Background.

Originating in the Netherlands in 1956, sitting volleyball started as a combination of volleyball and sitzball. Sitzball is a German sport with no net but with seated players. Sitting volleyball’s first international competition was in Flensburg, Germany, in 1967, but its first Paralympic appearance was in the 1980 Games in Arnhem, Netherlands.

How is it like standing volleyball?

Sitting volleyball shares many similarities with standing volleyball, including its format: the first set is 15 points and the others are 25, and each match is played in a best-of-five set format. Also, each team plays with six players on the court. A crucial role on standing volleyball teams is the libero, a defensive player who is wearing a different uniform than the other players. The libero's primary responsibility is to ensure that the ball doesn't drop anywhere on the court, although they are not allowed to make attack hits.

Within the game, each team is allowed three touches of the ball (in addition to a legal block) before it must cross over the net, and a team needs at least a two-point lead to win a set. And like in standing volleyball, the key attacking move is the set and spike, in which a player sets up their teammate to hit the ball into the opposition's court.  

How is it different from standing volleyball?

As the sport’s name implies, the biggest difference between the two types of volleyball is that sitting volleyball players must remain sitting and their torso must maintain contact with the floor when playing the ball. Therefore, athletes slide around the court using their arms, without leaving  sitting position.  

The athlete's pelvis must be in contact with the ground at all times, and service blocks and attacks are allowed. Sitting volleyball is played on a smaller court than standing volleyball (10m x 6m) and a lower net (1.15m for men, 1.05m for women). Check out this video of the United States women’s sitting volleyball team practice!

Who to keep an eye out for?

Iran is the most successful country in men’s sitting volleyball at the Paralympics with six gold medals. Iran and Bosnia have been back-and-forth in major international competitions and are predicted to field the strongest lineups.  

For women’s, China has won every Paralympic title since the women’s competition was added to the program for Athens 2004. But, as always, go team USA!