Most successful pro sports careers have started by young athletes testing themselves in several sports. Part of the reason is that parents often can’t decide which sport is the best for their children, and part is that kids themselves just want to have fun trying different things. Two sports that are often among the first choices are volleyball and baseball.
Both are great for developing basic skills and athletic abilities in a relatively safe environment.
Unlike full-contact sports, such as football, basketball, or hockey, volleyball and baseball carry much less injury risk while offering fun and competitive surroundings for kids to evolve into successful athletes.
Of course, the two sports are vastly different in many ways, so this should play a role when choosing one of them.
Below, I’ll compare volleyball vs baseball to see what those differences are and if there are some things that connect the two.
Volleyball vs Baseball – What are the Differences?
Even at first glance, it’s obvious volleyball and baseball are almost as different as the two sports can be.
The basic structure of the two sports is different, as are the rules, team sizes, equipment, uniforms, and the venues where each is played.
Volleyball Court
Volleyball is, in the large majority of cases, played indoors, commonly on hard court. The dimensions of the standard volleyball court are 29.5 x 59.1 ft (9 x 18 m).
The playing area is divided into two halves by a 39.4-inches (1 m) wide net. Each half is further divided into the back and front row area.
The top of the net in male volleyball is around 7 feet and 11 inches (2.43 m) above the floor, while in female competitions it’s a couple of inches shorter.
As there’s no need for the ball to bounce off the ground, volleyball can also be played on a variety of other surfaces, with beach volleyball, played on sand, being the most popular variant.
Baseball Field
On the other hand, baseball is predominately an outdoor sport. The dimension can vary depending on the ballpark, but the basic layout is the same.
The field is bound by the foul lines, extending from the home plate at a 45-degrees angle. The 90-degree area within the foul lines is fair territory, while the rest is foul territory.
Within the fair territory, the area between the bases and a few yards beyond is infield, and anything beyond that area is the outfield.
Commonly, there’s a raised fence enclosing the outfield. The middle of the infield features a pitcher’s mound.
Of course, outside of official competitions, baseball can be played almost anywhere.
Plenty of kids and adults enjoy playing baseball in the streets or in the backyards, which is the perfect opportunity to bring out bluetooth speaker for baseball games and have a fun day for the whole neighborhood.
Scoring in Volleyball
For the basic way to score a point in volleyball, the ball has to cross over the net and be grounded on the opponent’s side.
Of course, your team can also score through the opponent’s errors.
Each play starts with the service and after that, each team is allowed to use no more than three contacts to get the ball across the net into the opposing team’s side of the court.
The game continues until one team wins three sets. Each set is won by reaching 25 points and holding at least a two-point margin.
The number of sets may depend on the level of competition.
Scoring in Baseball
A baseball game is won by scoring more runs than the opposing team. The runs are scored while the team is at bat, or on the offense.
To score, a batter must touch all four bases, in order.
At the same time, the team currently on defense tries to prevent scoring by recording outs which removes the player from the offense.
Needless to say, this is an extremely simplified explanation, as baseball rules are rather extensive and complex.
Volleyball Uniform and Equipment
When it comes to volleyball uniforms and equipment, things are rather simple.
The uniform features two pieces, a jersey covering the upper body, and shorts or spandex covering the lower body, plus shoes and socks.
Besides the net, the only equipment needed is the ball, which is spherical, 25.5 – 26.3 inches in circumference, and weighing 9.2 – 9.9 ounces.
Baseball Uniform and Equipment
A baseball uniform includes a jersey, pants, a cap, shoes, and socks. In addition, at certain positions, players wear additional protective equipment, such as helmets or shin and chest guards.
The three basic tools for playing baseball are a ball, gloves, and bat.
The ball is around 9 inches in circumference and made with a cork center, wound in yarn, and covered with leather.
Gloves are made of padded leather and may differ in design depending on the player’s position.
The ball is hit with a bat, traditionally made of wood, but could also be of aluminum or composite materials.
For adults, the bat is between 34 and 42 inches long.
Similarities Between Volleyball and Baseball
Differences between volleyball and baseball are rather obvious and quite significant.
However, digging a little deeper, you’ll find out that, despite these notable distinctions, there are a couple of similarities between the two.
Both sports require players to make contact with the ball while it’s still in the air and use their arm power, with or without additional equipment, to hit it as hard as they can.
So, some of the basic biomechanical principles and movements are the same in both volleyball and baseball.
Because of this, the most common injuries in both sports are pretty similar.
This is especially true for shoulders and elbows, as they’re under the most strain during the repetitive actions of pitching or serving and spiking.
Similarities Between Pitching and Serving
Another similarity between the two sports is in the action that initiates every play.
The baseball play starts with the pitch, while in volleyball, every exchange starts with the serve.
If you take a closer look, you’ll notice a clear connection between these actions.
The most common type of pitch in baseball, the fastball, is based on power and speed with the goal of leaving the batter as little time as possible to react.
This is quite similar to the jump serve, where the server looks to put plenty of topspin and speed on the ball.
Just like in baseball, this is supposed to make things difficult for the opposing players receiving the ball and force them to react in just a split second.
The other frequent baseball pitch, the curveball, has its volleyball counterpart in floating serve. In both cases, the ball is slower but has a rather unpredictable trajectory.
Conclusion
The great thing about sports is that skills are often transferable from one sport to another.
Something you learn playing one sport may help you improve your skill in another as most of them are based on physical coordination and awareness on the playing field.
This is true even for sports that seemingly don’t have much to do with another, such as volleyball and baseball.
Comparing volleyball and baseball will reveal that they are in many ways as different as two sports can be, although they do have some minor similarities.
What is certain is that both sports are extremely fun, healthy, and a great way for kids to enter the world of sports.