Sand Volleyball Rules:

This is a league/tournament to raise awareness for local nonprofits. Unsportsmanlike behavior would not only be unacceptable, but highly inappropriate considering the purpose of the league.

 

Player Restrictions

• All participants must be 19 years of age or older prior to their first scheduled game.

• Photo IDs will be checked prior to games to verify rosters. ATX Plays reserves the right to request a photo ID from any player at any time for any reason.

Minimum Number of Players per Team

Sixes

• The maximum number of players on the court is four. The minimum number of players is four. The minimum number of females is one.

League Start Times & Warmup

• All matches will start 15 minutes after time noted on schedule. 

  • For example, if you team has a 7 o'clock game, then your game will start at 7:15

• If a team does not have the minimum number players (see above) at 15 minutes after, they will forfeit the first game, 20 minutes and the match will be forfeited.

• Warmup will occur in the first 15 of your stated game time. If your team arrives 9 minutes after your scheduled start time, your team will have 6 minutes of warmup. 

Equipment

• Professional Sand Beach Volleyballs will be provided.

• No other ball is allowed for league play unless an alternate game ball has been agreed to by both teams.

• Court lines will be provided.

Sportsmanship

• We are all adults, and ATX Plays expects all participants to act like it. Unsportsmanlike behavior may result in that player being ejected from the game. An ejection may result in further suspension from participation in current and/or future ATX Plays sports and events. Ejected players are required to leave the playing area immediately. Refusal to leave the playing area may result in a team forfeit and/or further suspension.

Game Structure:

FORMAT:

• Matches are best of three. Teams will switch serve and side after the first set.

• Prior to the first set, both captains will meet with the official to discuss ground rules and decide serve and side with a game of rock, paper, scissors. The winning captain will choose serve or side to begin the first set and, if needed, the deciding third set. The other captain will have the remaining option.

• Prior to starting, each team will engage in ATX Plays “2 minutes of awareness.” This time will be used for each team to talk to one another about the charity they are playing for. This is a great opportunity to raise awareness for your cause. Occasionally, ATX Plays will use this time to allow invited charities to make their own presentation.

• A set, with the exception of the deciding third set, is won by the team which first scores 21 points with a minimum lead of two points or the team which first scores 25 points.

• In the case of a 1-1 tie, the deciding third set is won by the team which first scores 15 points with a minimum lead of two points or the team which first scores 17 points.

• Rally scoring rules shall apply to all sets. A point is scored by successfully grounding the ball on the opponent’s court, when the opponent commits a fault, or when the opponent receives a penalty.

TIME OUTS:

• Each team is entitled to a single one-minute time-out per set. Time-outs do not carry over.

TEAM HITS:

• The team is entitled to a maximum of three hits (in addition to blocking) for returning the ball.

• A player may not hit the ball two times consecutively.

• The ball may touch any part of the body.

• The ball must be hit, not caught and/or thrown.

BLOCKING:

• A block does not count as a hit.

• The first hit after the block may be executed by any player, including one who touched the ball during the block.

PLAY AT THE NET:

• The ball may touch the net, including the service.

• A blocker may touch the ball beyond the net, provided that this does not interfere with the play before or during the opponent’s attack hit.

• Contact with the net is permitted provided it does not interfere with the play.

• Contact with the opponent’s court with a foot is permitted, provided it is not excessive or does not interfere with the play.

• When the ball is driven into the net and causes it to touch an opponent, no fault is committed.

SERVICE:

• Jump serves are not permitted.

• If the serving team wins a rally, it scores a point and continues to serve. If the receiving team wins a rally, it scores a point and gains the right to serve.

• Blocking the opponent’s service is not permitted.

• At the moment of service, the server may not step on or across the endline. A reasonable allowance may be given, at the official’s discretion, on courts with tight spaces.

FAULTS:

• Hit Out: A player hits or blocks the ball out.

• Catch – The ball is caught and/or thrown or does not rebound from hit.

• Double Contact – A player hits the ball twice or the ball contacts various parts of the player’s body in succession.

• Four Hits – A team hits the ball four times before returning it.

• Back Row Attack – A back-row player completes an attack hit or block from the front row area.

• Service Attack – A player completes an attack hit on the opponent’s service in the front row area.

• Service Fault – A player improperly executes the service.

• Net Interference – A player contacts the net and interferes with the play. A player places a hand near the net in the path of a ball to intentionally deflect the natural rebound of a ball that has been passed into the net by the opponent.

• Interference Beyond the Net – A player contacts the ball beyond the net prior to an opponent’s attack hit.

• Penetration Under the Net – A player enters the opponent’s playing space under the net and interferes with the play.

• Illegal Rotation

• Illegal Substitution

• Unsportsmanlike Conduct

• Any rules not specifically mentioned here follow USAV guidelines on adult beach volleyball play.

PLAYOFF TIEBREAKERS:

• Head to Head

• Point differential +/-

• Strength of Schedule

•  Points/Sets Against

BALL “IN”:

• The ball is “in” when it touches the sand of the playing court including the boundary lines.

BALL “OUT”:

• A ball is “out” when:
  – the part of the ball which contacts the sand is completely outside the boundary lines.
  – it travels into the playing area of an adjacent court.
  – it touches an object, enclosure, or tree outside the court or a person out of play.
  – it touches the rope, post, or net outside of the antenna or the antenna itself.
  – it crosses the vertical plane of the net either partially or totally outside of the antenna.
  – it crosses completely the lower space under the net.
  – it touches an object, enclosure, or tree above the team’s playing area and crosses the plane of the net into the opponent’s court.
  – it touches an object, enclosure, or tree above the opponent’s playing area after crossing the plane of the net.

ROTATION:

• When a team has gained the right to serve, its players shall rotate one position clockwise.

• Substitutions can only be made during a rotation and to replace the player next to serve, except in the case of an injury.

• Substitutions to replace injured players are permitted at any time.

Disputes:

• The Captain may occasionally approach the referee to request an explanation of a call (not judgment related).

• The Captain has the right to protest rules misinterpretations/misapplications, but not judgment calls or sanctions.

• The referee(s) must offer an explanation based upon the Rule

Warnings and Sanctions During League Play:

• Individuals guilty of Minor Misconduct:

  • 1st Instance (Verbal Warning)

  • 2nd Instance (Loss of Point)

  • 3rd Instance (Loss of Game and player expulsion from match)

• Individuals guilty of Major Misconduct:

  • 1st Instance (Loss of Game and player expulsion from match)

    • Major in Misconduct is defined as followed:

    • Any verbal or physical (attempted or actual) attack that threatens league players or staff