Go For Gold! 4v4 Coed Advanced/Intermediate Volleyball Tournament

Sand Volleyball General Rules of Play 

League Match Play (tournament play may differ)

4v4 

- Game 1 and 2 are to 21, win by 2, cap at 25  

- If game 3 begins with less than 15 minutes left of the allotted match time, game is to 15, win by 2, cap at 21. If more than 15 minutes remain, the game may play to 21, win by 2, cap at 25  

Contact & Serve Receive 

- Each team has a maximum of three contacts to return the ball 

- A player may not contact the ball two consecutive times unless blocking or at serve return (so if the serve hits you in the face and then you bump it, that’s OK) 

- You cannot block or attack (jump) a serve 

- The ball must be contacted cleanly and not held (including lifted, pushed, caught, carried or thrown) 

- The ball cannot roll or come to rest on any part of a player's body 

In Advanced & Advanced/Intermediate Play Only 

- For single-hand contact, ball must be cleanly hit with the heel or palm of the hand, or with straight and locked fingertips, with knuckle, or with the back of the hand. No open-hand tips 

Net & Boundaries 

- The ball may touch the net while crossing the net, including during the serve 

- A ball driven into the net may be recovered within the limits of the three team contacts 

- If a player goes under the net, it is not a fault unless it interferes with play 

- It is a fault for a player or a player's clothing to touch any part of the net with the exception of incidental contact of the net by a player's hair OR if wind blows the net and causes the net to touch a player   

- If the ball touches the outer boundary net, it is out of play 

- If the ball goes into another court and a different game is occurring on that court, ball is out of play 

Blocking 

4v4

- Block does NOT count as one of team’s three touches 

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

- In blocking, the player may place his/her hands and arms beyond the net provided that his/her action does not interfere with the opponent's play. Thus, players are not permitted to touch the ball beyond the net until the opponent has executed an attack-hit 

Setting / Open Hands 

- A contact of the ball with two hands, using the fingers to direct the ball, is a set 

- Ball cannot visibly come to rest during a set 

In Advanced & Advanced/Intermediate Play Only 

- If setting the ball over the net, shoulders must be square to your target. Accidental handsets over the net that are NOT square count as a fault 

- You CANNOT open-hand receive a serve, hands must be together 

- Open hand receives on the first ball are ONLY allowed if it's a hard driven ball (no open hand receives on serves, bumps or pushes over).

- Sets must be clean with minimal spin and no holding – captains, please establish how strictly you will enforce this prior to each match 

Rotating 

4v4 

- Serve order must rotate consistently 

Rosters & Tardiness

- Teams have a 10-minute grace period to begin play with the required number of players. 10 minutes after the hour the first set is forfeit. 20 minutes after the hour, the whole match is forfeit 

- Player must be present at start of set to play. Unless approved by opponents, player cannot join mid-game 
- Minimum of two players is required to begin a game.