The Competition In Beach Volleyball
When are beach volleyball competitions played?
Beach volleyball events are normally played during the summertime, strictly because of the weather, although in some places in the United States, there are beach volleyball events indoors. They bring the sand indoors, they play during the wintertime, and it feels like you're at the beach, except there's no sun.
How important is the mental side of the game in beach volleyball?
The mental side of the game in beach volleyball is very, very important; just like in any other sport. It sets the athletes apart, the very best from the rest. So if you have a strong mental side of your game, you're going to be able to win game after game, tournament after tournament, and have the success that only the best can have.
What is 'scouting'?
Scouting in beach volleyball is when you go out and you watch your opponents and you see what they like to do. This is important, just to find the tendencies so that when you play them you know what they do. But you have to remember that everybody plays differently against different people. Maybe they hit the angle a lot against somebody else. They may hit the line against you, you don't know. So scouting is important just to get an idea, but you've got to be aware that they may not play the same way against you as they did against somebody else.
What is the proper way to warm up before a competition?
Warming up before a competition is very important. You want to start out very slowly, maybe taking a light jog, and then rallying the ball back and forth, bumping the ball, setting the ball, spiking the ball at your opponent. This should take 10, 15 minutes, maybe 20 minutes, and then going up and starting to pass, set, and hit the ball like you would do in a normal game. Then serving balls to get a feel for the wind, to know how the wind is affecting your serve. You should try and do, in your warm up, everything that you're going to do in the game. But start out slow, and build up slowly.
Are there any tips that will help your game during competition?
The most important thing you can do during a competition is not to make mistakes. Don't do anything special, keep the ball in play, and let the other team make the mistakes. If you do that, you'll win every time.