INTRAMURAL VOLLEYBALL RULES

 

GENERAL

 

1. A team consists of 6 players.  However, teams are permitted to compete with no less than 4 players. 

 

2. If a team cannot field the minimum of 4 players 5 minutes after game time, the first game shall be forfeit.  If a team cannot field the minimum of 4 players 10 minutes after game time (or during the match cannot continue to field at least 4 players) the match will be forfeit.

 

 

3. Teams will be expected to provide one official for a game they are not participating in each week.  the official will be incharge of all calls involving net violations and will oversee the score keeping.  Line calls will be made by team members participating in the match according to the honor code.  The net official will have the authority to overrule line calls if need be. 

 

4. All participants are responsible for knowing the rules outlined below before participating.  Team captains are responsible for ensuring that team members are aware of the rules.  No points will be replayed due to the ignorance of players.  Additionally, all participants are expected to behave with the utmost honor and sportsmanship.

 

 

THE GAME

 

1. A match will consist of the best two out of three games.

           

            a. A non-deciding game (games 1,2) is won when a team scores 15 points and has at least a two point advantage over the opponent.  No game shall exceed 21 points.  If the teams are tied 20-20, the first team to score the 21st point shall be the winner.  Points are awarded to the serving team only.  When a fault is committed by the receiving team, a point is awarded to the serving team and that team continues to serve.  When a fault is committed by the serving team, no point is awarded and the receiving team becomes the serving team.

 

            b. The deciding game of a match shall use the “rally point” system with a point awarded on each service.  For example, when a fault is committed by the receiving team, a point is awarded to the serving team and that team continues to serve.  When a fault is committed by the serving team, a point is awarded to the receiving team and the receiving team becomes the serving team.  The deciding game is won by the first team to score 15 points with at least a two point advantage.  There is no point cap in the deciding game.

 

2.  Each team is permitted two team timeouts of 30 seconds per game.

 

THE SERVICE

 

1.  Each member of the team shall serve in turn and continue to serve until the server or member of the serving team commits a fault.  The team receiving the ball for service must immediately rotate one position clockwise.

 

2.  Both feet of the server must remain behind the endline of the court and between the sidelines of the court.

 

3.  If the served ball touches the net, a teammate or an object before touching an opponent or the opponent’s court or if the ball passes under the net or beyond the boundaries, a side-out is declared.

 

4.  Teams shall change ends at the conclusion of each game.

 

BOUNDARIES AND BOUNDARY VIOLATIONS

 

1. The ball is out of bounds when it touches any surface, object, or ground outside of the court.  A ball touching a line of the court is considered good.

 

2. It is permissible to run out of bounds and play a ball before it contacts an object considered out of bounds.  Once a ball contacts any object other than the ceiling or overhead obstructions other than a player out of bounds (outside of the playable area) it is considered dead.

 

3. Any ball that hits the ceiling or overhead obstruction is alive.  Any ball coming in contact with the baskets emanating from the walls is also good.  A ball contacting a wall or the bleachers is considered dead.

 

4. Crossing the center line within the court boundaries- It is a fault to contact the opponent team’s court with any part of the body except the feet and hands.  It is NOT a fault to cross the center line under the net when:

 

            a. Some part of the encroaching foot, feet, or hands remains on or above the center line.

 

            b. The foot or hand completely crosses the center line, if the encroachment does not present a safety hazard to the opponents, and does not interfere with the opponents. Contact with opponents occurring across the center line is NOT a fault if such contact does not hinder the opponent’s ability to make the next play on the ball.

 

            c. The ball has been declared out of play.

 

BALL CONTACT

 

1. The ball must be cleanly hit.  When the ball comes to rest momentarily in the hands or arms of a player, it is considered to be held-a fault.  Scooping, lifting, pushing, or carrying the ball shall be considered holding and declared a fault.

 

2. The ball may be contacted with any part of the body including head and feet.  The ball can contact any number of parts of the body providing the contacts are simultaneous and that the ball is not held.

 

3. A player who contacts the ball or is contacted by the ball shall be considered to have played the ball.

 

4. Each team is allowed a maximum of three successive team contacts of the ball in order to return the ball to the opponent’s area. (Exception: Blocking)

 

5. No player may contact the ball twice in succession without another player having touched it in between these contacts. (Exception: Blocking)

 

BLOCKING

 

1.  Blocking may only be done by the three players who are in the front row positions of the service order at the time of service.

 

2.  Any player participating in a block shall have the right to make the next contact with the ball, such contact counting as the first of three contacts allowed the team.

 

3.  The team which has effected a block shall have the right to three more contacts in order to return the ball to the opponent’s area.

 

4.  Any blocker may reach over the net; however, the blocker shall not contact the ball over the opponent’s area until after the completion of the opponent’s action which sends the ball towards the blocker’s side.

 

5.  It is illegal to attack or block a serve.

 

SPIKING

 

1.  Any front row player of the service order at the time of service is eligible to spike the ball.

 

2.  Backline players of the service order at the time of service are eligible to spike the ball only if the player is behind the 3 meter attack line at the time of the spike or if the takeoff for the spike was clearly behind the attack line.

 

3.  Spikers may follow through over the net, but may not make contact with the net.

 

NET VIOLATIONS

 

1. Player contact with Net or Antennas- It is a fault to touch any part of the net or the antennas, except by a player’s hair and insignificant contact by a player not involved in the action of playing the ball (players attempting to fake a hit or attempting to block such a play are considered to be involved in the action of playing the ball).

 

            a. If the ball is driven into the net such that it causes the net or antennas to contact a player, such contact is not a fault.

            b. A player may touch a post, rope or other object outside the total length of the net provided this contact does not interfere with the play or is not used as a means of support while playing the ball.

 

2. A player may not reach under the net and touch the ball or a player on the opposing team when the ball is in play on that side.  A player may not interfere with the play of the opposing team by entering their court while the ball is in play.

 

3.  A served ball touching the net is a fault.  At all other times, if the ball touches the net and goes over, it is considered good and play continues.