Volleywood Beach Volleyball Tournament Rules

CHICAGO SPORT AND SOCIAL CLUB

Volleywood 2021

BEACH VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT RULES

 

The rules governing BEACH volleyball are basically the same as those governing indoor volleyball with a few small, yet significant differences.  ALL GAMES will use “rally” scoring.  This means you do not need to be serving in order to score.  “Let serve” is acceptable in all divisions.  Listed below are the rules of the game. During pool play teams will play either 2 sets to 21 (4 team pools) or 1 set to 30 (5 team pools) vs. each opponent in their pool.  During the Playoff round teams will play each opponent 1 set to 30.  All games and points count towards a team’s standings during pool play.  In most cases the top 2 teams from each pool will move on to the tournament round.  Ties within a pool will be broken up based on the following tie-breaker system.  1. Head-to-Head competition between teams that are tied 2.  Point differential from the games played between the teams that are tied, and 3. Overall point differential from all sets played by teams that are tied within their pool.  In the case of a tie between 3 or more teams, the above criteria will still be used, evaluating matches played between teams that are tied first.

**All players must wear tournament wristbands at all times!

 

NEW RULES:

**SETTING THE SERVE IS ILLEGAL IN THE OPEN, INTERMEDIATE, AND 2’S/4’S LEVEL ONLY! 

**OPEN HAND TIPPING IS ILLEGAL IN THE OPEN AND INTERMEDIATE LEVEL AND 2’S/4’S DIVISIONS ONLY!!!   

Tipping and Setting the serve ARE allowed at the RECREATIONAL level.**

BEACH SPECIFIC RULES

  • Coed Open 6’s (4 men and 2 women) unlimited subs allowed- 10 player roster MAX
  • Coed Intermediate and Recreational 6’s (3 men and 3 women) unlimited subs allowed- 10 player roster MAX
  • Coed Intermediate and Recreational 4’s (2 men and 2 women) unlimited subs allowed- 6 player roster MAX
  • Subbing is allowed during any stoppage of play as long as the proper male to female ratio is maintained. In Open, each player can only play in one court position per match. You can use any number of players to rotate into that position, but those players must only play that one position for the entire game.
  • Coed 2’s (1 man and 1 woman)
  • Men’s 2’s – 2 men on the court
  • Women’s 2’s – 2 women on court
  • No Libero allowed.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

  • Two player teams must have two players (minimum one female for Coed) on the court at all times.
  • Four player teams must have at least three players (minimum one female) on the court at all times.
  • Six player teams must have at least four players (minimum two females) on the court at all times. Teams with less than six players may have to adhere to the ghost rule (see below).
  • For 6’s only the opposing captain has the option of instilling the Ghost Rule:  In 6’s, if a team has 4 or 5 players they must forfeit their serve after every 4th or 5th  This allows the team with a full squad to serve back-to-back.  This must be brought up before the game is started.
  • Teams not able to field a “full” team, or minimum number, may play with the consent of the opposing captain and/or tournament director.

 

SERVICE POSSESSION

  • A team earns service possession for the start of the first set by winning a coin toss/even or odd or a Rock/Paper/Scissors. The teams will then alternate service every other set.

ROTATION

  • In 2’s & 4’s team members do not need to rotate positions on the court. They do have to rotate service. During 6’s team members 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. Substitutes can enter in any location.

SCORING

  • All divisions will use the “RALLY” scoring method. Every time the ball is served there will be a point scored.  You do not need to be serving in order to score a point.  Matches are 2 sets to 21 points with a cap at 23 for 4 team pools.  In pools of 5 teams, teams will play one set to 30 with a cap at 32.  Teams will be allowed one team time outs per set.  During the single elimination playoffs, all matches will consist of 1 set to 30 with no cap, but win by 2.

 

COURT SIZE

  • Teams in the Men’s, Women’s, & Coed 2’s divisions will use a smaller court. That court size is 56’6” x 26’3”. All other levels and divisions will use the standard size court (60’x30’).

 

GAME BALLS

Chicago Sport & Social Club will supply a game ball for each game.  These balls can be obtained by turning in a driver’s license to the main check in tent.  It will be returned to you once the ball is returned.  If the teams would like to use another ball, whatever the two teams decide on will be used as the game ball.  If the two teams cannot decide or there is a discrepancy, the official Chicago Sport & Social Club ball will be used.

 

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. 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.  For all 2’s divisions it is “block and two.”
  • LET SERVE – All divisions will use the “let serve” format. Any serve that hits the net and crosses over will be considered a live ball that can be played.  If the ball hits the net, goes over and lands out of bounds it will be considered a point for the non-service team.
  • ATTACKING THE NET – In 2’s and 4’s every player is eligible to attack the net. In 6’s 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.
  • 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. When two opponents simultaneously and instantaneously 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”, it is the fault of the team on the opposite side of the net from where the ball lands.
  • 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 that 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 players’ 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 contact 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. SETTING THE SERVE IS ILLEGAL IN OPEN AND INTERMEDIATE LEVELS ALONG WITH 2’s & 4’s DIVISIONS!!!  Setting serve is allowed at the Recreational levels.
  • BEACH DIGS AND SETS ON THE FIRST CONTACT: Beach digs (open hand digs) are legal on hard driven attacks or blocks that have downward approach and the hitter had a full attack at the ball. In the Recreational and Intermediate level beach digs are legal on any contact.
  • ATTACKING THE BALL OVER THE OPPONENT’S COURT– A player is not allowed to attack the ball on the opposite side of the net. If the ball is hit above the attacker’s side of the net and then the follow-through causes the attacker’s hand and arm to cross the net without contacting an opponent or the net, the action does not constitute a fault.  “Open hand tips/dinks” are not allowed in the Open and Intermediate level along with 2’s and 4’s divisions.  An open hand tip/dink is described as using your finger tips to direct the ball over the net.  To avoid this you must use a closed hand to direct the ball over the net.

 

BLOCKING

  • Blocking is the action close to the net which intercepts the ball coming from the opponent’s 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.
  • PARTICIPATION AFTER A BLOCK – Any player participating in a block shall have the right to make the next contact. The team will be allotted three more contacts after the block touch. In 2’s, the team is only allowed two more contacts after a block touch.
  • 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:

(1)  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.

(2)  After the opponents have hit the ball in such a manner that the ball would, in the referees judgment, 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

(3)  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 any portion of 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.  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 center line as long as there is no interference with the opposing player.