Playing Volleyball at Ocean Beach
How to set up a court and find a game at the Ocean Beach volleyball courts, and what equipment you need.
There is no regular public pickup schedule at the Ocean Beach courts. Some groups organize games independently, and others bring enough players for their own game.
What you need to set up a court
The city provides the poles. Everything else you bring.
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Park & Sun BC-400 net
Net only. The courts already have poles, and freestanding net systems aren't allowed.
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Wilson AVP OPTX
Official ball of the AVP. Get the game ball, not the cheaper Tour Replica.
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Boundary lines
Lines are not provided. Official court size, 26.3ft x 52.6ft, and this set ships with sand anchors rather than augers.
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Line winders
Comes with two winders. Much easier than stuffing loose lines back in the bag.
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Line anchors
Weights or shallow stakes. No screw-in augers at these courts.
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The net matters more than the rest. It has to attach to the permanent poles, because freestanding net systems are not permitted in the court area, and a cheap net will sag in the middle and stretch out of shape within a season. A tournament-grade net with a steel cable top and bottom holds tension across a 32-foot span and lasts.
Setting up
- Find an available pair of poles.
- Attach the net to both poles and tension it. The top of the net should be 2.43 m (7 ft 11 5/8 in) for men’s play, 2.24 m (7 ft 4 1/8 in) for women’s.
- Run your boundary lines to the court footprint and secure them with shallow anchors or weights. No screw-in augers — you can’t sink anchors deep into the sand here.
- Remove everything when you finish. Nothing may be left overnight.
The courts open at 8:00 a.m. and close at dusk.
Finding a game
Mornings and weekends generally give you the best chance of finding other players at the courts.
Local volleyball groups are listed on the leagues page.
If players are already using a court, ask whether they are accepting additional players before joining.
Best time to play
Morning usually has lighter wind than the afternoon. Check the current conditions before leaving for the beach.
Parking gets harder through the morning, and you are competing with Dog Beach for the same lots. See directions and parking.
Court etiquette
- Walk around courts that are in play rather than through them
- Return balls that come onto your court
- Keep bags and equipment out of the lifeguard lanes
- Do not move the permanent poles
- Take all equipment and trash with you when you leave