Footvolley, known as ‘pevoley’ which literally means foot volley, is a sport that combines elements of beach volleyball and association football.
What Is The History Of Footvolley?
Footvolley was invented in Brazil during the 1960s and created by former Brazilian footballer Octavio de Moraes within Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach scene.
It was initially popularised by professional players who at the time were not permitted by their clubs to play football between seasons over fears they may get injured. Much like in beach volleyball, the game is typically played by four players, with two members featuring on each team.
Throughout the 1970’s the sport spread to other regions of Brazil including Recife, Salvador, Santos, Florianópolis and Brasília.
How Do You Play Footvolley?
Footvolley is typically played barefoot in the sand or on a beach volleyball court measuring 8 x 16 metres and using either a regular football or preferably a pro-ball in more professional settings. Players can make contact with the ball using their heads, chest, thighs and feet – within a maximum of three passes and over a net 2.20 metres tall.
How Many Players Are In Footvolley?
The sport is traditionally played by four people with two teams consisting of two players each.
At first, Footvolley could feature up to ten players with five team members a piece. But because a large number of athletes were professional players, the ball would rarely touch the ground.
As a result, the amount of team members on each side slowly began to decrease with the most common two versus two settled upon, the setup still widely used today.
Games with teams of four can be played, yet with the net height lowered, thus making any match more exciting and dynamic to watch.
What Are The Rules Of Footvolley?
Footvolley combines the ground rules of beach volleyball with ball-touching techniques used as part of association football. Ultimately, footvolley is nearly identical to beach volleyball but with the players not permitted to use their hands.
In general, Footvolley matches consist of one set with a team requiring 18 points to win. Or a game can be decided by a ‘best of three sets,’ each played up to 15 points with the third set played to a total of 11 points.
Points are awarded if the ball hits the ground in the opponent’s half court, if the opposition commits a fault or they fail to return the ball over the net.
The standard for a Footvolley ‘court’ is 29.5 feet by 59 ft with net height varying based upon the level or type of competition.
However, the “Official International Rule” for the height of a net in men’s competition is 2.2 metres or 7 ft 3 inches and for the women’s game it should be set at a height of two metres or 6 ft 7 inches.
What Is A Shark In Footvolley?
Alongside the basic body movements or techniques found in Footvolley, there is also an established and well-known move often referred to as ‘Shark Attack’ or ‘Shark.’ This occurs when a player performs an “over-the-head frontal foot spike.”
Such methods are a result of The Pro Footvolley Tour adapting some of the game’s defined rules in order to make it faster-paced and more aggressive.
The Pro Footvolley Tour
Established in 2008, The Pro Footvolley Tour began in various American regions before expanding nationally by 2011.
The Tour broadcasts professional Footvolley to a range of networks around the World including ESPN, BeinSports and AT&T sports among others.
Romario Is A Footvolley Enthusiast
Ever since the 1990’s and whilst still at the height of international football, Romário has been an advocate of footvolley. He has also been known to participate in various tournaments with friends.
In 2006, the Brazilian took part in and won the VIP Footvolley.net Open in Miami Beach. He was also runner-up during the 2011 Footvolley World Championship in Rio de Janeiro.
Some other notable Brazilian footballers who have played footvolley include Edmundo, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho.
Footvolley is a fantastic way for professional footballers to keep fit or hone their skills during an off-season and has attracted some of the world’s best talents.
Yet the sport is highly attractive for amateurs too. Players can join small or larger groups, with the technique needed remaining fairly universal and accessible like in association football.
Whether practised as part of a leisure routine or even a hobby, Footvolley is a challenging yet fun game for both novices and professional footballers across the world.
