Definition of volley

The word "volley" originated from the French word "volter," which means to throw or toss. Its use in sports such as volleyball can be traced back to the late 1800s when the game was first invented. Initially, the game was called Mignonnette, named after its inventor, William G. Morgan, a YMCA instructor. The game involved hitting a corrected basketball over a net using both hands, and players could not use their feet to hit the ball. The game had no fixed rules, and players could hit the ball in any direction, including into the air. As the game grew in popularity, it evolved, and in 1896, the name was changed to "moline m stored ball game," in honor of its creator, T. Head Moline. However, the game's name continued to change, with different names like pillarball, handball, and spongeball being used in various parts of the world. In 1895, the game was introduced to a physical education instructor called Luther Halsey Gulick, who is credited with popularizing and standardizing the game. Gulick named the game "volleyball," likely due to the simultaneous hitting of the ball, which he compared to the firing of a volley from a cannon. The name stuck, and today, volleyball is a widely popular sport enjoyed by millions of people globally, played according to a well-established set of rules. The game's evolution from a spontaneous recreational activity to a recognized sport is a testament to the power of innovation and ingenuity.