Spike-tober Slam Indoor Volleyball Tournament – Heritage Classical Academy

TOURNAMENT FORMAT

Round Robin (Pool Play)

• All teams will compete in a pre-determined number of Round Robin games followed by playoffs.
• Each matchup in pool play consists of a single set to 21 points, rally scoring. Win by 2, with a cap at 25.
• Each set = one game in the Round Robin standings.

Playoffs

• Playoffs will consist of a single elimination tournament for the top teams
• The number of playoff teams will be determined and announced at the event.
• Playoffs follow a best 2 out of 3 sets format.
• Sets 1 & 2: played to 21, rally scoring (win by 2, cap at 25)
• Set 3 (if needed): played to 15, rally scoring (win by 2, no cap)

Playoff Advancement Criteria

• Overall record of your sets (games) played during pool play
• Head-to-head result (if applicable)
• Overall point differential
• In the rare case where there is a tie after these factors, we will go to a coin flip

THE GAME

• As a co-ed tournament, the intended format is 3 male players and 3 female players on the court at a time. No more than 4 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. 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. 
• All players must wear the assigned SPORTSKIND tournament shirt or a SPORTSKIND Championship shirt and be registered to their team’s roster/have signed the waiver in order to be eligible to participate in the tournament.  If any team member isn’t in their tournament shirt the opposing team will be given 2 points before the start of the first game. 
• All team members must play in at least one of the pool play games to be eligible for the single elimination part of the tournament. Any team found to have a player on the court that did not sign the waiver or play in a pool play game will forfeit that game. This responsibility is up to the team captain to make sure all players are registered on the team and have been added to the roster.

SUBSTITUTIONS

• 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.
• The 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.

SCORING

• All games use rally scoring, meaning a point is awarded on every serve, regardless of which team served.
• Each matchup in pool play consists of a single set to 21 points, rally scoring.
• Win by 2, with a cap at 25.
• Each set = one game in the Round Robin standings.

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.

FAULTS 

• A team hits the ball more than three times before returning it.
• A player hits the ball twice in succession or the ball touches two different parts of his/her body (double contact)
• Back row spiking or blocking in front of the attack line
• Using the support of a teammate or an object to reach the ball (assisted hit)

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.

FORFEIT RULE

OFFICIAL

• 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

CONCLUSION