Volleyball: Origins to McNeese State

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Background.

William Morgan, of the Holyoke, Massachusetts YMCA created volleyball as a recreational sport in 1895. Morgan blended elements of basketball with other sports to make it a less physically demanding game than its cousin, basketball. (Goldblatt, 2011) He named the gamed “Mintonette,” which was later changed to volleyball by Alfred T. Halstead. (Goldblatt, 2011) Originally designed to be slow paced and leisurely, the game today is now a rapid, strenuous game. Played all around the world, from youth leagues to the Olympic Games, in a wide variety of forms ranging from traditional indoor volleyball to beach and aquatic matches, volleyball is an exciting game. ("Volleyball-general information,”)

Volleyball is a team sport consisting of two teams of six players separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. The complete rules are extensive, but simple. Though usually played with the hands or arms, players can legally strike or push (short contact) the ball with any part of the body. A number of consistent techniques have evolved in volleyball, including spiking and blocking. Due to the game play above the net, the vertical jump results as a valuable heavily emphasized volleyball skill. Other emphasized abilities include passing, setting, and specialized player positions and offensive and defensive structures.

The game commences when a player on one of the teams initiates a 'rally' by serving the ball (tossing or releasing it and then hitting it with a hand or arm), from behind the back boundary line of the court, over the net, and into the receiving team's court. The receiving team must prevent grounding within their court. They may touch the ball ...

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...olleyball 2011 media guide. Retrieved from http://issuu.com/plafosse/docs/2011-vb-media-guide?viewMode=magazine&mode=embed

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McNeese volleyball cumulative season statistics. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.McNeesesports.com/custompages/statistics/volleyball/2011/teamcume.htm

Southland conference volleyball cumulative season statistics. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.southland.org/fls/18400/stats/wvolley/2011/confstat.htm?SPSID=94020&SPID=10821&DB_OEM_ID=18400

Voepel, M. (2010, December 23). State of the volleyball union. Retrieved from http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/columns/story?columnist=voepel_mechelle&id=5951668

Volleyball-general information. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.volleyball.org/history.html

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