6’s Co-Ed Volleyball Rules & Regulations

SIX PLAYERS ON THE COURT

Six players on the court for each team
- All competitions must involve teams with the required number of players. Teams with less than the required number of players are incomplete and forfeit the set or match.

SCORING SYSTEM – BEACH VOLLEYBALL RULES

Match

The team that wins best 2 out of 3 sets wins the match. In the case that the match comes to a 1 to 1 tie, the 3rd set is played to 15 points, with a minimum 2-point lead.
After the First set is played, teams will swap sides.
3 Sets will be played for each match regardless of the set score. Game 1 & 2 to 21
The team that scores 21 points first wins the set. In the case of a 20 to 20 tie, play is continued until one team has a 2-point advantage or cap at 25. (Ex. Home: 24 Away: 25 or Home: 23 Away: 25)

Rally

Whenever a team fails in serving, fails to return the ball to the opponent, or commits any faults, the opposing team wins the rally. The result of winning the rally...
If the opponents served, they get a point and continue serving.
If the opponents received the serve, they get a point and gain the right to serve next.

PARTICIPANTS – BEACH VOLLEYBALL RULES

Teams

Coed teams contain 6 players with at least 1 female on the court at all times.
Minimum team requirements: 1 female and 1 male on the court at all times (ghost rule)
If you do not meet the minimum requirements, your team will choose to apply the “ghost rule” or forfeit the match.
Substitutions can only be made before the serve is made.

Substitutions

When your team has regained the serve, you are allowed to sub out any player on the court before the 1st point of serve is played.

Game Times and Forfeits

All matches will start at their designated times. There is a 10-minute grace period until a forfeit is declared.

Scorekeeping / Refereeing

The MAC will supply the referee’s for the match and they will also keep the score.
The designated ref has the final say on all matters.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Six player teams must have at least four players (minimum two females, two males) on the court at all times. Teams with less than six players may have to adhere to the “ghost rule”.
Ghost Rule: minimum of 2 females and 2 males on the court at all times.
Six player teams: can never play with more than 4 men.
Teams not able to field a “full” team, or minimum number, may play with the consent of the opposing captain and/or league staff member.

**Rosters: Only players listed on your roster are allowed to play in any regular season or playoff game. NO EXCEPTIONS.

STARTING GAMES AND SCORING

A team earns service possession for the start of the first game by winning a Rock/Paper/Scissors. The teams will then alternate service every other game.
Teams will 3 games regardless of the set score after the first two sets. First two games to 21 with a cap at 25 using "All Rally Score" scoring. All Rally Score scoring means that every time a point is finished, one team will be awarded a point, whether they served or not. The 3rd set will be played to 15 with a cap of 17.
Serves that hit the net and go over the net to the opponent’s side will be "live" and are good serves provided the opposing team plays them or they land in bounds. SERVICE AND ROTATION
Each team member must rotate on the court and must remain in that position until the serve has been contacted. The player in the back right hand corner of the rotation will be designated to serve and continue to rotate clockwise.

• The server may not step on or over the end line until the ball has been contacted. The width of the service area is from sideline to sideline. The depth of the service area is infinite.

The serve may not be blocked or spiked.
Players can return the serve by:
- Bump pass
- Clasping their hands together (set, as long as the ball is not caught or carried)
- A closed fist

PLAYING THE BALL

THREE CONTACTS - Each team is allowed a maximum of 3 successive contacts of the ball in order to return the ball to the opponent's area. (Exception: In the action of blocking an attacking ball, the touch, or contact resulting from the block attempt does not constitute one of the three successive contacts.)
There are no male/female hitting rules.

ATTACKING THE NET

6 on 6 only the three players that are in the front row of the rotation are allowed to attack the net. Violation of this rule would include any hitting or blocking that occurs above the plane of the net.
BREAKING THE PLANE – A player may reach over the net to block the ball if any portion of the ball breaks the plane of the net. After the attacker’s side has come in contact with the ball on the third contact.
SIMULTANEOUS CONTACTS - When two non-blocking teammates touch the ball simultaneously, it is considered one contact, and any player may make the next contact. When two blocking teammates touch the ball simultaneously, it is not counted as a contact, and any player may make the next contact.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CONTACT - The ball can contact any number of body parts down to, and including the foot, providing such contacts are simultaneous and the ball rebounds immediately and cleanly after such contact.
HELD BALL - The ball must be contacted cleanly and not held, lifted, pushed, caught, carried or thrown. The ball cannot roll or come to rest on any part of a player’s body. It can rebound in any direction.
HAND SETS - A contact of the ball using the fingers of one or two hands to direct the ball toward a teammate is a set. The ball must come into contact with both hands simultaneously and leave both hands simultaneously to avoid a double hit call. A player may set the ball over the net in front or behind them only in the direction in which their shoulders are squarely facing. Rotation of the ball after the set may indicate a held ball or multiple contacts during the set but in itself IS NOT A FAULT.

**The General Rule is less than 2 and ½ rotations, or being able to read the name brand on the ball. Please call your “bad hands”, double hits, and holds! **

ATTACKING THE BALL OVER THE OPPONENTS COURT- A player is not allowed to attack the ball on the opposite side of the net. If the ball is hit above the spiker’s side of the net and then the follow-through causes the spiker's hand and arm to cross the net without contacting an opponent or the net, the action does not constitute a fault.

BLOCKING

Blocking is the action close to the net, which intercepts the ball coming from the opponents’ side by making contact with the ball before, during or after it, crosses the net.
MULTIPLE CONTACTS - Multiple contacts of the ball by a player(s) participating in a block shall be legal provided it is during one attempt to intercept the ball. Multiple contacts of the ball

during a block shall be counted as a single contact, even though the ball may make multiple contacts with one or more players of the block.

BLOCKING A SERVE - Blocking or attacking a serve is prohibited.
BLOCKING A BALL ACROSS THE NET - Blocking of the ball across the net above the opponent's court shall be legal provided that such a block is:

After a player of the attacking team has spiked the ball, or, in the referee's judgment, intentionally directed the ball into the opponent's court, or has exhausted their third allowable hit.
After the opponents’ have hit the ball in such a manner that the ball would clearly cross the net if not touched by a player, provided no member of the attacking team is in a position to make a legal play on the ball.
If the ball is falling near the net and no member of the attacking team could reasonably make a play on the ball.

PLAY AT THE NET

PLAYER CONTACT WITH THE NET - No part of the body may touch the net at anytime unless a ball or person driven into the net causes the contact. Player contact with the net in a manner not directly relating to or affecting the course of play is not a violation but if challenged by the other team, play will result in the point being played over. Contact with hair or part of the uniform will not be considered a fault.
SIMULTANEOUS CONTACT BY OPPONENTS - If opponents contact the net simultaneously, it shall constitute a double fault and the point shall be played over.
INTERFERENCE - Beach volleyball allows any and all parts of the body to cross the centerline as long as there is no interference with the opposing player.