Volleyball Rules
Brush up on your knowledge of our Volleyball rules before you play:
TEAM SIZE
No more than 6 players on the court.
A game can officially be played with 4 players on the court for one team.
If a team arrives with 3 or fewer players, then the opposition must decide BEFORE the game starts if they wish for the result to count towards the standings or whether to play the game as a friendly.
This decision must be clear to both teams involved BEFORE the game starts.
It is recommended to have around 8 in your squad as players can rotate every serve during the game.
BASIC RULES
There is a maximum of three hits per side.
Player may not hit the ball twice in succession (A block is not considered a hit).
Ball may be played off the net during a volley and on a serve.
A ball hitting a boundary line is ‘in’.
A ball is ‘out’ if it hits:
the floor completely outside the court,
any of the net or cables outside the antennae,
the referee stand or pole,
the ceiling of the venue
It is legal to contact the ball with any part of a players body.
It is illegal to catch, hold, or throw the ball.
If two or more players contact the ball at the same time, it is considered one play and either player involved may make the next contact (provided the next contact isn’t the teams 4th hit).
A player cannot block or attack a serve from on or inside the 3 meter line..
After the serve, front line players may switch positions at the net.
Basic Violations in Volleyball
Doing any of these results in a violation for your team and a lost point:
When serving, stepping on or across the service line as you make contact with the serve.
Failure to serve the ball over the net successfully.
Contacting the ball illegally (lifting, carrying, throwing, etc).
Touching the net with any part of the body while the ball is in play.
Exception: If the ball is driven into the net with such force that it causes the net to contact an opposing player, no foul will be called, and the ball shall continue to be in play.
When blocking a ball coming from the opponents court, contacting the ball when reaching over the net is a violation if both:
1) your opponent hasn’t used 3 contacts AND
2) they have a player there to make a play on the ball
When attacking a ball coming from the opponents court, contacting the ball when reaching over the net is a violation if the ball hasn’t yet broken the vertical plane of the net.
Crossing the court centre line with any part of your body.
Exception: if it’s the hand or foot, the entire hand or entire foot must cross for it to be a violation.
Serving out of order.
Back row player blocking and spiking, back row players near the net cannot contact the ball when part of his/her body above the top of the net (an illegal block).
FORFEITS
Teams have until ten minutes past the designated start time to field a legal team.
The length of the game will be reduced to stick to time scales and it must be clear if the game is to be played as a friendly before kick off.
If a team has less than 3 players then the game will be played as a friendly.
If at least 1-3 players show up then the game is played as a friendly but there is no forfeit fee.
If a team forfeits and no players are able to show up then there is an $99 forfeit fee that goes to the opposition for missing their game.
This Forfeit fee must be paid before the start of your next game. If your team is struggling for players you can always find subs by posting on our FB subs group here.
SUBSTITUTIONS
Substitutions can be made every time you serve.
There is no limit to the amount of substitutions a team can make.
There is no limit to the amount of substitutes a team can have on the sideline.
The referee’s decisions are final.
These SportUP Volleyball league rules are not exhaustive and may be added to or amended at any time.