The History of Volleyball
The history of volleyball begins in Holyoke, Massachusetts, way back in 1895, when William G. Morgan was a physical education director at the local YMCA. Morgan came up with a game slightly resembling tennis, basketball and handball, and he called in mintonette.
Morgan created mintonette because he saw a need for a competitive sport that could be played inside and wasn't quite as rough as the relatively new game of basketball. Basketball had just come into being four years earlier, hailing from the Town of Springfield, just 10 miles away from Holyoke.
About one year later, mintonette picked up the name volleyball from Alfred Halsteadan after he watched an exhibition match at the International YMCA Training School, which later became Springfield College. By 1900, the game of volleyball had increased in popularity enough for Spalding to create a specially made volleyball.
The History of Volleyball - Worldwide Popularity
By the early 1900s, volleyball was introduced in Cuba, Canada and Central America. By 1916, the sport began gaining popularity in Brazil and other South American countries. Worldwide interest got a spark in 1919, when volleyballs were sent out to the U.S. military and their Allies across Europe. Also around this time, volleyball enthusiasts in the Philippines began using the set, spike and kill, which quickly became regular parts of the game.
The History of Volleyball - Making It Official
The United States Volleyball Association (USVBA) began in 1928. Now known as USA Volleyball, or USAV, this organization is recognized as the governing body in volleyball. The USAV has sponsored National Men's Championships and Senior Men's Championships every year since its inception, except in 1944 and 1945. Women's divisions started up in 1947.
Several European national federations recognized the need for a worldwide volleyball association and created the Federation Internationale de Volleyball, or FIVB in 1947, in Paris, France. The premier World Championship of volleyball was held just two years later, becoming the first major international volleyball event.
The History of Volleyball - The Olympics
Volleyball officially became an Olympic team sport in 1957, after being played at the Pan American Games in 1955. The 1964 Tokyo Olympics marked the first time the game of volleyball was actually played in the Olympics. Just five years later, the Volleyball World Cup came into being, and it eventually became the qualifying grounds for the Olympics in 1991.
The History of Volleyball - Professional Groups
As the game of volleyball grew in popularity into the 1980s, the Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) was created and helped boost the sport even more. The Women's Professional Volleyball Association (WPVA) formed in 1986, to look after women's interests in pro volleyball.
The History of Volleyball - Volleyball Hits the Beach
Beach volleyball became official in 1987, with recognition and endorsement by the FIVB. The 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta marked the first time beach volleyball was play at an Olympics event.