Coach’s Patio Rules

· No use of nicotine is permitted within 20 feet of where food/drinks are served (cigarettes, e-cigarettes, vapes, etc.)

(If you need to be asked to stop smoking on the patio more than once you will be asked to pay your tab and leave until next week’s games.)

· No drinking of alcohol out of service area (i.e., parking lot)

· No use of marijuana on property

(Anyone caught drinking in the parking lot will be removed from the league. If it is multiple people from the same team the entire team will be removed from the roster.)

Court Rules

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

· Six player teams must have at least four players (minimum two females, two males) on the court at all times. Teams with less than six players may have to adhere to the “ghost rule”.

· Ghost Rule: minimum of 2 females and 2 males on the court at all times.

· Six player teams: can never play with more than 4 men.

STARTING GAMES AND SCORING

· All matches will start at their designated times. There is a 10-minute grace period until a forfeit is declared.

· A team earns service possession for the start of the first game by winning a round of Rock/Paper/Scissors. The teams will then alternate service every other game.

· Teams will play best out of 3 games. The games will be played to 21 with a 2-point score differential with a cap of 25.

· Serves that hit the net and go over the net to the opponent’s side will be "live" and are good serves provided the opposing team plays them or they land in bounds.

SERVICE AND ROTATION

· Each team member must rotate on the court and must remain in that position until the serve has been contacted. The player in the back right hand corner of the rotation will be designated to serve and continue to rotate clockwise.

· Serves that hit the net and continue over the net to the opponent's side of the net will be live.

· The server may not step on or over the end line until the ball has been contacted. The width of the service area is from sideline to sideline. The depth of the service area is infinite.

· The serve may not be blocked or spiked.

· Players can return the serve by:

o A. Bump pass

o B. Hand Set (as long as the ball is not caught or carried)

o C. A closed fist

PLAYING THE BALL

· THREE CONTACTS - Each team is allowed a maximum of 3 successive contacts of the ball in order to return the ball to the opponent's area. (Exception: In the action of blocking an attacking ball, the touch, or contact resulting from the block attempt does not constitute one of the three successive contacts.)

· There are no male/female hitting rules.

· BREAKING THE PLANE – A player may reach over the net to block the ball if any portion of the ball breaks the plane of the net. After the attacker’s side has come in contact with the ball on the third contact.

· SIMULTANEOUS CONTACTS - When two non-blocking teammates touch the ball simultaneously, it is considered one contact, and any player may make the next contact. When two blocking teammates touch the ball simultaneously, it is not counted as a contact, and any player may make the next contact.

· When two opponents simultaneously and instantaneously contact the ball over the net, and the ball remains in play, the team receiving the ball is entitled to another three hits. If such a ball lands “out”, it is the fault of the team on the opposite side of the net from where the ball lands.

· CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CONTACT - The ball can contact any number of body parts down to, and including the foot, providing such contacts are simultaneous and the ball rebounds immediately and cleanly after such contact.

· HELD BALL - The ball must be contacted cleanly and not held, lifted, pushed, caught, carried or thrown. The ball cannot roll or come to rest on any part of a player’s body. It can rebound in any direction.

· HAND SETS - A contact of the ball using the fingers of one or two hands to direct the ball toward a teammate is a set. The ball must come into contact with both hands simultaneously and leave both hands simultaneously to avoid a double hit call. A player may set the ball over the net in front or behind them.

** Please call your “bad hands”, double hits, and holds! **

· ATTACKING THE BALL OVER THE OPPONENTS COURT- A player is not allowed to attack the ball on the opposite side of the net. If the ball is hit above the spiker’s side of the net and then the follow-through causes the spiker's hand and arm to cross the net without contacting an opponent or the net, the action does not constitute a fault.

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.

· MULTIPLE CONTACTS - Multiple contacts of the ball by a player(s) participating in a block shall be legal provided it is during one attempt to intercept the ball. Multiple contacts of the ball during a block shall be counted as a single contact, even though the ball may make multiple contacts with one or more players of the block.

· PARTICIPATION AFTER A BLOCK - Any player participating in a block shall have the right to make the next contact, such contact counting as the first of three hits allowed the team.

· BLOCKING A SERVE - Blocking or attacking a serve is prohibited.

· BLOCKING A BALL ACROSS THE NET - Blocking of the ball across the net above the opponent's court shall be legal provided that such a block is:

o (1) After a player of the attacking team has spiked the ball, or, in the referee's judgment, intentionally directed the ball into the opponent's court, or has exhausted their third allowable hit.

o (2) After the opponents’ have hit the ball in such a manner that the ball would clearly cross the net if not touched by a player, provided no member of the attacking team is in a position to make a legal play on the ball

o (3) If the ball is falling near the net and no member of the attacking team could reasonably make a play on the ball.

PLAY AT THE NET

· PLAYER CONTACT WITH THE NET - No part of the body may touch the net at anytime unless a ball or person driven into the net causes the contact. Player contact with the net in a manner not directly relating to or affecting the course of play is not a violation but if challenged by the other team, play will result in the point being played over. Contact with hair or part of the uniform will not be considered a fault.

· SIMULTANEOUS CONTACT BY OPPONENTS - If opponents contact the net simultaneously, it shall constitute a double fault and the point shall be played over.