyball was granted Olympic status in 1957 by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Volleyball made its Olympic debut at the Tokyo 1964 Games.

Brazil, the erstwhile Soviet Union and Italy have bagged the most medals in men's Olympic volleyball (six each), with the South American team leading the honours with their three golds and three silvers.

Among the women’s teams, six countries have won the Olympic gold medal in volleyball with the Soviet Union leading the overall medals tally with six (four golds and two silvers).

Japan and the Soviet Union played each of the first four gold medal matches at the Summer Olympics from 1964 to 1980.

Japan won the first-ever final on home soil at Tokyo 1964 while the Soviet Union pipped them to win gold at the 1968 Games and Munich in 1972. Japan then picked their second gold medal at Montreal 1976.

The Soviet Union added two more gold medals to their tally with their volleyball players emerging with victories at Moscow 1980 and Seoul 1988, while China won the first of its two-three medals at Los Angeles 1984 and the second at Athens 2004.

Cuba won three straight golds at Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000 while the Brazilian women’s volleyball team became just the third team to win back-to-back golds in the discipline, doing so at Beijing 2008 and London 2012.

The United States is the reigning women’s volleyball Olympic champions, having beaten Brazil in the final at Tokyo 2020.

While only six teams played in the women’s category in the 1964 edition of the Games, that number doubled by 1988 and has remained so ever since.

Volleyball on the beach

Like its expanded version, even though beach volleyball too can trace its roots back to America, the sport had to wait a bit longer to get into the conscience of a larger community.

Beach volleyball was included in the Olympic programme for the Atlanta Games in 1996, a move that helped take the global reach and popularity of the sport to a new level.

The United States of America, the country from which volleyball originated from, has dominated this event at the Olympics, winning a total of seven gold, two silver and two bronze medals (men and women) so far.

Their Olympic bow was followed by the inaugural FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships in 1997.

The event is hosted every alternate year and Brazil has been the most successful country at this event winning a total of 12 gold medals (men and women) so far.

Indian volleyball team: star names and Asian Games success

Volleyball rules: All you need to know

History of FIVB Volleyball World Cup and winners list

Beach volleyball and how it’s different from indoor volleyball: All the rules you need to know

Volleyball History: Timeline & How it started

Kelly Wiese

March 12, 2024

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Dive into the fascinating world of Volleyball History, exploring the origins, growth, and captivating events that shaped this exhilarating sport.

Discover the key moments and people that define Volleyball’s legacy and impact worldwide.

Let’s serve it up!

Table of Contents

Volleyball History Summary

Who invented volleyball, how did volleyball become so popular, where did volleyball originate.

⏳ Origins and Evolution: Volleyball, invented by William G. Morgan in 1895, was initially called “Mintonette” and emerged as a less intense alternative to basketball. The game evolved through rule changes, including the introduction of the three-hit rule and the shift to modern scoring methods.
🚀 Rise to Prominence: From its humble beginnings in a Massachusetts YMCA gym, volleyball quickly gained popularity in schools, colleges, and clubs across the United States. The sport’s international expansion began in the early 20th century, reaching Asia, Europe, and Latin America, and eventually becoming an Olympic event in 1964.
🥇 Noteworthy Growth and Adaptation: Volleyball has adapted to various formats and styles, including beach volleyball, which made its Olympic debut in 1996. Technological advancements and rule changes have shaped the game’s development, while its global popularity continues to thrive through professional leagues, international competitions, and grassroots initiatives.

Volleyball History Timeline

William G. Morgan, a physical education director at the YMCA in Holyoke, Massachusetts, invented the sport known as “Mintonette,” which would later become modern volleyball. Morgan designed the game to be a combination of basketball, baseball, tennis, and handball, offering a less intense and more accessible alternative to basketball.

Mintonette was first played in a local YMCA gymnasium on February 9, 1895, with a net height of 6 feet 6 inches, a court size of 25 x 50 feet, and teams of nine players each. The rules and gameplay have evolved significantly since then.

In 1916, the “three hits” rule was introduced, allowing each team to touch the ball a maximum of three times on their side before sending it over the net. This significant rule change transformed the game into a more dynamic and strategic sport. During this period, the Philippines developed the “bomba” or “spike,” a powerful offensive technique that added another layer of excitement to the game.

Also in 1916, the sport was introduced to the American Expeditionary Forces stationed in Europe during World War I, further contributing to its global expansion.

By the 1940s, volleyball had become a popular sport globally, and the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball ( FIVB ) was founded in 1947. This governing body aims to develop and promote volleyball worldwide, sanctioning international competitions, and setting standard rules and regulations for the sport.

The first FIVB-organized World Championships were held in 1949 for men and in 1952 for women. These events marked the beginning of organized international volleyball competitions and showcased the sport’s talented players at a global level.

Volleyball made its Olympic debut during the 1964 Tokyo Summer Games, with both men’s and women’s events. Since then, it has remained a staple of the Olympic program, growing in popularity and attracting athletes and fans from around the world.

The Soviet Union won the first men’s Olympic gold medal, while Japan clinched gold in the women’s event. These victories highlighted the progress and development of volleyball in these nations and ignited interest in the sport around the globe.

The 1980s were marked by significant rule changes, including the introduction of the 5-set game and Rally Point System, which allowed teams to score points on both their own serve and the opponent’s serve. This new scoring system sped up matches and intensified the competition.

During this era, legendary players such as Karch Kiraly emerged, setting new standards for excellence in the sport and inspiring a new generation of volleyball enthusiasts.

Beach volleyball, a popular variation of the sport played on sand with teams of two, made its Olympic debut at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Games. This addition brought an exciting new dimension to the Olympic volleyball program and attracted an even broader audience to the sport.

The first beach volleyball Olympic gold medals went to Karch Kiraly and Kent Steffes of the United States for men, and Sandra Pires and Jackie Silva of Brazil for women, showcasing the dominance of these nations in this thrilling adaptation of the sport.

In the 2000s, the popularity of volleyball continued to grow, both internationally and at the grassroots level. New professional leagues emerged, providing opportunities for athletes and further raising the sport’s profile.

Technological advancements in equipment, training, and analytics transformed how the game was analyzed and played, allowing for deeper insights into tactics, performance, and player development.

After delving into the sport’s past, learn about its physical demands and why many consider volleyball the hardest sport .

Volleyball was invented by William G. Morgan, a YMCA physical education director, in the United States in 1895.

Volleyball gained popularity due to its accessibility as a sport requiring minimal equipment, captivating rallies, and the global reach of tournaments such as the Olympics.

Volleyball originated in the United States, specifically at the Holyoke, Massachusetts YMCA, where it was first called “mintonette”.

Kelly is a travel lover, and an adventure and sports enthusiast, and lover of all things wine. Kelly’s passion lies in exploring Canada and other parts of the world and sharing her experiences with others. As a senior traveller, Kelly aims to inspire others to live their best life and not be afraid to venture out into the world on their own. She encourages solo travel and offers tips and advice on how to do it safely and confidently. In sports, she was one of the MVP provincial champs in volleyball, have 4 years recreational experience in beach volleyball and was an MMA black belt and former instructor.

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A Secret History of Volleyball by

ii A "secret history " considers the global authorship of volleyball beyond the standard history of a single inventor and obliterates assumptions of the inferior creativity of colonized, Asian, queer, and/or indigenous subjects. Volleyball is both ubiquitous and yet mostly relegated to mere footnotes in the histories of American team sport, a reflection of its status as an "insurgent " game hiding in plain sight. This dissertation examines the interfaces among colonizing evangelical sporting traditions of the Young Men’s Christian Association, military doctrine, and indigenous creative resistances that helped to drive volleyball's evolution beyond purely masculinist narratives of team sport. iii Acknowledgements This dissertation, and for that matter my discovery of the vibrant intellectual community at the University of Illinois could not have been possible without the guidance and encouragement of my advisor Professor CL Cole and her partner/thesis whisper...

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History of Volleyball

Volleyball Terms
Volleyball Rules
Build a Sand Volleyball Court
Outside Hitters
Middle Hitting Drills
Defensive Volleyball Drills
Serve Receive
Transition Drills
Conditioning
Camps, Leagues, Colleges
Rotator Cuff Injury
Thumb Sprain
Finger Sprain
Jumpers Knee
Sprained or Twisted Ankle
Shin Splints
Groin Strain
Hamstring Strain
Calf Strain
Plantar Fasciitis (Heel Spur)

The sport originated in the United States, and is now just achieving the type of popularity in the U.S. that it has received on a global basis, where it ranks behind only soccer among participation sports.

Today there are more than 46 million Americans who play volleyball. There are 800 million players worldwide who play volleyball at least once a week.

In 1895, William G. Morgan, an instructor at the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) in Holyoke, Mass., decided to blend elements of basketball, baseball, tennis, and handball to create a game for his classes of businessmen which would demand less physical contact than basketball. He created the game of Volleyball (at that time called, Mintonette ). Morgan borrowed the net from tennis, and raised it 6 feet 6 inches above the floor, just above the average man’s head.

During a demonstration game, someone remarked to Morgan that the players seemed to be volleying the ball back and forth over the net, and perhaps “volleyball” would be a more descriptive name for the sport. On July 7, 1896 at Springfield College the first game of “volleyball” was played.

1895: William G. Morgan (1870-1942) created the game of volleyball but called the game Mintonette .
1896: The first exhibition match of volleyball is played at Springfield College (called International YMCA Training school in 1896).
1900: A special ball was designed for the sport.
1916: In the Philippines, an offensive style of passing the ball in a high trajectory to be struck by another player (the set and spike ) were introduced.
1917: The game was changed from 21 to 15 points.
1920s: There are unconfirmed whispers of men’s teams playing on the beach in Hawaii, but most accounts place the sport’s origin in Santa Monica, California where the first Volleyball courts are put up on the beach at the Playground. Families play 6 vs. 6.
1920: Three hits per side and back row attack rules were instituted.
1922: The first YMCA national championships were held in Brooklyn, NY. 27 teams from 11 states were represented.
1928: It became clear that tournaments and rules were needed, the United States Volleyball Association (USVBA, now USA Volleyball) was formed. The first U.S. Open was staged, as the field was open to non-YMCA squads.
1930s: The first two-man beach volleyball game is played in Santa Monica, California.
1934: The approval and recognition of national volleyball referees.
1937: At the AAU convention in Boston, action was taken to recognize the U.S. Volleyball Association as the official National Governing Body (NGB) in the U.S.
1947: The Federation Internationale De Volley-Ball (FIVB) was founded.
1948: The first two-man beach tournament was held.
1949: The initial World Championships were held in Prague, Czechoslovakia.
1964: Volleyball was introduced to the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
1965: The California Beach Volleyball Association (CBVA) was formed.
1974: The World Championships in Mexico were telecast in Japan.
1975: The U.S. National Women’s team began a year-round training regime in Pasadena, Texas (moved to Colorado Springs in 1979, Coto de Caza and Fountain Valley, CA in 1980, and San Diego, CA in 1985).
1976: First professional beach volleyball tournament was called the Olympia World Championship of Beach Volleyball. It took place at Will Rogers State Beach during late summer in 1976.
1977: The U.S. National Men’s team began a year-round training regime in Dayton, Ohio (moved to San Diego, CA in 1981).
1983: The Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) was formed.
1984: The U.S. won their first medals at the Olympics in Los Angeles. The Men won the Gold, and the Women the Silver.
1986: The Women’s Professional Volleyball Association (WPVA) was formed.
1988: The U.S. Men repeated the Gold in the Olympics in Korea.
1989: The FIVB Sports Aid Program was created.
1990: The World League was created.
1992: The U.S. Women’s Volleyball team wins Bronze at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain.
1995: The sport of Volleyball was 100 years old! This Web site – Volleyball.Com goes live!
1996: 2-person Beach Volleyball debuted as an Olympic sport.
1997: Dain Blanton (with Canyon Ceman) becomes the first African-American professional beach volleyball player to win a tournament on the Miller Lite/AVP Tour.
1998: For the first time in the FIVB World Tour, men and women players are rewarded at the same level with $170,000 in total prize money per Open event.
1999: For the first time beach volleyball was included in the Pan American Games which were held in Canada.
2000: Olympic Beach Volleyball Men’s Gold medallists: Eric Fomoimoana & Dain Blanton (USA). The women’s Beach Volleyball America (BVA) announces their inaugural season of play.
2001: Christopher “Sinjin” Smith plays the final match of his impressive career, a 21-19 and 24-22 loss with George Roumain to Dax Holdren and Todd Rogers in the 4th round of the contender’s bracket at the AVP Manhattan Beach Open. Sinjin retires as the leader in tournaments played with 416, 2nd in all-time victories with 139, and 4th in all-time winnings with over US$1.6 million earned.
2002: Beach volleyball court dimensions reduced to 8m x 8m per side.
2003: Karch Kiraly becomes the first player to earn US$3M in prize money and oldest player to win an AVP tournament at age 42 years, 9 months and 14 days. (You’re never too old for volleyball!)
2004: U.S. Women’s team Kerri Walsh and Misty May Win the Gold medal in the Women’s Olympic Beach Volleyball Title in Athens, Greece.
2005: Olympic gold medalists Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor win their second Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) Open women’s title and the 2005 overall women’s championship.
2006: Elaine Youngs’ second place finish (with Rachel Wacholder) in Seaside Heights pushes her career earnings past $1 million. She becomes the third American woman to achieve that mark.
2006: In Seaside Heights, both Casey Jennings (with Matt Fuerbringer) and Kerri Walsh (with Misty May-Treanor) won titles, becoming just the second husband-wife duo to win pro beach events on the same weekend. They join Mike and Patty Dodd, who accomplished the feat four times in 1989, but each time in different locations.
2006: Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor win in Chicago as Walsh joins the millionaire club. She is the 18th person worldwide to win over $1 million in her career, and did so in fewer events (90th tournament) as well as being one of just four to reach the mark before turning 28 years old.
2007: Misty May-Treanor passes Brazilians Adriana Behar and Shelda Bede as the most winning player since the women’s competition on the international beach volleyball circuit began in 1992.
2007: Misty May-Treanor becomes the women’s all-time wins leader by capturing her 73rd victory, surpassing Holly McPeak’s record by winning with Kerri Walsh in Hermosa Beach. She reached this total in just 123 tournaments — winning 57.5% of her events.
2007: In a championship match that lasted 1:41, Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs defeat Jennifer Boss and April Ross 21-19, 18-21, 16-14 in Seaside Heights. The marathon set the record for the longest match in rally scoring, men or women, in domestic or international play.
2007: Karch Kiraly retires to close an impressive career on the beach, leaving as the all-time wins leader and money earner. His longevity was marked by the fact he won a tournament in 24 different years, and he advanced to the semifinals in over 75% of all the events he ever played and was named as the AVP’s MVP a record-most six times.
2008: Hot Winter Nights, a series of 19 events in January and February, kicks off in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma marking the first ever indoor beach volleyball tour. Mark Williams and Nancy Mason are the first winners in the “King of the Beach format” events.
2008: The U.S. Women’s Volleyball team wins Silver at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.
2008: U.S. Women’s Beach Volleyball team Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh take the Gold medal in Volleyball at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. China placed in both Silver and Bronze categories. U.S. Beach Volleyball’s Men’s team Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rodgers also took the Gold in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. Brazil men’s teams placed in both Bronze and Silver categories.
2012: The U.S. Women’s Volleyball team wins Silver at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
2012: U.S. Women’s team Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh-Jennings return to the Summer games in London to successfully defend their Gold medal wins of 2008 and 2004 and become the only Women’s team in the sport’s history to ever win three consecutive Olympic Gold medals. Jennifer Kessey and April Ross of the United States win the Silver medal the same year.
2016: The U.S. Women’s Volleyball Team qualifies to play at the Summer Olympics in Rio.
2016: Today, people all over the world play volleyball. Research shows volleyball is one of the top 3 most popular sports for women to play in high school. However, people of all ages find enjoyment in recreational volleyball, as its’ popularity continues to grow.
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The History of Volleyball

Categories: Volleyball

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Words: 553 |

Published: Apr 29, 2022

Words: 553 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

Works Cited:

Herrera, H. (1983). Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo. HarperCollins.
Zamora, M. (2018). The Art of Frida Kahlo : A Psychoanalytic Interpretation. Routledge.
Kahlo, F., & Zamora, M. (2005). The Diary of Frida Kahlo: An Intimate Self-Portrait. Harry N. Abrams.
Aridjis, H. (1993). Frida Kahlo, The Eye of the Storm. Chronicle Books.
Souter, G. (2014). Frida Kahlo: Beneath the Mirror. Sterling.
Zamora, M. (2014). Frida Kahlo: The Brush of Anguish. Thames & Hudson.
Fabiny, T. (2019). Frida Kahlo: Artist, Painter, Icon. Prestel Publishing.
Herrera, H. (2017). Frida Kahlo: The Gisèle Freund Photographs. Abrams.
Wolf, J. (2003). Frida. Miramax Books.
Gannit Ankori. (1999). Imaging Her Selves: Frida Kahlo's Poetics of Identity and Fragmentation. Westview Press.

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The Complete History of Volleyball (From 1985 Until Now)

Volleyball is the second most popular participation sport worldwide, behind only soccer.

Over 800 million people around the globe play volleyball weekly, with Americans only representing about 6% of the international weekly volleyball players.

But this number is sure to increase as volleyball is rapidly becoming immensely popular everywhere around the world.

So, where did our amazing sport come from?

Let’s take an in-depth look at the history of volleyball from its creation in 1895 through today.

The Birth and History of Volleyball

William Morgan (no, not Captain William Morgan) was an instructor at a YMCA in Holyoke, Massachusetts in the late 1800s.

In 1895, he decided he needed to create a game more suitable for the less athletic, business focused boys and men at the YMCA.

A game that would still require strength and skill, but be appropriate for people less mobile.

He would call this game “mintonette”.

William had the opportunity to interact with a man by the name of James Naismith during his time at Springfield College, in the early 1890s.

Naismith, of course, was the inventor of what is now internationally known as basketball.

Mr. Morgan was inspired by Naismith’s creativity and set out to create a sport blending the skills of basketball, baseball, handball, and tennis, wanting to borrow some ideas as he had limited time to come up with his invention.

All the while, he was keeping in mind his goal of creating a game for all age levels and strengths.

His creation was finally completed in 1895.

At that point, William had a set of ground rules made up to facilitate the game.

He used a tennis net, lifted to the height of six feet and six inches.

He chose a court roughly 30 feet wide and 60 feet long (probably close to 25 x 50 at first), to ensure the game could be played in gymnasiums all around the country.

Here is a short list of the rules, as originally set forth by William Morgan in 1895.

There are some distinct differences between the game at its inception and the game as it will be even 30 years later, in the early 1920s.

1. The game will last nine “innings”.

2. An inning correlates to the number playing. If one man is on each side – then an inning is one serve series per side. A lost serve is half the inning.

3. A serve must be struck and hit over the net. The server has two tries to get it in (like tennis), however, if a teammate hits the ball after the service to “help” it over it is good.

4. A side only scores when serving – as in side out scoring.

5. The ball is considered dead anytime it hits the net. No “let serves” or playing it out of the net.

6. The line is considered out.

7. Any number of people can play, if teams are equal.

8. If a ball touches a wall or ceiling and bounces back in play, it is still live.

9. No limit to hits per side and no limits to hits in a row by the same player (dribbling).

The Creation of a New Ball

As William worked on his new game, he did have one major hiccup…

He faced quite a challenge selecting an appropriate ball to be struck back and forth.

A basketball was too heavy. Even with the leather stripped off, the bladder was not substantial enough.

So, Mr. Morgan sought the assistance of a familiar name in the world of sports goods – A.G. Spalding & Bros.

Along with Dale Callaghan, a specialized ball was created that was about 26 inches in circumference and weighing in at around 10.5 ounces.

This provided the very rough outline for what would become the modern-day volleyball.

The Death of “Mintonette”

It was time for William Morgan to debut his new game to the world, or at least those in attendance at the new East Gymnasium at the Springfield College.

The history of volleyball would never be the same...

Mr. Morgan announced his sport as “mintonette” and his presentation would include two teams of five men to demonstrate the game and its rules.

In attendance that day was a significant figure at Springfield College, Professor Alfred T. Halstead. Mr. Halstead suggested that the game was a masterpiece, however, the name was a little lacking…

Halsted stated that it appeared the men were volleying the ball back and forth to each other and the game should be called “volleyball”.

The day Mintonette had its debut, it lost its name to the term Volleyball.

On July 7, 1896, volleyball had its first official game.

From there, William Morgan moved on from the YMCA to pursue other careers. He was said to simply be proud that volleyball was being enjoyed by so many people.

William Morgan would die on December 27, 1942.

His name continues to be honored in the volleyball world, as the top male and female players at the United States collegiate volleyball level are awarded the Morgan Trophy each year.

The Spread of Volleyball

From its introduction in 1896 to the people of the local YMCA and Springfield College, volleyball has traveled all the way around the world.

It has spread relatively organically through a variety of social coincidences and intentional introductions.

The YMCA played a major role in the globalization of volleyball. The sport was spread to areas of YMCA influence in the early 1900s.

Areas like Canada, Asia, and South America saw an influx of people playing volleyball around the turn of the 20 th century.

Volleyball picked up in popularity quickly from there and spread to areas of the Caribbean and fully inundated South America.

In 1907, the Playground of America convention highlighted volleyball as one of the “most popular sports” of the time, and in 1913, volleyball was introduced to competition at the Far Eastern games.

Another significant impact on the global distribution of volleyball was the disbursement of U.S. military members throughout the world in late 1910s.

In 1919, around 16,000 service members were presented with volleyballs, and the game was spread to many nations at this time by those serving abroad.

Fast forward to 1964 and volleyball makes its Olympics debut in Tokyo, Japan. A more modern ball was introduced by Japanese players.

The 1960s were quite innovative for volleyball as the dink, bump, and block were all introduced to the game.

In 1996, beach volleyball finds its way into the Olympics and the indoor game is streamlined.

1996 marks the seismic increase in the global popularity of competitive volleyball.

Volleyball Changes Over Time

Like all sports, volleyball has seen some significant changes since its inception in the late 1800s.

Rules have come and gone, as have strategies.

Let’s look at some key rule changes throughout the 100+ years of volleyball’s existence.

• 1900: Net height raised to 7’6”.

• 1912: Establishment of six players per side and rotation before the serve.

• 1916: Establishment that ball must be touched by another player after each contact.

• 1916: Net height raised to 8’0”.

• 1920: Only three hits per side introduced.

• 1922: Back line touching rules introduced. Win by two precedent set.

• 1925: Introduction of basic substitution rules and limitations.

• 1937: Multiple contacts allowed on hard hit balls.

• 1938: Blocking rules introduced – one or two man block allowed but had to be adjacent.

• 1940: Ball rules clarified – must be 12-piece laced leather ball.

• 1949: Three man block legalized.

• 1951: Back line hits allowed by back row players.

• 1952: Serves from anywhere behind the service line – making way for jump serves .

• 1956: Rotational rules set.

• 1960: Women’s net height lowered to 7’4”.

• 1968: “Spiking line” moved from seven feet to what is now the 10-foot line (3m line).

• 1974: Antennae were officially added to the net set up.

• 1976: Blocks no longer count as first touch. Rescinded the hard hit ball contact rule.

• 1984: Double contact allowed on serve receives. Blocking or attacking serve illegal.

• 1999: Introduction of rally scoring. Games to 25 (deciding games to 15) – win by two.

• 2001: “Let” serve in play (ball can touch net and still be played if in opponent court).

• 2002: Coaches allowed to communicate with players throughout play.

As we can see, a myriad of changes occurred as the popularity of volleyball grew internationally.

Many rules were introduced, rescinded, and reintroduced several times as the rules continued to be ironed out.

Who Makes the Volleyball Rules Now?

As volleyball has settled into its own over the century or so it has been around, many have had input on the rules and laws of the sport.

As early as 1928, an association now known as USA Volleyball (formerly the United States Volleyball Association or USVBA) was formed to address standardization of the rules of the game.

This allowed the game to be played across the nation under the same guidelines, making events like the first volleyball U.S. Open possible.

About 20 years later, the Federation Internationale de Volleyball was introduced in Paris, France, as an international governing body, providing worldwide stability for the growing game.

In turn, international tournaments could be organized utilizing the rules set forth by the new international federation.

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the NCAA officially sanctioned volleyball and national teams were organized for Olympic and international tournament play.

From there, into the 1980s, two-man beach volleyball gained notoriety and was given an international stage in 1996 at the summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.

While there are several national and international groups determining their specific rules of the game, volleyball has come into a time of stability and popularity like never before.

Rule changes are minor and hardly prevalent, and competitive play is popular amongst all age groups.

It is truly astounding to see how far volleyball has come in its relatively short lifetime.

From a game created for the “less mobile” to what has become a wildly popular display of athleticism, Mr. William Morgan discovered something he would probably not have imagined could grow so big.

A truly global sport, played by almost a billion people worldwide, volleyball history is rich with growth and change and has an even brighter future.

Now, get out there and join the masses on a volleyball court near you!

Please include the contribution of the Philippines namely the three hits rule i. e. passing, setting, spiking known as Filipino bomb spike and the production of the Libero monitoring sheet now known as R-6.