„Which camp should I sign up for?“ is the question we get most often. Almost everyone underestimates themselves – and a few overestimate quite badly. So you can place yourself in five minutes, here are all six levels from A1 to F3, each with the signs you will recognise yourself in.
Why a level system exists at all
Beach volleyball in a team of two is brutally honest: every ball comes to you. In a group that is too strong, you finish after two hours feeling you only chased the ball. In a group that is too weak, you wait for rallies that never happen.
That is why we do not sort by age or years of experience, but by what you can actually do on court. Six levels, two families: A stands for beginners, F for advanced players – each with three steps.
The six levels in detail
How you recognise yourself
You have had no contact with beach volleyball so far. You start from zero and get to know the basic techniques such as the forearm pass and the set.
What you learn at the camp
Basic techniques of passing and setting, a stable stance and movement in the sand, first 2-against-2 game situations.
How you recognise yourself
You can pass and set, but not yet accurately. Attacking is still difficult and you have no blocking experience. Your serves get over the net but do not put the opponent under pressure.
What you learn at the camp
Accuracy when passing and setting, clean movement patterns and positioning, the basics for attacking.
How you recognise yourself
You pass and set mostly in the right direction. Your attack is getting safer and you hit the ball well more often. You have first experience with blocking, without much success yet. Your serves usually get over, sometimes with pressure. You are able to build the play.
What you learn at the camp
A stable build-up even under time pressure, a clean transition from the pass into the set.
How you recognise yourself
You pass and set well, the ball very often reaches its target. You attack well, but not always with power. You like to block, but do not yet know the strategies behind it. Your serves are reliable and occasionally put the opponent under pressure.
What you learn at the camp
A powerful and varied attack, block and defence strategies.
How you recognise yourself
You pass and set very well – now it is about clean, professional setting without a double contact. You block well and understand the different types of block. Your serves carry pressure. Now and then you play a fun tournament.
What you learn at the camp
Low-error, professional setting and the fine tuning of every basic technique.
How you recognise yourself
You master the basic techniques very well, including almost error-free setting. You block well and know options that surprise the opponent. Your serves are powerful and varied. You play A tournaments.
What you learn at the camp
Competition preparation, side-out variations and tactics in block, defence and serve – tailored to you.
The self-test: five questions, 30 seconds
Instead of working through every description, you can simply click your way through. The finder asks up to five questions and shows you your level at the end – including the matching camp dates.
The three most common misjudgements
„I have played for five years, so I am advanced“
Years say very little. What matters is whether your technique holds up under pressure. Someone playing in the park on Sundays for five years often lands at A3 – and that is perfectly fine. Someone with one year of regular training and indoor experience can reach F1 quickly.
„I come from indoor, so I am at least F2“
Indoor experience helps enormously with ball control and game understanding. In the sand, things are added that do not exist indoors: running in sand, wind, sun, and above all you have to play every position. Most players switching over land at A3 or F1 – with a very steep learning curve.
„Between two levels I take the higher one“
The most common mistake. In a team of two you carry half of every rally. If you are out of your depth, your partner suffers with you. If you are unsure between two levels, take the lower one. Our coaches watch the level on camp day and regroup if needed – moving up is always easier than moving down.
Quick self-check
- You have never played → A1
- You have played, but cannot keep 10 rallies going with a partner → A2
- 10 rallies work, but pass–set–attack only sometimes → A3
- The build-up works reliably against easy serves, but wobbles against hard ones → F1
- You cope with powerful serves too, and rarely play tournaments → F2
- You play A tournaments → F3
What if you get it wrong?
Then it shows on camp day and we solve it on the spot. Our groups have a maximum of eight people, small enough for the coaches to see within the first half hour where somebody stands. Regrouping is normal and nothing to worry about – nobody is put on the spot.
What we cannot fix is a group where half the players are clearly above or below the rest. That is why an honest self-assessment beforehand pays off for everyone.
You know your level now
All camps are organised along these levels – from A1 to F3, in groups of no more than eight. Find the date that fits.