History of Volleyball 1976-1988
History of volleyball with an Australian focus.
There does not seem to be any documents with a complete history of Australian volleyball, so if you are able to add or correct any of this information we would like to hear from you. volleyball@musa.net.au
1976
The Olympic Games were held in Montreal, Canada. In the men's competition, Gold was won by Poland, Silver by USSR and Bronze by Cuba. For the women, Gold went to Japan, Silver to USSR and Bronze to South Korea.
The indoor rules were changed to allow three hits after the block.
Standing Volleyball for amputees was accepted into the Paralympic programme in Toronto.
The first beach event played outside of California, USA, is conducted on the shores of Lake Tahoe in Nevada, with Fred Sturm and Gary Hooper taking the title.
1977
To embrace a more professional approach, Volleyball Victoria secures the services of the Philippines national women��?s coach, Thomas Santamaria, as the first professional volleyball employee in Australia.
1979
The first official international tournament of Sitting Volleyball took place in Haarlem, Netherlands, under the umbrella of the International Sports Organisation for the Disabled (ISOD).
The King of the Beach tournament held in Manhattan Beach offered $11,000 prize money, the biggest beach volleyball tournament in the world.
Originally called YMCA Renegades, the Renegades volleyball club amalgamated with Lechia around 1979 to form the YMCA Lechia Renegades Volleyball Club.
Also around this time, Mr Thomas Santamaria joined Renegades as coach of the men��?s team.
1980
Sitting Volleyball accepted as a Paralympic Sport with the participation of seven teams.
1981
The Australian national men's team is coached by Peter Epov. The team are lucky to train together in Sydney for maybe one week before leaving on overseas tours.
1982
First time the Australian men��?s volleyball team had made it into the World Championships, this year held in Buenos Aires, Argentina (October 2-15). The team, coached by Peter Epov, finished bottom of their pool after the first round, losing in straight sets to Italy, East Germany and Canada. Things got worse with second round losses to Finland, Tunisia and France, but they eventually won one match against Chile to finish 22nd.
Also the first time that the Australian women��?s team had made the World Championships in Lima, Peru (September 12-25). And, like the men, their only win for the tournament was against Chile, but, coached by Randel Robertson, they managed their win earlier in the tournament and despite not winning another match (straight set losses to Hungary, Cuba, China, Bulgaria and Canada), they held on for a 12th place finish.
1983
Showing the rise in interest of beach volleyball, the Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) was founded (July 21, 1983) in the USA. The association was formed to "protect players��? interests" and "to preserve the integrity of beach volleyball".
Under the coaching of Sue Dansie, the South Australian Sports Institute (SASI) junior and senior women's teams start several years of domination at Australian national level.
The first Australian Volleyball Schools Cup is held at venues around Canberra, ACT, with 12 high school teams playing (or, was the first in 1984, conducted by the AVF?)
On July 19, the Brazil vs. USSR challenge at Rio de Janeiro's Maracan��? Stadium brought in nearly 100,000 spectators.
1984
Politics had played a major part in the organisation of volleyball in the USA. The internal fighting between interested parties had had a detrimental effect on their teams at the international level because of different rules and a lack of funding. However, with some talented athletes, automatic qualification as the host nation and a more professional direction, both the USA men's and women's teams finally won medals at the Los Angeles Olympic Games. The Brazilian men's team (Olympic silver medalists) attracted attention with their ability to make jumping serves. The idea was not new (Argentina has already tried it at the 1982 World Championship), but no one had ever seen it used so effectively.
1985
Intervarsity volleyball was part of the Australian University Games, this year held in Perth.
An AIS men's team was established for the first time at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra. However, it only lasted for just over a year and was not a great success with only a few national team members moving to Canberra. It did provide the impetus for the full time programme that began a few years later.
In October 1985, the Victorian Country Volleyball Council voluntarily wound up the Council and handed the responsibility for the Country Championships back to Volleyball Victoria, who by that time had full-time State Executive and Coaching Directors.
1986
An Australian pro-beach volleyball circuit was set-up. The first Australian beach volleyball tournament is held in Queensland at Main Beach, Gold Coast.
The South Australian (SASI) men's indoor team becomes the dominant volleyball team in Australia and they retain their position for several years. The team included some of the nation's best ever volleyballers with the likes of three Tutton brothers - Steve, Mark and Reg, Chris Reganis, Alex Whitehead, Trevor Simmonds and Lyndon Mills, Raoul Tuul and Andres Lomp.
The Women��?s Professional Volleyball Association (WPVA) in the USA was formed.
1987
An Australian pro-beach circuit commenced with venues at Manly and North Wollongong beaches, Surfers Paradise, and before it was disbanded, Hamilton Island.
The first season of the annual Queensland beach volleyball series begins.
The first international FIVB sanctioned Beach Volleyball tournament is held at Ipanema Beach (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) with $US22,000 in prize money. Sinjin Smith and Randy Stoklos from the USA win the tournament.
1988
Australian men��?s indoor team begin a nine year winning streak in the Tasman Cup against New Zealand.
For more information about the history of the Renegades Volleyball Club check the History of the Melbourne University Renegades Volleyball Club.
