Revised – September 5, 2019

These rules are for clarification or to note exceptions to CIF rules.

CIF rules apply to any situation not included here.

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COURT AND EQUIPMENT

1. The court shall be 60’ long and 30’ wide. The attack line shall be 10’ from the net and parallel to the centerline.

2. The top of the net shall be 6’6” for elementary girls, 7’0” for elementary boys, and 7’4” for all junior high divisions. The service area is anywhere behind the end line, between the sidelines.

3. 4th, 5th, and 6th grade divisions are required to use the Tachikara Volley-Lite ball, which must have the following logo: 
   Junior high divisions and elementary boys must use a regulation ball.

4. The standards must be padded to a minimum height of 5.5’ with at least 1” thick, resilient, shock-absorbing material (such as polyethylene foam) to encase the uprights and all tensioning devices. Matches without padded standards will not be played. No exceptions! The visiting team will be the winner by forfeit.

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SCORING, COIN TOSS, AND SIDE SELECTION

1. All matches are best 2-of-3 sets.

2. Rally scoring will be used in all divisions. The first two sets will be to 25 points. The third set will be to 15 points. A team must win by two points.

3. Teams shall exchange sides after each set and when one team reaches eight points in the third set, if the set is played outdoors. Teams will not change sides during the third set when indoors.

Prior to the match: The home team will select their side of the court before the coin toss. The visiting team will call the toss. The winner of the toss chooses whether to serve or receive.

Prior to the 3rd set: The home team will call the toss. The winner chooses either their side or whether they wish to serve or receive. The loser of the toss makes the remaining choice.

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COACHES, PLAYERS, SUBSTITUTIONS, AND TIME-OUTS

1. Each team is allowed two time-outs per set. Additional time-outs are not awarded for long sets.

2. All Elementary and Junior High teams will play with six players.

3. Players may substitute in/out whenever the ball is dead. Players must remain in their proper serving order.

4. A team may make unlimited substitutions.

5. A re-entering player shall not return to the court during the same dead ball. The re-entering player shall assume the original position in relation to the other teammates in the service order. In the case of an injury, any player may assume the position; however, the injured player may not reenter the match.

6. All substitutions must assume their original position in relation to the other teammates in the service order. A player may not move up in the serving order.

7. Players must be in their proper playing positions when the ball is served.

8. Each player must have jerseys of the same color and shorts/pants of the same color. All uniforms must have numbers, at least 4” high, on both the front and back. Any player not in a full, complete uniform may not play. No exceptions! Players may roll up their sleeves, but only if it does not obscure the numbers on the jersey.

9. Coaches and reserve players must be seated on the bench during the match.

10. If any coach, manager, or other non-player in the bench area is ejected, the match is immediately declared a forfeit. If that individual is an adult, they must leave the premises immediately. If the ejected individual is not an adult, they should be moved away from the court, under the supervision of a responsible adult. The match will not continue, even as a practice set. No exceptions!

11. For all divisions, the libero will not be used.

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SERVING THE BALL

1. The player in the right-back position will serve the ball from anywhere behind the end line. The team that does not serve first will rotate the first time they are to serve.

2. The 6A division and all junior high divisions will continue to serve until the team loses possession of the ball.

3. All 4th and 5th grade divisions and the 6B and 6C divisions may serve only five consecutive times. After the fifth serve, the serving team will rotate to the next server and continue serving. A player entering the set for a server who has already served will be allowed to serve only the remaining number of serves.

4. Servers will be permitted ten seconds to serve and two failed tosses per rotation in elementary divisions. In the junior high divisions, servers are permitted five seconds to serve and only one failed toss per rotation. Failure to serve the next toss will result in a point and service for the opponent. Tosses that are not served may be caught or allowed to drop.

5. Servers in all 6th grade divisions, and all junior high divisions, must begin from behind the end line and may not step on or over the line. All other players may serve from a line 4 feet in front of the regulation line, and may not step on or over that line.

6. Overhand serving is permitted in all divisions, but the serve must be behind the regulation serving line.

7. The ball may touch the net on a serve.

8. A serve may not be blocked.

9. It is legal for a serve to be received with a setting motion.

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PLAYING THE BALL

1. A team may not hit the ball more than three times before it crosses the net. A block is not considered a hit.

2. Players may not hit the ball two consecutive times. Should two players simultaneously contact the ball, either may hit it again.

3. The ball must be hit cleanly, without prolonged contact.

4. A player may bump or set the ball at any time as long as the official determines that it was without prolonged contact.

5. It is legal for a player to contact the ball with any part of the body.

6. The ball must cross over the net between the antennas.

7. The ball is considered out of bounds when it touches a non-player, an object, or the ground outside the court.

8. A ball that lands on the line is considered in bounds.

9. Players, their jerseys, or their equipment may not contact the net while the ball is in play.

10. Players may touch but not go completely over the centerline.

11. Players may go outside the court boundaries to play the ball.

12. Reaching over the net is permitted on the follow-through of a hit or block.

13. Back row players may not attack a ball that is entirely above the height of the net from in front of the attack line.

14. Players may not attack or block a serve. Attacking the ball is defined as contact with the ball when the ball is entirely above the top of the net. Whether the player is in contact with the ground is not relevant in any way.

15. Jewelry may not be worn. It is not acceptable to place tape over jewelry. Players wearing any jewelry (covered or not) may not participate. No exceptions!

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BLOCKING THE BALL

1. While in play, the ball may be blocked at any time after it has broken the plane of the net.

2. Blocking the ball while it is entirely on the opponent’s side is permitted if the opposing team has been given the opportunity to complete the attack. The attack is considered complete if the attacking team has completed three hits, intentionally directs the ball into the opponent's court, or when the ball is near the net and no member of the attacking team could make a play on the ball.

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PRACTICE SET

It is required for officials to officiate a 15-point third set, even if the match score is 2-0, unless at least one of the

coaches declines. If one of the coaches declines, the official(s) is not required to work the third set.