Volleyball Rules

At A Glance

If you are new to volleyball, here are few important things to know about our co-ed volleyball leagues. Scroll below to see a full list of league rules and regulations.

• All games are rally scoring. In the "rally" game, points will be awarded on both the service and service receive side.
• Each match will consist of 3 games to 21 points.
• Play continues until a two-point advantage is reached or until a team scores 25 points with a one point advantage.
• Coed teams should be 2 men/2 women. Teams are allowed to have 3 male players as long as there is at least one eligible female on the team. Teams can have more women than men.
• If a team is missing their female players, only 3 male players are allowed on the court at one time and the serving player is considered a back row player and cannot attack or jump at the net. 
• Rock/Paper/Scissors will be played between the two captains to determine serve or side; best of one wins and picks either serve or side. Teams will rotate sides and serve after the completion of each game.
• Teams will switch sides when either team reaches 11 points.
• No "jump" serves are allowed.
• To be considered a team player and to be eligible for playoffs you must play at least 3 games during the regular season.
• Please be courteous to other players, referees and managers. We have a ZERO tolerance policy for any poor sportsmanlike behaviors.

Forfeit Policy

A team not ready to play (or failing to appear) at the designated day, date, time, and location of the scheduled contest will forfeit that contest. After 15 minutes the first set will be a loss. After 30 minutes the match is a total loss.

In order to be credited for the forfeit “win,” the team receiving the forfeit “win” for the contest must have the minimum number of required players to start a game (2 players).

NOTE: Both teams are recommended to present the players present at the game site in order to have those players considered as having “participated” in that game.

Any team that pulls a "no show" or doesn't notify a club representative at least 4 hours before the scheduled start time will be subject to removal from the league.

Game Play

START OF GAME:

• Rock/Paper/Scissors will be played between the two captains to determine serve or side; best of one wins and picks either serve or side. Teams will rotate sides and serve after the completion of each game.

SWITCHING SIDES:

• Teams must switch sides after either team reaches 11 points. Teams stay after that until game is over.

TIME OUTS:

• Each team is allowed one (one-minute) time-out per game. No carryovers.

SUBSTITUTIONS:

• After each side out, players must rotate from the front right to back right position. Substitutions can ONLY be made at this point in the rotation. The substitute is now the server. All substituting players must be behind the end line.

SUBSTITUTION PENALTY:

• If a team illegally substitutes a player (not replaced from the right front position), that team will lose their serve immediately. All players must relocate to their original position.

Scoring

SCORING:

• All games are rally scoring. In the “rally” game, points will be awarded on both the service and service receive side.
• Each match will consist of 3 games to 21 points.
• Play continues until a two point advantage is reached or until a team scores 25 points with a one point advantage.
• The team that wins two games shall be declared the winner.

BALL “IN”:

• The ball is “in” when it touches the grass of the playing court including the boundary lines.

BALL “OUT”:

• A ball is “out” when the part of the ball which contacts the grass is completely outside the boundary line, touches any object outside the court, touches the rope, post, net, etc., outside of the sidelines.

Hitting

TEAM HITS:

The team is entitled to a maximum of three hits (in addition to blocking) for returning the ball. If more are used, the team commits the fault of “four hits”. The hits of the team include not only intentional hits, but also unintentional hits.

• A player may not hit the ball two times consecutively.
• The ball may touch any part of the body.
• The ball must be hit, not caught and/or thrown.
• The ball may touch various parts of the body only if the contact take place simultaneously.

BALL AT THE NET:

• The ball sent to the opponents court must go over the net (as opposed to under).
• The ball may touch the net.
• A ball driven into the net may be recovered within the limits of the three hits, except the service.

Faults / Side Outs

FAULTS IN PLAYING THE BALL: (SIDE OUT)

• Four hits
• Back row player spikes the ball in front of the 10′ line.
• Catch/throw.
• Double contact; hits ball twice or ball contacts various parts of body in succession.
• Illegal rotation (substitutions made anywhere other than the back-right line).
• No “prolonged contact” between the player and the ball, otherwise known as a lift. The contact should continue in one fluid motion and the ball should not come to rest at any time in that motion.

FAULTS AT THE NET: (SIDE OUT)

• Contact with the net is a fault, even when a player’s momentum causes them to contact the net (excessive net faults will result in that player suspended from the game).
• A player may go completely under the net as long as they neither touch the net or interfere with the play.
• A player touches an opponent in the opponent’s space before or during the opponents hit.

Service

• No “jump” serves are allowed.
• When the serving team wins the rally, the player who served before, serves again.
• When the receiving team wins the rally, it gains the right to serve and rotates before actually serving. The player moves from the front right position to the back right position to serve.
• No receiving player may leave his or her feet to block a serve, or block the serve at all.
• The server must not touch the end line or a “foot” fault will be called. One redo then sideout.

Blocking

• Blocking is the action of players close to the net trying intercept the ball coming from the opponent’s side.
• A block contact is not counted as a team hit, and a team is entitled to three hits to return the ball.
• The first hit after the block may be executed by any player, including the one who blocked the ball.

Playoffs

FORMAT:
Playoffs will be a single elimination tournament. Teams will play their opponents in a best 2 out of 3 series with each game played to 21 points - NO CAP. A third game will only be played if the series is tied. Normal league rules apply.

GUEST PLAYERS:
The official rule is that the only players eligible to play during playoffs are those who are paid up, on the roster and have played at least 3 weeks during the regular season. There are exceptions to this rule in the event of injury/illness, but they need to be approved by a club representitive prior to playoffs.