Playing volleyball in Switzerland

Understanding the rules, working on your technique or improving your physical condition is already a good start. But at some point, volleyball is mainly experienced on the court: with a team, regular training sessions, advice, mistakes, progress… and quite a few badly received balls at the beginning.

Practising volleyball in Switzerland can seem a bit unclear when you are just starting out: between clubs, regional leagues, recreational volleyball and competition levels, it is not always easy to know where to begin. This page helps you understand the different options and move more easily from the website to the court.

Why join a club ?

You can progress alone in some areas, especially physical preparation or certain technical skills. But joining a club clearly changes the speed of your progress.

In a club, you can train with a group, receive corrections, discover match situations and learn to play with different types of players. It is also the best way to understand the real rhythm of volleyball: movements, rotations, communication, serving pressure and defensive positioning.

For a beginner, a club can also be reassuring. You are not expected to arrive already mastering everything. Most players started by missing serves, sending forearm passes into the ceiling or not immediately understanding where to position themselves. The important thing is to find an environment adapted to your level.

Understanding volleyball levels in Switzerland

There are several ways to practise volleyball in Switzerland: leisure volleyball, recreational volleyball, regional leagues, national championships or junior leagues.

The highest level is the National League A (LNA). It brings together the best teams in the country and determines the Swiss champions at the end of the season. Just below, the National League B (LNB) corresponds to the second national level.

Below these national leagues, there is the 1st league (1L), then the regional leagues. The 1st league is still part of competitions managed at national level, while the lower levels are organised by regional associations, divided by cantons or regions.

In practice, for a beginner or amateur player, the levels most often involved when entering a club are the regional leagues: 5L, 4L, 3L, 2L. The lower the number, the higher the level. A 5L team is therefore often more accessible than a 2L or 1L team.

Junior leagues should not be forgotten either. They are mainly organised according to the age of the players. That said, level can also be a factor and allow a player to be moved up to play with older teams. For example, a 15-year-old player, who would normally play in U16 (league for players under 16), may end up playing in U20 (league for players under 20).

It should also be noted that all the leagues mentioned above are separated by gender: M or H for men and F or W for women.

Recreational volleyball (or Easy Volley, more recently)

If you want to play without aiming directly for official competition, recreational volleyball can be an excellent option. It is a more flexible form of practice, often designed for adults or mixed groups who want to play regularly in an organised setting, but with less pressure than a classic championship.

Recreational volleyball keeps the basics of volleyball: matches, teams, general rules and point scoring. However, the atmosphere is generally more friendly (although this does not mean that regional teams are not friendly) and the main objective is often to play, progress and have a good time rather than aim for promotion to a higher league. In some regional regulations, matches are played according to the official rules, with possible adaptations such as the optional use of the libero or a net height agreed upon by the teams.

For a player who starts late, comes back after a break, or simply wants to discover volleyball without pressure, this is probably one of the best entry points. It allows you to play regularly, learn the rhythm of team play and become familiar with match situations without immediately entering a highly competitive environment.

Do you already need to know how to play before contacting a club?

No. And that is actually a common mistake among beginners: waiting until they are “good enough” before getting started.

Of course, some clubs have very competitive groups that already require a certain level. But many structures also offer more accessible training sessions, leisure groups, junior teams or trial opportunities.

You can simply write a short message explaining your age, your current level, whether you have already played in a club or not, what you are looking for, and your availability. The goal is not to sell a perfect sports CV. It is mainly to help the club understand which group to guide you towards.

What if you prefer to start without a club?

That is also possible. You can first start working on the basics alone or with friends (which is better) ! The important thing is to touch the ball. And on top of that… VolleyStepUp is here to help you.

In that case, start by:

working on a few simple exercises,
watching matches or educational videos,
playing with other people as soon as possible.

But keep in mind that, in the long term, volleyball is a team sport. Even if individual training helps a lot, you will progress faster as soon as you play regularly with others. And that is also part of the point: being part of a team, creating sporting bonds (which often go beyond the court) supporting each other, getting back up together and, above all, learning to know each other… for a stronger team.