Volleyball Philippines continues to foster growth and excellence in the sport, nurturing talents for both indoor and beach volleyball. This dedication is evident in the structured development of player positions and the strategic approach to the game, ensuring that athletes are well-prepared for both national and international competitions. 1xbet helps you understand more about this subject and information about Canada’s national volleyball teams.
A Comprehensive Overview Volleyball
Volleyball is a dynamic team sport where two squads of six players each are divided by a net, vying to score by grounding the ball on the opponent’s side under structured regulations. Recognized in the Summer Olympic Games since Tokyo 1964, the sport also features beach volleyball, introduced at the Atlanta 1996 Summer Olympics. The adapted version for the Summer Paralympic Games is sitting volleyball.
The rules of volleyball are detailed, yet the fundamental gameplay can be summarized: a rally begins when a player serves the ball from behind the back boundary line over the net into the opposing team’s court. The receiving team must prevent the ball from touching the ground within their court, allowed up to three touches to return it. However, individual players cannot hit the ball twice consecutively. Typically, the initial touches set up an attack, an effort to send the ball back over the net in a manner that makes it difficult for the opposing team to continue the rally, thus scoring a point.
Points are awarded to the team that wins the rally, who then serves to initiate the next one. Common faults include:
- The ball landing outside the opponents’ court or not crossing the net
- Catching and throwing the ball
- Double hits by a single player
- Four consecutive contacts by one team
- Touching the net during play
- Foot faults, such as crossing the boundary line while serving or stepping under the net while keeping the ball in play
Although primarily played with hands or arms, any part of the body can legally contact the ball. Volleyball has evolved to include consistent techniques such as spiking and blocking—plays executed above the net, necessitating strong vertical jumps. Key skills in the game include passing, setting, and understanding specialized volleyball positions, which form the core of both offensive and defensive strategies.
Variations and Related Games of Volleyball
Volleyball’s fundamental rules have inspired numerous variations, with beach volleyball being the most notable. Played on sand with two players per team, beach volleyball rivals the traditional indoor version in popularity.
Other volleyball-related games include:
- Crossnet: A unique blend of volleyball and foursquare, played in a four-way format.
- 9-man: Originating from Chinese immigrants in the United States during the 1930s, this variant remains popular in Asian communities and North America. It has cultural significance, documented in a 2014 award-winning film and a 2017 YouTube documentary.
- Beachball volleyball: An indoor game using a beach ball instead of a standard volleyball.
- Biribol: An aquatic version played in shallow pools, named after its Brazilian city of origin, Birigui. It shares similarities with water volleyball.
- Ecua-volley: A variant from Ecuador with notable differences, such as player count and a heavier ball.
- Footvolley: A Brazilian sport where hands and arms are off-limits, but otherwise similar to beach volleyball.
- Handball: Teams use their hands to throw a ball into a goal.
- Hooverball: Popularized by President Herbert Hoover, this game uses a volleyball net and a medicine ball, scored like tennis but caught and thrown back. It demands physical endurance, with annual championships in West Branch, Iowa.
- Newcomb ball: Players catch and throw the ball instead of hitting it, rivaling volleyball in popularity until the 1920s.
- Prisoner Ball: A variation of Newcomb ball where players are “imprisoned” or released instead of scoring points, often played by children.
- Sepak Takraw: Popular in Southeast Asia, it uses a rattan ball and allows only feet, knees, chests, and heads to contact the ball.
- Snow volleyball: A winter variant of beach volleyball played on snow. The Fédération Internationale de Volleyball aims to include it in future Winter Olympic Games.
- Throwball: Gained popularity among female players at the YMCA College of Physical Education in Chennai, India, in the 1940s.
- Towel volleyball: An outdoor game where players work in pairs, holding towels to throw the ball into the opponent’s court, with variations using blankets held by four people.
- Volley squash: Played within a squash court or similar enclosed space.
- Wallyball: A variation using a rubber ball in a racquetball court.
Volleyball Canada’s influence extends beyond traditional formats, fostering these diverse adaptations and ensuring the sport’s continued growth and enjoyment across various settings.
National Volleyball Teams In Philippines
Philippines Men’s National Volleyball Team
Early Years
- 1910s Beginnings: The Philippines Men’s National Volleyball Team played in its first international competition at the 1913 Far Eastern Championship Games. 1
Modern Era Challenges and Achievements
- Less Attention: In recent years, men’s volleyball in the Philippines has received less attention compared to the women’s team. 2
- 2019 Success: Under coach Dante Alinsunurin, the team won a silver medal at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, a significant achievement for men’s volleyball in the Philippines. 23
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Training Disruptions: The COVID-19 pandemic interrupted the team’s training and domestic league activities, which affected their performance in the 2021 Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam. The Games were postponed by a year due to the pandemic, and the team could not repeat their previous success. 4
Coaching Changes and Future Prospects
- Coaching Change: In January 2023, Dante Alinsunurin was replaced as head coach by Brazilian coach Sergio Veloso, who is set to lead the team in the 2023 Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia. 45
- Upcoming Opportunity: In March 2024, the Philippines was awarded the hosting rights for the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship, giving the men’s national team an automatic spot in the tournament for the first time. 67
Philippines Women’s National Volleyball History
The Philippines Women’s National Volleyball Team was originally organized by the Philippine Volleyball Federation (PVF), which was known as the Philippine Amateur Athletic Federation (PAVA) from 1961 to 2003. During this time, the team was a major force in Southeast Asian volleyball, winning gold medals at the Southeast Asian Games in 1977, 1979, 1981, 1985, 1987, and 1993. The team also competed in the FIVB Volleyball World Championship for the first and only time in 1974.
The last gold medal for the national team at the Southeast Asian Games came in 1993 under the guidance of Russian-Latvian coach Staņislavs Lugailo, who had been part of the Soviet Union team that won gold at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Lugailo also helped the team achieve a bronze medal at the 1991 Southeast Asian Games and led them to victory against Thailand in the 1993 Southeast Asian Games. However, Thailand then became the dominant force in regional women’s volleyball, defeating the Philippines in the gold medal match at the 1995 Southeast Asian Games.
After the 2005 Southeast Asian Games and the Asian Championships, the team had no significant international appearances. They did win a bronze medal at the 2005 Southeast Asian Games but did not return to international competition until the 2013 Asian Championships and the 2015 Southeast Asian Games.
In 2014, the PVF lost its recognition from the Philippine Olympic Committee due to a leadership crisis. The Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas, Inc. (LVPI) was recognized as the new national volleyball federation by the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) in 2015, taking over the responsibilities of the PVF.
Following a disappointing performance at the 2015 Southeast Asian Games, the team, then coached by Roger Gorayeb, was disbanded. Gorayeb continued as coach for the 2015 VTV International Women’s Volleyball Cup, where the team finished last out of six teams.
In 2021, the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) was established as the new official volleyball federation in the Philippines, taking over from the LVPI. Under the PNVF, the national team achieved its first podium finish in an AVC tournament by securing third place in the 2024 AVC Women’s Challenge Cup, which was held in Manila.
