The early game of volleyball, originally known as Mintonette, was drastically different from the highly structured and fast-paced game of today. Created by YMCA physical director William G. Morgan in 1895, the sport of volleyball was developed to entertain, relax and engage the older demographic at the Holyoke YMCA as basketball, created in 1891, was considered to be too physical for the older members. Inspired by other popular sports of the day, including basketball (the ball), tennis (the net), handball (tactics of play), and baseball (structure of the game), the game was loosely structured to involve many players and to promote movement and team play.
Aspects of the early game continue to influence the fundamentals of current play. Though the net has been tailored to the needs of modern volleyball, the influence of the tennis net remains in the construction. The volleyball, which was created by A. G. Spalding & Bros, shares characteristics with the basketball, which was used as the game ball prior to 1900. These similarities include the interior rubber bladder and the leather exterior. The early structure of innings remains as what are now known as “sets”. And, although the ball can no longer be played off of the walls or floor, the tactics of play taken from handball remain as the early practice of volleying the ball through the air continues to define play.
With increasing popularity, volleyball spread from the Northeast throughout the United States and northwards into Canada where it was first played in 1900. By 1920, it had been introduced internationally by missionaries and soldiers. It was during this period that many of the first competitions took place in Europe, while tactical plays, including the “attack”, were developed in Asia. These adaptations reflected a growing interest in the sport and the strategies of play.
Since its introduction in 1895, volleyball has become one of the most popular team sports with millions of players worldwide.
Borders play volleyball at St. Paul's College, Ellice Avenue.
c. 1958
St. Paul's College Yearbook
Since the founding of the FIVB and other regulatory organizations, the sport of volleyball has undergone a standardization of rules and equipment. In the early years of the sport, athletes were governed by only ten rules as outlined by the Young Men’s Christian Associations of North America. These early rules were as follows:
The rules and regulations that govern play today has expanded, with handbooks measuring approximately one hundred pages. For reference to contemporary rules, please explore the FIVB handbook and the Volleyball Canada official rules using the links below: http://www.fivb.org/EN/Refereeing-Rules/documents/FIVB-Volleyball_Rules_2017-2020-EN-v06.pdf / http://www.fivb.org/EN/Refereeing-Rules/documents/FIVB-Volleyball_Rules_2017-2020-EN-v06.pdf