Head volleyball

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Head Volleyball

Origins
Set-up
Equipment
Rules
Derivations

Origins:
As the name may suggest, Head Volleyball’s roots are based heavily on Beach Volleyball. It was adapted as a way to gain physical exercise in a more relaxed, often cramped work environment. The original creators were bored and stir-crazy in their over night positions and filled their time with an “Awareness Ball”; a small foam ball designed to keep their co-workers awake and diffuse work related tension. The competitive nature of these individuals led to the development of a game. The specific details of this game are as follows.

Set-up:
The specifics of the set-up are basic. A net and two similarly sized, well marked playing areas are required. Ideally, two cubicles would be used and the dividing wall between them would be a makeshift net. Assuming the cubicle wall is higher than chest height, a table can be used as a net in the cafeteria. Mark the locations of other co-worker’s personal belongings, and clear them out of the way for safe-keeping. Do not underestimate the importance of this step. Failure to comply will result in being caught, and intra-office gossip. Once these items are cleared and the play area is defined, prepare your equipment.

Equipment:
The joy of Head Volleyball is that there are minimal requirements to play. Your play area is provided by your employers, all that is left is personal gear.
Uniform:
Uniforms are optional, but help with team spirit and competitive nature. Pick obnoxious colours to increase the glory of your victory, or justify your tragic loss.
Ball:
The ideal ball for this event is a cheap Beach Ball. First and foremost they are light and easier to control. You will soon see why this is an advantage. They will get punctured on random corners and edges; throw them away and purchase more. Beach Balls are offered in a variety of sizes. As teams evolve and become more skillful, changing the size of the ball may drastically change the winning strategy. Keep them guessing by constantly changing the ball. The ball should be inflated until firm, but not at a point where it may burst upon impact.
Pump:
2 pumps should be purchased for this event. First a heavy-duty foot pump for the initial inflation, then a smaller bicycle pump for mid-game top-offs (remember, the balls will become punctured, they will need top-offs until a replacement can be found). This is required for health and sanitation reasons, not to mention it’s not much fun inflating an 18 inch beach ball using one’s own breath.
Scotch Tape:
Should a ball become punctured mid-game, Scotch tape can be used as a temporary patch. A new ball should be purchased as soon as possible, as this temporary patch is not as durable as the original, and the pressure inside the ball is a crucial factor to how the ball moves. Over-inflating or under-inflating can result in an advantage to any given style of play.
Shoes:
Shoes are optional. A unanimous decision should be made before the games are started as to whether or not shoes are to be worn. If the arena is in an office where staples are frequently used, or thumbtacks are abundant, shoes may be a better option. Otherwise shoes should be removed to prevent accidental kicking related injuries.

Rules:
There are multiple sections to be defined, and various scenarios which may arise. For further information, or clarification in any scenario feel free to e-mail Headvolleyball@gmail.com.
Teams:
There are 2 teams of 2 players playing at any given time. See derivations for 1v1 rules.
Scoring:
Games are played first to 15, but the winning team must win by 2 points, thus the score could be limitless. A point can only be scored on a serve with a side-out every 5 points.
Play:
The rules of play are basic. There is a maximum of 3 hits per side. The third hit must travel over the “net”, but the ball may be returned at any time prior that the player chooses. The hit that crosses the net must be delivered via the head. Other hits can be off any part of the body. No player can hit the ball twice in a row, however the ball may hit 2 parts of the players body at the same time, vis-à-vis two hands, or a foot and a hand. Play is over and a point is awarded (or service lost as case may be) when the ball hits the ground in-bounds. It can be played off tables, chairs, plants, computers, filing cabinets, small pets, etc.
Serving:
To determine which team gets to serve first a volley is completed. Regular rules apply to the volley. The winner of the volley is awarded no points, but is allowed first serve. A serve must successfully pass over the “net”, and the server must use their head. Should the ball hit the “net” and pass over, the serve is to be re-done. There is no limit on how many times this can occur. If the ball hits the net, but does not pass over the serve is lost and passes on to the next team. Team-mates are to alternate who serves each time the team wins the serve. The maximum number of points any player can make each time they are awarded the serve is 5.
Boundaries:
The boundaries should be pre-determined and clearly marked prior to the game starting. This will prevent arguments once the game has begun. The ball is considered to be in bounds or out of bounds wherever it hits the floor. For example if the ball is traveling out of bounds, but bounces off some erroneous piece of equipment and lands in-bounds, it is considered in, and the team that last successfully passed the ball over the net is awarded a point or serve, depending on the scenario. If the ball lands out of bounds, the team that last touched it either loses their serve, or the serving team is awarded a point.

Derivations:
1 v. 1:
As teams develop some players will become apparently better than others. In order to determine who is the Head Volleyball champion, a round of 1 v. 1 can be played.

A 1 v. 1 challenge is the most respected championship game in the sport. The date of the championship should be determined early to provide ample time for training. Bets may be placed in the form of coffees and danishes.

The rules are fundimentally the same. 3 hits per side, passed over the "net" with your head. Boundaries still come into play. The primary difference is that there is only one player per side. Also, a player can hit the ball up to 3 times in a row, providing it is not with the same apendage twice.

These rules are what we found to be most effective and manageable. As scenarios arise the rules bend to match.

This game has been developed entirely by myself and my co-workers. For further research e-mail HeadVolleyball@gmail.com.