Volleyball Rules

THE MATCH:

The match shall be played between two teams of six players each. A match shall consist of the best two-out-of-three games. The first team to win two games shall be the match winner.

START OF THE GAME:

Flip for service at the start of the match and if there is to be a third game. In addition, before the first game, referee must ask if any rules need to be clarified.

SUBSTITUTION:

The substituting player many only enter the game at the server position and may re-enter as many times as possible.

TIMEOUT:

A team is allowed 2 timeouts per game, each being 30 seconds in duration.

PLAYING THE BALL:

The ball may be played by any part of the body.

SCORING:

• Rally scoring will be used.
• A team may score on any play.
• A team will serve upon winning a point.
• The first two games will be played to 30 points. The final game shall be played to 15 points.
• No game will have a point cap.
• The winning team must win by two points in all three games.

THE SERVE:

The ball may be served anywhere behind the end line. The serve shall not be attacked, whether spiked or blocked, while the ball is above the top of the net. A served ball which contacts the net will not be ruled a deadball if during the ball's flight it crosses the net to the receiving team.

BLOCKING:

After a block, the blocking team still has three touches. In addition, penetration is allowed, but only the front row can block.

DEAD BALL:

A served ball is dead if before it contacts an opponent or the floor of the opponent's area it:

• Touches the floor of the server's area or a teammate of the server.
• Passes under the net.
• Crosses the net entirely outside the antenna or is otherwise out of bounds.
• The ball touched the ceiling or the net.

BACK ROW ATTACK:

A back row player inside the 10 foot line returning the ball across the net must contact the ball from below the top level of the net. Should the player do so behind the 10 foot line upon take off, the restriction does not apply.

CONTACTING THE NET:

• It is a fault to touch any part of the net or the antennas, except for insignificant contact by a player not involved in the action of playing the ball.
• Players directly playing the ball, attempting to fake an attack-hit, or attempting to block such a play, are considered involved in the action of playing the ball.
• If the ball is driven into the net with such force that it causes the net or antennas to contact a player, such contact is not a fault.

REACHING OVER THE NET:

A player is not allowed to initiate an attack-hit while the ball is completely on the opponent's side of the net. If the ball is hit above the attacker's side of the net and the follow through causes the attacker's hand and arm to cross the net without contacting an opponent orthe net, this action does not constitute a fault.

CROSSING THE NET:

• Encroachment into the opponent's court with the foot, feet or hand(s) is permitted, provided some part of the encroaching extremity remains in contact with or directly above the centerline, and there is no interference with opponents.
• Encroachment into the opponent's court with any part(s) of the body is permitted, provided some body part remains either in contact with or directly above the centerline, and there is no interference. In addition, completely crossing the centerline with the foot, feet or hands, or encroachment with other body parts cannot present a safety hazard to opponents.
• It is not a fault to cross the centerline after the ball is out of play. It is not a fault to cross the extension of the centerline outside the boundaries of the court and enter the opponent's free zone, provided there is not Interference with opponents.

COED VOLLEYBALL MODIFICATIONS:

• A team may start with as few as four players (two men and two women) but cannot continue with less that four. Maximum number of players is six.
• A team may never have more men than women on the court at a time, but there may be more women than men on the court at a time.
• Service order and positions on the floor must alternate male/ female. (Exception: there are more women then men on the floor. In this instance, no two men may serve in succession).
• When the ball is played more than once by a team, a female player must make at least one contact. There is no requirement for a male player to contact the ball regardless of the number of contacts by a team.
• One back row player may also block when there is only one male player in the front line.