About Volleyball Equipment

Safety first

A casual game of volleyball requires just a bit more exertion than the most physically demanding golf courses, and those golfers never wear protection. If you do expect to play rough, you are best off being equipped with at least a pair of knee pads. Happily, volleyball is a sport that allows for greatly varying levels of physical commitment. Set a precedent of modest exertion, and no one will bat an eye when you watch the ball bounce diving distance in front of you. Such a sport means that equipment other than a ball and a net are completely optional. And intrusive safety measures are never necessary; no helmet or shoulder pads required.

There is another side to this view, however. If you are a competitive volleyball player, you know that you need a variety of ankle, knee, and wrist-protecting devices to keep you off the disabled list. A casual player, one likely over the age of 30 with a greater risk for a career-ending ligament pop caused by climbing the stairs too fast or lifting a small child, might actually need more protection. Know your body and truly know your expected level of exertion. Because, in the heat of competition, with so much pride and the sports bar sand volleyball league crown on the line, you may flashback to days when watching the ball bounce was the most shameful thing you could do. In which case, do you dive?