What is Catchball?

Catchball is a fast-growing sport, similar to volleyball, that is played mostly by adult women.
Historically, it is thought that an early version of this game, from the late 19th century, may have preceded the creation of volleyball and possibly influenced its development. It is also said that catchball was not only first created by a woman, but was also one of the first team sports to be played by women in America. 

Nowadays catchball is popular nationwide and around the globe, named differently in different parts of the world, but played using very similar rules. In most countries and competitions, the game consists of two teams playing on an indoor volleyball court, with 6 players on each side of the net. The objective is to pass the ball and ground it on the opponent's half, all while preventing them from doing the same in yours. Unlike volleyball, it is not allowed to hit the ball (except when blocking, which is the same as in volleyball) - only to pass it within a very limited amount of time. Some well-known volleyball rules, such as the 3-touch rule, the classic positional rotation and others, are basically the same in catchball. 

While the modern form of catchball was initially created mostly to help promote a healthier lifestyle, and offer women the opportunity to socialize, it has since developed into a more competitive sport. In the US and Canada, it is played by women 25 and older in most major metro areas, and in some places entire leagues have developed over the years.