1

HUB LAKES VOLLEYBALL RULES

(Revised - 2000)

CHAPTER 1 - STARTING TIME

1.1 The women's match shall start at 7 PM. If a team is

not ready to play by 7:20 they shall forfeit the first game. If

that team is not ready to play by 7:40 they shall forfeit the

match.

1.2 The men's match shall start 15 minutes after the

finish of the women's match or 8:00 PM, which ever occurs first.

If a team is not ready to play within 20 minutes of the

scheduled starting time they shall forfeit the first game. If

that team is not ready to play within 40 minutes of the

scheduled starting time they shall forfeit the match.

CHAPTER 2 - COURT AND PLAYING CONDITIONS

2.1 The condition of the court is the home team's

responsibility

2.2 Court size shall be:

length: 58.5 ft to 61.4 ft.

width: 29 ft to 31 ft.

2.3 Height of the net will be: Women: 7.5 feet (plus

or minus 2 inches) Men: 8 feet (plus or minus 2 inches)

2.4 Height of the net may vary as long as it remains

within the specific limits

2.5 Each court shall be sufficiently illuminated at night

and the boundary lines must be clearly defined. The ground

rules must be clearly defined before each match, including out

of play areas.

2.6 The playing surface will be safe and clear of all

dangerous obstructions. Macadam courts should be swept off and

sand courts should be watered down before games to keep the dust

level down.

2

2.7 Macadam courts should have a line 10 feet back from the

net, side line to side line, to designate the 'attack' area.

Sand courts should have a marker on each of the sidelines to

help the referee determine the attack area.

CHAPTER 3 - OFFICIATING

3.1 Both the home team and the visiting team will supply

one official each to call violations and they will be referred

to as game officials.

3.2 Both teams will supply one individual to call the

lines and will be referred to as line judges

3.3 Each game official will call violations by the use of

a whistle.

3.4 Either game official may over rule a line judge.

3.5 Both game officials have equal power and may not over

rule one another. If both officials make opposing calls on the

same play, a play over shall occur.

3.6 A captain may request an any time after any game that

either a line judge or game official be replaced. The request

must be complied with. Failure to replace the line judge or

official shall constitute a forfeit of that game. Each team

will be allowed a total of one request per match for either a

line judge or official. Total requests may not exceed one. The

judge or official requested to leave shall be referred to as

'dismissed' for the match.

CHAPTER 4 - RULES OF PLAY

4.1 DURATION OF THE GAME AND CHOICE OF TEAM AREA

4.1.1Number of games in a match. All matches shall

consist of the best three out of five games.

4.1.2Choice of playing area. The visiting team shall

call the coin toss. The winner of the coin toss has choice of

service or court side.

3

4.1.3Changing of playing area. After each game of a

match, the teams will change playing areas. If a fifth game is

played, the two teams will also switch playing areas when either

team reaches 8 points. Play will continue with the same server

and court positions. If the change of playing areas is not made

at the proper time, it will occur as soon as the game official

or one of the captains notices. The score, server and court

positions will remain the same at the time of discovery.

4.1.4Number of players. All games should start with

six players, however a team must have at least five to start.

Due to an injury during a match, a team would be permitted to

play with less than five.

4.1.5Choice of ball. The official ball for Hub Lakes

play shall be the Tachikara model SV5W or SV18L. Both the home

team and visiting shall provide game balls. The home team has

its choice of ball for games 1, 3, and 5. The visiting team has

its choice of ball for games 2 and 4. A ball other than the

specified official game ball may be used if both teams agree.

4.1.6Time outs and injuries. Time out may be granted

by the referee only when the ball is dead. A team is allowed

two, 60 second time outs per game. A referee may call an

'official' time out in the event of an injury.

4.1.7Length of time between games. A maximum of 2

minutes is allowed between games in a match.

4.1.8Interruptions of a match. In any circumstances

or series of events prevent the completion of a match, such

as bad weather, failure of equipment, etc., the match will be

rescheduled, retaining the game and match score. Home team will

decide if weather conditions make the court unplayable.

4.2 Commencement of play and service

4.2.1The service. The service is the act of putting

the ball in play by the player in the right back position, who

hits the ball with the hand (open or closed) or any part of the

arm to sent it over the net into the opponent's area. The

server may stand anywhere behind the back line but between the

4

side lines when serving. The server may jump to serve the ball

but may not land or touch the playing area until the ball has

left his/her hand. The serve is considered good if the ball

passes over the net completely between the boundary lines. The

referee must whistle before each serve. The serve must be

completed within ten seconds after the whistle, or the serve is

forfeited. A server may re-toss the ball for serve, without any

limit to the number of tosses as long as the ball is contacted

for serve within 10 seconds after the service whistle.

4.2.2Duration of service. A player continues to serve

until her/his team commits a fault or fails to return the ball

to the opponents playing area.

4.2.3Serving faults. the referee will signal a

sideout and direct a change of service to the other team when

one of the following service faults occurs:

a. The ball does not pass completely over the net between

the boundary lines.

b. The ball touches the net.

c. The ball touches a player of the serving team or any

object before entering the opponents area.

d. The ball lands outside the limits of the opponent's

playing area

4.2.4Serving out of order. If a team serves out of

order, the team loses the service and any points gained

by that server. The players of the team at fault

must immediately resume their correct position.

If the service fault is not discovered until

after a sideout no penalty is assessed.

4.2.5 Service in subsequent games. The losing team of the

previous game will serve the next game.

4.2.6Screening. After the whistle for serve, it is

illegal for a player(s) on the service team to move out of a set

position until the ball is contacted by the server. The service

team may not form groups of two or more players for the purpose

of screening the action of the server. Violation will result in

loss of ball.

5

4.3 CHANGE OF POSITION

4.3.1Rotation for service. Any team which gains the

ball for service after a side out must rotate one position prior

to serve. Rotation must be in a clockwise direction when facing

the net.

4.3.2At the beginning of a new game, the players may

change their positions, providing the scorer has received new

lineups before the game starts.

4.4 CONTACTING THE BALL DURING PLAY.

4.4.1Contact with the ball. The ball may be hit with

any part of the body.

4.4.2 Contacted ball. A player who contacts the ball

or is contacted by the ball shall be considered as having played

the ball. (exception, see blocking rules)

4.4.3Number of contacts. Each team is allowed a

maximum of THREE successive contacts of the ball in order to

return it to the opponent's area. No one player may make two

consecutive contacts.

4.4.4Held ball. The ball must be contacted and

rebounded cleanly from the body. It may not be held, lifted,

pushed, caught or carried. The ball may not roll or come to

rest on the body.

4.4.5Simultaneous contacts with the body. The ball

may contact any number of parts of the body providing the

contacts are simultaneous and that the ball is not held but

hit and rebounds cleanly.

Exception: Incidental multiple contact on an initial attempt of

a serve receive and/or hard driven ball (spike) is allowable.

4.4.6 Serve receive. Any player receiving a ball directly for

the server must contact that ball using a 'bump' or forearm

pass. (no open hand hits)

4.4.7Serve receive. Players on the serve receive team

may not block or attack the serve.

6

4.4.8Playing the ball. A player may not climb, grab

or use any aid to gain an advantage in an attempt to play the

ball (example: fences, bleachers, poles, etc.)

4.5 SIMULTANEOUS CONTACTS.

4.5.1By opponents. In a simultaneous contact of the

ball by two opponents above the net, the player on the side

opposite the projected flight of the ball is considered to have

contacted it last. If the ball is held by two opposing players,

it is a double fault and the referee shall direct a play over.

4.5.2By teammates. If two or more teammates attempt

to play the ball at the same time and the ball is contacted by

only one of team, it shall be considered as only one contact.

When two players of the same team contact the ball

simultaneously, it shall be considered as only one contact.

4.6 BLOCKING

4.6.1Blocking is the action at the net of attempting

to intercept the ball directed over the net by the opponent. Any

player is considered as having the intention to block if any

part of the body is placed above the net in a position at the

net. Blocking may only be performed by front line players.

4.6.2Any blocker may reach over the net in an attempt

to block the ball. However, the blocker may only make contact

with a ball that is being directed over the net by the opponent.

4.6.3If the ball contacts one or more blockers, it

shall be considered as only one contact, even if the contacts

were not simultaneous. This contact does not count toward a

teams allowable three hits.

4.6.4Any player who participated in a block in which

contact with the ball was made shall have the right to make the

next contact.

4.6.5Back line players are not eligible to block, but

may move to the net to set or retrieve a ball.

7

4.7 PLAY AT THE NET

4.7.1Ball touching the net. When a ball in play

(other than a serve) touches the net and continues over the

net, it is considered good and play continues.

4.7.2 Ball crossing the net. To be in play a ball

must cross the net completely between the boundary lines.

4.7.3Ball in net. A ball hit into the net (other than

a serve) may be played assuming a team has one or more of its

three remaining hits left. A ball hit into the net is not

considered dead until it is contacted a fourth time or has

touched the playing surface.

4.7.4Net driven into player. If the ball is driven

into the net with such force as to cause the net to contact a

member of the opponent's team, such contact shall not be

considered a fault on the opponent.

4.7.5Simultaneous contact of the net. If two members

of opposing teams contact the net simultaneously, it shall

constitute a double fault, and a replay will occur.

4.7.6Contacting the net. No player is permitted to

contact the net at any time.

4.8 HANDS PASSING OVER THE NET

4.8.1During the block. See 4.6.2

4.8.2After a spike. An attacking players hand may

pass over the net in a follow through action, but initial

contact with the ball must be made on the attackers side of the

net.

4.9 CROSSING THE CENTER LINE

4.9.1Contact with the opponent's area. Touching the

opponent's playing area with a foot is not a fault, provided

that some part of the encroaching foot remains on the center

line at the time of such contact.

8

4.9.2Crossing the vertical plane. Crossing the

vertical plane of the net with any part of the body for the

purpose of interference or distraction constitutes a fault.

4.9.3Contact with an opponent. Inadvertent contact

during normal play with an opponent above or below the net shall

not constitute a fault unless in interferes with their play or

is deemed intentional by the referee.

4.10 BACK LINE PLAYERS

4.10.1 Restrictions in attack area. When a back line

player has moved into the attack area (within the 10 foot line)

they may not leave the ground when directing a ball over the

net.

4.10.2 A back line player may, in any legal manner, hit or

spike a ball from behind the 10 foot line. The player may jump

in the air and hit a ball and land in the attack area provided

the take off was behind the 10 foot line.

4.10.3 Restrictions on blocking. Back line players may

not participate in the action of blocking. (see 4.6.5)

4.11 BALL IN/OUT OF PLAY

4.11.1 A ball touching any boundary line of the court

is considered in bounds.

4.11.2 The ball is considered out of bounds when it

touches the ground, any object outside the court of play, cable

or supporting pole.

4.12 SCORING

4.12.1 Point or side out. A team may only score when

it is serving. When a team is serving and its opponent fails to

return the ball over the net correctly or commits a fault a

point is awarded. If the serving team fails to return the

ball over the net correctly or commits a fault a side out is

declared and the opponent is awarded the serve.

4.12.2 Winning the game. A game is won when a team

scores 15 points and has at least a two point advantage. If

9

the score is tied at 14-14, play is continued until one team has

a two point advantage. (ex: 16-14, 19-17, etc.)

4.13 SUBSTITUTION

4.13.1 A substitution may be made on any dead ball.

4.13.2 There is no limit as to the number of times a

player may enter a game, but when a player re-enters a game

he/she must replace the player who replaced them.

4.13.3 In the case of an injured player not able to

continue play and there being no allowable substitute

available, rule 4.13.2 may be waived.

CHAPTER 5 - PLAYOFFS

5.1 Championship

the champion and top four places will be determined by

a second round, four team single elimination type tournament.

Places five and down will be determined by their finish in the

regular season round robin.

5.2 Position

Four teams will qualify for the playoffs. These four

teams will be determined by the won/loss record of teams during

the regular season round robin. If there is a tie for the

fourth seed a playoff will occur to determine which team is to

be the fourth finalist. The date, time, site and format of

this playoff will be established by the chairperson.

5.3 Format

Team 1 will play team 4. Team 2 will play team 3.

The two winners will play for First and Second place,

and the two losers will play for Third and Fourth.

5.4 Location

Matches will take place at the court of the higher

seeded team.

5.5 Inclement weather.

If a playoff match cannot take place due to inclement

weather or some other unforeseen circumstance, teams should

10

agree on a make up date. If teams cannot agree the match will be

played on the next consecutive play date. (a Tuesday or

Thursday, which ever is next).