The ball is rebounded- it is never held once it is put into play; one must be able to control the ball with a type of hit.
The ball can not touch the floor- Once the ball hits the floor, the play is dead.
The court is the smallest in size per person- The most crowded court of all sports with the smallest dimensions which allows less space per player.
The game can be played on any surface- Sand, grass, asphalt, wood, and even snow can be used.
The speed of the ball varies- the speed of the ball can range from very slow to over 100 miles an hour yet the players wear no protection.
There is a limited number of attempts to play the ball (3)- the limitation of attempts made to play the ball requires that the ball be returned to the opponent's court occasionally in less than desirable methods.
There is no time limit- Most games are played to 25 points with a lead of 2 to win.
Players must be able to play multiple positions-the various rotations of players require that they be skilled in many, if not all, facets of the game.
No other instrument is used in this rebound sport- other rebound sports like tennis, racquetball, etc. use specially designed rebounding equipment. Volleyball players must use their body to make contact with the ball.
Teamwork is essential- The basic aspect of the game is a pass, set, hit sequence which requires 3 hits with at least 2 players working together and usually a third to make the return. Players must be able to recover a bad play from a teammate so as to make the return over the net. communication is essential to teamwork.
A true no contact sport- the only sport which players are separated and are not allowed to make contact with equipment (other than the ball) or other players. Players must learn to deal with aggression and frustration in a new way unlike that of roughing up the opponent as in football.
Referee controls the game- every ball contacted is judged by the referee as a legal or illegal attempt.