Playing Area

Etiquette

Safety

Basic Rules

All rules are adopted from the Official USA Volleyballs rules as authorized by the International Volleyball Federation. Local amendments and basic overview are as follows:

  1. The team winning the coin toss picks either the serve or the court they wish to play on and the other team gets the remaining choice. The first serve and the side of the court alternates with each game until the deciding game when there is another coin toss. If a third game is considered a “deciding game” (even though we do not have match play) teams will switch sides when one team scores 13 points.
  2. A legal team consists of six (6) players with a minimum of two (2) opposite sex players. A team may play with four (4) players which must include a minimum of one (1) alternate sex player. A team that does not have the minimum number of players with the proper ratio of male/female players present within fifteen (15) minutes of the scheduled starting time will forfeit the first game. A team that does not have the minimum number of players with the proper male/female ratio within thirty (30) minutes of the scheduled starting time will forfeit the match. A team that forfeits a match is charged with three (3) losses for the standings.
  3. All three (3) games of each match will be played to conclusion. Two (2) points will be awarded to the winning team for each game won and the total points will determine play-off seedings and byes. However, only one (1) point will be awarded to a team for each game won by forfeit.
  4. Teams may pre-arrange to make-up their scheduled match to accommodate players' schedules and school-related responsibilities. This information must be forwarded to the Commissioner as soon as possible.
  5. There is no "shut out". The game ends when one team scores a minimum of 25 points and has a 2-point advantage.
  6. Do not serve until the official blows the whistle. You have eight (8) seconds from the whistle to serve.
  7. Served ball must be released from your hand before it is hit and only one toss or release of the ball is permitted per service attempt.
  8. Your feet must be behind the end-line when you contact the serve. A "foot-fault" gives the serve and a point to the other team.
  9. The ball must cross the net without touching any of your players. If the ball contacts the net between the antennas and continues into the opponent's court it is considered a good serve and must be played.
  10. Each team is allowed three (3) successive hits to return the ball into the opponent’s court. If the first touch is a block, the team is allowed three additional hits.
  11. Any ball that comes to rest momentarily in the hands or arms of a player is considered held and is a fault. You may not hit the ball with your open palm when the palm is facing up. This is considered a "held ball" or a "carry". Likewise, any ball that is "thrown" (like a basketball hook shot or dunk) is a "thrown ball" and is a fault since you must have held or caught it in order to throw it.
  12. Players may not block or attack a served ball. Players may not congregate in an attempt to screen the vision of the opposing team.
  13. The ball may be played with any part of the body only if necessary but may not be played across the net by use of the players' feet.
  14. The ball may contact more than one part of the body on the first team contact (a served or spiked ball) as long as it is done in one continuous motion.
  15. No player may touch the ball two times in a row (unless the first touch was a block.)
  16. Back row players are not permitted to block and may only spike if they leave the court from behind the 10’ Attack Line. They may contact the ball and land in front of the Attack Line.
  17. Players may go off the court to play a ball.
  18. If you touch the ball before it lands out-of-bounds, even though it is obvious that it is out-of-bounds, then your team has played the ball and must return it.
  19. Although there is no requirement that one of the three touches be made by an opposite sex player, no team shall intentionally play around weaker, opposte sex  players in an attempt to win the point.
  20. The ball remains in play if it touches the legal portion of the net. The contact with the net is not counted as one of the team hits.
  21. The ball remains in play if it contacts the ceiling and remains on the same side of the net. The play is over if the ball contacts the ceiling and continues across into the opponent’s court. The team causing the ceiling contact has committed a fault and loses the rally and, if applicable, the serve.
  22. Every serve of the ball results in a point being awarded. If the serving team wins the rally they are awarded a point and retain the serve. If the serving team loses the rally, the receiving team is awarded a point and is also awarded the next serve. This is called RALLY POINT scoring.
  23. The ball is considered "IN" if it lands anywhere in the court including touching the sidelines. A ball that touches any part of the sidelines or end-lines is "IN".
  24. The ball is "OUT" if it does not cross the net between the sidelines (usually marked by two antenna attached to the net.) Any ball touching the antenna is "OUT".
  25. You may not touch the net at any time during a rally.
  26. There are only two times you may reach over the net and contact the ball: to block or attack a ball that has been hit in such a way that it would cross the net if you didn’t block it; and, your follow-through on a spike after making initial contact on your own side of the net.
  27. You may cross the net (both above and below) as long as you don’t interfere with the opponent. This means that you may reach under the net to retrieve a ball as long as you do not contact or interfere with an opponent.
  28. The only part of your body that may touch the opponent’s court is your foot or hand and some part of that foot or hand must be in contact with the centerline.