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Part tennis, part handball, and partly because of the emergence of something called basketball, volleyball has come a long way from its beginnings in 1895 as an indoor game to pass the time at the YMCA.
Today, volleyball is played by upwards of 1 billion people worldwide, and in a variety of venues, from the backyard to the beach, from college arenas to the Olympic stage.…
Olympic volleyball brings the sport to the forefront every four years. Introduced at the 1924 Olympics as a demonstration sport, volleyball matches are among the most-watched Olympic TV events. The U.S. won the men's volleyball gold medal at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, downing Brazil in the final. Brazil turned the tables on the U.S. in the women's volleyball final, knocking off the U.S. to win the gold medal.
Beach volleyball has exploded in popularity in recent years. The Association of Volleyball Professionals runs a professional beach volleyball tour that brings men's and women's beach volleyball to major cities throughout the U.S.. American duos won the gold medal at the Beijing Olympics in men's and women's beach volleyball.
Volleyball equipment is big business. Stores and web retailers sell equipment for indoor and outdoor venues. High school and colleges spend big dollars on top-of-the-line nets and other equipment, while families may spend $30 on a volleyball net and a ball for the backyard.
