A volleyball is a
ball
A ball is a round object (usually spherical, but can sometimes be ovoid) with several uses. It is used in ball games, where the play of the game follows the state of the ball as it is hit, kicked or thrown by players. Balls can also be used f ...
used to play
indoor volleyball,
beach volleyball
Beach volleyball is a team sport played by two teams of two or more players on a sand court divided by a net. Similar to indoor volleyball, the objective of the game is to send the ball over the net and to ground it on the opponent's side of the ...
, or other less common
variations of the sport. Volleyballs are round and traditionally consist of eighteen nearly rectangular panels of synthetic or genuine leather, arranged in six identical sections of three panels each, wrapped around a bladder. A
valve
A valve is a device or natural object that regulates, directs or controls the flow of a fluid (gases, liquids, fluidized solids, or slurries) by opening, closing, or partially obstructing various passageways. Valves are technically fittings ...
permits the internal air
pressure
Pressure (symbol: ''p'' or ''P'') is the force applied perpendicular to the surface of an object per unit area over which that force is distributed. Gauge pressure (also spelled ''gage'' pressure)The preferred spelling varies by country and e ...
to be adjusted. In a break from the traditional construction, in 2008, the
FIVB adopted as its official indoor ball a new
Mikasa
Mikasa ( ja, 三笠) may refer to:
Businesses
* Mikasa Sports, a sporting goods manufacturer
* Mikasa & Company, a brand of tableware and food utensils
Places
* Mikasa, Hokkaido, Japan
* Mikasa Park, in Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan
* Mount Wakakusa ...
with dimples and only eight panels for a softer touch and truer flight.
Volleyball characteristics
''Indoor volleyballs'' are designed for the indoor version of the sport, and ''beach volleyballs'' for the beach game.
Indoor volleyballs may be solid white or the brightest shade of yellow. They are made in two versions: the youth version is slightly smaller and weighs much less than an adult volleyball, and a heavier medicine ball type that allows setters to strengthen their fingers.
Beach volleyballs are slightly larger than standard indoor balls, have a rougher external texture, and a lower internal pressure. They can be brightly colored or solid white.
The very first volleyballs were made from leather paneling over a rubber carcass.
Major brands
There are several brands of competitive volleyballs in use, including, but not limited to:
*
Tachikara
Tachikara is a Japanese sports ball brand. It was established in Tokyo in 1915 by Toyaburo Iimuro.http://en.tachikara.jp/about
References
External links
*
Sporting goods manufacturers of Japan
{{sport-stub ...
*
Molten
Melting, or fusion, is a physical process that results in the phase transition of a substance from a solid to a liquid. This occurs when the internal energy of the solid increases, typically by the application of heat or pressure, which inc ...
*Allsix
*Copaya
*
Wilson
Baden Sports*
Mikasa
Mikasa ( ja, 三笠) may refer to:
Businesses
* Mikasa Sports, a sporting goods manufacturer
* Mikasa & Company, a brand of tableware and food utensils
Places
* Mikasa, Hokkaido, Japan
* Mikasa Park, in Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan
* Mount Wakakusa ...
*
Mizuno
() is a Japanese sports equipment and sportswear company, founded in Osaka in 1906 by Rihachi Mizuno. Today, Mizuno is a global corporation which makes a wide variety of sports equipment and sportswear for badminton, baseball, boxing, cycling ...
*
Nike
Nike often refers to:
* Nike (mythology), a Greek goddess who personifies victory
* Nike, Inc., a major American producer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment
Nike may also refer to:
People
* Nike (name), a surname and feminine give ...
*
Spalding
*
Beta
Beta (, ; uppercase , lowercase , or cursive ; grc, βῆτα, bē̂ta or ell, βήτα, víta) is the second letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals, it has a value of 2. In Modern Greek, it represents the voiced labiod ...
* Gala (made in Czech Republic)
Most of these brands also make cheaper variations for recreational (non-competitive) use.
Adopted use
*Mikasa makes the official balls of the
Fédération Internationale de Volleyball and the CEV -
European Volleyball Confederation (beach and indoor).
*Molten makes the official ball of
USA Volleyball
USA Volleyball (USAV) is a non-profit organization which is recognized as the national governing body of volleyball in the United States by the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). It i ...
.
*Molten makes the official ball of
NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...
Volleyball (indoor).
*Wilson makes the official ball of the
Association of Volleyball Professionals (beach).
See also
*Official ball supplier
*
List of inflatable manufactured goods
This is a non-comprehensive list of inflatable manufactured goods, as no such list could ever completely contain all items that regularly change. An inflatable is an object that can typically be inflated with a gas, including air, hydrogen, heli ...
References
{{reflist
External links
CEV and Mikasa unveil new Champions League volleyball in ViennaCEV Website - Confederation Europeenne de Volleyball
Balls
Volleyball terminology
Inflatable manufactured goods