How We Play Indoor Volleyball

@ Lakeview YMCA
Home > Rules & How We Play > Indoor Volleyball – Lakeview YMCA

Some more about how we get our volley on!

Basic Rules

  • Each team consists of no more than 6 players on the court at one time (maximum of 3 males). A team may play with a minimum of 3 players (including at least 1 of each gender).
  • Matches consist of 2 games to 21 (cap at 23) and a third game to 15 (cap at 17). Teams must win by 2.
  • Teams will have 50 minutes to play 1 match (3 games). All 3 games will be played each night because they all count towards your record.
  • All games will play using Rally Scoring Rules. This means that your team scores on every point won whether or not you were serving.
  • Games will be self-reffed. Players will make their own in/out/etc calls during the game. Please be honest. This is just a fun league!

Beginning of Games

To start the game, teams will send a representative to the net to do rock, paper, scissors to pick sides. Best 2 out of 3. Winner of this gets to pick sides. The team that loses this can either elect to serve or allow the other team to serve. Each match will consist of three games and each game will count in the overall standings for regular season standings.

Game Play

Matches must be completed within the allotted time, (warm up must be concluded before game start time). The first 2 games of each match are played to 21 win by 2 or first to 23. The third game will be played to 15 win by 2 or first to 17. Rally/speed scoring will be used. Playoffs will be held as a tournament and additional details sent to teams after the regular season ends.

Full Team

If you do not meet the minimum team requirements (3 players total, minimum 1 of each gender), the first game will be forfeited 10 minutes after start time. Entire Match will be forfeited at 20 minutes after start time. Subbing is allowed in between points. All subs must be made in a consistent manner throughout a game. Traditional subbing rules will not be followed, as long as the team does not gain an unfair advantage from a type of substitution.

Rules

1. Players must rotate clockwise in the order that they are on the court as each new service is begun on your side. Before the ball is served, you must be set up in this order. Once the ball has been served, you may reposition yourselves around your side in any order that you’d like.
2. Players must rotate in and out of the game at a specific spot chosen by the team. For example, some teams rotate in and out at server so at every rotation of the team the person rotating to server goes out and the new player comes in. Other teams do this at a position in the front row. Whatever you like, but you can’t keep taking people in and out all over the place.

3. A legal serve is one that crosses the net and is either touched by an opposing player or lands within the opposing team’s area of the court within the boundary lines. A serve that makes contact with the net and carries over to the opponent’s side of the net is a live serve and must be returned.

4. The serve may not be blocked or spiked, but setting the serve is legal as long as the ball is not caught or carried.

5. A defensive block does not count as one of the allowable contacts. A player may reach over the net to block a ball if: a. Any portion of the ball breaks the plane of the net or b. After the offense has come in contact with the ball on the third attempt.

6. Player contact with the net in a manner not directly relating to or affecting the course of play is NOT a violation.

7. If the ball hits the ceiling or anything hanging from the ceiling it is still in play if it is on your side of the net. If it hits something on the ceiling and goes over to the opponent’s side, then it is a point to the other team. If it hits the wall it is out of play.

8. The ball must be cleanly hit when spiking with an open hand. Guiding, carrying or lifting is illegal. A carry or lift is any use of an open hand(s) while making contact with the ball that is not in a firm manner.

9. Out of bounds is the area outside the designated court line. The “antennas” attached to the net will be considered out of bounds as well. The line is in bounds.
10. The ball can contact any body part and be legal as long as it is not lifted, including the foot or head.

Forfeits

Teams may use fill-in players during the regular season to field a full team of 6 players, but subs are not allowed unless you need them to field this full team. As always, do not bring “ringers” to games in an effort to smoke the competition. We’re here to have a good time remember?

Fill-in players will NOT be allowed during playoffs, except for extenuating circumstances in which case the team captain must email us to explain why subs will be needed and ask for approval.

If your team forfeits a match during the season, the following rules apply:

First Offense: 10-0 loss of game and warning issued.

Second Offense: 10-0 loss of second game and S3 reserves the right to remove team from the league or playoffs with no refund for games not played.

Third Offense: Automatic removal from the league with no refund for games not played.

The reason for the harshness of this is because we want all teams to be able to play. If your team is a no-show, then the other team also doesn’t get to play, and that’s not cool. So just get subs or at least let us know if you’re not going to make it!

If you know in advance that your team will be forfeiting a match, you are required to email us at teams@s3leagues.com so we can let your opponent know that you won’t be showing up.

All games will be self-reffed

If there are any discrepancies between the two teams that need to be addressed, our on-site staff will be available. Our staff will provide constant reminders with regards to this process. To coordinate and run the league, our staff will be available at all times to help the league run as smoothly as possible. If you have questions regarding schedules, policies, rule interpretations, etc. please email us and ask.

Sportsmanship

The idea of this league is to have fun. We hope that all participants keep that in mind when becoming involved. Although the games may become intense, you still can be competitive while maintaining good sportsmanship. With this said, any behavior deemed unacceptable by staff may result in suspension and/or ejection from a game or the league. S3 reserves the right to remove a player from a game or a league if they are considered to be bringing down the quality of the league.