The aQuolley Lineup
Six distinct water sports can be enjoyed on aQuolley courts, collectively known as ‘aQuolley sports’. Information about specific court types is available on the Shop/Products page. Each of these sports has its own unique variations, rules, and competition formats. Due to its prevalence, only the rules for aquolley (water volleyball) are presented in detail on this site. The audio recording below offers a concise summary of this page in English.
Games and rules
aQuolley games and rules
Aquolley: A New Wave
Aquolley is a novel sport, developed from adapting traditional volleyball to the aquatic environment. It shares origins with successful team games like beach and snow volleyball. Yet, much like its counterparts, it has evolved into a unique entity, defined by its own rules and attracting a specific audience. While aquolley currently lacks a formal competition framework, it holds the promise of achieving significant popularity, especially among the general public. Its design prioritized widespread participation over visual spectacle or commercial appeal.
Adaptation’s Intircasies
The challenges of adaptation arise from a multitude of elements, most notably water itself. While pleasant to be in, water presents a unique set of difficulties as a playing environment, particularly when considering its diverse forms.
Open Water
In open water, no two areas are truly identical, and even a single location evolves continuously. The subsoil varies significantly, with density and surface formations constantly shifting. Furthermore, water depth differs across a given expanse, compounded by the fluctuating height and intensity of waves.
Pools
Pools present similar obstacles, but with a heightened emphasis on the minimum space required (playing area + safety zone) to mitigate the risk of severe injuries. Moreover, at present pools aren’t really designed for such activities, and often accommodate various concurrent uses, necessitating shared-use solutions – either spatially or temporally. If spatial separation is insufficient, temporal separation becomes essential, demanding a court infrastructure that facilitates rapid and convenient transitions.
These immutable conditions profoundly influence player capabilities at any given time and place. The complexity escalates when attempting to reconcile the competing priorities of paramount safety, playability, inclusivity, and dynamism.
Safety Prerequisites
Water Depth
Playing in very shallow water is not only unsafe but extremely hazardous. The uneven underwater terrain can conceal holes and rises, invisible to players. Jumping or moving laterally during gameplay poses a risk of injury upon landing, particularly to the body’s initial point of impact. Therefore, a minimum water depth of 0.7 meters is required to ensure sufficient water resistance and cushioning. Increased depth enhances safety, not to mention the game’s balance through a stronger equalizing effect. While not a safety issue, playability also dictates an upper water depth limit. Considering an average player height of 1.8 meters, 1.3 meters is the practical maximum. Depths exceeding this become more akin to “swim-volley,” potentially beneficial for water polo training but impractical for general play. Consequently, our installation guidelines specify a water depth range of 0.7 to 1.3 meters.
Minimum Space Allocation
While casual groups may equate the playing area’s edge with the water’s boundary, this poses a substantial injury risk at institutional venues. For instance, players could collide with pool walls or obstacles during or after a rescue. To mitigate this, a 1-meter safety margin must surround the standard playing field. Given that an 8×4 meter field accommodates various disciplines, the minimum space allocation is set at 10 x 6 meters.
Lightweight Plastic BALL
Balls typically used in gyms and on sand pose two problems because of their weight in aquatic environments. First, they can readily cause injuries to recreational players’ hands and fingers. Secondly, their weight can weaken the grip of the ground screws in the sand over time. This compromises the court’s stability during storms. The anchoring system is designed for temporary installation, not permanent foundations.
Therefore, using heavier balls necessitates accepting the risk of player injury and the recurring need to reinforce the ground screws. A lightweight, plastic ball with defined specifications (ideally 0.26 meters in diameter and about 280 grams) is essential to mitigate these issues. Two balls are provided with the court; extras are available upon request. Similar alternatives are also suitable.
Aquatic Playability
With safety secured through appropriate venues and specialized equipment, the central concern is adapting volleyball for aquatic sport. This transition presents four key obstacles:
- water’s depth impeding motion,
- fluctuating player counts affecting playing space density,
- the intricacy of balancing dynamic attack and defense, and
- the necessity of broad accessibility.
These obstacles necessitate modifications to both court configuration and standard regulations.
Court configuration
aQuolley playing areas offer 3D versatility for game control in two fundamental ways: manual adjustments to net elevation, proportional to the water’s vertical extent, provide increased response time and reduced ball velocity, and playing space dimensions scale with squad size (horizontal dimensions) to facilitate engaging gameplay. This adaptability tailors the sport to the water’s influence and enables pace management based on player proficiency.
Rule adjustments
Rule alterations accommodate the aquatic setting by allowing techniques disallowed on land. Specifically, cupped-hand contact is allowed for receives and sets, and fingertip touches for drop shots. Moreover, athletes can use any body part to contact the ball, save for throws or double contacts.
Game flow is also paramount. A serve reception must precede an internal pass before the ball’s return. Serves touching the net but landing in play are replayed. All serves must commence within the playing zone, touching the back line.
These adaptations collectively guarantee a secure yet challenging workout, potent defense against attack, offensive liberty, and equitable competition among varied teams. However, beyond these alterations, the remaining rules align closely with standard volleyball rules.
Origin and Progress
In 2018, despite knee and hip injuries from professional football tennis, a determined father at Lake Balaton sought sportslike leisure with his young daughters. A bright idea emerged: bring volleyball to the inviting waters! Within a week, a net stood tall; the game, enhanced by floating court lines, became an instant hit with locals and vacationers.
By 2021, an engineer friend joined the endeavor, contributing to the creation of the first 3D adjustable aquatic court, which he patented and also trademarked as aQuolley. Driven by accessibility, they developed open water and pool designs, enabling the thrill to be experienced everywhere. By 2021, trials occurred in several countries, and aquolley.com launched. Adaptable courts were engineered by late 2024 (open water) and early 2025 (pools).
Enthusiastic players fueled amateur tournaments and design refinement. The visionary father, also a software engineer, designed a comprehensive ecosystem for aQuolley, aiming for lasting appeal. Ever since widespread trials began in 2021, gradually incorporating more sites from 2023, a high user interest is evident on YouTube.
The Rules System
Aquolley (water volleyball) competitions are structured using two key components: a multilevel rule system and an eligibility criteria framework. The rule system manages gameplay across categories, and the eligibility framework determines participant qualifications. The Aquolley rule system comprises hierarchical rule sets, each building upon the previous, to comprehensively cover all match formats.
Base Rules
The foundation of the rule system is the Base Rules. These rules dictate point-by-point gameplay, including how points, sets, and matches are won or lost. The Base Rules are adapted from volleyball to accommodate aquatic play and ensure a level playing field.
Discipline Rules
Aquolley (water volleyball) features six disciplines. Discipline Rules specify team sizes, on-court player numbers, and court dimensions for each discipline, with adjustments for water play. These rules also govern timeouts and substitutions, and specify suggested net heights relative to water depth.
| DISCIPLINE | PLYRS+SUBS | AREA | TO | SO | PS |
| Singles | 1 | 8×4 m | 1 | – | – |
| Doubles | 2+1 | 9×4 m | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Triples | 3+2 | 10×5 m | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 4-Team | 4+2 | 11×5 m | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 5-Team | 5+2 | 12×5 m | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 6-Team | 6+3 | 12×6 m | 3 | 3 | 3 |
TO = Timeouts per Set; SO = Substitution Occasions per Set; PS = Players per Substitution Occasion
Proposed Net Heights
| WATER DEPTH | WOMEN | MIXED | MEN |
| 0,7 – 0,9 m | 2,35 m | 2,4 m | 2,45 m |
| 0,9 – 1,1 m | 2,45 m | 2,5 m | 2,55 m |
| 1,1 – 1,3 m | 2,55 m | 2,6 m | 2,65 m |
Base Rules
The foundation of the rule system is the Base Rules. These rules dictate point-by-point gameplay, including how points, sets, and matches are won or lost. The Base Rules are adapted from volleyball to accommodate aquatic play and ensure a level playing field.
Discipline Rules
Aquolley (water volleyball) features six disciplines. Discipline Rules specify team sizes, on-court player numbers, and court dimensions for each discipline, with adjustments for water play. These rules also govern timeouts and substitutions, and specify suggested net heights relative to water depth.
| DISCIPLINE | PLYRS+SUBS | AREA | TO | SO | PS |
| Singles | 1 | 8×4 m | 1 | – | – |
| Doubles | 2+1 | 9×4 m | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Triples | 3+2 | 10×5 m | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 4-Team | 4+2 | 11×5 m | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 5-Team | 5+2 | 12×5 m | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 6-Team | 6+3 | 12×6 m | 3 | 3 | 3 |
TO = Timeouts per Set; SO = Substitution Occasions per Set; PS = Players per Substitution Occasion
Proposed Net Heights
| WATER DEPTH | WOMEN | MIXED | MEN |
| 0,7 – 0,9 m | 2,35 m | 2,4 m | 2,45 m |
| 0,9 – 1,1 m | 2,45 m | 2,5 m | 2,55 m |
| 1,1 – 1,3 m | 2,55 m | 2,6 m | 2,65 m |
Category Rules
Disciplines are delineated by gender composition into women’s, men’s, and mixed categories. Although single-gender team categories are possible, aquolley’s core concept emphasizes mixed team play. Given singles are not mixed, this yields eleven distinct match categories. Category Rules specify adjusted court size (area) and the minimum number of female players required on the court for the duration of each match.
| CATEGORY | PLAYERS | SUBS | AREA | NET* | REQUIREMENT |
| Women’s Singles | 1 | 0 | 6 x 3 m | 2,45 m | Women only |
| Men’s Singles | 1 | 0 | 8 x 4 m | 2,55 m | Opent to all |
| Women’s Doubles | 2 | 1 | 6 x 4 m | 2,45 m | Women only |
| Mixed Doubles | 2 | 1 | 8 x 4 m | 2,5 m | Min. 1 woman |
| Men’s Doubles | 2 | 1 | 9 x 4 m | 2,55 m | Opent to all |
| Women’s 3-Team | 3 | 2 | 8 x 4 m | 2,45 m | Women only |
| Mixed 3-Team | 3 | 2 | 9 x 4 m | 2,5 m | Min. 1 woman |
| Men’s 3-Team | 3 | 2 | 10 x 5 m | 2,55 m | Opent to all |
| Team of 4 | 4 | 2 | 11 x 5 m | 2,5 m | Min. 1 woman |
| Team of 5 | 5 | 2 | 12 x 5 m | 2,5 m | Min. 2 woman |
| Team of 6 | 6 | 3 | 12 x 6 m | 2,5 m | Min. 2 woman |
*Proposed net height is calculated assuming a water depth of 0.9-1.1 m.
Rules Additions
Open Gender Categories
To maximize participation, “men’s” categories are open to all genders. This means that while teams comprised solely of men are permitted, teams of any gender composition are also welcome.
Team Composition Benefit
Teams composed entirely of individuals from one or more of the following groups – female, males under 16, or over 55 – can have one additional player on the court. This benefit is not cumulative.
In a Men’s 3-Team aQuolley competition, here are some examples: A team of three female players would be permitted to have a fourth female or male under 16 or over 55 player on the court. Similarly, a team made up of three players entirely from males under 16, or over 55 would be permitted to have a fourth female or male under 16 or over 55 player on the court. Additionally, a family team of three that includes a 65-year-old grandpa, a grandma, and a 39-year-old mother would be permitted a fourth player, so the 13-year-old grandson may join his family instead of being excluded from the joy.
For complete details, please refer to the document available for download at the bottom of this page.
Eligibility Criteria System
An eligibility criteria system, supplementing the multilevel rule system, determines participation in specific competitions. This system comprises three classes: Player Grouping, Affiliations, and Tournament Types. All team members must meet these criteria to compete.
PLAYER GROUPING
Age and skill levels for balanced competition. This subsection outlines the age and skill-based groupings that ensure fair competition and appropriate skill matching. It explains how players are categorized to create balanced and engaging matches.
Age Groups
Players are categorized into age groups to ensure that they compete against others of similar physical development and experience.
- Youth: Under 16; designed for younger players, focusing on development and fun.
- Junior: Under 25; targets young adults, bridging the gap between youth and adult play.
- Adult: 25-55; the standard age range for most competitive play.
- Senior: Over 55; allows older players to compete in a suitable environment.
- Open: All ages; competitions where players of any age can participate together.
Skill Groups
Players are categorized into skill groups based on their demonstrated ability and experience, ensuring that matches are competitive and engaging.
- Beginner: Self-assessment, excluding past winners; for those new to Aquolley, promoting learning and participation.
- Intermediate: Self-assessment, limited advanced players per team; for players with some experience, ensuring balanced teams.
- Advanced: Active or recently active volleyball players; for highly skilled players, maintaining a high level of competition.
- Open: All skill levels; competitions where players of any skill level can participate together.
AFFILIATIONS
Affiliations define the organizational connections that determine team and player eligibility, ensuring appropriate representation.
- Open: Participation is unrestricted; all individuals and teams are welcome.
- Club: Teams must be affiliated with a recognized Aquolley club.
- Corporate: Teams consist of employees from a specific company.
- Community: Teams are built from family members or those within a close social circle.
TOURNAMENT TYPES
Tournament types establish the competition structure to suit various competitive and social preferences.
- Standard: Tournaments follow official Aquolley rules.
- Regional: Tournaments use official rules with adjustments to accommodate local preferences or conditions.
- Random Team: Teams are formed randomly at the event, typically using modified rules.
DOWNLOADS
The aQuolley Lineup
Six distinct water sports can be enjoyed on aQuolley courts, collectively known as ‘aQuolley sports’. Each of these sports has its own unique variations, rules, and competition formats. Due to its prevalence, only the rules for aquolley (water volleyball) are presented in detail on this site.
Aquolley
Water volleyball: an adapted version of volleyball played in water depths between 0.7 and 1.3 meters. It features adjustable court sizes, a net, and a special ball.
Water Futnet
This adapted version of futnet uses a special ball designed to bounce off the water’s surface. The volleyball net height can be adjusted to 1.1 meters, depending on the water depth.
Water Tennis
A variation of beach tennis adapted for water play, using beach tennis paddles and balls. The net height is adjusted to between 1.6 and 1.9 meters.
Water Badminton
Optimized for an aquatic setting, this version uses traditional badminton rackets and shuttlecocks, with the net set at a height between 1.6 and 1.9 meters.
Water Handball
Based on beach handball, this version is adapted for water with two goals and a special ball. Optional court lines dividing the playing area into thirds can be added if players wish to follow beach handball rules precisely.
Water Headball
Developed specifically for water play, this game uses two goals and a special ball. An optional center line can be used if participants prefer a version where field players cannot obstruct the opponent’s attack.