aQuolley Courts and Games
aQuolley® is a European trademark for portable water sports courts designed for diverse aquatic environments, including pools, lakes, and beaches. Its product line features aQuolley® Beach Classic and aQuolley® DualGoal for open water, aQuolley® Pool Beach Classic for pool settings, and various recreational models.
These courts support six distinct aQuolley game variants (often shortened to “games”), playable exclusively on aQuolley courts. Four game variants are played on Classic courts, and two on DualGoal courts. Detailed court options are available on the Products page.
Classic Aquolley Game Variants
Aquolley (water volleyball): A water-adapted volleyball variant, adjustable for team sizes, court dimensions, and water depths.
Water Badminton: A water-modified badminton variant, utilizing standard badminton equipment and a medium-height net.
Water Tennis: A water-based tennis variant, employing beach tennis rackets and balls with a medium-height net.
Water Futnet: A water-based futnet (football tennis) variant, played with a specialized ball and a lowered net.
DualGoal Aquolley Game Variants
Water Handball: A water-adapted handball variant, using a water-specific ball and optional court dividers.
Water Headball: A water-adapted headball variant, using a specialized ball and an optional half-court divider.
Each sport within aQuolley’s portfolio boasts its own unique variations, rules, and competitive structures. Due to its prevalence, only the rules of aquolley (water volleyball) are detailed on this platform.
However, The Standardized Competition Guidelines for Aquolley, which comprehensively outlines the rules, participant eligibility, and management procedures for a fair and consistent competitive event, are recommended for all aQuolley Game Variants.
Aquolley
Volleyball reimagined for the water, aquolley adapts traditional volleyball for aquatic environments, creating an inclusive and enjoyable sport for players of all ages and skill levels. While the unique challenges of water—restricted movement and altered techniques—necessitate rule modifications, the buoyancy of water effectively levels the playing field.
The true magic of aquolley lies in its inherent inclusivity. Water’s buoyancy acts as a natural equalizer, diminishing the impact of physical disparities. By subjecting all players to the same movement constraints, raw speed and strength become less dominant. This leveling effect fosters a unique competitive environment, where individuals of varying ages and genders can participate together harmoniously, a rarity in traditional land-based sports.
Adapting to the Aquatic Environment’s Demands
Movement in water is inherently limited. Players typically manage only a single step before a jump, demanding rapid reactions and precise ball placement. This constraint makes adaptation complex, as even slight miscalculations can significantly impact the game. Consequently, many land-based volleyball rules become impractical. For instance, forearm passing is difficult in one-meter-deep water, necessitating open-hand reception. Aquolley’s serving rules are also tailored to accommodate these restricted movements. Furthermore, players are permitted to use any part of their body to hit the ball, with the exceptions of carrying or double touches, a rule that acknowledges the altered dynamics of movement in water. Finally, the court dimensions are variable, scaling with the number of players, from 6 x 3 meters for women’s singles to 12 x 6 meters for a full six-person team.
Preserving Excitement and Competitive Integrity
Rule adaptations must not diminish the game’s inherent competitiveness or excitement. Therefore, factors like court size are crucial and must be flexible, allowing for realistic defense without unduly simplifying or complicating scoring. A mandatory pass rule, requiring teams to make at least one pass after receiving a serve, promotes strategic play and prevents immediate returns. Additionally, a modified “let” rule ensures fairer gameplay by replaying serves that hit the net but land within bounds.
These adjustments work in concert to maintain a fast-paced, exciting, and balanced game, effectively accommodating the distinct conditions of aquatic play.
Rules & Eligibility
Aquolley competitions are structured using two key components: a multilevel rule system and an eligibility criteria framework, often called ‘The Standardized Competition Guidelines for Aquolley.’ The rule system manages gameplay across categories, and the eligibility framework determines participant qualifications.
The Rules System
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 features six disciplines, each defined by the number of players per team. Discipline Rules specify team sizes, on-court player numbers, and court dimensions for each discipline, with adjustments for water play. They also govern timeouts and substitutions.
| Discipline | Plyrs+Subs | Area | TO | SO | PS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singles | 1 | 8x4m | 1 | n/a | n/a |
| Doubles | 2+1 | 9x4m | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Triples | 3+2 | 10x5m | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 4-Team | 4+2 | 11x5m | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 5-Team | 5+2 | 12x5m | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 6-Team | 6+3 | 12x6m | 3 | 3 | 3 |
TO = Timeouts per Set; SO = Substitution Occasions per Set; PS = Players per Substitution Occasion
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 | REQUIREMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W. Singles | 1 | 0 | 6 x 3 m | Women only |
| M. Singles | 1 | 0 | 8 x 4 m | Open to all |
| W. Doubles | 2 | 1 | 6 x 4 m | Women only |
| Mix. Doubles | 2 | 1 | 8 x 4 m | Min. 1 woman |
| M. Doubles | 2 | 1 | 9 x 4 m | Open to all |
| W. 3-Team | 3 | 2 | 8 x 4 m | Women only |
| Mix. 3-Team | 3 | 2 | 9 x 4 m | Min. 1 woman |
| M. 3-Team | 3 | 2 | 10 x 5 m | Open to all |
| Mix. Team of 4 | 4 | 2 | 11 x 5 m | Min. 1 woman |
| Mix. Team of 5 | 5 | 2 | 12 x 5 m | Min. 2 women |
| Mix. Team of 6 | 6 | 3 | 12 x 6 m | Min. 2 women |
Inclusivity & Fair Competition Rules
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 (TCB)
Teams comprised entirely of women, or players under 16 or over 55, receive one extra player on court. TCB is non-cumulative.
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 Group
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.
For complete details, please refer to the document available for download at the bottom of this page.
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