Portland Volleyball Association - Playing Regulations

USA Rules will be followed, with Park Bureau differences.

ROSTER LIMIT
Teams must have a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 12 players. All players must be listed on the official team roster. Rosters must have all information completed before they will be accepted. Rosters are to be submitted prior to your first match, to the appropriate division representatives.

ADDING PLAYERS
Players may be added to the roster at any time during the first or second half of league play. Players may not be added to the roster for overall or league playoffs or post-season tournaments. This does not include Invitational Tournaments.

AGE
Players must be eighteen (18) years of age and not enrolled in high school. Anyone who has graduated at the age of 17 will be allowed to participate.

UNIFORMS
Uniforms are not mandatory. Appropriate gym attire should be worn (i.e. gym shorts, sweats. etc.) SHOES MUST BE WORN, NO BAREFOOT NO STREET SHOES OR BLACK SOLED SHOES ALLOWED. No hats, only sweatbands or bandanas used as sweatbands.

GAME DURATION
Each match will consist of 3 sets: the first 2 to 25 points, and the third to 15 points. All three games will always be played, and all games will use RALLY SCORING. In all games, the winning team must win by at least 2 points, with no cap on the score.

STARTING TIME DEADLINE
Forfeits: If at game time a team does not have sufficient players to start that team will forfeit the first game of the match. ( 15 point game )

A waiting time of up to 10 minutes shall be allowed for the team to have sufficient players to play the next game. ( 25 point game )

If the team that forfeited the first set has sufficient players present, prior to the expiration of the waiting time, play shall begin.

If after the 10-minute waiting period, the forfeiting team does not have sufficient players present and ready to play, the second game will be declared a forfeit and the match is over.

If neither team has sufficient players, the match is a double forfeit and both teams take a loss.

If both teams forfeit the first game of a match, but can put sufficient players on the court before the 10 minute waiting period is over, the winner of the third game wins the match.

In case of a forfeited match, the official will call a non-counting series of games as time allows.

If the first game of a match is forfeited, but both teams can field players for the second and/or third games, the second and/or third games shall be played to 25 points, rally scoring.

GAME START-FINISH
The matches must begin as scheduled. Teams may warm up only if time allows. Teams and officials must be ready to start on the court at the completion of the coin toss. There will be a 3 minute break between sets, and no ball handling between sets.

TIME OUTS
Each team is allowed two (2) time-outs of 30 seconds in length per game.

SUBSTITUTIONS
The USA substitution rules will apply. 12 substitutions per set.

LIBERO
Can serve one position, female can replace either, male only male, USAV rules.

SERVE
Only one toss or release of the ball is allowed. No re-serve is permitted. At most 8 seconds may transpire from whistle to contact of the serve.

PLAYERS
Teams may start with 5 players. If fewer than 5 players are present, set is forfeited to the opposing team. If both teams fail to have 5 players present, both teams will receive a loss in the standings.

COED ONLY
The player positions must alternate man/woman/man/woman (if less than 6 players there can be no more than three (3) players of the same sex). When a ball is hit two or more times and crosses the plane of the net, one hit must be by a woman. Coed teams are legal with the following exceptions:

A back row male may block, if two women and 1 man are at the net.

If a team has 3 women and 2 men, they will always rotate so that 3 players are in the front row and 2 are in the back row (no ghost).

It a team has 4 women and 2 men, the men must still be lined up as though there are 3 men (they CANNOT be opposite each other in the lineup). In addition, the extra woman may still be the only woman to touch the ball before it goes over the net.

If you have 3 males, and 3 females present at the match, you must play them - the 3 women/2 men ratio applies when you are short players ONLY.

EXCEPTION: A team may play with 3 men and 2 women ONCE during a season.

OFFICIALS
Officials have the right to request one piece of I.D. from players. Players refusing will be ejected. Teams playing illegal players will forfeit the match.

LEAGUE STANDINGS
Final league standings will be determined by:

MATCH POINTS
Match points are awarded according to the following:

AWARDS
Awards will be given to the overall winner in each league.

PLAYOFFS
At the end of the season, the top four teams in each league will be eligible for playoffs. Number 1 will play number 4, and 2 will play 3, with the winners playing for the league championship, and the losers playing for third place. PLEASE NOTE: if a team qualifies for the playoffs in two different leagues, that team will play in the playoffs of the higher league.

INSURANCE
Medical insurance for players will NOT be provided by the Portland Volleyball Association.

PLAYING CAPTAIN
ONLY the playing captain may address the official. Any problems to be discussed will be resolved by the captain and the official.

OFFICIALS AUTHORITY
The officials authority begins when the official enters the playing area and remains in force until the official leaves the same area.

YELLOW AND RED CARDS
Officials will give a player a verbal warning for a first offense (this used to be a yellow card). A yellow card will result in a point or side-out, and a red card will result in a disqualification for a game or match.

CEILINGS
Ceilings are 'live'. Exceptions will be defined at the captains meeting prior to the match. Ball motionless overhead is a 'replay', unless third hit.

COIN TOSS
The home team calls all coin tosses, unless the home team does not have a scoreboard. In that case, the visiting team automatically wins all coin tosses during the match

All jewelry, which in the official's judgment could cause injury, is illegal. Hats and bandannas that cover the top of the head are illegal and must be removed. Bandannas worn as a headband, around the forehead, are acceptable.

Springtime, sunlight, problem. Switch sides every 8 points until sundown.

PURSUIT RULE
Will not be used due to space problems around most of the courts.