Adult Indoor Volleyball Rules

General Information

Foothills Park & Recreation District offers a non-sanctioned volleyball program for the recreational enjoyment of the participants. The Foothills Park & Recreation District Staff is the sole governing body of the program. The leagues will follow the current USA Volleyball Rulebook with the following exceptions and modifications:

1. If a team drops out of the league seven days prior to the start of the season or during the regular season, that team will not be refunded any of their team fees.
2. Foothills Park & Recreation District reserves the right to re-classify a team at any point in the season in order to maintain a fair balance of competition. This will only be done with the cooperation of teams involved. Previous season’s records (if applicable) will be utilized to assist in classifying teams.
3. Foothills Park & Recreation District also reserves the right to expel any team from the league for reasons of misconduct, failure to observe rules, regulations, and procedures and/or failure to field a team for two or more matches. Written notification of such actions will be provided to the individual and/or team manager. Any team forfeiting two or more matches (this includes make-up matches) without notifying the Foothills Park & Recreation District Athletics Office in advance will be dropped from the league with no compensation.
4. Teams are responsible for knowing the rules. Managers shall see that all players and spectators are familiar with these rules and regulations. All provisions in the Foothills Park & Recreation District’s Volleyball Rules and Code of Conduct regarding behavior and actions of players, managers, and spectators apply to the entire recreation center area before, during, and after the games. Managers are responsible for the conduct of their team and spectators during league and tournament play as well as obtaining all make-up game information.
5. Any and all situations not specifically covered in the rulebook shall be acted upon by the Adult Athletics Coordinator, and all such action taken shall be final.
6. Special scheduling requests (for example, “our team needs a bye on March 11”) must be submitted before the registration deadline but are not guaranteed. Any special scheduling requests needed after the schedules have been made will not be accommodated.
7. Customer Service – The Foothills Park & Recreation District strives in providing staff (officials, supervisors, and scorekeepers) that are professional, knowledgeable, and courteous. Please contact the Athletics Office immediately if any of our staff or officials do not meet the standard of performance that you deserve. Your input is a necessary part of our evaluation process.
8. Please call the Adult Athletic Coordinator at 303-409-2615 as soon as possible if you know in advance that your team needs to forfeit so we can inform the opposing team.
9. If children are brought to the games, they must be continuously supervised by an adult who is not playing in a game. Foothills Park & Recreation District is not responsible for children who are injured during the course of this program.Any children causing play to be stopped will cause the offending team to:
   1. Lose a serve.
   2. Lose a time out.
   3. Forfeit the game.
10. Inclement Weather – Please call the Ridge Recreation Center at 303-409-2333 to find out if games will be played or not. If the recreation center is closed, then games are cancelled. If the recreation center is open, leagues will run as scheduled unless otherwise noted by league coordinator.Check www.teamsideline.com/ifoothills for cancellations and make up schedules. Team managers are responsible for finding out if games are cancelled and their team’s makeup game schedule.
11. All team fees are due in full before the start of your teams’ second game. If your team is not paid in full before your second game, you will have ten minutes to pay your remaining balance before the game is called a forfeit.

Rosters & Player Eligibility

1. Roster sizes are unlimited; however individual awards are only given to the number of paid players, maximum eight players.
2. Rosters must be turned in to the official before you play your first match. Your team will not be allowed to play your first match until your roster is filled out and turned in to the official. Players may be added to your roster until your third game. No player may be added after your team has played the third game. See the official to add players to your roster.
3. All players must complete and sign roster before playing in any game. By signing the roster form, you and your team are agreeing to follow all rules and the Foothills Code of Conduct.
4. All players must be at least 16 years of age before playing in their first game of the season.
5. Foothills Park & Recreation District is in compliance with the Jake Snakenberg Youth Concussion Act, which requires a youth player (ages 19 and younger) to be removed from play if a concussion is suspected and can only return to play with written medical authorization.If half or more of the teams players listed on the roster are 19 years old or younger, then the coach of the team must complete the CDC’s Head’s Up Concussion Training and submit documentation to the Recreation Coordinator prior to playing in their first match.
6. A player may not participate on more than one team in the same league that plays on the same night.
7. Player protest must be before the next serve.
8. A player may not transfer to a team in the same league without prior approval.
9. The officials have the authority to disallow an illegal player or players to participate.
10. If a team borrows a player from the same league, the game will automatically be a forfeit, which will be enforced by the officials.
11. Player Identification – Players must have a legally accepted picture ID (i.e. driver’s license or identification card) at the courts for all games. Players not able to produce a valid ID upon request are ineligible to continue participation in the game. If no valid ID is presented to the League Coordinator within 24 hours, the match is a forfeit.

Player Quantities

Coed 6v6 & Women’s 6v6

Teams must start with at least four players and may finish with three players in the event of an injury. Teams playing with four or five players will not have any ghost players and will not take any side outs for absent players. Men cannot play in the women’s league.

Acceptable Combos for Coed 6v6

• 3 Men and 3 Women
• 2 Men and 3 Women
• 2 Men and 4 Women

Teams can play with more women than men with a minimum of four players. Teams cannot play with more men than women.

League Play

1. Match Time – Teams will have 5 minutes to warm up. If matches end before allotted time, the next match will be scheduled to play right away.
   1. A match consists of three games.
   2. Games are not timed.
   3. Teams may not warm up behind or next to the playing area while a game is in progress.
   4. The first and third game serves will be determined by a coin flip with the officials.
   5. The ball may be played by any part of the body from head to toe.
   6. The floor captain is the only person that can address the official.
2. Forfeits – Game time is forfeit time. The second game will forfeit after 15 minutes. If the first two games are a forfeit, the third is also a forfeit. Any team that forfeits more than six or more games during the regular season, that team will not be allowed to participate in tournament play.Please call the Sports Office as soon as possible at 303-409-2600, if you know in advance that your team needs to forfeit so we can inform the opposing team.
3. Scoring – Rally scoring will be used for all three games. Games must be won by two points. The first two games will be played to 25 points with a cap of 27. The third game will be played to 15 points with a cap of 17.
4. Substitutions
   1. Players re-entering the game must assume the position of the person replaced. Any number of players may enter the game in each position. Substitutions are unlimited.
   2. Substitutes enters the court from a specific location, such as service spot or center back. The substitute must enter from this spot throughout the game. Substitutes must be of the same gender.
   3. If there is an injury, a substitute may enter for that player in their current position.
   4. Players must make sure the official is aware of the substitution before entering the court.
5. Serving
   1. The ball can be served from any position on the back line.
   2. The service order must alternate between males and females for the coed leagues.
   3. One re-serve is allowed. You must serve it within 8 seconds.
   4. If the ball hits the net and goes over the net, the serve is good and playable. If it hits the net and stays on the serving teams’ side of the net, the ball is dead and results in a side out.
   5. The serve cannot be kicked by the serving team or by the receiving team.
6. Timeouts – Each team is allowed two 30 second timeouts per game. A timeout before the start of a game is illegal.
7. Blocking
   1. Blocking and/or attacking the opponents serve are illegal. This happens when the ball is in the front zone and entirely higher than the top of the net. If a team blocks or attacks the serve, it will result in a side out and the ball will go back to the serving team.
   2. The ball may be blocked only by a front row player during play. At the moment of contact with the ball, part of the body must be higher than the top of the net. A block does not count as one of the three team contacts.
   3. Back row players, male or female, cannot come to the net to block.
8. Lifting – Lifting or carrying the ball is illegal and will result in a side out. A lift is when the ball comes to rest or has prolonged contact with a body part. If you are able to hit the ball with your hands together overhand or as a set, then it is usually not considered a lift.
9. Spiking
   1. Spiking is allowed in all leagues by all players.
   2. Back row players may only spike the ball if they jump from behind the 10-foot line.
10. Net Play
    1. A let serve, ball touching the net on the serve, is considered legal and in play.
    2. Contacting the net while the ball is in play is prohibited.
    3. The foot or the hand may touch the center line. A player cannot completely cross the center line with any part of the body or it will result in a side out.
    4. Net height is 7 feet 11 5/8 inches for coed leagues.
    5. Net height is 7 feet 4 1/8 inches for women’s leagues.
    6. Ceiling
       1. The ceiling is considered a playable area unless the ball carries over the net after striking the ceiling.
       2. The basketball hoop above the net is considered ceiling play. It is playable if the ball falls back on the same side, but it is considered a side out if the ball carries over the net after it hits the basketball hoop.
       3. The basketball hoops on the north and south sides of the gym are considered ceiling play and a playable area as long as the ball falls back on the same side. If it does not, then it will be a side out.
       4. If the ball touches the running track or crosses the plane of the running track, then it is out of play and will result in a side out.
    7. Uniforms – Like shirts are recommended but not required.
    8. Jewelry
       1. Prohibited jewelry, that must be removed before play, includes but is not limited to:
          • Rings
          • Necklaces
          • Hoop Earrings
          • Facial Piercings
       2. Exposed jewelry, which is judged by the official to be dangerous, must be removed and may not be worn during the game.
       3. Medical alert bracelets or necklaces are not considered jewelry. If worn, they must be taped to the body so the medical alert information remains visible.
       4. If a player cannot cover or will not remove their jewelry, they will not participate.
    9. Headgear
       1. Hats and visors are prohibited during league play.
       2. Bandanas and headbands are acceptable.
    10. Casts & Wraps
        1. Per the USA Volleyball Rulebook, it is forbidden to wear objects, hard or soft casts or wraps, and so forth which may cause injury, or give an artificial advantage to the player.
        2. Any additional item on a player that may cause an injury or give an artificial advantage to the player must not be worn.
        3. If a brace, prosthetic limb or headgear is used, padding or covering may be necessary for safety of the player, teammates, and opposing team.
    11. Blood Rule
        1. Any time a player in the game is bleeding, they must leave the game until the bleeding is stopped and the wound is covered.
        2. The player is given a maximum of 3 minutes before a substitute is required.
        3. Excessive blood on the uniform requires the player to change clothing.
        4. Teams must provide their own first aid kit.
    12. Ejections
        1. If a player is ejected from the match or game, they must leave the facility sight and sound.
        2. If the ejected player does not leave the facility sight and sound, their team will have to forfeit the game.
    13. Ball on the Court – If a ball rolls onto the court while in play and is deemed dangerous by the official, the official will call a dead ball and the point will be replayed. This is for the safety of the players on all teams.
    14. Language – There will be zero tolerance for vulgar or inappropriate language by teams and their identifiable spectators. Players and identifiable spectators that use vulgar or inappropriate language will be immediately ejected from the game and the facility.

Gym Rules

1. Non-marking close-toed gym shoes only on the gym floor. No bare feet. No sandals.
2. Children must be supervised at all times. Children and other adults may use the facility only if the facility fee is paid. This includes the walking track.
3. Only water is allowed in the gym. No food or drinks are allowed in gym.
4. If programs are going on before the league starts, please allow them to finish before entering the area. Teams will still receive the 5 minutes warm-up.

Tournament Play

All teams will automatically advance to play in a single elimination tournament once all league matches are over. If a team forfeits six or more games during the regular season, that team will not be allowed to participate in the tournament. Whoever wins the tournament, wins the entire league.

Tournaments will follow league rules except for the following:

1. The winner of the matches will be determined by the best two out of three games. Three games are not guaranteed.
2. Games will be played to 25 points with a cap of 27. If a third game is played, it will be played to 15 points with a cap of 17.
3. Matches will be scheduled every 50 minutes.

Awards & Tie Breakers

1. League champions in all divisions will receive individual awards. The number of awards will be equal to the number of participants on the roster, but no more than eight. Whoever wins the tournament wins the entire league.
2. There are no awards for second place.
3. If teams are tied at the end of the season, the following tie breaker procedure will take place:
   1. Winning percentage
   2. Head-to-head competition
   3. Point differential between tied teams
   4. Total points against
   5. Total points scored

Protests

In case of a disputed rule interpretation, the manager or captain will meet with the official to resolve the problem if a replay will not help. If the manager feels a protest is necessary the following procedures must be followed:

1. The Foothills Park & Recreation District Athletic Staff shall be the sole judge in the evaluation of a protest, there will be no further appeals or hearings.
2. No protests shall be received or considered if it is based solely on the accuracy of judgment on the part of the official.
3. Protests will be considered for the following reasons:
   1. Misinterpretation of a playing rule.
   2. Failure to impose the correct penalty for a given violation.
   3. Failure of an official to apply the correct rule in a given situation.
4. The protest must be made at the time of the infraction.
5. Protest forms will be filled out with the official. The official and protesting manager will agree to the situation that existed prior to the disputed play. The manager will complete the narrative and must list the rule, and its page number, that is in dispute. A maximum of 5 minutes will be used to complete this step.
6. The team manager will have the protest form signed, attach $100 in cash and submit it to the official at the time of the ruling. If the protest is upheld the $100 shall be refunded, if denied the $100 shall be deposited in a general fund.
7. Scores must be challenged and corrected prior to the start of the next game or it is too late and the book shall stand as is.

Player Eligibility Protests

1. Protests can be made by an eligible team member from any team or any official.
2. Protests must be made the first time the player enters the game.
3. If a player cannot produce proper identification and if the roster does not list that player, the opponent will be notified and they must protest immediately or they will relinquish the right to protest that player’s eligibility later in the game.
4. If the player can produce proper identification and is listed on only the one roster, then they can play. If the player cannot produce proper identification and is not listed on the roster or is listed on multiple rosters in the same league, then they cannot play and will be ejected.
5. The player or players will not be allowed to participate in future games until proper identification is presented at the future games.

Contact Information

Ridge Recreation Center

• Phone: 303-409-2333

Butch Reich (Adult Athletic Coordinator)

• Phone: 303–409–2615
• Email: [email protected]

Game Schedules

• Website: www.teamsideline.com/ifoothills

Misconduct & Ejections

The umpires and/or field supervisor shall be empowered to penalize an offending player, coach and/or team according to the Misconduct & Ejection rule as follows:

1. Warning to player and both teams
2. Ejection from current game and suspension for subsequent game or games
3. Forfeit of game

Any player or spectator ejected from the game must leave the field and spectator area. Failure to leave when instructed can result in a forfeit.