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Beach volleyball has different rules that players need to follow to play professionally. If you are new to this game, you might be wondering how many players are allowed to play in a beach volleyball match.
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How Many Players Are in Beach Volleyball?
Beach volleyball is played with partners, meaning each side of the court has two players. Therefore, there are a total of four players on the court. This differs from the indoor version because playing 6 against 6 on a beach was difficult.
However, there are some exceptions to this. For example, co-ed volleyball is played 4 against 4. Likewise, there are no player limits if you want to play recreational beach volleyball with your friends. Also, it is important to emphasize that sand volleyball does not allow substitutions.
This means that if you are competing in a tournament, you cannot substitute your teammate. This explains why there are no clear roles or specializations in sand volleyball; both players need to know how to attack, defend, serve and set the beach volleyball. After all, there are no other players who can fulfill those functions.
The Best Beach Volleyball Partners of All Time
Now that you know how many players are involved in a beach volleyball game, you can learn about the best sand volleyball partners in history. These duos won important medals and titles both individually and with their partners.
Since there are not many players in beach volleyball, you need to learn to do multiple things while playing. One of the best ways to learn is to watch professionals play, take notes, and improve. Therefore, you can learn about these partners and how they play.
Larissa França and Talita Antunes
Larissa and Talita are Brazilian players who won the FIVB World Tour and multiple golden medals at different championships and tournaments. They are currently still playing together.
Larissa França
Larissa França, 39, is a Brazilian player who plays alongside Talita Antunes. With 57 FIVB career gold medals, Larissa holds the record for most volleyball titles won.
Here you can see some of the medals that she won.
- Gold Medal at the 2007 Pan American Games
- Gold Medal at the 2011 Pan American Games
- One World Championship gold medal in Rome in 2011
- One World Tour gold medal in Fort Lauderdale in 2015
Talita Antunes
Talita Antunes, 39, is a beach volleyball player from Brazil. In 2005, she was named “FIVB Rookie Of The Year.” Then, while representing Brazil, she won the “FIVB World Tour” twice, once in 2013 and again in 2015.
Alison Cerutti and Bruno Schmidt
Alison and Bruno are two Brazilian players who won the 2015 World Championship at The Hague and the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. On top of that, they have individually reached other titles, such as multiple World Tours.
Unfortunately, they are no longer competing together following their disappointing 2018 season. They ended up parting ways after finishing 7th at the 2018 Fort Lauderdale Major.
Alison Cerutti
Alison Cerutti, 36, is a Brazilian player who won his first “FIVB World Tour” title in 2011. Then, in 2012, he earned a silver medal at the Summer Olympics.
He won back-to-back gold medals with his partner Bruno Schmidt, one at the 2015 World Championship and the other at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Bruno Schmidt
Bruno Schmidt is a 35-year-old Brazilian athlete who won the Olympics in 2016 with Alison Cerutti. He was voted the best defensive player in the league four years in a row (from 2013 to 2016), as well as the “Most Improved Player” in 2010.
He and his partner Alison also won the World Championship in 2015.
Related Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions about players in sand volleyball.
Why Does Beach Volleyball Only Have 2 Players?
Sand volleyball only has two players because, when it was created, it was considered the right amount of athletes on the court. This is because it is hard to find 6 players to play together on the beach.
How Many Positions Are in Sand Volleyball?
There are no specific positions in sand volleyball. Since it only has two players and no substitutions, no specialized positions or roles exist. Both players must know how to defend, attack, and serve.
What Happens if My Teammate Gets Injured During a Tournament?
If you enroll in a sand volleyball tournament and your teammate gets injured, you will have to forfeit the tournament. Unfortunately, since there are no substitutions, you will not be able to change your teammate for the upcoming matches.
Even if possible, it would be too hard for you to have good chemistry with your new teammate in such a short time.
Conclusion
Regarding beach volleyball, some different rules and elements affect the game. In this case, the fact that only two players can play this game makes it more intense and distinct from its indoor version.
