FREE EXHIBITION GAME + FREE VOLLEYBALL CLINIC
WORLD VOLLEYBALL DAY | JULY 7
HOLYOKE, MA
WORLD VOLLEYBALL DAY | JULY 7
HOLYOKE, MA
JULY 7 | HOLYOKE, MA
THE BIRTHPLACE OF VOLLEYBALL
This year, the International Volleyball Hall of Fame is marking World Volleyball Day with a full day of events right here in the city where it all started - capped by a historic exhibition match unlike anything you've seen before.
World Volleyball Day Events in Holyoke in 2026
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Free Museum Day11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
International Volleyball Hall of Fame Museum 444 Dwight Street, Holyoke, MA Spend the afternoon exploring the history of the sport - free of charge. The IVHF Museum will be open to all visitors, with grass nets set up on the museum lawn for free open play. No tickets. No registration. Just volleyball. |
Free Co-Ed Youth Volleyball Clinic
4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Holyoke High School - Gymnasium
500 Beech Street, Holyoke, MA)
(Parking and gym entrance off Resnic Boulevard, near the baseball stadium and football field)
Open to youth players (Entering Grades 6-12) of all skill levels, this free clinic brings the energy of World Volleyball Day directly to the next generation of athletes in Holyoke. The clinic is open to up to 90 participants and pre-registration is required (see form below), with coaching support from the New England Region of USA Volleyball (NERVA).
Join us as we welcome special clinician: Chris Seilkop, member of the U.S. Men's Sitting National Team and USA Volleyball Board of Directors member and CEO of the Volusia-Flagler Family YMCA in Florida - a fitting presence for a day that bridges the sport's YMCA roots with its exciting future.
Following the clinic, stick around for snacks and refreshments before heading into the evening's main event.
Holyoke High School - Gymnasium
500 Beech Street, Holyoke, MA)
(Parking and gym entrance off Resnic Boulevard, near the baseball stadium and football field)
Open to youth players (Entering Grades 6-12) of all skill levels, this free clinic brings the energy of World Volleyball Day directly to the next generation of athletes in Holyoke. The clinic is open to up to 90 participants and pre-registration is required (see form below), with coaching support from the New England Region of USA Volleyball (NERVA).
Join us as we welcome special clinician: Chris Seilkop, member of the U.S. Men's Sitting National Team and USA Volleyball Board of Directors member and CEO of the Volusia-Flagler Family YMCA in Florida - a fitting presence for a day that bridges the sport's YMCA roots with its exciting future.
Following the clinic, stick around for snacks and refreshments before heading into the evening's main event.
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Historic Exhibition Match
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Holyoke High School - Gymnasium
500 Beech Street, Holyoke, MA
(Parking and gym entrance off Resnic Boulevard, near the baseball stadium and football field - Map Below)
This is the centerpiece of our World Volleyball Day celebration - and there's never been anything quite like it anywhere else in the world.
Two teams will face off ia full five-set exhibition match that plays through the many evolutions of the sport in a fun and engaging way. Join us to watch each set played under the authentic rules of a different era in volleyball's history. From the game's 1895 debut to the modern sport you know today, every set tells a different chapter of the story - and the players and referees will bring each era to life in real time.
Pro teams will feature players from Enigma Volleyball Club. Sets are timed at 15-20 minutes keep, keeping the full match to approximately 90 minutes.
Holyoke High School - Gymnasium
500 Beech Street, Holyoke, MA
(Parking and gym entrance off Resnic Boulevard, near the baseball stadium and football field - Map Below)
This is the centerpiece of our World Volleyball Day celebration - and there's never been anything quite like it anywhere else in the world.
Two teams will face off ia full five-set exhibition match that plays through the many evolutions of the sport in a fun and engaging way. Join us to watch each set played under the authentic rules of a different era in volleyball's history. From the game's 1895 debut to the modern sport you know today, every set tells a different chapter of the story - and the players and referees will bring each era to life in real time.
Pro teams will feature players from Enigma Volleyball Club. Sets are timed at 15-20 minutes keep, keeping the full match to approximately 90 minutes.
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July 7th is World Volleyball Day
On July 7, 1896, William G. Morgan brought two teams of men from Holyoke to the International YMCA Training School in nearby Springfield to publicly demonstrate his newly invented game — volleyball's first-ever public exhibition. The International Volleyball Hall of Fame's exhaustive historical research identified and established this date, and the FIVB officially recognized July 7 as World Volleyball Day based on that research.
What began in a Holyoke gymnasium is now celebrated on every continent.
What began in a Holyoke gymnasium is now celebrated on every continent.
Join the Global
Celebration!
Can't make it to Holyoke? You can still be part of World Volleyball Day from wherever volleyball takes you.
Follow the FIVB's "Volleyball Your Way" Campaign
Share how you enjoy volleyball and make it part of your life. Post your story using #VolleyballYourWay and join a global community celebrating the sport in every form - competitive, recreational, on the beach, in the gym, and everywhere in between.
Follow IVHF Online
Stay connected with the International Volleyball Hall of Fame for updates, behind-the-scenes content and event highlights leading up to and on July 7.
Tag Us in Your Posts
When you share your #VolleyballYourWay content, tag @IVHFOfficial - and help keep the birthplace of volleyball at the heart of the global conversation. History made this sport possible. Let's make sure it stays part of the modern story.
Follow the FIVB's "Volleyball Your Way" Campaign
Share how you enjoy volleyball and make it part of your life. Post your story using #VolleyballYourWay and join a global community celebrating the sport in every form - competitive, recreational, on the beach, in the gym, and everywhere in between.
Follow IVHF Online
Stay connected with the International Volleyball Hall of Fame for updates, behind-the-scenes content and event highlights leading up to and on July 7.
- Instagram: @IVHFOfficial
- Facebook: @IVHFOfficial
Tag Us in Your Posts
When you share your #VolleyballYourWay content, tag @IVHFOfficial - and help keep the birthplace of volleyball at the heart of the global conversation. History made this sport possible. Let's make sure it stays part of the modern story.
Thank you to Our Partners
This event is made possible by the generous support of organizations that share our commitment to volleyball, community and the City of Holyoke.
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