Official Grass Volleyball Rules

BADGETT SPORTS COMPLEX IS A PRIVATE VENUE WITH AN ON SITE BAR & GRILL.

NO OUTSIDE ALCOHOL OR COOLERS ARE ALLOWED IN THE FACILITY, HOWEVER THEY DO SELL BEER THAT YOU CAN ENJOY DURING GAME PLAY!

Team

1. Team rosters shall include a minimum of the 7 players, including at least 2 of each gender:
2. The maximum number of players on the court is 5 per team.
3. If a team does not have 5 players total and at least 1 player of each gender, they may start with as few as 3 players (missing players shall be designated "Ghost Players"; see section on Rotation).
4. All players must be registered with the League to play with the team. Unregistered substitutes are not permitted. Any team found to be playing with an unregistered player will forfeit the game.
5. When a team has fewer than the required number of players of a specified gender available, players of one gender may not be substituted for members of another gender. For example, if a team has 4 total players available at game time, but none are female, the team must play short with 3 players, and the 4th designated as a "ghost player."
6. Players arriving late may join a game already in progress by going into the rotation line.
7. All players present during the match may, but are not required to, play in each game of the match.
8. The player order for the purpose of rotation must be determined before each game, however it may be altered between games.
9. Late Registration: a team may add players to the roster through the Absolute Deadline.

Officials

1. Each game shall be officiated by a League-assigned referee.
2. Referees are responsible for:
   1. Keeping game time.
   2. Enforcing all game rules.
   3. Calling points and errors.
   4. Recording the game score.

Playing Area

1. The volleyball court shall measure approximately 60 feet long by 30 feet wide and include a center line.

Equipment/Outfits

1. Games will be played with a regulation volleyball provided by the League.
2. Players must wear their League-provided t-shirts of the appropriate color for their team.
3. Players must either wear soft-soled, close-toed shoes (indoor and grass) or be completely barefoot (sand).

Game Clock

1. Each match shall be completed within 45 minutes, or after the completion of the 3 Matches.
2. Each team is permitted one 1-minute time-out per game. Unused timeouts do not carry over into subsequent games.

Service

1. A coin toss shall determine which team makes the first serve. The losing team of each match will receive the first serve of the corresponding match.
2. Server must be delivered from behind the boundary line.
3. Served balls that contact the net on the way over are considered live and may be played.
4. Served balls are dead, and a side-out and point awarded to the opposing team if:
   1. The ball fails to cross the top of the net.
   2. The ball makes contact with the ceiling or other obstruction.
   3. The ball lands out of bounds.
   4. The ball contacts a serving team's player prior to crossing the net.

Returns

1. Any part of the body may be used to hit the ball, including feet, including feet not incontact with the floor.
2. Serves may not be attacked or blocked; i.e. they may not be returned when the ball is higher than the top of the net.
3. The ball must be returned with no more than three hits.
4. A player may not hit the ball twice in a row.
5. A player in the back row may spike the ball.
6. No part of a player's body is permitted to break the plane of the net (the area above the net) for any reason, including when blocking on a return.
7. A ball that hits the ceiling or any objects attached from the ceiling (basketball backboards, light fixtures, scaffolding, etc.) shall remain in play provided the ball remains on the hitting team's side of the court. Should this happen while crossing the plane of the net, the ball is dead and a side-out and point awarded to the opposing team.

Rotation

1. When a team receives the ball after a side-out has been called on the opposing team, the team shall rotate available players prior to serving.
2. Players shall rotate to the next position, rotating clockwise.
3. The player in the front-right position, and only this player, shall rotate off the court, and the next player waiting on the sideline rotated into and only into the server's position.
4. When 4 players are on court, there shall be 2 players in the front row and 2 players in the back row at each serve.  After the ball is served, all players are eligible to play front and back.
5. When a team fields fewer than 4 players, the positions for the missing players shall be designated as "ghost players." When a ghost player arrives at service, that team shall receive a side out, and the other team 1 point.
6. In the event that the rotation will result in the team not meeting the on-court gender requirements due to a player of a particular gender moving off the court, the outgoing player may instead jump ahead in the order and move directly to the server's position. Alternatively, the referee will call a side out and the opposing team awarded 1 point.

Side Outs

1. If a team commits an error or foul, a side out shall be called, 1 point and service awarded to the opposing team. 
   Errors include:
   1. Ball lands out of bounds.
   2. Ball fails to pass over the net on a serve.
   3. Carrying the ball.
   4. Team contact with the ball more than three times in a return.
   5. A player contacting the ball more than once in a row.
   6. Ball contacts the ceiling or hanging object prior to crossing the net.
   Faults include:
   1. A player making contact with the net during the serve, unless the net is pushed into the player.
   2. Breaking the plane of the net with any part of the body.
   3. Blocking a serve.
   4. Making contact with the net while attempting to play the ball. Exceptions: Incidental contact by a player not actively attempting to play the ball is NOT a fault. Contact with the net as a result of movement of the net is NOT a fault.
   5. Crossing the plane of the net (area above the net).
   6. A player on the back row crosses the attack line to spike the ball.
   7. Placing a foot or hand completely over the center line.
   8. Illegal rotation or substitution.
   9. A "ghost player" rotates to the service position (see Rotation).
   10. A player making contact with the opposing team's side of the court.
   11. Unsportsmanlike conduct.

Scoring

1. One point shall be awarded for each service, i.e. "rally scoring".
2. The first team to score 21 points by a margin of 2 or more, or to reach 25 by any margin shall win the game.
3. If a team has scored 21 points without a margin of 2 or more points, game play and scoring will continue until the margin has been reached or a team has reached 25 points.
4. Each Game will be 3 Matches with each Match counting as 1 point in the Standings.

Forfeits

1. Teams must be ready to play and meet game start requirements at the posted game time. Any team not ready to play at this time shall forfeit, and the opposing team shall take a default win.
2. If neither team is ready to play, both teams shall forfeit.

Cancellation Policy

1. Email And Facebook is primarily used to inform participants of canceled games due to inclement weather and field conditions.  These cancellation decisions typically don't occur before 3pm the day of the game. Participants should always assume their game is being played as scheduled unless they hear otherwise.
2. Knoxville Sports & Social Club will make all efforts to reschedule up 2 weeks of games per season due to weather related cancellations.  Any cancellations after that, may not be made up due to time and scheduling constraints.