Resumo. ABSTRACT The contexts of sports practice are important elements that influence the sports development of children and young people. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze the contexts of sports practice of elite Brazilian volleyball athletes, based on the verification of practice contexts and sociodemographic variables (gender, development stage and training category) that could influence the insertion on these environments. In this retrospective study, 121 athletes, members and former members of Brazilian national teams participated in the male and female suits. Data were collected from the Instrument for Analysis of Sports Development in Volleyball (IAFEV) and analyzed by descriptive statistics (gross and relative frequency) and inferential statistics (Multinomial Logistic Regression). The results revealed a significant association between practice sites and development stage [X2 (6) = 52,709; p <0,001), sex [X2 (3) = 8,387; p = 0.039] and category [X2 (9) = 22,297; p = 0.008], showing that the athletes practiced, throughout their sports development, physical and sports activities in more structured environments, such as clubs and gyms, especially during the specialization and investment years. In addition, the practice in clubs stood out among female athletes and among athletes belonging to the younger categories, revealing specific aspects that can influence the choice of practice environments.