The ball

The footvolley ball is heavier than a beach volleyball and a little different from a soccer ball. The extra weight and the fact that is has less air in it makes it more predictable in windy conditions. The most commonly used ball is the Mikasa FT-5 or FT-5 Pro Ball. 

The court

Footvolley is meant to be played at the beach but it can be played anywhere and on most any surface. During winter some nations play indoor on hard court or sand. The size of a normal sand court in Europe is 8 meters x 16 meters. In Brazil, and other countries, it is common to play 9 meters x 18 meters.

The net is normally 2.20 meters high in Europe, however, this varies from tournament to tournament and country to country. The most important thing is to agree on a hight and focus on playing footvolley.

Equipment

The only equipment you need to play footvolley is a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. You kick the ball barefoot. There have been observations of people playing with their socks on but this has not been confirmed :) 

The body parts

The chest: One of the most important and most difficult part to use. The chest is used for receiving the ball and to lay up the ball. Takes some time to master.

The feet: You play barefoot so you are completely reliant on your technique. This is also the most used body part. 

The head: This is your best attack weapon and also great to use to lay up the ball (if you do not master the chest yet). Attack long or short, and trick your opponent to think you are doing the opposite. 

The knee/thigh: If you have to you can use the knee or thigh. Some people swear to it, but others don´t like it. It`s like religion.

The shoulders: A lot of players are really good at using their shoulders, either for laying up the ball or even attacking. If you struggle using your chest, the shoulders are a good alternative.

The bottom of your foot: To do a shark attack you have to jump with your feet above the net and strike the ball with the bottom of your foot. It is not recommended to try this the first time you play footvolley.

The hands and arms: This is a no no and you will loose the point. Using your hands is too easy.

The rest of the body: Be creative and you can use pretty much any part of your body (except hands and arms). How about using your back, your ass, your heels, your shins or even your face. Use it if it is necessary to win a point.

The serve

To be able to serve the ball from the ground you have to build a small pile of sand and put the ball on top of it. The most common is to kick it with the inside of your foot. Avoid kicking the sand first.

The Shark Attack

To master the shark attack you have to be able to kick the ball with your foot from above the hight of the net. This is a cool trick to master and considered very crowd pleasing. Below you can see a perfect shark attack performed by one of the best; Hiltinho.