General Tournament Rules and Information

Location: Courts 1-35CharlotteConvention Center 501 S. College StCharlotteNC Halls A-B-C

Read all rules, instructions, and information carefully- it could result in fines or point penalties.

For questions related to withdrawal, changes, or entries, email the region . Parents- before you email region, contact your club director.

There will be no coaches meeting: review the formats and information on this site. We require coaches to print out all information here and from AES. No printed material will be available on-site. Take the time to review all information below. FAILURE in some areas can result in penalty points or fines! Formats will be posted on Advanced Event Systems – Before the Event date, click on Schedule, Future events, NC events. Posted by March 15

Start Times & Schedule

Friday Times: Ticket Sales andgateopens at 11am (not before).
Saturday and Sundaygateand ticket sales open at 7am.

Friday play times will be divided into 2 waves, Early and Late. Early wave will start at 1pm, Later wave will start after 2 and up to 5PM. Check schedule in AES online. Friday will start earlier, IF teams are in attendance. No team will be penalized before 1 pm. Later waves normally are on time, maybe late, but check online to know your courts schedule.

Saturday play times will also be in two waves: AM wave will start at 8am and PM wave will start at 2pm. Saturday can run early, PM wave can start up to 60minutes early, keep check with AES schedule and arrive early if your pool is running ahead of schedule.

All teamsadvance to playoffs on Sunday, play begins at 8am. The last match on Sunday is normally scheduled for around 3pm.If you lose on Sunday, you ref another match, often on same court, but check schedule. Teams who play at 9am may have reffing duty at 8am – make sure you check your schedule.Missing a ref duty carries a fine and/or penalty. Sunday is SINGLE ELIMINATION.

During the event, Pool formats, start times, and schedules can be found inAdvanced Event Systems. Display computers to view schedules will be near the Championship Desk. It is the team’s responsibility to check and know your start times. You can track your pools by accessing AES from any smart phone or computer.

Tournament T-shirts

Teams may PRE order tournament tshirts (min of 3) by team only. Individuals can purchase onsite based on availability. Short sleeve is $15, Long sleeve is $20 Deadline to pre-order is 3/12. Pre-orders must be picked up at Sales Desk on Friday or inventory will be sold.

Team Check-In

NEW: We will mail wristbands for all adults on rosters soon to club director. In past, we provided these at check in.

All Head andAssistantCoaches need to check in personally in order to receive your gift between 10:30am -5:30pm Friday or Saturday 9:30-10:30am. Coaches who did not complete the online gift form or provided wrong information, will be provided gift of regions choice. Discloser: Some items were back-ordered. Bring a copy of your roster to show your position on the team. Coaches who hold head and assistant positions only receive one gift. Coaches can NOT pick up gifts for others.

Players can enter playing area by wearing their uniforms.
Non Playing youth, coaches and adults must wear wrist bands and showto enter playing area.
Coaches check in will be in room 106 overlooking the convention center on Main floor (above playing area).

The person who plans to pick up wristbands on Friday must have the following to check in:

1.Four copies of your teamwebpointroster, 1 for check in, 1 for officials each day. All members playing, coaching, officiating or on the bench must be listed on roster. Officials will check daily. For check in, mark out in RED, any players or adults who will not be attending the weekend (before you get to check in desk). Max of 5 adults listed on a roster.

2.Coaches or adults who are listed on multiple rosters will only be issued 1 wristband, which will be included in team packet of the youngest age team on which they are included. All other rosters, you should mark them out in red. This is just for check in.

3.For 2018, coaches can choose from multiple gifts. They must indicate their choice online (link will be sent to clubs for coaches to provide information). Coach must be in attendance to receive gift, someone else cannot pick up for another person. No exchanges onsite, since we are ordering by coach/size.

4. Directors (1 per club) will receive a Directors club gift. Director who coaches may receive a coaches gift also.

Food & Seating

Food, drinks, tables, and coolers are NOT allowed in the convention center facility. Water is supplied, you can bring in a water bottle to refill. Coolers and food tables are NOT allowed outside the convention center either.

Portable sport chairs are NOT allowed due to space limitations. Seating will be available around each court. If your team is not playing, please allow spectators for teams that are playing to sit.

Entry Fees, Wristbands

Bands must be worn on wrist for entry.

Team Wristbands

Wristbands for coachesand adults listed on roster as of 3/15 will be free and mailed to club late March. Pre-orderedBandsfor parents will be mailed to club at same time.

SpectatorsGateCost

PASS OPTIONS / PRE-ORDER BEFORE 3/5 (THROUGH CLUB) / PRICE AT GATE
Adult (18+) Weekend Pass / $20 / $25
Child (5-17) Weekend Pass / $10 / $15
Children 4 and Younger / Free / Free
Adult Day Pass / N/A / $10
Child Day Pass / N/A / $6
Kidz Korner Weekend Pass / $20 / $25
Kidz Korner Day Pass / N/A / $12

NO REFUNDS. Lost or forgotten passes will not be replaced. You will be required to purchase a new pass.

All Region Awards

Coaches from each team will have the option to remit to region two players per team that will be listed as 1st and 2nd team All-Region. This will be posted online after the event.

Awards:

If your team wins a division, you must have a form from the R1 official, bring to championship desk area to receive awards. Only players-coaches in attendance can receive awards. All awards at Regionals will be Tshirts.

Kidz Korner

an area for kids featuring four bounce houses, basketball, football, volleyball, and table games. Tickets for entry are in addition to tournament tickets: weekend pass is $25 and day pass is $15.NO REFUNDS. Lost or forgotten passes will not be replaced. You will be required to purchase a new pass.

Officiating Duties and Score Reporting

Officiating Duties

Region provides paid R1 officials. There may be times that an R1 official is scheduled for a match and is running late on another court. The working team is responsible for starting the match on time. The coach (not player) must work as the R1 until the paid official arrives at the court. If the scheduled R1 is not at the court by start of the first set, send someone to the championship desk to notify region staff. Do not wait to start warmups or set.

Scoresheets for the match will be remitted to the championship desk.Scoresheets must be correctand completed in full or a 5-point penalty can be charged to the working team. Last year we had too many scoresheets with incomplete info. Coaches should check scoresheets before sending them to the desk.

Coaches or another rostered adult are required to stay at the table when their team has work duty. Remind your scorekeepers there are only to be 3 at the table – libero tracker, score flipper, and scorekeeper.NO PHONES.

For 14U and Younger Divisions, a rostered, certified adult must serve as the R2.

Palmetto Region requires that while on officiating duty, no one is to have in possession a cell phone, iPod, or other electronic device, or food. This includes R1, R2, Line judges, and scorekeepers. Violation of this rule will result in a 5-point penalty to the working team for the next match.We would prefer an adult to linejudge and flip score.

Teams who do not report on time for officiating duties are subject to $50 fine per incident or point penalty for next match.

Rosters

Each team must have four printed WEBPOINT rosters –one for check in, one for each day – to provide to R1 officials. Rosters must be correct and only people shown on the roster can participate, including coaches. Write-ins are not acceptable.

Clubs are encouraged to upload rosters to AES that is viewable by parents and college coaches on search computers. Rosters shown in AES may not be correct – don’t request changes to these. AES rosters are posted only as a convenience to parents. They are not the official rosters. Waivered players cannot be uploaded to AES rosters.

First Aid/Athletic Trainer

The Palmetto Region willprovide an athletic trainer and first aid is available for injuries. Come to Championship desk. Come to Championship Desk for Athletic Trainer. First Aid is located though double doors at main entrance.

PARENTS and SPECTATORS:

All poolinformation, court assignments may be found on computers at championship desk via AES (advancedeventsystems.com). They also offer a AES app for mobile phones.

The Palmetto Region has a NO-TOLERANCE policy on screaming, yelling, or making any derogatory remarks to ANY official (Up ref, down ref, line judges, or scorekeepers). Keep in mind…they are human…and most of the time they are kids. Penalty is immediate dismissal from gym, no warning. Region teams may face sanction to participate in future tournaments. Anyone, regardless of who started, will be immediately removed from venue.

Formats / Rules

Warmups

Warmups will consist of 2-4-4: 2 minutes of shared court time, 4 minutes for serving team to hit and serve on full court, and 4 minutes for receiving team to hit and serve on full court.

Match Format

PLAYING FORMATS:All matches are two out of three sets with the third set played only if necessary.ALLmatcheson FRIDAYwill start with a score of6-6for sets 1 and 2. If a third set is necessary, play will be to 15 points starting at4-4, switch sides at 10, and coin toss required.There will be a 2-point cap on all setsFriday.A 2 POINT CAP MEANS IF THE GAME PASSES 25 POINTS THE FIRST TO 27 WINS. (There could be a winning score of 27-26).

ALL matcheson SATURDAYwill start with a score of4-4for sets 1 and 2. If a third set is necessary, play will be to 15 points starting at0, switch sides at 8, and coin toss required.There will be a 2-point cap on all setsSaturday. (There could be a winning score of 27-26).Saturday’s play will determine what playoff bracket teams will participate; all teams will advance toSunday.There may be a playoff game on Saturday to determine who advances to Gold, if so Playoff format should be used.

ALL playoffmatcheson SUNDAYwill start with a score of0-0for sets 1 and 2. If a third set is necessary, play will be to 15 points starting at0-0, switch sides at 8, and coin toss required.There will be NO caps in Playoff PlaySunday.

The first round match losses on SUNDAY will NOT play a consolation match. IF you lose on Sunday, you will work a match following your loss. Make sure you don’t leave or team will be fined.

Some teams ref before they play – make sure you check schedule on Saturday for your times on Sunday. Teams who are not available to working duties on time are subject to $50 fine.

Teams seeking National Bid (in AES, the team will have NB at end of name) Must notify region you plan to seek bid by March 12.

  • You are required to get commitments from your team they are agreeing to commit and attend nationals if they win thebid. Don't wait until day of winning to ask. Decision must be made prior toCharlotte.
  • Some teams have no chance of getting to Gold Division based on season rank, please re-evaluate.
  • Team that is seeking thebidand wins the division, wins thebid out right.
  • If the team who wins the division is NOT seeking thebid, then the bidwill be offered to the highest finish team within the division. Region will evaluate the two highest finish teams seekingbid. In the event that these two teams have not played head to head over the tournament, then these two teams will play a 2/3 match to determine thebid. If one of the two teams are tied with another team seeking thebid, then there will be a 1 game 25 pt playoffamongthetied teams todeterminewho plays the higher ranked team for thebid.

Ghost Players

Teams will be allowed to play with 5 players and use a “ghost player,” with the exception of the Open Division leading to the bid on Sunday during playoffs.

Protests

Notify the R1 immediately if you have a protest. Protest committee will consist of 3 certified officials chosen by official’s chair.

Tiebreakers / Playoff Games

Pool Tiebreaker for pools NOT leading to Open Gold division:

  1. Matches won vs. lost
  2. Game Win %
  3. Total Pool Net Points
  4. Flip a Coin

Two-way ties are always broken by looking at the teams’ head to head results.

Playoff games will be used ONLY for ties leading to the Open Gold Division.

Procedures for Breaking Ties if leading to Open Gold Division:

In the event of a tie or potential tie, all teams should remain in the facility until it is determined if playoff matches are necessary.

  • At the conclusion of pool play, the pool finish positions of the teams are determined by their pool match records.
  • If there is a tie in match record among 2 or more teams in the pool, ties will be resolved using the GJNC National Tie Break Rules
  • Even in 3-team pools where all 3 sets are required to be played, match record – not game record – will determine a team’s finish in the pool for seeding purposes.

Three-way ties

  • If three teams are tied, ALL THREE TEAMS WILL PARTICIPATE IN TIE BREAKER SETS.
  • If two teams can advance to gold, the #1 seeded team will automatically advance, and the #2 and #3 seeded teams will play each other, with team #1 reffing.
  • If only one team can advance to gold, the #2 and #3 seeded teams will play each other first, with team #1 reffing. The winner of that match will play the #1 seeded team, the loser of match 1 will ref match 2.

Two-way Ties:

  • There will be no tie-breaker games played.
  • The first place team will be the team that won the pool play match between the 2 tied teams (head to head)
  • This is the procedure for all two-way ties, even when one team might still advance to Open Gold Division; the tied teams have already determined the better team through head-to-head competition.

If all teams in the pool leading to Open Gold have already qualified for the GJNC, there will be no tie breaker sets for that pool. Ties are resolved by ranking according to set percentage, or, if necessary, point percentage.

Format for Tie Breaker Sets

  • Tie break sets are played to 25 points with one team winning by two points, no cap.
  • Teams will switch sides at 13 points.