Beach Volleyball has returned! The GCVA or The Gulf Coast Volleyball Association returns once again to Galveston, Texas. East Beach on Saturday, July 11, 2015 will host the “Summer Madness” Tournament. This year’s event will celebrate 24 years of high quality volleyball being displayed and contested on Galveston Island. Men, Women, Coed, & Junior Teams will compete in this year’s volleyball tournament. Hundreds of players and teams are anticipated to compete this year. Come and watch this great beach volleyball tournament.
Beach Volleyball;
Beach volleyball is fast paced and very exciting to play and watch. It is so much fun, and popular that in 1996 the game was introduced into The Olympic Games. Beach Volleyball is comprised of two man teams playing on a beach or sand court divided by a net. This sport was actually created and developed in Santa Monica, California in the 1920’s. Many of the basic rules come from indoor volleyball, however, there are some differences and it is usually limited to two player teams.
Popularity continued to grow for beach volleyball and in 1976 the first professional tournament was held in Pacific Palisades, California. This tournament was called the Olympia World Championship of Beach Volleyball. The total purse for this inaugural event was $5,000. Professional volleyball was born, and while it’s players were 
never paid like other professional athletes, their enthusiasm for the game remains high. Beach volleyball has become a global sport, with international competition. Brazil and the USA are dominant, with 20 of the 30 Olympic medals awarded to date between them, and 16 of the 20 gold and silver medals. The sport’s undeniable popularity has spread to the rest of the world and continues to be a fan favorite.
The GCVA (Gulf Coast Volleyball Association) is the largest outdoor volleyball association on the Gulf coast. They were founded in 1992. They have been rated the #1 outdoor volleyball organization by Outdoor Volleyball USA. The GCVA has produced Outdoor beach volleyball events on the Texas Gulf Coast for 24 years. Many beach volleyball players from Texas got their start in a beach volleyball tournament developed by the GCVA. When it comes to beach volleyball in Texas, the GCVA is the top program available. Join them and watch or play in this year’s tournament and you will understand why. They really love what they do!
