Universal Sports League Rules
I. COURT AND NET SETUP
A. COURT SIZE
1. Standard Court Size for all age levels.
B. SERVING LINES
1. 4th 13 feet from the net
2. 5th/6th 20 feet from the net
3. 7th-12th Back court line
C. NET HEIGHT
1. 4th Grade net height is 6 feet six inches (6’6”)
2. 5th/6th Grade net height is 7 feet (7’0”)
3. 7th/8th/9th Grade net height is 7 feet 4 inches (7’4”)
D. GAME BALL
1. 3rd/4th Tachikara Volley Lite or similar
2. 5th/6th Tachikara Volley Lite or similar
3. 7th/8th/9th Tachikara leather ball SV5W Gold or similar (standard)
II. PRE-MATCH
A. OVERHEAD OBSTRUCTIONS
1. A ball hitting the ceiling or an overhead obstruction above a playable area shall remain in play provided the ball contacts the ceiling or obstruction on the side of the net extended that is occupied by the team that last played the ball, and the ball is legally hit next by the same team.
2. An obstruction, which is directly above the net line, will be considered a re-serve if a ball hits it or goes over it on the serve.
3. A basketball goal not over the court, which is in the down position, will be considered out-of-bounds.
B. COACHES
1. The coach’s box is five (5) feet deep by eight (8) feet long directly in front of the players. Even if a box is not marked in tape, the coach is to consider the box to be in effect. Coaches will remain seated in “the box” throughout the game.
2. Coaches will not address the referee during the game except to signal time out.
C. COIN TOSS
1. The referee will conduct a coin toss with a captain from each team. Visiting team will call the toss. Winner chooses side or serve. Teams will change to the opposite court, and the serve changes hands from the previous serving team for games two and three.
D. GAME BALL
1. Universal Sports League will supply a regulation game ball for the match. The ball will be presented to the referee at the coin toss to ensure the ball is appropriate for play.
E. LINESPERSON
1. Each team will provide a linesperson, preferably 14 years or older. The linesperson will be positioned at the corner of the court on the left hand back corner opposite the server. The linesperson does not change sides during match play. The linesperson is not allowed to have any distractions such as cell phones, pager, children etc. The linesperson is not allowed to sit down or cheer during the game. The referee has the right to overrule a linesperson at any time. The referee has the right to remove a linesperson at anytime without explanation. A linesperson will only address the referee during a dead ball and only to signal out-of-bounds or a foot fault.
a. A ball will be considered out-of-bounds if it;
b. Touches the wall, objects mounted on the wall or objects on the floor outside the court.
c. Touches the floor outside of the courts boundary lines regardless of overhanging objects.
d. Touches the net antennas
e. Does not cross the net within the antennas.
f. Breaks the plane of an adjacent court, goes over or touches the bleachers, benches, officials table, etc.
g. The ball is considered in if it touches the line.
F. SCOREKEEPER
1. Scorekeepers will be provided by Universal Sports League who will sit at the scorekeepers table, and no other persons will be allowed at the scorekeepers table. The scorekeeper will be responsible for operating the scoreboard.
G. LINE-UP
1. The line-up of players in serving order will be given to the scorekeeper after the coin toss and at least five (5) minutes prior to the start of the match. This is the responsibility of the head coach of each team.
2. 4th through 6th Grade Leagues – The line up will be in a continuous order throughout all games. When one match finishes and the next begins, the line up continues with one rotation so that the server from the previous game does not start the next game.
3. 7th through 12th Grade Leagues – The line up may change each game, however, the mandatory participation requirement and substitution rules must be followed.
4. The line-up will indicate which player on the court is the team captain by placing a C next to that player’s number. When the team captain rotates out or another player is substituted in for the team captain, the head coach will indicate who the new team captain is.
5. If a Libero is included in the line-up (see III. Match Play, C. Libero), their number is to be placed in the Libero box on the line-up sheet.
6. It is forbidden to wear objects which may cause injury, or give an artificial advantage to the player. Absolutely NO jewelry will be allowed. Each player must be in proper uniform. The head coach is responsible to ensure that all players are compliant before stepping onto the court.
III. MATCH PLAY
A. SCORING
1. Match play will consist of the best 2 out of 3 games. The first two games will be to 25 points and the third game, if necessary, will be to 15 points. All games will be played with rally scoring where a point is scored on each play, either defensively or offensively. There is a cap of 25 points. The first team to reach 25 points in the first 2 games or 15 points in the third game is declared the winner of that game.
2. 4th through 6th Grade Leagues - A player is allowed to serve and make only five (5) points. After that, a referee will call a side out. There is no point awarded for this side out.
3. 7th through 12th Grade Leagues – There is no limit to the number of consecutive serves a player is allowed to make prior to a side out.
4. Season Standings - One (1) point will be awarded for each match won. A tie will be broken by head to head results. If required, a further tie would be broken by sets won percentage (total sets won divided by total sets played).
B. SUBSTITUTIONS AND MANDATORY PLAYER PARTICIPATION
1. It is the intent of Universal Sports League to enforce equal play time for all players. This assumes that there is equal participation of players in practices and games. If a player misses practices and/or games, the coach has the discretion of limiting play time in games in proportion to the player’s participation. Otherwise, a team may be penalized if equal play time in games is not provided.
2. Each team must start and end the game with six (6) players on the court.
3. 4th through 6th Grade Leagues
a. When rotating after a side-out or a maximum number of serves, a new player will enter the back-row middle. The player in the service position (back-row, right) will sub out. The rotation does not change during the match. Each player MUST be in the rotation. No other substitutions are allowed other than for an injury.
4. 7th through 12th Grade Leagues
a. A maximum of 12 substitutions is allowed. The number of times a player can enter the game is not limited, however, a player can only substitute for a single player.
5. Substitutes must be visually signaled by the coach during a dead ball. Multiple substitutions should be requested at the same time.
6. The player and substitute shall remain in front of the ten (10) foot line at the sideline until signaled by the referee to switch places. The substitution then immediately occurs. (Coaching during a substitution will be considered delay of game).
7. Calling for a substitution and then withdrawing the request constitutes delay of game.
8. A substitute must remain in the game until the next dead ball.
9. Previously substituted players returning to the court must substitute back into the same position in the serving order, except in an injury situation.
C. LIBERO
1. 4th through 6th Grade Leagues
a. There will be no Libero in these leagues.
2. 7th through 12th Grade Leagues
a. The coach may elect to use a Libero in the line up. This position must be marked on the line up sheet by placing the player’s number in the Libero box. There is only one Libero in the line up per game.
b. The Libero must wear a different shirt than the team so that they are clearly visible.
c. The Libero may enter the court for any player on the back row after the line up has been checked, and only the player they replaced can return to the court. The exchange will happen between the 10’ line and the back row line. The player replaced by the Libero must return to the court when that player moves to the front row.
d. The Libero may replace any player in the back row, however, they must sit out one play before returning to the court to replace another player in the back row. The scorekeeper will record the activity of the Libero to ensure proper replacement and return.
D. FORFIET POLICY
1. A game shall be considered a forfeit if a team has less than six (6) legal players present on the court at game time. If a team’s strength drops below six (6) players during a game, that game is a forfeit. Any remaining games of the match are also forfeited if the team is still under strength after 10 minutes post game time start.
2. Forfeit time of the first game is game time. Forfeit time for the second game is ten (10) minutes after the start of game time. Forfeit of the third game is fifteen (15) minutes following the start of game time.
3. The forfeiture score will be 0-25 for each game forfeited.
4. Universal Sports League may at its discretion cancel a forfeit or keep it depending on the number of players on each team at the beginning of the season.
E. TIME OUTS
1. There are two (2) thirty (30) second time outs allowed per game. No additional time outs will be allowed.
2. If the requesting team is serving, the penalty for requesting an additional time out will be loss of ball and a point awarded to the opposing team. If the requesting team is not serving, a point will be awarded to the opposing team.
3. If a player is bleeding, an official’s time out is taken. The wound must be covered for a player to return to the court; and if blood is on anything worn by the player, it either must be removed or replaced before the player can return to the court. If needed, any t-shirt can be substituted.
4. Time allowed between games will be no more than three (3) minutes.
F. WARM UPS
1. Both teams will share the court during warm ups. Hitting the other team’s court will be done on the left side when both teams are ready.
2. The last two (2) minutes of warm ups are reserved for serving.
IV. THE PLAYING RULES
A. THE SERVE
1. 4th through 6th Grade Leagues
a. The player in the back right position shall hit the ball with one hand, fist or arm, either held or after release, behind and without feet coming into contact with the serving line. The serving line continues across the entire width of the court whether the taped line is extended across the width or not. A player may serve anywhere behind the serving line but within the width of the court.
b. The ball must be sharply hit with one hand. It may not contact anything, including the net (no let-serve) or antennas before passing over the net and must cross the net within the net antennas.
c. Teams do not rotate before their first serve.
d. All players, except the server, must be inside the court at serve.
e. The ball shall be contacted within five (5) seconds after the referee’s signal to serve. A player must wait for the whistle and referee’s signal before serving the ball. After one warning per server, a side-out will result.
f. At the beginning of each server’s turn, if the ball fails to be a ball in play (touches the net, goes into the net, out-of bounds, bad toss etc.), the referee will call a re-serve; and the player will be allowed to serve a second time. This only applies to each player’s first serve during each rotation of service.
g. Players must receive the serve with an underhand pass (bump).
h. A player is allowed to serve and make only five (5) points. After that, a referee will call a side-out. There will be no point awarded for this side out.
2. 7th through 12th Grade Leagues
a. The player in the back right position shall hit the ball with one hand, fist or arm from behind and without feet coming into contact with the serving line. The serve can be from anywhere behind the back line but within the width of the court.
b. The ball must be sharply hit with one hand. The let-serve rule is in effect. If the ball contacts the net and proceeds inside the opponent’s court, it is legal.
c. The ball shall be contacted within five (5) seconds after the referee’s signal to serve. A player must wait for the whistle and referee’s signal before serving the ball. After one warning per server, a side-out will result.
d. If the ball is thrown up and the server decides not to contact the ball, the ball must drop to the floor. The referee will blow the whistle and signal a re-serve. A new five (5) second period will begin upon the referee’s whistle. One re-serve is allowed per term of service. If the ball is dropped a second time during the same term of service, a side-out is called and a point awarded to the opposing team.
e. All players, except the server, must be inside the court at serve.
f. There is no limit to the number of consecutive serves a single player can serve prior to a side-out.
B. HITTING THE BALL DURING PLAY
1. 4th through 6th Grade Leagues – A player may only receive the serve with an underhand (bump) pass.
2. 7th through 12th Grade Leagues – A player may receive the serve with either an overhead pass or an underhand (bump pass). The overhead pass may not be carried or lifted.
3. During play, the ball may be played with an overhand or underhand pass, one-hand dig, a block and a spike or with any part of the body above the waist.
4. Only a short contact with the ball is allowed. On an overhead pass, the ball must be contacted with both hands simultaneously. On an underhand pass, the hands must be connected.
5. After receipt of the serve, a front line player has no restrictions as to legal contact of the ball. However, a back line player, in order to spike the ball, must begin their attack behind the ten (10) feet line. A back line player that begins their attack from behind the ten (10) feet line may jump in the air, make contact with the ball, then has the option of landing behind, on, or completely in front of the ten (10) feet line. A back line player may not block the ball when standing in front of the (10) feet line.
6. Playing the ball back to the opponent on the first touch is permitted. It is suggested however, that players be encouraged to learn how to return the ball with more than one touch.
7. A maximum of three (3) touches are permitted per side per play, with the exception of the touch on the block, which then permits four (4) touches. The ball must be played over the net on or before the last permitted touch.
8. The ball may not be contacted by the same player twice consecutively with the exception of;
a. A block.
b. To save a hard-driven spike, provided there has been no “finger” action.
9. A ball may not be caught, pushed, carried, lifted or held.
10. If players touch the ball simultaneously at any time, it will be considered one touch. And any player may touch the ball on the next touch provided there is another touch allowed. This is inclusive only to the two players that touched the ball simultaneously.
C. PLAY AT THE NET
1. Players may not touch the net except for loose hair, such as ponytails. They may step on or have a foot partially above the center line. No other part of the body, i.e. hand, knee, elbow, etc. may touch or cross the center line. If their foot or any part of their body completely clears the center line and goes into the opposing court, a violation has occurred.
D. OUT OF ROTATION
1. Teams found to be out of rotation order will receive a warning on the first violation. Players will be placed in the correct order and play will resume.
2. A second violation will result in a yellow card being given, loss of the ball by the offending team or the award of a point to the non-offending team. Any points scored by the incorrect server will be taken off the score.
E. CONDUCT OF THE MATCH
1. The referee will conduct the match. Any calls made by the referee will not be questioned during the game. A team captain may ask a referee during the game to repeat the call but may not ask for justification of a call. A team captain may also request from the referee a lineup check during the game. DURING THE GAMES OF A MATCH THE DECISIONS OF THE REFEREE ARE FINAL. A first violation will receive a warning; a second violation will receive a yellow card, loss of the ball by the offending team or award of a point to the non-offending team; a third violation will receive a red card which will result in the removal of the offending person of the team from the gym.
2. Spectators exhibiting an un-sportsman like behavior during a match may cause a penalty to be assessed on the offending spectator’s team. This could be a side-out and a point awarded to the opposing team.
F. NFHS rules will apply except where noted otherwise.
