Adult Outdoor Volleyball Rules

General Information

1. 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 U.S.A. Volleyball Rulebook with the following exceptions and modifications.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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 2 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.
5. 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 volleyball rules and Player 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 his/her team and spectators during league and tournament play as well as obtaining all make-up game information.
6. 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.
7. Special scheduling requests (i.e. “our team needs a bye on July 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.
8. 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.
9. Please call the Butch Reich no later than 4:00pm the day of your team (303-409-2615) if you know in advance that your team needs to forfeit so we can inform the opposing team.
10. 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. Loose a serve.
    2. Loose a time out.
    3. Forfeit the game.
11. Inclement Weather – Please call the Clement Park Weather Line (303-409-2625) to find out if games will be played or not. The weather hotline will be set by 4:00pm.
12. 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 and Player Eligibility

1. Roster size is limited to 3 players for 2’s and 6 players for 4’s for awards.
2. All members of your team must be on the roster by the 6th game of the regular season.
3. No players may be added after your team has played the 6th game. See the field supervisor to add players to your roster.
4. 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.
5. All players must be at least 16 years of age before the season starts. Players who are 16 or 17 years old must have the parent waiver signed and turned in prior to playing in their first game.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. A player may not participate on more than one team in the same league that plays on the same night.
9. Player protest must be before the next serve.
10. A player may not transfer to a team in the same league without prior approval.
11. The field supervisor has the authority to disallow an illegal player(s) to participate.
12. If a team borrows a player from the same league, the game will automatically be a forfeit, which will be enforced by the field supervisor.
13. Player Identification- Players must have a legally accepted picture ID (i.e. driver’s license) 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
14. Any type of protest (player eligibility or rule interpretation) will require a $100 cash payment. Protests on ineligible players must be done before the player enters the game for the first time. Player eligibility protests and forfeits are not retroactive to matches played before the protest.

Player Quantities

Coed 4v4

Teams can play with two (2) men and two (2) women on the court or 4 women; however, teams will be allowed to play with three (3) players as long as there is at least one (1) woman on the court. No more than two males can play at a time on the same team. Teams may start and finish with three players.

Acceptable Lineups for Coed 4v4

• 2 Men + 2 Women
• 2 Men + 1 Woman
• 1 Man + 2 Women
• 1 Man + 3 Women
• 3 Women
• 4 Women

The server in a three-person rotation is considered the back row player, and he/she will not be allowed to leave the ground except to set.

Women’s 4v4

Teams can play with three (3) or four (4) women. Men cannot play in women’s leagues. Teams may start and finish with three players.

Coed 6v6

Teams must start with at least 5 players and may finish with 4 players in the event of an injury. Teams playing with 4 or 5 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 Lineups for Coed 6v6

• 3 Men + 3 Women
• 2 Men + 3 Woman
• 2 Man + 4 Women
• 4 / 5 / 6 Women

The server in a five-person rotation is considered a back row player, and he/she will not be allowed to leave the ground except to set.

League Play

1. Game Time – There is a maximum of 45 minutes time limit for 4v4 and 6v6.
   1. Teams are allowed 3 minutes to warm up prior to their match starts as long as games are not running behind.
   2. If matches need to end early due to sunset/no lights, games can finish a later time in the season as long as two or more games still need to be played. This will be decided at the discretion of the League Coordinator.
   3. There is a possibility that games may need to be moved onto the softball field C1 to use the lights to finish the game.
2. Game Start:
   The captains will rock, paper, scissors for the choice court side or the service for the first and third games. The first to win gets to decide. It is not best two out of three. The winner chooses either side or service. The loser receives the remaining option. Teams will only switch sides after a game is completed.
3. 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 2 matches may be dropped from the league. This includes make-up games.
4. Scoring:
   A match consists of 3 games. Rally scoring will be used for all three games. Games must be won by 2. The first two games will be played to 21 with a cap at 23. The third game will be played to 15 with a cap at 17.
5. Score Sheets:
   Score sheets are provided at each net. Team captains from each team are responsible for recording the final score of each game and signing off on the score sheet. Unsigned score sheets will result in a forfeit of all games to both teams.
6. Rotations:
   The standard for 4’s rotation is a diamond, such as a front row player, the setter; two hitters, right and left; and a back row player, server. While players must serve in rotation, they are allowed to line up in any position or rotation. The server cannot leave the ground except to set. This means you cannot leave your feet to spike and remains the back row or serving player until a new player rotates to the serving position.
7. Substitution:
   Each game must start and end with the same players. Players may substitute in between games. Once players start a game, they must finish that game. However, if there is an injury during a game, a substitution is allowed to take the spot of the player injured for the remainder of the match. Once an injured player comes out of a game, he or she is not allowed to re-enter until the next game.
8. Coed Rule:
   In coed 4’s and coed 6’s, a woman does not have to touch the ball before it goes over the net. It is acceptable if the ball goes over the net on two, or three hits by multiple male players, it is not considered a side out. The girl must touch rule has been removed per majority consent.
9. Referees & Self Officiating:
   Foothills Outdoor Volleyball does not provide referees for our outdoor leagues. Teams are asked to call their own games fairly and honestly. If a discrepancy arises or a concern is present, a field supervisor will be at Clement Park. The field supervisor will be the supervisor for the adult softball games and the adult outdoor volleyball games. If there is a discrepancy, consult these rules and replay the point. No unsportsmanlike conduct will be accepted.
10. Time Outs:
    Each team is allowed one timeout per game. Timeouts are 30 seconds each and non-cumulative.
11. Spikes:
    All players can legally spike the ball at the net. However, when playing 4’s & 6’s, the back row player may never leave their feet to spike since there is no 10-foot line. The back row player can only leave the ground to set.
12. Dinks & Tips:
    Open handed dinks are not allowed in the outdoor 4’s leagues. They are allowed in the outdoor 6’s leagues. An opened hand tip allows the player to affect the direction of the ball by using fingertips in conjunction with the twist of the wrist. The ball must leave the hand clean, such as the player may not steer the ball like an indoor open-handed shot. A miss hit is not an open-handed dink. Roll shots that are cleanly hit off the heel of the palm of the hand are legal. Sets over the net must be pushed out at least one foot off the net in the 4’s league otherwise it is considered a tip.
13. Passes & Sets:
    Players may not set the serve, such as the serve must be passed with a bump, hands together below the waist, or with your hands together over your head, above the waist. All other hits may be set clean or spiked. Players should call their own sets, with cleanliness. All sets over the net must be clean and must leave the setter’s body perpendicular to the player’s feet and shoulders. Sets over the net must be facing forward. Balls can be played off any part of the body.
14. Hard-Driven Balls:
    Hard-driven balls are the only time during a game that a double hit is allowed. Foothills’ definition of a “Hard-Driven Ball” is a ball that travels its entire flight path, from the hitter’s hand to the digger’s hands, in a downward direction. This means, in 99% of the instances, the hitter jumped to hit the ball, such as if you cannot reach above the net, it is impossible to hit the ball down without jumping. Furthermore, a serve is NEVER a hard-driven ball and may never be taken with two hands (a set). Double hits are illegal while setting the ball.
15. Blocks:
    A block does not count as a touch in any outdoor volleyball leagues. After a block, you are allowed 3 more touches. Guys can block girls and girls can block guys. Back row players, male or female, cannot come to the net to block.
16. Ball on the Court:
    If the ball from another court comes onto your court, play will stop immediately, and the point will be replayed. This is for the safety of the players on the court.
17. Uniforms:
    Team uniforms are recommended but not required. Players are allowed to wear hats, bandanas and sunglasses. Players can play either barefoot or with shoes on. No Tevas, Crocs, Chacos or any type of sandals are allowed. Jewelry is not allowed.
18. Serving
    1. You must hit the ball on the first toss of the serve, overhand or underhand. If you catch the ball, drop the ball, or allow the ball to drop to the ground, it is an automatic side out and point for your opponent.
    2. You may serve from anywhere on the back line.
    3. You may not block the serve. You may not leave your feet to attack the serve. You may not set the serve. All serves must be received with hands together.
    4. Service order must alternate between males and females for coed leagues.
    5. There is no ghost player rule if playing with three players.
    6. Let serves are legal and playable.
    7. Before every serve, the player serving must announce the score loudly for both teams to hear. If there is a discrepancy when the score is announced, it must be brought to the attention of the serving team before the ball is served. Team managers will meet at the net to discuss the score and make a decision. Play will continue once the teams come to an agreement.
    8. If an incorrect player attempts to serve, the other team should prevent the error prior to service. Should the error be discovered after the ball has been put into play, the other team can stop play and allow the correct player to serve. Should the incorrect server not be discovered until after points were scored, the service order is merely corrected with teams maintaining their points and a new service is made.
19. The Net
    1. No part of the body, arm, or hand may pass over the top of the net during play except on the block.
    2. There is no center line under the net. A players’ body may partially or completely pass under the net into the opponents’ court. Interference occurs only if the opponent is hindered in playing the ball.
    3. An interference results in a side-out or point in favor of the hindered team.
    4. No contact with the net or cables which attach the net to the standards is allowed.
    5. Net height is 7 feet, 11 5/8 inches for coed leagues.
    6. Net height is 7 feet, 4 1/8 inches for women’s leagues.
    7. Contact with the net by a player is not a fault, unless it is made during the action of playing the ball, or it interferes with the play. Incidental contact of the hair is never a fault.
    8. We will use the AVP/FIVB volleyball for league and tournament play. Foothills will provide the ball.
    9. The antennas are considered out of bounds and the ball must travel inside the antennas when crossing the plane of the net. If teams cannot agree, replay the point. If players make contact with the poles or support ropes, play may continue unless it affects the point (i.e., the equipment collapses = side out; the net shakes and there is a net violation = side out; the net moves but it does not affect play; play on, etc.). If teams cannot agree, replay the point.
20. Language: There will be zero tolerance on 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
    

League Tie Breakers & Awards

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 6 for 4’s and no more than 8 for 6’s. Whoever wins the tournament wins the entire league.

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 (how many points you allowed to be scored)
5. Total points scored

Tournament Play

All teams will automatically play in a single elimination tournament once all leagues games are completed. 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 2 out of 3 games. 3 games are not guaranteed.
2. Games will be played to 21 with a cap of 23. If a third game is played, it will be played to 15 will a cap at 17.
3. Tournament awards will only be given to 1st place in each division.

Contact Information

Clement Park Athletics Office

• Phone: 303–409–2600
• Fax: 303–409–2630

Butch Reich (Adult Athletic Coordinator)

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

Clement Park Weather Line

• Phone: 303-409-2625

Game Schedules

• Website: www.teamsideline.com/ifoothills