MAIN Sports 2012 Summer Olympics Volleyball & Beach Volleyball

If you're thinking that volleyball is like a day at the beach, you may be in for a surprise. In fact, the popular seaside version of the sport, beach vollyball, is one of the most competitive.

Playing at the Olympic level tests not only the individual athletes, but team interactions as much as Olympic football or any other team sport. If you've ever played or seen a tight volley ball competition, you have a good idea of the excitement these games generate.

This being the Summer Olympics, the widely popular beach volleyball competition creates lots of buzz worldwide - especially in the U.S.- where loyal fans closely watch top beach volleyball players like Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh on the USA Women's Team, and Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser on the Men's Team.

Internationally, beach volleyball teams from China and Brazil are also poised to make a spectacular showing this summer in London.

Elsewhere around the Web, follow the games, the top athletes, and learn more about the sport with the help of these sites...

More about Olympic volleyball & Olympic beach volleyball on the Web:

The Federation International de Volleyball (FIVB) - The international governing body of volleyball - including beach volleyball - has regular updates on the Olympics and other volleyball tournaments and competitions from around the globe.

International Olympic Committee - Volleyball - The IOC site is a pleasure to visit. Both the design and the information are set up with the visitor in mind. Catch the side spotlights on individual athletes to watch and scroll down to the bottom for the latest news, photo gallery.

NBC Olympics - Beach Volleyball - Athlete bios & interviews, who to watch, photos & video, fan forum and complete U.S. TV schedule.

USA Volleyball - Updates on upcoming matches, photos, player profiles, official rules, results & scores, and watch for expert coverage of the women's and men's Olympic teams.

United States Olympic Committee - Volleyball - Here you'll find the latest news on Team USA with bios of the individual athletes, photos, guides to getting started, tips to improve your game and a question & answer section that probably has the information you're looking for ...