Start Time

6:00PM – Setup/Warmup

6:15PM – Official Play can start as early as 6:15 if both teams have the required number of players available, otherwise, 6:15 to 6:30 is designated as Grace Period until Official Start Time.

6:30PM – Official Start Time – Start regular play with Minimum 4 players including Minimum of 1 Female or forfeit game 1.  Start delay time.

6:40PM – Delay time ends.  Minimum 4 players including Minimum 1 Female or Forfeit Game 2.  Immediately start Game 3 – Minimum 4 players or forfeit Rest of Games.  (See Number of Players rules below.)

Match and Game Format

This year we are going to be playing 5 games rally point scoring to 21.  That means a point will be scored on every play.  (example: if Team A serves the ball into the net and it does not cross over the net, Team B will receive a point and next serve.)  It is still win by 2 points with a cap at 25 points (first team to 25 wins if the match goes that long)

Number of Players

Each team must field one female player at all times (you can enter a female team but must have one male player).

Minimum of 4 players including a minimum of one female player. This is a co-ed league.  A team will forfeit a maximum of 3 games for not meeting the minimum number of female players requirement.  A team will forfeit every game where less than 4 players are available.

Even with 4 players, we are still playing a 6 person league.  So the team must rotate and the person serving is considered to be in the back row.

RULE CHANGE: For league play ONLY (not tournament), should both managers decide a different personnel package is acceptable to avoid a forfeit or rescheduling, that alternate personnel is deemed allowable for that match.  Both managers must agree for this to be valid.  League personnel will not get involved in any personnel deviation discussions.

Advanced Notice: If  a team knows they will not have 4 players available they have the option of contacting the scheduled opposing team at least 3 hours in advance of the scheduled start time to request that a new match date be scheduled.  The rematch must be completed before the end of the regular season or a 4 game forfeit results.  The team requesting the make-up match will be responsible for scheduling the match with the opposing team captain.  Teams should attempt to schedule make-up matches in good faith, but ultimately, if a make-up date cannot be agreed upon, the team that originally requested the rescheduled match forfeits all 5 games.

NEW RULE: Since teams rarely play the same number of league games, tournament seeding will be based first on game wins (not match wins), but winning percentage and head to head results between close teams can be considered by the tournament organizer.  A forfeit will count as 5 losses in the standings for the forfeiting team, and 5 wins for the available team.  A bye will not count as any wins or losses, it will simply be ignored in the standings.

Home Team / Visiting Team

Home Team: provides the net and lines and serves first for Game 1.

Visiting Team: chooses side first.

Swap sides at the end of each game.  The losing team will serve first for the following games.

Serving Faults: A change of service to the other team when one of the following faults occur:

• The ball passes under the net.
• The ball touches a player of the serving or any object before entering the opponent’s team area.
• The ball lands outside the limits of the opponent’s team court.

A serve may make contact with the net and proceed into the opponents’ court is considered a live ball, play will continue.

Illegal Service: The service is illegal when:

• The players throw or push the ball for service.
• The player serves with two hands or arms.
• The player serves while not in the correct rotation order.
• The player serves inside the back line (court).

Serving Out of Order: If a team has served out of order, the team loses the service and any points gained while serving out of order if it is discovered before the opponents serve.  The players of the team at fault must immediately resume their correct positions on the court.

Change of Service: The team receiving the ball for service shall rotate one position clockwise before serving.

Screening: The players of the serving team must not, through screening, prevent the receiving player from watching the server or the trajectory of the ball.  Screening is illegal and a fault when the hands are held above the shoulders.

PLAYING THE BALL

Maximum of Three Team Hits: Each team is allowed a maximum of three successive hits of the ball in order to return the ball to the opponent’s team area.  BLOCKING DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A TEAM HIT.

Contacted Ball: A player who contacts the ball, or is contacted by the ball other than during blocking action shall be considered as having played the ball.  Such contact constitutes a team hit.

Receiving the serve: A player who receives the serve must have two hand together when contacting the ball. If you receive the ball over the head, you can not try to “set” the ball as a means to receive the serve.

Simultaneous Contacts with the Body: The ball may contact any number of parts of a player’s body, providing such contacts are simultaneous and the ball rebounds immediately and cleanly after such contact on a hard driven ball (a ball with a downward trajectory and with speed)

Successive Contacts: A player may have successive contacts of the ball during blocking and during a single attempt to make the first team hit of a ball coming from the opponents, even if the ball is blocked, provided there is no finger action used during the effort and the ball is not held or thrown.  Any other player contacting the ball more than once, with any part of the body, without an intervening contact by another player, will be considered to have committed a fault.

Held Ball: When the ball visibly comes to rest in the hands or arms of a player, it is considered to have been held.  The ball must hit in such a manner that it rebounds cleanly after contact with a player.  Scooping, lifting, pushing or allowing the ball to roll on the body also shall be considered a held ball.

Receiving a serve open handed is considered a held ball.

Simultaneous Contacts by Opponents: If the ball visibly comes to rest between two opposing players, it is a double fault, and the first referee will direct a playover.

If the ball is contacted simultaneously by opponents and does not visibly come to rest, play shall continue.

After simultaneous contact by opponents, a team has the right to three additional contacts.

After simultaneous contact by opponents, if the ball lands outside a boundary line, the team on the opposite side shall be deemed as having provided the impetuous necessary to cause the ball to land out of bounds.

Ball Played by Teammates: When teammates contact the ball simultaneously other than during blocking action, this is considered to be two team hits.

Attack Hit: An attack hit is an intentional effort to direct the ball into the opponent’s team area in other than blocking action.  A third hit by a team is considered an attack hit, regardless of intention.  A served ball is not an attack hit.

If a player near the net attacks the ball in such a manner that the ball is blocked back into the attacking player, this contact is a first team hit.

Attacking the Serve: It is illegal for a player to attack a served ball while the ball is completely above the height of the net.  (hands may be held above the net but not in a way to hit or spike the ball on a serve)

Attacking over Opponent’s Team Court: A player is not allowed to attack the ball on the opponent’s side of the net.  If the ball is hit above the attacker’s side of the net and follow through causes the attacker’s hand and arm to cross the net without contacting an opponent or the net, such action does not constitute a fault.

Back-Row Attacker: Since our courts do not come with a 10 foot line marking, there will be no jumping to attack the ball from the back row.

Blocking: Blocking is the action close to the net that deflects the ball coming from the opponent’s side by contact with the ball before it crosses the net, as it crosses the net or immediately after it has crossed the net.  An attempt to block does not constitute a block unless the ball is contacted during the effort.  A blocked ball is considered to have crossed the net.

Blocking may be legally accomplished by players who are in the front row at the time of service.

Multiple contacts of the ball by (a) player(s) participating in a block shall be legal provided they are during one attempt to deflect the ball.

Any player participating in a block shall have the right to make the next contact with such contact counting as the first team hit.

Back row players may not block or participate in a block.

Blocking a served ball is a fault.

Blocking of the ball across the net above the opponent’s team court shall be legal provided:

The block is made after a player has attacked the ball or intentionally directed the ball into the opponent’s team area.

The block is made after the opponents have completed their three team hits.

The ball is falling near the net and no member of the attacking team could reasonably make a play on it.

Ball Contacting Top of Net and Block: If the ball touches the top of the net and a blocker above the net and then returns to the attacker’s side of the net, the attacker’s team shall have the right to three team hits.

PLAY AT THE NET

Ball in Net: A ball, other than a served ball, hitting the net remains in play.

Player Contact with Net: If a player contacts the net with any part of the body (other than hair) or uniform during play, it is a fault.  If the ball is driven into the net with such force that it causes the net to contact a player, the contact is not a fault.

Simultaneous Contact with the Net by Opponents: If opponents contact the net simultaneously, it shall constitute a double fault, and shall be a playover.

Crossing the Center Line: Contacting the opponent’s team court with any part of the body except the feet is a fault.  Touching the opponent’s team court with a foot or feet is not a fault provided some part of the encroaching foot or feet remain on or above the centerline.  Basically if you go completely over the imaginary center line, under the net with our without contact with another player you are at fault.

6 Person Team Rules

Rotations must follow 6 person Team Rules. All players must remain in correct rotation until the serve crosses the net.  Back-row players can rotate to the front line but cannot initiate a jump attack from inside the 10 foot line to attack the ball.

Sportsmanship

The general rule is team self call.

Impasse calls: To maintain good level of sportsmanship consider calling a replay rather than resorting to heated arguments.  Team Captains should step forward and discuss calls as necessary.  It is often difficult for the opposing team to “keep quiet” so be diligent, fair and consistent when making calls (on yourself or on the opposing team).

Net Quality

All nets must be 8’-0” above the ground at the center of the net and have sufficient tension to return a hard-driven ball hit into the net back into play.  Badminton nets are not acceptable.

Safety

When setting up courts attempt to keep lines tight to ground to avoid tripping hazards.  Cover guy-wire stakes that protrude from the ground with a tennis ball or other protective device.  Set guy-wires in coordination with adjacent courts to limit obstacles as much as possible.

Centerline – There is typically no centerline at the net.  Avoid crossing the centerline to prevent foot and ankle injuries.

Weather – Lightning and Thunder in the immediate area of the field is call for a weather delay.  Team Captains should confer on when to return to play.  Avoid allowing peer pressure to jeopardize safety.

Cleats

No cleats allowed. We have been asked by the Field Owners to disallow cleated shoes in order to reduce damage to the turf.  Turf shoes will be allowed but all other plastic and metal spikes or cleats are not allowed.