MEN’S VOLLEYBALL LEAGUE RULES

*Revised 11/19/2016

GAME RULES

  1. All teams shall be compromised of not more than six players at one time. Players must be inside the playing boundaries during a serve.
  1. At least three players must be present to begin a game. Forfeit time will be ten minutes after scheduled game time. (Games with 7:30 start, at 7:40 forfeit one game, at 7:50 forfeit all games.) At the time, the forfeiting team loses one game. If after 20 minutes of game time a team is not complete, the whole series of games will be forfeited. If both teams won’t have three players, the team with the most players in the gym gets game or games and point.
  1. The normal alignment is three players in the front row and three in the back row. The lineup with five players is three in front and two in back; four players is two in front and two in back, and three players is two in front and one in back. Player(s) in the back row may not spike the ball.
  1. Team roster adjustments: If during the course of a season, a team loses a player for a period of time greater than two weeks (whether from injury or other circumstances), and the team now has less than six players each week, the team is allowed to pick up another player who is not currently playing men’s volleyball. The substitute does not have to pay the community education fee for men’s volleyball. This substitute may continue to play each week until the original member returns. Once the original member returns, the substitute is no longer allowed to play on the team, and is now available to be a substitute on another team.
  1. Only the team serving can score.
  1. The team receiving the ball for service must rotate one position, clock-wise, the front line moves one position to the right, and the back line moves one position to the left. A team does not rotate when receiving a ball on first serve.
  1. The server shall stand in the serving area until after the ball has been hit.
  1. First service each night will be determined by the team with fewest points, thereafter the losing team gets the first service of the next game and courts are exchanged.
  1. If a player touches the ball or the ball touches a player, he is considered as having played the ball.
  1. It is permissible to run out of bounds to play a ball. A ball which is knocked out of bounds by the opponents must be allowed to touch the floor or wall before being touched or, unless successfully returned, it counts against the player touching it.
  1. When a ball touches a side boundary line it is considered in bounds. End boundary lines are where the wall and floor meet.
  1. Players are not permitted to scoop or hold the ball. The ball must be clearly batted.
  1. A ball is kept in play if it hits the net and goes into the opponent’s court, including balls on a serve. It is not permissible for a player to assist the ball over on a serve.
  1. A ball hit into the net by a player may still be kept alive provided that the net is not touched by any player.
  1. One player may play the ball twice during a volley, but they cannot be in succession. The ball must be returned over the net by the third contact. Double contact is allowed on any first ball, including blocks, and counts as the first contact.
  1. Players may not touch the net or step over the center line. If both sides touch the net simultaneously, the ball is declared dead and is served over.
  1. A blocker may cross the net to block a ball. However, the ball must be coming toward the net. It cannot be going parallel or away from the net. The blocker can only block the ball; he cannot have a downward movement of his hand or arms. If a blocker goes over the net and he doesn’t contact the ball, he is not penalized. If the blocker touches the net, he will be penalized. A block must be attempted with twohands to count as a block. If a player blocks a ball he can play it again without it counting as a hit. There is blocking on the serve, however, it must be two hands and no downward movement of the arms or hands is permissible.
  1. A game is completed when a team scores a total of 15 points. If a team is not two points ahead when 15 points have been scored, play will continue until one team is two points ahead.
  1. SUBSTITUTION POSITION- A substitute can only take the position of the server. The substitute must play the complete rotation.
  1. When only part of a ball crosses the net and is then contacted by an opponent, it is considered as having crossed the net.
  1. Serves may be underhand, sidearm or overhand. Serves may not be blocked.
  1. All team members present must play as a starter or substitute. If they arrive late, they assume the position at the end of the line when ready for play.
  1. A match will consist of five games with a point awarded to the winner of each game.
  1. A player may play the ball if he and an opposing player hit the ball simultaneously and it falls to his side of the net.
  1. In case of injury and a person cannot continue to play, all substitutes move up one position and the injured person must sit out that game.
  1. On a serve, the ball must go over to the opponent’s court without touching the rafters, ceiling, baseball wires, or baseball net. In regular play, the ball can be played off the rafters, ceiling, baseball wires, or baseball net as long as it stays on your side of the net.Balls that touch the basketball net, rim or backboard on the side of the court are out of bounds. The end lines are the walls and the curtain. A ball that strikes the wall or curtain before touching the floor is out. If it cannot be determined which occurred first, the point is replayed.
  1. Players arriving late enter as the server following the rotation of the current players on the floor.
  1. ABSOLUTELY NO CHILDREN ALLOWED.
  1. All players MUST WEAR CLEAN, DRY TENNIS SHOES.
  1. All teams will be eligible for the playoffs.
  1. Games will be played on all nights listed unless you are called by your captain telling you otherwise. If school is closed because of bad weather, volleyball is cancelled.
  1. TIME OUTS: Two per game, 30 seconds in length. Players cannot leave the gym.
  1. POLES: Balls must be inside the poles to be good.
  1. HITS: A legal hit is contact with the players anywhere on their body, which does not allow the ball to visibly come to rest even momentarily.
  1. No rings or watches are to be worn.
  1. There is only two minutes between games.
  1. HIV RULE: If a person receives a laceration or is bleeding, the match or game is stopped and the person substituted for. The person may only return after the bleeding has stopped and the wound is covered.
  1. LIQUOR: Any player who is detected as having consumed liquor before his/her game will be asked to leave the gym and will not be permitted to play.
  1. Winning teams take the nets andpoles down each night. Please remove the tape marking the lines.
  1. The season will conclude with a single elimination tournament for all teams. All matches will be best two of three.