1.  Check in:  A team representative must check in with the scorekeeper and provide the first game lineup five minutes before game time.  Game time is the time that you are expected to be on the floor ready to play.  Any team not ready to play when the court is empty at their game time will be issued up to (2) 30 second time-outs.  After (1) minute the first game will be declared a forfeit.

2.  Warm Up:  Each team has only a five minute warm-up which begins immediately after the preceding match has ended.

3.  Apparel:  All players must wear tennis shoes or some type of court shoes.  No one will be allowed to play barefoot, in socks, or in street shoes.

4.  Players:  All players must be age 15 years or older.  Those under the age of 18 will need a parents consent to play in the league.  All teams shall be composed of six players in the six player league and of four players in the four player league.  The only exception to this rule applies to the six players league only and are as follows: 

• Each team may start and play one match with five players without having to forfeit.  If the 6th player arrives during the course of the match they may enter the game at any break in the spot they would have occupied had they been there at the start.  The original lineup may not be altered to place the arriving player. 

• Anytime a player is injured during the course of play to the extent that they cannot continue the game, the team may finish the game without it being counted against them as a time of playing with five.  However, a player who starts the match with an existing injury that becomes re-injured will count as a time of playing with five if they cannot continue the match. 

• Anytime that a player is called away due to an emergency or crisis it will not be counted as a time of playing with five against the team. 

• Any other time than those listed above that a team is reduced to less than six players will constitute a forfeit.  A team roster must be turned into the scorekeeper the night of your 1st game.  You can make changes and additions to this roster anytime before the end of play on the 4th game night.  In Co-Ed play, only a team may play with more women than men, as long as there is at least one man but never more than three men at any time.

5.  Game time:  Games will start on time!  As a coach you should insist that your players be present at least ten minutes prior to your scheduled game time.  We will not forfeit a team if a late player is in the parking lot, however, we will issue that team a time-out possibly (2) if that player delays the start of the game.  If that player  arrives during the 2nd time-out, a point will be awarded to the other team for every  30 second delay caused by waiting on the late players.  Game time is forfeit time for the first game.  There is a ten minute grace period before the match is called a forfeit.

6.  Game scoring:  According to U.S.A. Volleyball Rules match will consist of 3 rally games, (Two games to 25 points and last game to 15 points.)  The winning team must have at least a 2 point advantage with no cap on the points scored.  Winners of each league will be determined by the total number of games won and not by the number of matches won.  Tournament format will always be 2 rally games to 25, until the semis and final which will be the best 2 out of 3 games with rally scoring in all 3 games. 

7.  Practice Volleyballs:  There will be volleyballs available to practice, however, all volleyballs need to be returned to the scorer's table before play begins.  People on the sidelines will be asked not to practice while a match is in progress.

8.  Spectators:  All spectators are invited and welcomed to come and watch the matches and there is no admission fee.  We do ask that all spectators and waiting players follow these guidelines:

• Smoking is prohibited in the gym.  If you wish to smoke you must go completely out of the gym.  Do not stand in the door and blow smoke out.

• No child under six years of age is left unattended.  Children are welcomed to come to the games, but must remain seated behind red boundary sidelines for their own safety.  Never should children be running around the gym while play is in progress.  We regret that there is no play area for small children during volleyball matches and must insist that parents do not let their children use the bathrooms for this purpose.  We have had several incidents involving children in the bathrooms and now insist that all parent/players monitor and be responsible for their children while they are playing.

• Do not bring sports balls, such as basketballs, tennis balls, etc. and whistles for children to play with while you are playing a match.  This always causes problems with play and is unnecessary strain on the officials calling the match.  Coloring books, soundless computer games, are good alternatives if your child will not be content to just watch the match.  Volleyball officials and Recreation Department personnel are not responsible for the behavior of your child.  It is your responsibility but we do expect that these guidelines be followed.  Time-outs will be given to teams who must stop play to handle situations involving your children and once time-outs have been depleted side-outs or points will be awarded to the other team.

• The Recreation Department reserves the right to remove unruly and/or disruptive spectators from the gym

9.  Forfeits:  Please do not forfeit.  We have reserved the facilities and have paid officials for you to play and there will be another team waiting on you.  If you must for forfeit a match, please let the Recreation Department know in advance at 270-651-3811, so that we may notify the other team.  Game time is for forfeit time for the first game and then there is a ten minute grace period before the match will be called.  Thus, you could lose the first game by forfeit but still play the 2nd and 3rd games of the match if your 6th player arrives before the end of the ten minute grace period.  After the ten minute grace period all three games are forfeited to the team present.  All matches that are called a forfeit prior to the last match may be used to practice since we have to wait to play other matches.  If the last match is called a forfeit, the gym will be closed.  There is no reason to stay when teams are not paying for practice time.  It is regretful that a team should show and not get to play but the fault lies with the forfeiting team and not the league officials.  The solution to this problem is to not forfeit.  If you know you will have to forfeit,  then call the Recreation department at 651-3811 so that we may notify the other team.  They should not be required to show especially if it is the last match of the night.  Another hint--to avoid forfeits, please enlist enough people on your roster to cover any absences.

10.  Substitutions: 

 A.  The coach, captain, or incoming substitute may make a request for substitution from the referee only when the ball is dead. 

B.  The substitute must report to the scorer, giving name and the player for whom they are substituting.  If a player fails to report to the scorer they are considered and illegal substitute and a penalty of a point or side-out will be awarded to the other team. 

C.  There is unlimited substitution meaning you may substitute  as many times as you like. 

D.  There are two ways to substitute either a position or spot substitution.  In position substitution you need to rotate a female or male into a specified position, usually the serving position, each time a male or female comes to that position.  In spot substitution, you may bring in a substitute for any player at any position.  Before that player can come back into play, the substitute must make at least a complete rotation in the court positions.

11.  Timeouts:  Each team has two (30) second time-outs per game.

12.  Conduct: 

It is considered unsportsmanlike behavior to do the following:

1. Shout or stamp feet while your opponent is playing the ball.

2. Make comments to the other team regarding play of whether the ball is in or out during play.

3. Make persistent comments to the officials regarding calls or making derogatory remarks to or about the officials or the other team.

4. Kicking or throwing the ball in an abusive or angry manner.

5. To involve in any behavior that is perceived by the officials as being offensive.

6. If unsportsmanlike behavior occurs, the officials may involve the penalty for the foul or at his/her discretion may disqualify the offending player's) from the game, match, and/or league.

13.  General Volleyball Policies: 

1. All players are required to know the basic rules of the game.  This is part of the coaches responsibility.

2. Officials will call the game.  If there is a question regarding the correct application of a rule then it should come from the coach of the team only.  These questions are allowed and welcomed; however, if the questions become persistent, the coach will be asked to hold his questions until after the match.

3. There will be no discussion concerning an officials decision on a judgment call between players and officials.  If the two officials disagree on a judgment call that call may be amended.  It is the decision of the chair official that if final.

4. Consistent and/or deregulatory outbursts by a player during the course of a match and/or to the officials during or after the match may result in that players removal from the game, forfeiture of the match, and/or that player being disqualified to play in the league depending on the discretion of the officials as to the severity of the offense.

14.  Awards:  T-shirts will be given to the winner and runner-up teams in each division, providing there are 6 or more teams in that division.  If there are 5 or less teams, only winner's shirts will be given.

Only six T-shirts will be issued to a six man team and four T-shirts to four man team.  Teams may order more at their own expense.

 

Special notes for all coaches and players: 

1. A player cannot play for 24 hours after he/she has been added to a roster.  This is a league rule that will be monitored by the Recreation Department officials without requiring a protest from any other team.   The penalty for this will be that the offending player will not be allowed to play in the game in which the infraction is observed.  This could result in a forfeit of the game for the his/her team for that night.  This can be done at any time that the Recreation Department catches infractions during the course of that game. 

2. Any player discovered playing under an assumed and/or false name will be suspended from volleyball league play for the remainder of the year.  This is outright cheating and will not be tolerated by league officials.  This will be monitored by Recreation Department officials without requiring a protest form any other team.  This can be done at any time that the Recreation Department catches the infraction during the course of that game.  Proof of identification will be required in case of an injury and if the player cannot provide proof in the form of a driver's license or birth certificate the game will be played under official protest.

3. The player will be given 48 hours to provide to the Recreation Department proof of identification.  If everything else checks out the game will stand as played.  If the player is found to have played under false circumstances or does not provide proof within 48 hours, that player will be suspended form play for the remainder of the year and the game in which they played will be considered a forfeit to the other team.  All names must be your legal name at the time the roster is signed and putting maiden names instead of married names and vice versa constitutes a fraud.

4. Players may remove themselves from a roster at anytime and it is their responsibility to make the coach aware that this has been done.  However, the coach must add a player's name to a roster and then the player must sign a release form before playing.  Once rosters are turned in to the Recreation Department, only Recreation Department personnel will add names to the rosters.  But it is the responsibility of the coach to have that player sign a release form and turn it into the Recreation Department. 

5. Any player ejected from a game for behavioral reasons will be ejected from the gym as well, and must leave Recreation Department premises or face suspension form the league.  All behavioral ejections will be penalized by at least a two game suspension, and could be more depending on the severity of the action and the discretion of the officials.  When ejected, you are suspended from the game you are playing and the next two games your team plays.  You may not play in another league, until your suspension time has been served.

6. It is the responsibility of each coach to make all of your players aware of these and all other league rules.

Anyone using the gym will be asked to leave and may be barred from future usage for the following violations:

1. Drinking alcoholic beverages in the gym or anywhere on Recreation Department property.

2. Using or having in their possession illegal drugs or drug paraphernalia.

3. Having in their possession a firearm or weapon on Recreation Department property.

4. Using profanity.

5. Fighting or exhibiting aggressive behavior (such as flipping the bird).

6. Abuse of the facility.

7. Taking property from the facility.

8. Any other activity that results in damage, harm, or violates the rights of others.

**Special Note:  All participants in your event must park in the back parking lot located behind the lower gym to avoid congestion with parents of the Bittyball programs in the upper gym.***