What is Light Volley
Light Volley is a reinterpretation of volleyball: simpler to learn, designed to get everyone playing.
Light Volley (or Light Volleyball) is a reinterpretation of volleyball, designed to be accessible to anyone, even people who have never played volleyball regularly.
It’s not "volleyball": it comes from volleyball and reinterprets some of its elements - the ball, the court, the net, the number of players - to make it simpler to start playing and easier to propose to mixed-age, mixed-level groups.
What changes compared to volleyball
- A lighter, bigger ball - 25 cm diameter, 125 g: easier to intercept, harder to control precisely.
- Five players per team, on a court about half the size of a volleyball court (6 x 6 metres per team).
- A lower net - from 1.9 to 2.1 metres depending on the line-up, so that anyone can attack.
- Mandatory rotation on every point won, clockwise: no player serves twice in a row.
Beyond that, Light Volley follows the same basic rules as volleyball: the goal is to land the ball in the opponents’ court, with a maximum of three touches per team.
But the best way to understand it is to watch it being played.
Learn more: the ball - the full rules - the court diagram
Why Light Volley exists
Light Volley was created to build community through a sport that doesn’t require advanced technical skills. The smaller court and lower net let people of different ages, levels and experience play on the same court, while also reducing the risk of injury typical of more powerful attacks.
The origins
Light Volley originated in China in the 1980s. The sport has grown a lot in recent years, helped by the founding of the World Light Volleyball League in 2020.
Thanks to the efforts of Lihua Ma, Maurizio Napolitano and Matteo Zingaro, Light Volley arrived in Italy, starting in Trentino.