INFORMAL DIVISION						        GUIDELINES FOR VOLLEYBALL RULES
ARCHICHOKE/ENGINERD VOLLEYBALL LEAGUE		        REVISED 31 May 2010

1.  The captains from each team shall decide together prior to the first game of that evening by what rules the games shall be played.  The following are an attempt at a middle of the road approach.  They shall be the rules for the match unless the two captains agree beforehand to amend any item.  The two captains may elect to use strict US Volleyball Rules (a copy of rules should be on hand) or may relax any of the following rules.

2.  Court Dimensions: Width shall be 30 ft.  Depth shall be 30-ft. back from the net on each side.   The entire boundary shall be clearly marked by a continuous rope.  The net shall be 8 ft. high in the center of the court.

3.  All individual games shall be to 25 points, win by 2, except first team to 27 points wins, using rally scoring (Under this system a team can score a point on a volley they win even if they didn’t serve). A match shall consist of 5 games, each game counts as one point in the standings.  Spin the ball or use rock, scissors, paper to determine first serve. Change sides when the first team reaches 13 points in the 5th game only.  

4.  A team shall consist of a maximum of six (6) players on the field at one time and a minimum of three (3).  A minimum of one (1) of the fielded players must be a woman. Maximum number of men is 4 at any one time.  You must comply with all the above to have a “legal” team.

5.  There is no “Woman must hit the ball” rule.

6.  The match should start by 6:45 PM.  The forfeit time for the first game of a match is 6:50 PM.  You must have a “legal” team by 6:50 PM (see rule #4).  Subsequent games shall be forfeited at 15-minute intervals. (Nets shall be set up no later than 6:30 PM.

7.  Player positions shall rotate clockwise on service (including on the first side out).  The exact position that a player rotates into is at the individual team’s option.  However, the system shall not be changed during the game.  A team may also use open substitution, but it must be for the same players each time in a game.

8.  The service must be from anywhere behind the back court line on your side.  This rule can be modified by the two captains to accommodate an obstruction such as a tree branch.   Contact with an obstruction such as a branch by the ball shall be a “play-over” unless agreed to otherwise.  You may have unlimited tosses during the serve as long as you let the ball drop to ground untouched on any bad tosses.  The serve touching the net as it goes over is a legal serve when using the 25 point rally scoring system.

9.  The ball hit out of bounds is a turn over (side out) to the opposing team.    Whether blocking or hitting, it is the last person that touches the ball before it goes out of bounds who is charged with the turn over.  It is legal to hit the ball from outside the court as long as it goes between the lines at the poles before it crosses to the opponent’s side.  If the ball touches you before it hits the ground, even though you are standing out of bounds it counts as a contact.  A ball touching any part of a boundary line is considered to be “in”.

10.  Each team is allowed 3 contacts (hits) on their side.  Blocks (contacts at and above the net) do not count as one of your 3 hits.  The ball can be played with any part of the body, but never twice in a row by the same person except during a block.  In this Division except in the “Serious” group, only the very obvious “carries” and “throws” where the ball comes to stop or catch are to be turnovers.

11.  It is legal for you to break the plane of the net on the follow through of your hit as long as a portion of the ball was on your side when you initially contacted it and you do not hit the top tape of the net in the process.  It is also legal to go over the net to block an opponent’s “hit” as long as you don’t touch the top tape of the net and you don’t interfere with an opponent’s “set”.  IE: the ball you are blocking has to be heading over the net not parallel to the net.  Blocking/Spiking the serve at the net is not legal.

12.  Touching the net is a foul only when touching the top tape or cord on the net (NEW RULE IN 2010).  

13.  Hard driven balls (spikes and serves) can now be received with hands apart overhead by “passing” the ball as long as it is not an obvious catch and throw.

14.  Since there are no refs, it is important for each player to call their own their own faults, touches and net violations.  If there is any dispute, only the captains shall discuss it. If they can not agree, the point shall be “played over”.

15.  Above all, remember this league is not the Olympics.  Don’t get too serious and have some fun!