FootHills Adult Sports Club

FoHi Volleyball Rules

Skill Levels – General Play – Contact and Receive –  Net & Boundaries –  Blocking –  Setting/Open Hands –  Rotating

Skill Levels: (for Leagues and Tournaments)
Advanced

Advanced players would be considered “BB – A” in the FootHills Adult Sports Club (FoHi). This is the best level of player at FoHI as we do not host any “Open” level play at the moment. Advanced rules will be honored in ALL Advanced leagues and tournaments. Players should have a full understanding and mastery of the posted rules. Players should be well-practiced in clean touches, advanced serving and hand setting. Inexperienced players should NOT register for Advanced leagues or tournaments and may be asked to drop out for safety purposes.

Intermediate

Intermediate players would be considered “B – BB” in the FootHills Adult Sports Club (FoHi). Intermediate players should be experienced volleyball players who play with three hit rallies, consistent serving, and are comfortable with or learning clean hand setting. Advanced rules will be honored in combined Intermediate/Advanced leagues or tournaments. Inexperienced players or players new to the game, should NOT register for Intermediate leagues and may be asked to drop out for safety purposes

Recreational: (Perfect for having fun and learning. NO PRESSURE)

Recreational players would be considered “Inexperienced or New to the game – B” level players in the FootHills Adult Sports Club (FoHi). Recreational players should be expected give effort, be willing to learn proper play, wanting to improve their volleyball skills, and ALWAYS give POSITIVE support to teamates AND opponents. Strictness to the rules of play, mentioned below, is to be “Self-Refereed” with the exception of *Nets and *Lifts (They are absolute). We do not stop play for improper hits, but coach and educate after the point is completed.

Grass & Sand Volleyball Rules – AVP(ish): Below rules apply to all FoHi Pickup games, Leagues, and Tournaments. Rules in Bold Italics apply to Advanced and Intermediate/Advanced Leagues.  **During Pickup Play, rules and proper play are LESS STRICK and will not be called to stop play, but after the point has scored, Education and coaching will be provided to help everyone get better. No Judgement because everyone “Boofs it” sometimes.

General Rules of Play

Contact & Serve Receive

·         Each team has a maximum of three contacts to return the ball.

·         A player may not contact the ball two consecutive times unless blocking or at serve return (so if the serve hits you in the face and then you bump it, that’s OK).

·         You cannot block or attack a serve.

·         The ball must be contacted cleanly and not held (including lifted, pushed, caught, carried or thrown).

·         The ball cannot roll or come to rest on any part of a player’s body.

In Advanced & Advanced/Intermediate Play Only

·         For single-hand contact, ball must be cleanly hit with the heel or palm of the hand, or with straight and locked fingertips, with knuckle, or with the back of the hand. No open-hand tips

Net & Boundaries

·         The ball may touch the net while crossing the net, including during the serve

·         A ball driven into the net may be recovered within the limits of the three team contacts

·         If a player goes under the net, it is not a fault unless it interferes with play

·         It is a fault for a player or a player’s clothing to touch any part of the net apart from incidental contact of the net by a player’s hair OR if wind blows the net and causes the net to touch a player

·         If the ball touches the outer boundary net, it is out of play

·         If the ball goes into another court and a different game is occurring on that court, the ball is out of play

Blocking: 4v4 and 6v6

·         Block does NOT count as one of team’s three touches

·         If two opponents simultaneously contact the ball over the net, the ball remains in play and the team receiving the ball is entitled to another three hits. If such a ball lands out of bounds, it is the fault of the team on the opposite side of the net from where the ball lands

·         In blocking, the player may place his/her hands and arms beyond the net provided that his/her action does not interfere with the opponent’s play. Thus, players are not permitted to touch the ball beyond the net until the opponent has executed an attack-hit

Setting / Open Hands

·         A contact of the ball with two hands, using the fingers to direct the ball, is a set

·         Ball cannot visibly come to rest during a set

In Advanced & Advanced/Intermediate Play Only

·         If you set the ball over the net, shoulders must be square to your target. Accidental handsets over the net that are NOT square count as a fault

·         You CANNOT open hand receive a serve, hands must be together

·         Open hand receives on the first ball are ONLY allowed if it’s a hard driven ball (no open hand receives on serves, bumps or pushes over)

·         Sets must be clean with minimal spin and no holding – captains, please establish how strictly you will enforce this prior to each match

Rotating

·         Serve order must rotate consistently

·         All players present for the game must rotate into the game in the same order

·         Players must rotate positions around the court, but can swap into new positions once the ball is in play