Inaugural Healthy Heart Hustle Sand Volleyball Tournament powered by SPORTSKIND

TOURNAMENT FORMAT

• Teams each play 2 pool play games, and all teams are seeded based upon standings to advance into a single elimination bracket. All teams will make the single elimination bracket. 

THE GAME

• Each match will consist of 2 games to 15.
• Each game will continue until a two point advantage is reached or until one team reaches 21.  
• If a 3rd game is needed it will be rally scoring to 11 points with no cap in all 3rd games.
• 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.
• One 60-second timeout per set, per team.
• 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 team isn’t there by 10 minutes after the designated match time the first game will go to the opposing team. If after 15 minutes there aren't enough players for a game, the opposing team will win the match. 
• Teams may play an official game with 4 players, at minimum. If teams are short players, they have the option to pick up players to keep from forfeiting the game as long as that player hasn’t already played in a game. If you pick up a player from another team, that player cannot then play on their original team. All roster changes must be given to the check-in table.

SUBSTITUTION RULES

• Teams are only permitted to substitute a player on their side-out; substitutions must be acknowledged by the official.
• Side out substitutions enter the match into the serving position.
• Players arriving late must wait for a dead ball/end of point to fill a missing position.
• If a team illegally substitutes a player, that team will lose their serve immediately.

• A team earns service possession 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 not permitted.
• 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 the server. All players shall rotate one position clockwise.
• Players on the receiving team cannot block or attack a serve.

PLAYING THE BALL

• In 6’s only the front 3 players are allowed to attack the net.
• Each team is allowed a maximum of 3 successive contacts of the ball in order to return the ball to the opponent’s area.
• Open hand dinks are illegal. An open hand allows the player to affect the direction of the ball by using fingertips in conjunction with the twist of the wrist.
• When setting the ball over the net, the players shoulders must be square to the direction of the set.
• Players are not permitted to scoop, hold or lift the ball. The ball must be clearly hit.
• There is no centerline. You may cross under the net providing that you do not contact a player from the other side or hinder their play of the ball.
• 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. This includes contact made by hats, hair or clothing.
• Crossing or playing over any of the ball guards is a dead ball.
• Crossing into the other courts is a dead ball.
• A stray ball onto the court constitutes a replay if it comes in during play.

BLOCKING

• Blocking is the action close to the net which intercepts the ball coming from the opponent's side by making contact with the ball before, during or after it crosses the net.
• 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.

FORFEIT RULE

• If your team forfeits a game during the tournament, the following rules apply:
  • Loss of game. Score marked: 15-0, 15-0.

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

• 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. 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 is not allowed on playing fields.
• Any rules not covered or protests will be handled by the Official.
• Sand is played in the rain if at all possible unless the Official or Facility Representative decides it is necessary to postpone due to dangerous playing conditions or lightning.  If lightning occurs, all attempts will be made to resume play 30 minutes after the last lightning flash is viewed and the official deems it safe to resume play. The games will resume as scheduled if at all possible, or shortened if necessary.

LEAGUE AUTHORITY

• FIGHTING WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.  ANY INSTANCES OF FIGHTING MAY RESULT IN A TEAM FORFEIT OF THE TOURNAMENT AND POSSIBLE EXPULSIONS FROM FUTURE TOURNAMENTS.
• ALL DECISIONS OF THE LEAGUE STAFF ARE FINAL.  THE LEAGUE STAFF SHALL ALSO HAVE THE FINAL AUTHORITY TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO GAME SCHEDULES, GAME DURATION. AND OTHER ASPECTS OF THE RULES OR OF THE LEAGUE.