The game of volleyball originated in the United States of America and, as conceived by its creator, William J. Morgan, incorporated the most interesting elements of tennis, handball, baseball and basketball. The latter appeared only four years before, in 1891. It is not surprising that the first volleyball was a camera from a basketball. Initially, the game was called the Minton. However, this name did not last long, and after one of the demonstration performances this sport received its modern, recognizable name.
A little later, already in 1897, the first official rules appeared, which subsequently underwent a series of changes, but after 28 years were adopted on several continents in a form close to today.
Volleyball - Evolution
The ball, one of the main attributes of the game, also did not stay in its original form for long. The first was its size, the camera was overgrown with a winding and an external coating, which was originally made of leather. Since the unified standard was adopted regarding the size and weight of the balls (which vary slightly depending on their purpose), all changes in the design came down almost exclusively to the modernization of the outer layer.
Initially, the outer cover consisted of six sections, each of which was two panels, later replaced by three. This design existed long enough, until in 2008, one of the leaders in the production of volleyballs, the company Mikasa, did not introduce a new design of the top layer, composed of eight panels. The joints between them were smoothed, which significantly improved the aerodynamics of the ball. These changes have been approved by the FIVB. Since then, the updated Mikasa volleyball has been a regular participant in official competitions. Genuine leather, from which the outer coating was originally made, was almost completely replaced by synthetic, and the panels are joined together not by stitching, but by gluing.
If we talk about the colors of this inventory, then they also changed over time. The first volleyball with an external coating was white. This color has not lost its relevance today, but only for indoor games. Most often, the outer coating is a combination of white, blue and yellow, although others are also appropriate, but in an amount of not more than four.
For games held in open areas, as a rule, balls of bright colors are used, clearly distinguishable even in sunlight.
Volleyball Ball - Specifications
The balls vary slightly depending on their purpose (official competitions, training games), the age of the participants (adults, juniors) and the type of court (open, closed).
So, their diameter varies in the range from 20.4 to 21.3 centimeters.
The minimum weight of a volleyball is 250 grams. Such a ball is used by young athletes, for adults it is 20 grams heavier. The pressure in the chamber also varies. The minimum values for this indicator are in balls intended for
beach volleyball. All the above characteristics form three standards: classic, junior and beach.
Balls used in official competitions, as well as in the organization of the training process of professional athletes, are tested for compliance with these requirements. For fans, these standards are not so important, since the main aspects of the game are good mood and well-being, and the pressure in the chamber, slightly different from the standard, is not an obstacle for them.