RULES

• A single game is called a set

• Teams will play a total of 3 sets

• Teams will switch sides after the completion of a set

 

SCORING

• Rally scoring

• Play to 25 points, must win by 2

• First 2 games played to 25, last game played to 21

• Rally scoring means a point will be awarded to a team on every play, no matter which team served the ball

 

POSITIONS

• At the moment the ball is hit by the server, each team must be within its own court

 

OUT OF BOUNDS

• The ball is "out" when it falls on the ground completely outside of the boundary lines, without touching the boundary line

 

SERVING

• Opposing team cannot spike a serve

• When the serving team wins the rally, the player who served before, serves again

• When the receiving team wins the rally, it gains the right to serve and the player who did not serve last time will serve, players will rotate clockwise

• Players serve according to the service order

 

EXECUTION OF THE SERVICE

• The server may move freely within the serving zone.  At the moment of the serve, the server must not touch the court, the end line included.  After the serve, the server may step inside the court.

• If the line moves because of the sand pushed by the servicer, it is not considered a fault

• The server must call out the score before serving the ball

• The ball shall be hit with one hand or any part of the arm after being tossed or released and before it touches the playing surface

• If the ball, after having been tossed or released by the server, lands without being touched or caught by the server, it can be reserved.  If the ball lands and is touched by the server it is considered a serve.

• The teammate of the server may not prevent opponent from seeing the server or path of the ball.  On the opponents request they must move sideways.

 

PLAYING THE BALL

• Each team must play within its own playing area and space

• A player may not hit the ball two times consecutively

• Two players may touch the ball at the same moment

• When two teammates touch the ball simultaneously it is counted as two hits

• If there is simultaneous contact by two opponents over the net and the ball remains in play, the team receiving the ball is entitled to another three hits

 

CHARACTERISTICS OF A HIT

• The ball may touch any part of the body

• The ball must be hit, not caught or thrown

• The ball can rebound in any direction

 

FAULTS

• A team hits the ball four times before returning it

• A player takes support from a teammate or any other structure/object in order to reach the ball

• A player hits the ball twice in succession or the ball touches various parts of the body successively

 

BALL AT THE NET

• The ball sent to the opponents court must go over the net within the boundary lines

• The ball can be played back inbounds from outside of the boundary lines provided that it is within the three team hits.  The opposing team may not prevent this action.

• The ball is “out” when it crosses under the lower space under the net

• A player may enter the opponent’s court in order to play the ball before it crosses completely over the lower space under the net

 

BALL TOUCHING NET

• While crossing the net, the ball may touch the net

• A ball driven into the net may be recovered within the limits of the three team hits

 

PLAYERS AT THE NET

• A player is permitted to pass their hand beyond the net after their attack hit provided that their contact has been made within own playing space

• Contact with the net by a player is not a fault unless it is made during the actions of playing the ball, or it interferes with the play

• Once the player has hit the ball they may touch the post, rope or any other object outside the net provided that this actions does not interfere with play

• When the ball is driven into the net and causes it to touch an opponent, no fault is committed

 

PLAYER FAULTS AT THE NET

• A player touches the ball or an opponent in the opponent’s space before or during the opponents attack-hit

• A player penetrates into the opponents space and/or court interfering with the opponents play

• A player touches the net during their action of playing the ball or interferes with the play

 

BLOCKING

• Blocking is the actions of players close to the net to intercept the ball coming from the opponent by reaching higher than the top of the net

• The first hit after the block may be executed by any player, including the one who has touched the ball at the block

• In blocking, the player may place their hands and arms beyond the net provided that his/her action does not interfere with the opponent’s play.  Thus it is not permitted to touch the ball beyond the net until the opponent has executed an attack hit.

• A blocking contact is not considered a hit.  After a block, three hits are permitted.

 

BLOCKING FAULTS

• A fault occurs if the blocker touches the ball in the opponent’s space either before or simultaneously with the opponents attack hit

• A fault occurs if a player blocks the opponents serve

• A fault occurs if the ball is set “out” off the block

• When a fault occurs the opposing team gets the ball

 

PENETRATIONS INTO THE OPPONENTS SPACE and/or COURT

• A player may enter into the opponents space and/or court provided that this does not interfere with the opponents play

 

 

ADDITIONAL RULES SPECIFIC TO PLAYOFFS

• Regular season volleyball rules still apply during playoffs

• Playoff games best of 3

• Single elimination

• Additionally, if your team has subs, they must be already registered FLAC subs, no new FLAC players

• A FLAC sub/full time player may only play for one team throughout the entire playoffs, this means if you sub/play for a team you can only play for that team.  If the team you are playing on gets knocked out of playoffs you may not sub or play for another team still in playoffs.

• If a team or player quits FLAC they have to re-register as a sub in order to play in playoffs

• If a team needs players they cannot take full time players from another team to play with them in playoffs, they can only utilize previously registered subs that have not previously played in a playoff game

• If a player is a full time registered player for a team they cannot play with a different team during playoffs

• Rankings for playoffs: Rankings are based on a teams wins for the season.  In the event that 2 or more teams are tied for a ranking the following rules will be used to determine the rankings among those teams (in this order):

  • Head-2-head win/losses- the winner from the most recent match up will take the lead

  • If the 2 teams have not played each other in the season their individual wins will be compared to the top ranking teams.  The team with more wins against the top ranking team will take higher seed.  If each tied team has not played or has equally won/loss against the top ranking team, they will be compared to 2nd place team, then 3rd place team and so on.