From volleyball to co-ed volleyball
It started off with plain and simple volleyball. First the men or the boys were seen to be hitting the ball and trying to make it go across the net but eventually the women joined in as well. As a result, volleyball branched off into male and female categories. Some thought that the indoor courts were not fun enough and some new form of recreation needs to be introduced at the beach, so they took volleyball to the shores. Thus beach volleyball came into being.
Of course, there were separate set of rules for each of these versions of volleyball as the nature of the court and the athletes differed. The rules and regulations dealing with the women, both in indoor and beach volleyball, were more relaxed as compared to their male counter parts. While some may find this arrangement suitable, the more active members of women rights group tend to call this as discrimination.
However, the world went on despite the objections of the women activist and both men and women played volleyball indoors and on the beach. The game started to get recognized at the professional level and eventually found its way into the Olympics.
The process of evolution of volleyball did not stop there as a newer version of the game budded out. Although people played in co-ed teams, it was not done on a professional level until recently. As the co-ed form of volleyball started gripping the attention of people in the world of sport, it was thought proper that certain rules and regulations should also be made for this form of the game. It was important to do so because the nature of the players differed and the women activists might have wanted to shout again for unequal representation of the female players.
As a result the following rules were laid down to define the manner to play volleyball in co-ed matches.
It was decided that the males and the females on a team stand alternate to each other, whether to create homogeneity or for whatever other reason, it was not made clear. In order not to give a chance to the women activists, it was explicitly stated that if one team hits the ball more than one time in one rally, one of the contacts made should be by the female player.
Of course, the fact that if a male player was in a better position to hit the ball while the female player might not make it, was completely ignored. Some think that it is more important for the rule makers to satisfy the women activists rather than score the point. As if to make their intention of giving proper representation to women very clear, the rule makers have not included making a block as a contact. Other than that, not more than one male player has been allowed to stand near the net, as this might limit the chances of the female players to make a hit.
I say people should just make it simple and agree with this saying of a very wise anonymous volleyball fanatic, “Give it your all on the sprawl, Drop a pancake and keep it clean, Find the target, put ‘em on the hook then dish it up, flare and catch some air, Check the set, bring some heat and watch them bail!”
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. The views and opinions expressed in this article do not represent Bettor.com’s editorial policy
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