About 9-man 

9-Man is a volleyball team sport utilizing nine players per side and slightly larger court. Historically, the sport was played by Chinese immigrants to the US, who predominantly hailed from Toisan (Taishan) city in Guangdong province in China. 

The 9-man circuit consists of “Mini” tournaments throughout the season. The New York Strangers hosts the largest “Mini” in the circuit, hosting an average of 80 men’s and women’s teams in Seward Park, Chinatown. Over the years, the New York Strangers have adapted to the changing community and have spread the tournament to various locations in the area. 

The New York Strangers participate in the North American Chinese Invitational Volleyball Tournament. The NACIVT rules stipulate that at any given time, each team must have at least six players of “100 percent” Chinese descent on the court. The remaining three players must be of Asian descent; the NACIVT explicitly states who qualifies as Asian based on country of origin ancestors – (Asian: origins from: Myanmar, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Loas, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, and Vietnam). In addition, only men are allowed to play 9-man. The women’s team also participate in NACIVT following the same ethnicity rules at all tournaments.  9-man is run April-September. 

For more information check out 9-man.