Indoor vs. Beach: What’s the difference?

The Courts – Although some of the differences in the courts are obvious (i.e. sand vs. no sand) however, a few differences are less noticeable. For example, the beachcourt can vary in temperature, depending on the weather. Players often play barefoot or in sand socks. Indoor courts are made of wood or synthetic urethane. Also, the sand court is two meters by one meter smaller than an indoor court, and players can attack the ball from any area of the court. On the other hand, indoor  courts have an attack line that is parallel to and three meters from the net. When the ball is above the net, back-row players may not attack the ball inside the three-meter line.  

The Ball  – Beach and indoor volleyballs may look the same to a bystander, but they are, in fact, quite different. Indoor volleyballs are made of leather and the pieces are molded together. Leather makes the ball more durable to withstand hard hits. Outdoor volleyballs made for beach play are stitched together, which makes them more durable as they are regularly exposed to the elements. They are also made from a composite material, which makes them more water resistant. Outdoor players often consider the weather when playing and can predict the trajectory of the ball based on wind.

The Players  – Indoor, six players per team compete, each of which plays a specific position. . This differs from beach volleyball, in which two players compete, both of whom play all offensive and defensive positions..

The Score – Indoor matches are won by the team who wins three sets out of five. he first four sets are played to 25, and if a fifth “tiebreaker” set is necessary, it is played to 15. In beach volleyball, matches are won by the team who wins two sets out of three. The first two sets are played to 21 points, and if a third “‘tiebreaker”’ set is necessary, it is played to 15 points. Teams must win each set  by two points in both indoor and outdoor volleyball.

The Attire – In beach volleyball, players often wear bright, flashy, neon colored-sports swimsuits and/or shorts. Men often do not wear shirts. Indoor uniforms typically consist of jersey shirts and shorts.