VAL Volleyball Rules
NFHS Rules shall be followed with the following modifications:
1. NO JEWELRY may be worn by any player.
2. The games may be played back to back assuming both athletic directors and both coaches agree to pre-season meeting. If both sides cannot agree, then the game must be played right after school. All the back to back games will be played 2 out of 3. All games will be played to 25 points. If a gym volleyball court is not available, the home team has the option of playing the match on the blacktop or the grass assuming that there are correct dimensions on the ground. Failure to honor this rule will result in a forfeit.
3. Game time is 4:00pm, provided the visiting has at least a 10-minute warm-up. The latest a game should start is 4:15 pm with or without a 10-minute warm-up. Home team will make the court available for warm-ups as soon as the visiting team arrives. Ten-minute warm-up periods should be shortened if visitors are late. Every effort should be made to start the match by 4pm. Please try to get to away games by 3:45pm.
4. Home team must provide a referee, an official scorer, and a visual scoreboard. The home scorebook is the official book.
5. All matches will be best three out of five
games unless both coaches are informed otherwise in advance. Rally
scoring system will be used and each game is played up to 25 points or
until one team wins by 2 points. The fifth game is played up to only 15
points. All teams must win by 2 points. Switch sides at 8 points during the fifth game. All back to back games will be played 2 out of 3. All games will be played to 25 points.
6. Each team is allowed two timeouts per game.
7. Determine serving team and sides by coin toss at the beginning of first and last game.
8. Both schools must provide line judges.
9. A player may step on, but cannot completely step over the centerline.
10. It is an illegal hit if the ball rolls off the fingers or is carried on 1st, 2nd or 3rd hit.
11. The officials must be instructed to give warnings if unsportsmanlike conduct occurs. A sideout and point will be awarded for any subsequent offense.
12. Serving: High school rules will govern serving out of turn. All points by a server who serves out of turn will be canceled if the infraction is called to the attention of the referee before the opposing team serves. No points will be canceled if the offense is discovered after the next server has served. See 2000-2001 N.F.H.S. Rules.
13. Serving: The server must wait for the official’s signal before serving the ball. There will be no warning; a sideout and point will be awarded to the opposing team. The server may elect to toss and not serve once during his/her rotation. Serves may be taken from any position behind the service line and within the side boundaries.
14. The serve may not be spiked or blocked by an opposing team. Returned serves may be “bumped” underhand or overhands and set. The set off the serve can be a double hit, as well as on any 1st hit. All coaches should discourage a hard-struck, attacking overhand bump.
15. Serves that hit the net and go onto the opposing side are in play.
16. Each team must begin the match with six players. A team may continue to play with a minimum of five players.
17. The net height must be 7’ 2" and the nets should be pulled tight in order to play the ball off the net.
18. Rotation: After the first team serves, the team that wins sideout must rotate before serving.
19. Substitutes must take the position in the serving order of the player coming out of the game.
20. Players who re-enter the game must take their original position in the rotation except in the case of a disqualifying injury. Three or more players may be substituted for the same position, but they may play only that position.
21. All grade levels have the option to use a libero. If a team chooses to use a libero, they will be allowed no more than 12 substitutions. If a team chooses not to use a libero, they will be allowed no more than 18 substitutions.
22. If two or more opposing players contact the ball simultaneously above the net, all players are eligible to participate in the next play (hit). That next hit will be considered the first of the three contacts allowed to the team. A block is not considered one of the three contracts allowed to a team.
23. Each school should make the effort to carry a minimum of 9 players.
24. Hands may go over the net, but may not touch the net.
- Coaches and players cannot yell the ball being “in” or “out” from the bench or sideline to the opposing team. Penalty: first time is a warning; second time is a side-out and point awarded to the opposing team.
- Back row players may not reach above the level of the net to block or defend an attack from the other team within 10’ of the net. The ten-foot line must be marked and visible on all courts.
- Back row players may not initiate an overhead attack within 10 feet of the net unless both feet are on the ground.
- These rules and clarifications are based on the National High School Federation Rules.