Should I Switch From Indoor to Beach Volleyball?


With the rise in popularity of beach volleyball, many players are asking themselves this question. High schools and colleges have begun adding programs and scholarships over the past decade.

Before you begin the next season, you may be asked by a coach if you would like to play high school beach volleyball. This article will address a few of the differences you should consider before deciding to switch.

Differences In the Game Itself

Number of Players Drops From 6 to 2 

While this is obvious when you watch a game, think about the impact that this simple change makes to your volleyball experience:

  1. Your role changes.  When you’re playing indoor, you have a very specific role. You are a libero, a defensive specialist, a setter, a middle hitter or an outside hitter. When you move to beach volleyball you’re a little more of all of those roles smushed into one. Of course one of the two will be the better hitter, or setter, or blocker, or server, but both of you need to be very well-rounded and able to do everything moderately well. Generally, the only difference in positions is on defense one player is the blocker and the other is the digger.
  2. Your team dynamic changes. Volleyball has a strong team culture. You may not realize it, but a huge part of your team’s success or failure (and really the fun of the sport) comes from the team spirit and relationships. When you go from a dozen players to 2, that’s a pretty huge shift! Do you have the personality that will handle and enjoy being paired with just one partner?
  3. Your pressure changes. When you’re part of a large team and you make a great play, you get a lot of praise. When you make a mistake, while you may be embarrassed and feel pressure from your team or coach, you know that everyone makes errors. When you are part of a 2 person team, that changes. Instead of you making the mistake that costs your team the point once in a while, it may be you over and over and over. Or think about your partner, they may be messing up all day long. Will you thrive in that kind of situation? You have pressure in both situations, but it’s different.

Court Size

An indoor court is close to 60 ft. X 30 ft. It’s actually 18 m X 9 m. When you move to the sand, the court shrinks just a little bit. It’s 16 m X 8 m or roughly 53 ft. X 26 ft.

The change is to make up for the fact that you only have 2 players covering the space AND you’re trying to move in the sand. The smaller court size encourages more competitive rallies and longer points.

A Different Ball

Playing outdoors, it makes sense that you would use a different ball than indoors. Think about the different elements that the ball will be operating in, the sand, the sun, the wind, etc.

Basically, the balls for the beach are just slightly larger (about an inch larger in circumference) and they are used at lower air pressure. While players will often think that they have a different weight, this is probably due to the feeling from the air pressure change.

Outdoor balls have a rougher exterior to stand up to the elements over time, while the indoor version is made to look smooth and sleek. While we picture sunny days on the sand, remember that playing outdoors, this ball will see some rainy days.

No Substitutions

It’s just you and your partner, there’s nobody else to bail you out. In fact, the rules say you’re not even allowed to be coached during gameplay, although this rule is often adjusted at junior levels. So no need to worry about playing time, you’re going to get it all!

Switching Sides 

In indoor volleyball, you switch sides of the court each set. During beach volleyball, you switch sides every 7 points (or every 5 points in a tie-breaker set). This helps neither team to have a significant advantage from the outdoor conditions.

If you have major wind or sun glare, each team will have to deal with it every set. How well you can adjust from having the wind at your back to having it in your face will determine many points.

No Need to Rotate

So when it’s just the 2 of you, there’s no rotation plan or issues. The only consideration here is that you alternate turns serving. Otherwise, there are no faults called for being out of position or attacking from anywhere on the court.

Blocking is Slightly Different 

Blocks count as a contact in beach volleyball.

In the indoor game, a block does not count as a hit. In the beach version, it does count as 1 of your team’s 3 hits. The blocker may still make a save after the block, but both touches count.

No Open-Hand Tips 

In beach volleyball, open-hand tips are not allowed because it would allow teams to score points too easily. With so much open space with only 2 players per side, open-hand tips would inhibit rallies because it’s too easy to find that open space.

So you can set just like in the indoor game, but referees call very strict to the rules and if you accidentally set over the net (your hitter doesn’t make contact), you automatically give the point away. For this reason, many players mainly use platform passes (bumping with forearms) as their main setting technique on the sand.

No Center Court Line 

There is no line under the net and players can cross under the net as needed as long as they are not interfering with their opponents’ play.

To make sure you understand the rules involving the net, specifically with beach volleyball, check out the section called “Beach Volleyball Net Rules” in this article.

Scoring 

In indoor volleyball, teams play the best of 5 sets. So you have to win 3 sets out of 5 to win the match. Each set goes to 25 points except the tie-breaker 5th set which would go to 15 points.

In beach volleyball, teams play the best of 3 sets. So you only have to win 2 sets to win your match. Also, the sets got to 21 points, except the tie-breaker, which again goes to 15 points.

Differences In The Sand Scene

Sand and sun sound fun, but what about wind and cold and rain? Sometimes you will be so glad you’re playing outside, but other days you may dread it. The elements add a different level of strategy to the game.

Whether or not you’re at the beach, the scene of sand volleyball is different.

Having sand instead of a solid floor is great for reducing injuries and impact, but players do complain a lot about being always covered in sand. You get used to it eventually and learn how to get it off, even when you’re sweaty.

The uniforms can, of course, be much different. Guidelines may be more strict in some leagues or tournaments, but often you basically have to wear “at least” a bathing suit set of matching team colors.

While we are used to seeing bikinis in the Olympics and Pro Tours, players can also wear a variety of tanks and action jerseys, and Capri or spandex options. Players can also wear glasses or sunglass and hats or visors as needed.

Switching to the Sand? Check out this article next: Adapting to the Sand: Beach Volleyball Skills

Differences in the Future Opportunities For Sand Players

Beach volleyball has been surging as a sport through massive popularity in the last few Olympic cycles. Kids everywhere have watched star athletes like Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh and dreamed that they too, would love to play in the sand.

Colleges and high schools are usually very slow to add a sport because there are so many things to consider when deciding to start a program. But, in recent years the spread of beach volleyball into the schools is catching on.

Instead of only having programs in states like Florida and California, schools across the nation are adding beach volleyball to their list. There are now over 70 colleges with women’s beach volleyball programs up and running including Division I, Division II and Division III NCAA schools.

While this is encouraging to young hopeful players, you should consider that there may be much less support for this new sport than the established tradition of indoor volleyball. If these schools offer scholarships, how many full-ride scholarships will they offer?

More opportunities are opening in the future for beach volleyball players.

While an indoor program counts on having 10-12 players to field their team, a beach team really can get by on 2? Even if your program has multiple teams, will they offer very many scholarships?

A player should really consider their ability level and compare what they think the odds are that they make the team or get the scholarship in each scenario.

Also, think about all the background structure of the sport. The indoor programs are already established with facilities, equipment, and locker rooms. Will beach programs instantly have a comparable foundation? Some do, and others are building towards that, but it should be something you consider.

Helpful Tips if You Do Decide to Switch to the Sand

  1. Expect a learning curve. Although you already know all the fundamental moves of volleyball and they appear very similar, beach volleyball is quite different! If you doubt this, just try a full-on approach to hit in the sand. You can learn the differences and the ways you will need to adjust your techniques, but it will take time. Just know that you’re going to feel awkward and frustrated for a while, but if you keep learning, you will improve.
  2. The sand will test the most physically fit athletes. While you may be in great shape, by moving to beach volleyball, you are going to be running on an uneven and loose surface. Every rally will zap your endurance. You and your partner are going to get a lot more touches. On an indoor team, you may go several points without even touching the ball. The duties are spread around to 5 other teammates. On the sand, you are constantly the next person to hit.

Would you be interested in playing beach volleyball in an indoor facility? In this article we explore that option, check it out!

Related Beach Volleyball Questions

Is Beach Volleyball Harder Than Indoor?

The answer to this really depends on the player and their skill set. Beach is definitely more challenging to your overall fitness. You need a more well-rounded skill set and a higher level of physical fitness to compete on the sand.

Can You Wear Shoes in Beach Volleyball?

The rules specify that players should play barefoot, but that they can request permission from the referee to play wearing sand socks or shoes. Of course, if you’re playing recreationally, you can probably play wearing just about anything.
I highly encourage you to at least give it a shot, play barefoot for your first outing and see if you don’t get used to it and actually really enjoy it.

Photo Credits:

Feature image by Funk Dooby on flickr.com: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/, cropped for size.

Blue and white team image by Dimitris Vetsikas from Pixabay

Blocking image by KLM volleyball on flickr.com: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/, cropped for size.

Beach scene image by Funk Dooby on flickr.com: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/, cropped for size.

Yellow and team image by CEV Beachvolleyball Satellite Vaduz on flickr.com, available in public domain: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

Jeff Lacroix

Jeff Lacroix is a lifelong volleyball player and in his late 40's, still enjoys mixing it up on the courts.

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