Spring has finally arrived! After a treacherous winter in New York City, the sudden onset of warm weather is causing everyone to celebrate early. Just today, I heard the first ice cream truck roll through the neighborhood and local parks are starting to see some action again. Also, this sport being played:
It’s a unique variant of volleyball that’s played in predominantly Hispanic neighborhoods. Today, I found out its official name: “Ecua-volley,” or more simply, “boly.”
The sport - as you can probably tell from its name – was invented in Ecuador. Over time, however, it spread to the United States and Europe, among other places.
To play, each team needs three players (a setter, server and flyer), as well as a net that is much higher than the one you normally find on a traditional court. The actual game, though somewhat similar to volleyball, has its own, unique set of rules. The most obvious difference between the two sports is that boly players use a soccer ball. Players can also hold the ball while passing, as long as the hold is under a second.
Ultimately, the goal is to score points by strategically passing the ball over the net onto opposite side of the court. I’ve only ever seen boly played around my neighborhood (Corona, Queens), but as with any sport, the game can become intense. It’s always fun to watch from the sidelines and a lot of times, big groups of people will gather in a local park to watch a competition.
