HIGHLAND VOLLEYBALL RULES
Apply to all Highland leagues
Rules in red apply to Advanced, Intermediate and Advanced/Intermediate Leagues
Rosters & Tardiness
- 2v2
o Must have 2 players registered NO LATER THAN 3 days before the first scheduled match
o If co-ed league/tournament, must have one player of each gender on roster
- 4v4
o Must have 6 players registered in advance of first game NO LATER THAN 3 days before the first scheduled match
o If Co-ed league/tournament, must have at least one player of each gender on roster and on the court
o A minimum of two players (one of each gender, if co-ed) are required to begin a game
- 6v6
o Must have 8 players registered per team NO LATER THAN 3 days before the first scheduled match
o If co-ed league/tournament, must have two players of each gender on roster and on the court
o A minimum of 4 players (two of each gender, if co-ed) are required to begin a game
o A team can play with 3 players (regardless of gender, if co-ed) but the game will be forefit until the required number of players arrive
- Teams have a 10-minute grace period to begin play with the required number of players. 10 minutes after the hour the first game is forfeit. 20 minutes after the hour, the whole match is forfeit
- Player must be present at start of game to play. Unless approved by opponents, player cannot join mid-game
- Captain must notify Highland Sports Coordinator if team will not be present for a match
Free Agents & Subs
- Free agents are listed in LeagueLab and may be recruited by captains. If a team’s roster is not full 3 days prior to the first match, Highland will fill out teams with free agents
- Subs should be approved by opponents before game – rosters and contact information will be shared at the start of each season. If you cannot find an approved sub, please reach out to Highland or plan to play down a player
- Subs are NOT allowed for play-offs – no exceptions
League Match Play (tournament play may differ)
- Rock, paper, scissor or flip a coin to determine first server. Winner may choose to serve first or may select which side they play on first
- Loser of game serves first for the next game
- EACH MATCH CONSISTS OF THREE GAMES
o 2v2
§ Game 1 and 2 are to 21, win by 2, cap at 25
§ Game 3 is to 15, win by 2, cap at 21
o 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, game may play to 21, win by 2, cap at 25
o 6v6
§ 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, game may play to 21, win by 2, cap at 25
General Rules of Play
- Contact & Serve Receive
o Each team has a maximum of three contacts to return the ball
o 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)
o You cannot block or attack (jump) a serve
o The ball must be contacted cleanly and not held (including lifted, pushed, caught, carried or thrown)
o The ball cannot roll or come to rest on any part of a player's body
o In 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
o The ball may touch the net while crossing the net, including during the serve
o A ball driven into the net may be recovered within the limits of the three team contacts
o If a player goes under the net, it is not a fault unless it interferes with play
o 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
o If the ball touches the outer boundary net, it is out of play
o If the ball goes into another court and a different game is occurring on that court, ball is out of play
- Blocking
o In 2v2, a block counts as one of team’s three touches. In 4v4 and 6v6, block does NOT count as one of team’s three touches
o 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
o 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, player is not permitted to touch the ball beyond the net until the opponent has executed an attack-hit
- Setting / Open Hands
o A contact of the ball with two hands, using the fingers to direct the ball, is a set
o Ball cannot visibly come to rest during a set
o In Advanced/Intermediate Play Only
§ If setting the ball over the net, shoulders must be square to your target. Accidental sets over the net that are NOT square count as a fault
§ You CANNOT open hand receive a serve, hands must be together
§ You CAN open hand receive a hard driven ball (not a serve). Must be clean with minimal spin and no holding
§ Sets must be clean with minimal spin and no holding – captains, please clarify how strictly you will enforce this prior to each match
- Rotating
o 4v4
§ Serve order must rotate consistently
o 6v6
§ Serve order must rotate consistently
§ All players present for the game must rotate into the game in the same order
§ Players must rotate positions around the court, but can swap into new positions once ball is in in play