Indoor Volleyball

LEAGUE FORMAT

• All teams will compete in the regular season and top teams advance to the playoffs.  The number of playoff teams will be determined by the total number of teams in the league.  As a co-ed league, the intended format is 3 male players and 3 female players on the court at a time.  No more than 3 male players may be on the court at any one time.
• Teams may play an official game with 5 players but no more than 3 male players on the court at any one time. If a team has only 5 players, then they must play with a vacant spot for the sixth player. This spot is included in the regular rotation so that at one point the team will have two players on the front line.  This vacancy is skipped in serving so that a team does not lose service, side out, or point. Teams will have 10 minutes from the start of their designated match time to gather all of their teammates to start the game.  If the entire team isn’t there by 10 minutes after the designated match time the first set will go to the opposing team.  If after 15 minutes there aren’t enough players for a league game the opposing team will win the match.
• If teams are short players they have the option to pick up players from within the league to keep from forfeiting the game.  A minimum of 4 players from the team's roster must be present to field a team.  Picking up a 5th player from within the league to play a game is allowed at the discretion of the official.  A 6th player will only be allowed at the approval of the opposing team since you can play an official league game with 5 players.  All players must wear a SPORTSKIND league shirt or a SPORTSKIND Championship shirt and have signed the team waiver.  If any team member isn’t in their league shirt the opposing team will be given 2 points (per player) before the start of the first game.

THE GAME

• Each match will consist of 2 games to 25.  
• Each game will continue until a two point advantage is reached or until one team reaches 30.  
• If a 3rd game is needed it will be rally scoring to 15 points with no cap in all 3rd games - win by 2.
• All games are rally scoring.  
• Rally scoring simply means that a point will be awarded each time the ball is served regardless of who served it.  
• Each team is allowed one, 1-minute timeout per set.

SUBSTITUTION RULES

• All teams will submit a line-up sheet to the officials for each set.
• There is no limit to the number of players permitted to substitute at one time.
• There is no limit on the number of times a player may enter and re-enter the match. No more than 3 male players may be on the court at any one time.
• Order of players does not change when substitutions are made.
• Teams are permitted to substitute players on any dead ball.
• Players arriving late must wait for a side-out to fill a missing position.
• There is NO LIBERO.

SERVING

• A team earns service possession or choice of side for the start of the first game by winning Rock/Paper/Scissors.
• A legal serve is one that crosses the net and is either touched by an opposing player or lands within the opposing team’s area of the court within the boundary lines.  A serve that makes contact with the net and carries over to the opponent’s side of the net is a live serve and must be returned.
• Jump serves are allowed.
• Players will only receive 1 re-serve per rotation, and the first toss must drop to the floor. If the server does not play the second toss the result is a forfeit of the ball and point to the opponent.
• Players are required to serve in the order they are listed on the line up.
• 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 must rotate one position clockwise before serving.
• The player in the back right-hand corner of the rotation will be designated to serve.
• Players on the receiving team cannot block or attack a serve.
• The serve can be made from anywhere behind the end line and within the sideline.
• A server may not step over the end line until the ball has been contacted.

PLAYING THE BALL

• The front 3 players are the only players allowed to attack the net at any time except on a serve.
• A back row player may only attach the ball (spike) if they jump from behind the 10-foot line.
• Back row players who are setting may not play the ball over the net (dink or dump) if the ball is above the height of the net when it is contacted.
• Each team is allowed a maximum of 3 successive contacts of the ball in order to return the ball to the opponent’s area.
• Receiving a serve with a set is legal, as long as the ball is not caught or carried.
• Players are not permitted to scoop, hold or lift the ball. The ball must be clearly hit.
• A player may touch the floor across the centerline with one or both feet/hands provided a part of the foot/feet or hand(s) remains on or above the centerline. Contacting the floor across the centerline with any other party of the body is illegal.
• The ball must cross the plane of the net before contact may be made unless it is the 3rd hit by the offense and the contact is made to block the shot.
• Contact with the net is a violation. It is not a foul if a player's loose hair touches the net, or the force of a ball hit by the opponent pushes the net into the player.
• Crossing into the other courts is a dead ball.
• A stray ball onto the court constitutes a replay if it comes in during play.
• If the ball hits the roof or anything hanging from the roof it is still in play. If it hits the wall it is out of play.

BLOCKING

• Blocking is the action close to the net which intercepts the ball coming from the opponents’ side by making contact with the ball before, during or after it crosses the net.
• Only front row players are permitted to block.
• Back row players are not permitted to participate in an attempt to block.
• A block contact is not counted as a team hit, and a team is entitled to 3 hits to return the ball.
• The first hit after the block may be executed by any player, including the one who blocked the ball.
• Contacting the ball over the net on a block before the opponent’s 3rd hit is illegal, unless the opponent has no opportunity to play the ball.

PLAYOFFS ELIGIBILITY

• All players participating in the playoffs must be on the official team roster and have played at least 1 regular season game. If an opposing team believes one of the players on the other team hasn’t played in an official regular season game and/or isn’t on the official team roster they can protest that player.
• If a team checks in a player who isn’t on the official league roster and the opposing team protests, said team will automatically forfeit the set.
• Since many teams play without subs please plan accordingly and if you know one of your players won’t be there for the playoffs be sure to have a substitute on the roster.

FORFEIT RULE

• If your team forfeits a game during the season, the following rules apply:
  • First Offense: Loss of game. Score marked: 25-0, 25-0.
  • Second Offense: Loss of game and lost ability to make playoffs.
  • Third Offense: Removal from the league.
• If you know in advance that your team is going to forfeit a game, we encourage you to contact us so we can inform your opponent.
• Teams have until ten minutes past the designated start time to field a full squad (or the league minimum of players required according to rules). If at that time a team is unable to field a legal team, they forfeit the game. The teams may utilize the playing field during their allotted time to play an unofficial game. The official score will be marked as a loss with the respective forfeit score.

OFFICIALS

• All games will be officiated by league staff.
• Only the team captain from each team may approach the official to dispute or question a call.  In the end the call made by the official is final.

SPORTSMANSHIP

• SPORTSKIND 6s indoor volleyball league is a social co-ed league and all players are expected to act in good sportsmanship in both a win and a loss. Our officials while trained are not professionals and are just like you so be sure to treat them with respect and you can expect the same.  In the end this should be a fun league and an outlet for some great exercise and an opportunity to meet some awesome new people!

CONCLUSION

• We enforce a “Zero Tolerance Policy” in regards to behavior of players, managers, and fans. Taunting, trash talking, or abusive language will not be tolerated.  Officials and league staff will have the right to reprimand or eject players, managers, or fans depending on the severity of the situation. Abusive behavior toward the official will not be tolerated. An ejection carries a one game suspension (including the current game). In extreme cases, the player will be asked to leave the premises without refund. The severity of the punishment will be based on the discretion of the official and league staff.
• Only CAPTAINS of respective teams are allowed to approach the official with questions or concerns in a respective manner. Teams charging the field of play to question or complain a call will be subject to automatic forfeit for that game.
• Alcohol and smoking in the playing facility is prohibited.
• Any rules not covered or protests will be handled by the Official.