Sand: A Critical Component for Beach Volleyball Courts

Abstract

Beach volleyball is growing in popularity. However, the construction of beach sports courts away from the seashore requires the use of the right quality sand, the desired characteristics of which are defined by FIVB standards. We decided to test sand from 11 volleyball courts in Wrocław, Poland and sand from the Central Sport Centre-Olympic Preparation Centre (CSC-OPC) in Spała, the main training facility for Polish beach volleyball players. Laboratory tests showed that too coarse sand containing admixtures of dark minerals was used for most of the courts in Wrocław. The sand containing the properties most similar to FIVB standards is that at CSC-OPC. Even a small amount of silt found does not guarantee that a sandy surface will be dust-free. Silt can adhere to larger mineral grains and separate from them by mechanical impact or from crushing aggregates. In addition, we surveyed volleyball players. The players unequivocally interpreted the ease of play on finer-grained sands and the reduction of movement dynamics on courts with coarse-grained sand. Nevertheless, these are not the only factors determining their preference for their favourite court. Compliance with FIVB standards, however, guarantees comparable playing conditions.