New ball

A newly designed ball, with the same weight, pressure and dimensions but a revamped technical composition that includes indentations on the surface, has been approved for use for the first time at the Beijing Games.

Mintonette

Volleyball was invented in 1895 in Massachusetts, the United States, by William Morgan. He was a friend of James Naismith, who had invented basketball at a nearby gym only four years previously. Volleyball was originally called "mintonette".

Libero

Prior to the Sydney 2000 Games, the FIVB introduced a new specialist role, the libero, in volleyball. This player wears a different colored uniform from the rest of the team and can be substituted in the backcourt for any player.

1986

Possibly volleyball's biggest change occurred in 1986 when the FIVB endorsed beach volleyball as an official discipline. Suddenly, volleyball fans could have their choice: two-a-side beach volleyball on sand or six-a-side volleyball in the gym. Both disciplines are now played at the Olympic Games.

2000

In 2000, volleyball used a new scoring system. Teams scored a point on every rally, regardless of which team served. Formerly, a team could only win a point if it served the ball. Winning the serve back from the opposition was known as a side-out.

(China Daily 05/09/2008 page7)