VAL Volleyball Rules

NFHS Rules shall be followed with the following modifications/clarifications:

1. All jewelry must be removed, except small, secured studs or posts worn above the chin. No jewelry is permitted below the chin. Exceptions are made for religious and medical alert medals, but must be taped and worn under the uniform, with medical alert medals potentially being visible. 

2. 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. Please try to get to away games by 3:45pm. Every effort should be made to start the match by 4pm. 

3. The Rally Scoring system will be used. 

3a). All back-to-back matches (ex. 8th grade 4pm, then 7th grade 5pm), will be played as a best-of-three-set match. In a best-of-three-set match, all three sets will be played to 25 points, win by two points. 

3b). All individual matches (ex. 8th grade 4pm, then no team at 5pm), will be played as a best-of-five-set match. In a best-of-five-set match, the first four sets are played to 25 points, win by two points. The 5th, tie-breaking set, will be played to 15 points, win by two points. 

4. 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. 

5. Determine serving team and sides by coin toss at the beginning of first and last game. 

6. Home team must provide a referee, an official scorer, and a visual scoreboard.  The home scorebook is the official book. 

7. The net height must be 7’ 2" and the nets should be pulled tight in order to play the ball off the net. 

8. Each team is allowed two timeouts per game. 

9. Both schools must provide line judges. 

10. A player may step on, but cannot completely step over the centerline. 

11. Hands may go over the net, but may not touch the net. 

12. Elimination of the Double-Contact Fault. The multiple contacts made by one player must be a part of a single, continuous action. The ball must then be played by a teammate to complete the play. I.E. a player can double, as long as the ball does not cross over the net. 

12a. Multiple contracts are also permissible when a player touches the ball during a block. 

13. 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. 

14. 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. 

15. Back row players may not initiate an overhead attack within 10 feet of the net unless both feet are on the ground. 

16. The serve may not be spiked or blocked by an opposing team.  Returned serves may be “bumped” underhand or overhands and set. All coaches should discourage a hard-struck, attacking overhand bump. 

17. 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. 

18. Serving: The server must wait for the official’s signal before serving the ball.   There will be no warning; a side-out 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.   

19. Serving team players are prohibited from raising hands above their heads before the ball crosses the net during a serve. 

20. Serves that hit the net and go onto the opposing side are in play. 

21. Rotation: After the first team serves, the team that wins side-out must rotate before serving.   

22. Substitutes must take the position in the serving order of the player coming out of the game. 

23. 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. 

24. Teams may designate 0, 1, or 2 liberos for each individual set. Only one libero is permitted to be on the court at a time. Liberos are restricted to playing only in the back row. Replacements by the libero are not counted as substitutions and do not count against the substitution limit. Liberos must wear a different colored uniform for easy identification. 

25. Teams are limited to a maximum of 18 substitutions per set (with or without a libero). 

26. Each school should make the effort to carry a minimum of 9 players. 

27. Each team must begin the match with six players.  A team may continue to play with a minimum of five players. 

28. During playoffs if a school is hosting three matches on the same day one match must be played at another site. 

29. The officials must be instructed to give warnings if unsportsmanlike conduct occurs.  A side-out and point will be awarded for any subsequent offense. 

30. 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.