RULES

1. Team Composition/Players

Players must be 18 or older. There are 6 players to a team. All leagues are considered Coed.  This means that there should never be more than 3 players of one sex and must have at least 2 members of each sex.  A five person line-up is legal. A team with  4 players can play, but must be approved by the opposite team. If a team has less than 4 players it is a forfeit.  Participants must behave respectfully and courteously in the spirit of fair play, not only towards the officials, but also towards teammates, opponents, and spectators. Participants must refrain from actions or attitudes aimed at influencing the decision of the referee. Participants must accept the referees’ calls with sportsmanlike conduct and without dispute. In case of doubt, clarifications may be requested. After clarification the referees’ decision is final.

2. Games

A coin will be flipped and the winner of the flip will get choice of serve or side of court. Teams will change serve and side after each game. All Games will be played by rally scoring. Every point will count towards the score. All 3 games will be played to 21 points with the team having a minimum of a 2 point lead. In case of a score not settled at 21, a team must still win by 2 or  the first team to 25 regardless if there is a two point difference. The team who wins the flip will get a free pitcher of beer. Teams will have a 5-minute warm up period before the start of their first game, which will begin at the end of the previous match, or 5 minutes before your scheduled match. If scheduled matches are running behind, the warm up may be cut short or done away with all together.

3. Legal Volley

There will be no sex rules. Any combination of players contact is a legal volley as long as three contacts with the ball are not exceeded.

4. Legal Serve

The ball must be served underhand in the rec league.  In the intermediate leagues the ball may be served either way – overhand or underhand. The ball must be served within 10 seconds of the referee’s whistle. If the ball is served before the referee’s whistle, it will be considered a do over. If it hits the net on the serve and makes it over it is a live ball and must be played.

 5. Receiving The Serve

A team must bump or set the first hit when receiving the serve. 

6. Rotation and Tardy Players

Rotation of players is allowed but teams must rotate at the referee’s stand. We will not allow players to stand anywhere else on the court due to safety concerns. If a team has less than 6 people and the  match has started, then the late player can immediately step in at the next point as long as the ratios are kept in place to have a legal team . If they have 6 players, then the late person can rotate in at the referee’s stand on next team service.

7. Timeouts

Each team will be allowed one timeout for one minute during each game. Their will be a maximum of a 2 minute break between games.

8. Misc Play Rules

There is no center line. A foot fault will only occur if you interfere with the opposing team’s play of the ball or completely pass under the net.

Players may not make contact with the net or any part of it, including the poles and cables while a point is in play. If contact occurs, the

opposing team wins the point. No underhand palm hits will be allowed. This will be called for an illegal hit or a carry. Players may block or set above the net. A double hit when trying to block a hard driven spike is a legal hit as long as it is in the same receiving motion.  

Players in the back row may not spike. There is no 10 foot line  in our sand volleyball leagues.

*Spiking-Whole body in forward motion

9. Game Forfeit

 A forfeit of the first game will occur if a team does not have the required number of players or the right ratio of players present 5 minutes after scheduled game time or 5 minutes after referee blows whistle to start game if earlier match ran late. Remaining games will be forfeited if a legal line-up is not present 10 minutes after scheduled time or 10 minutes after referee blows whistle to start game if earlier match ran late.

10. League Standings  

Standings will be determined by the total games won. The league will rotate courts every other week. At the completion of a match, the team captain must see the referee to verify and signoff on the scores. At this point the scores are final. Please make sure you look them over carefully.  This is your responsibility as a captain.  On the last night, if two teams are tied in the standings, position will be based on season head to head match-up.  If the two teams split the season match-up then it will be determined by total game points for the year.

11. Schedule

All schedules will be posted online.  Please make sure to refer to the website for you playing times each week.  Position rounds and playoffs will be determined at the league meetings before the season. 

12. Team Rosters and Waiver Forms

There will be open rosters. This means that each team may bring anyone in to play for them, with one exception. Players on a team may not sub for another team in the same league unless authorized by the opposing team. If a team is found in violation they will forfeit all games that night. A player may play in the adjoining league without penalty. Waiver forms must be completed by everybody before they play.  NO EXCEPTIONS. The referee/bartenders will always have extras for you to fill out. Give the form to the referee or bartender on duty.

13. Cancellations and Make-ups

Decisions to cancel a match or night due to inclement weather will be made by Prairie Lanes no later than a 1/2 hour before the match is to begin. Cancellations will be announced on the volleyball website and phone calls will be placed to the team captains. Please do not call before 5PM, as decisions are being made by night manager and the refs. It is the captain’s responsibility of informing the other members of the team. If an entire night is rained out, it will be added to the end of the regular season. At the first sign of lightning, teams will be removed from the court for safety purposes. It will then be up to the manager to determine if a match will be canceled or postponed until the weather passes.  If a match is cancelled in the middle of league play, only completed games will count.  The remainder of the games will be made up at the end of the season if scheduling permits. However, if this is pushing the season too many weeks, we may ask that you do these make ups on other days and times. If a team is unable to play a scheduled night, they must contact the other team’s captain and Prairie Lanes at least 2 days in advance unless it is an emergency situation.  Make-ups may be done at both Bowl A Vard and Prairie Lanes. If make-up matches are not complete by August 7th, they are considered a forfeit. If a team is unable to be reached, please contact Prairie Lanes. If Prairie Lanes does not get a response, points will go to the team that contacted us. If the two teams can’t come to an agreement then the team that is canceling will get one point and the other team getting two.

14. Misc Information

Due to safety concerns we DO NOT allow children inside the netted area.  Absolutely no carry-ins permitted! This includes food and drinks. (Bottled Water is ok). Anything found will be confiscated and may result in ejection from our premises. Absolutely no carry-out of alcoholic beverages! For the safety of our customers, no pets are allowed in the fenced in volleyball area, but are allowed on the deck while leashed.