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Home » Intramural Sports » Sport Rules » 6 vs. 6 Volleyball

Anything not specifically covered in these rules shall be handled according to the United States Volleyball Association (USVBA) rules.

GENERAL INFORMATION

1. The Players - The game shall be played between 2 teams of 6 players each. Four players are required to avoid a forfeit. If, due to injuries, a team drops below the minimum number of players (4) it may continue if the Referee feels they still have a chance to win.
2. Rosters and IDs –
   1. Rosters will be final by the second Friday after the season starts at 3:00 P.M.
   2. All students, faculty or staff can participate provided they meet the eligibility requirements outlined in the Intramural Sports Handbook. All participants must present their valid U of A ID – NO EXCEPTIONS!!
3. Team Captains - Each team shall designate to the Referee a player as the captain. This person is the only player who can communicate with the officials. The captain is responsible for any information contained in the Intramural Volleyball Rules, IMRS Handbook, and Sportsmanship Policy.
4. Persons Subject to the Rules - Team representatives including: players, substitutes, replaced players, coaches, fans and other persons affiliated with the team are subject to the rules of the game and shall be governed by decisions of officials assigned to the game.

TEAMS

1. Teams shall be composed of six players.
2. Teams may not begin or continue with less than four players.

TIMING AND SCORING REGULATIONS

1. A game is over when one team scores 21 points. The winning team must have at least a two-point advantage. The match is over if; (a) one team wins two out of three games, (b) 55 minutes of play has elapsed (the team with the most points at that time is the winner), (c) the third game, if needed, is played to 15. In a third game situation, the win by 2 rule is not in effect.
2. Time between games is a maximum of one minute.
3. Scoring. Rally scoring is in effect for all games.

SERVING REGULATIONS

1. A coin toss will be done between the two opposing captains. The winner has the choice of: serving the first game or choosing which court to start on. At the beginning of the second game the roles are reversed.
2. The coin toss will be done at the beginning of the third game with the winner getting the same options as above. Teams will not switch courts in the middle of the third game.
3. The server shall serve within the serving area and not touch the boundary lines or the floor outside it at the instant the ball is contacted on the serve. A part of the servers body may be in the air, over, or beyond these lines.

Legal Serve:

1. The server may:
   1. Hit the ball directly off the holding hand.
   2. Hit the ball after tossing it from the holding hand.
   3. Hit the ball with the arms.
   4. The legal ball may hit the net, but must go over and land in-bounds.
2. When serving, the server must wait for the referee's whistle before striking the ball. For each team, the first infraction will result in a warning and a re-serve. Subsequent infractions will result in a side-out. One warning per team, per game.
3. If a player serves out of turn, side-out shall be called as soon as the mistake is discovered. Any points made by the illegal server shall be canceled. The serving order should then be corrected immediately.
4. Players must stay in their respective serving order for the entire game. At the beginning of a new game the players may be rearranged. The supervisors and officials should be notified of these changes before the game begins.

TIME OUTS

1. Teams are allowed one time-out per game.
2. A time-out is one minute long.
3. Time-outs may be requested by the coach or team captain any time the ball is dead.

PLAYING THE GAME

1. A player may not hit the ball twice in succession.
2. The ball may be contacted a maximum of three times by a team before it is sent over the net.
3. If two or more players of the same team contact the ball simultaneously, it is considered one play. The players involved may participate in the next play. This next play should be counted as an additional contact.
4. Ball crossing the net:
   1. The ball must cross the net completely between the net antennas or their indefinite extension. The ball is dead if it hits the net antenna.
   2. If the ball touches the net on the return, it must touch the net between the markers and go over into the opponent's court.
   3. A ball striking the net and going over is still in play.
   4. The ball may be played when any part of it has crossed the top of the net. It is not essential for the entire ball to be on a player's side of the net before played.
   5. The only legal double hit allowed is if when executing a block, the ball comes through the hands and hits another part of the player's body above the waist.
5. Illegal Net Play
   1. Holding or pushing the ball against the net.
   2. Touching the net with any part of the body while the ball is in play. If the ball is driven into the net with such it causes the net to contact a player on the opposing team, no foul shall be called and the ball shall continue to be in play.
   3. Reaching over the net:
      1. If a player reaches over the net on the follow through a foul shall not be called.
      2. If a player in an attempt to block reaches over the net on a follow-through, whether or not they touch the ball, a foul shall not be called. (Provided some part of the ball has crossed the net on the blocker's side before the follow-through occurs.)
      3. If during an attempt to block a ball, the ball is hit against the net with such force that it causes the net to move under the fingers or hand of the blocker, no fouls shall be called.
   4. Reaching under the net:
      1. A player may not reach under the net and touch the ball or a player on the opposing team when the ball is in play on the opponent's side of the court.
   5. If a player touches the opponent's court in completing a play, it shall be called a foul even if they do not touch the floor until after the ball has hit the floor.
   6. A back line player cannot leave the floor in front of the 10 foot spiking line in executing a spike or playing a ball that is above the net back over the net (if feet leave the floor). In either case, it is okay to hit the ball to a teammate. Back line players also may not go to the net to execute a block.
6. Legal net play:
   1. A ball other than a service may be recovered from the net provided the player avoids touching the net.
   2. If two or more players from opposing teams contact the ball simultaneously above the net, any of the players involved are eligible to participate in the next play, which shall be considered the first of three contacts allowed to the team. When both teams contact a ball simultaneously and it becomes motionless, a replay is ruled.
   3. If one or more players is attempting to block and is contacted by the ball, this player is eligible to participate in the next play, which shall be considered the first contact for that team.
7. Any part of the ball touching a boundary line is considered in bounds.

SUBSTITUTION

1. The incoming player must take the position and place in the serving order of the player in which they are substituting. No change shall be made in the order of rotation. A player who re-enters the game shall be in their original serving order except as stated below (see section D).

CONDUCT OF PLAYERS, COACHES, AND SPECTATORS

1. For the safety of all participants; should the ball need to be sent from one side of the net to the other while not in play, please return the ball by rolling it under the net.

CO-RECREATIONAL INTRAMURAL VOLLEYBALL

NOTE: All standard Intramural Volleyball rules will be govern Co-Rec play, with the following modifications:

1. A team is comprised of three men and three women.  No more men than women may be on the floor at any time. A team may, through substitution, be altered in such a way as to have 5 women and one man on the court at one time.
2. A game may be started with as few as 2 women and 2 men, or 3 women and 1 man. Failure to meet this requirement will result in a forfeit.
3. A substitute shall take the position of the player whom they are replacing. (A man may not substitute for a woman unless she substituted for him first.) No change shall be made in the relative positions of other players when a substitution is made. If a player re-enters the game, they must enter in their original position in relation to their teammates. *Except as in Section E of Substitutions in Standard Rules.
4. If three hits are used to hit the ball over the net, a female must be involved in the play or a side-out will result.

Page last updated: 2/27/2006 15:53