Rules

Rules That WILL Be Called –

1. Serve –
   • Do not touch or pass the line before or during contact with the ball on a serve.
   • If the ball, after having been tossed or released by the server, lands without being touched or is caught by the server, it is considered as a service.
     • (We will be gentle on this rule. If you toss the ball poorly, drop the ball, do not catch it and you can get a redo. Only once per game.)
2. Court Switches –
   • The doubles teams switch after every 7 points (Set 1 and 2) and 5 points (Set 3) if played.
   • The triples teams switch one time when the first team reaches 11 points.
   • If the court switch is not made at the proper time, it will take place as soon as the error is noticed. The score remains the same.
3. Characteristics of a Hit –
   • The ball must be hit, not caught or thrown. Exception: In defensive action of a hard driven ball, the ball can be hand set.
4. Faults –
   • HELD BALL: a player does not hit the ball unless when in defensive action of a hard driven ball or when simultaneous contacts by the two opponents over the net lead to a momentary “held ball.”
   • DOUBLE CONTACT: a player hits the ball twice in succession or the ball touches various parts of his/her body successively.
   • ATTACK FAULT: a player completes an attack-hit using an “open-handed tip or dink” directing the ball with their fingers. (clawing)
   • SERVE RETURN FAULT: a player completes an attack-hit on the opponent’s service, when the ball is entirely above the top of the net.
   • HAND SET PUSH FAULT: a player completes an attack-hit using an overhand pass, which has a trajectory not perpendicular to the line of the shoulders, except when setting his or her teammate.
   • OPPONENTS SIDE BALL FAULT: a player touches the ball or an opponent in the opponent’s space before or during the opponent’s attack-hit is a fault.
5. Ball At Net –
   • A player, may enter the opponents’ court in order to play the ball before it crosses completely the lower space or passes outside the crossing space.
6. Player at Net –
   • In blocking, a blocker may touch the ball beyond the net, provided that he/she does not interfere with the opponent’s play, before or during the latter’s attack-hit.
   • A player may enter into the opponent’s space, court and/or free zone, provided that this does not interfere with the opponent’s play.
   • It is forbidden to touch any part of the net or the antennae.
7. Block –
   • The first hit after the block may be executed by any player, including the one who has touched the ball at the block.
   • In blocking, the player may place his/her hands and arms beyond the net provided that his/her action does not interfere with the opponent’s play. Thus, it is not permitted to touch the ball beyond the net until the opponent has executed an attack-hit.

AVP NOTEWORTHY RULES:

Net Height –

• The height of the net shall be 2.43 m for men and 2.24 m for women. It is measured from the center of the playing court with a measuring rod. The two ends of the net (over the side lines) must both be the same height and may not exceed the official height by more than 2 cm.

Service Zone –

• The service zone is the area behind the end line and between the extensions of the two sidelines. In depth, the service zone extends to the end of the free zone.

Service –

• The first service of a set is executed by the team determined by the coin toss.
• The server may move freely within the service zone. At the moment of the service hit or take-off for a jump service, the server must not touch the court (the end line included), nor the ground outside the zone. His/her foot may not go under the line. After his/her hit, the server may step or land outside the zone, or inside the court.
• If the line moves because of the sand pushed by the server, it is not considered a fault.
• The ball shall be hit with one hand or any part of the arm after being tossed or released and before it touches the playing surface.
• If the ball, after having been tossed or released by the server, lands without being touched or is caught by the server, it is considered as a service.

Court Switches – 

• The teams switch after every 7 points (Set 1 and 2) and 5 points (Set 3) played.
• If the court switch is not made at the proper time, it will take place as soon as the error is noticed. The score at the time that the court switch is made remains the same.

Team Hits –

• Each team is entitled to a maximum of three hits for returning the ball over the net. 
• These team hits include not only intentional hits by the player, but also unintentional contacts with the ball. 
• A player may not hit the ball two times consecutively (exception blocking).

Characteristics of a Hit – 

• The ball must be hit, not caught or thrown. It can rebound in any direction.
• Exceptions: 
  • In defensive action of a hard driven ball. In this case, the ball can be held momentarily overhand with the fingers. 
  • If simultaneous contacts by the two opponents leads to a “held ball”
• The ball may touch various parts of the body, only if the contacts take place simultaneously.
• Exceptions:
  • At blocking, consecutive contacts by one or more blockers are authorized, provided that they occur during one action. 
  • At the first hit of the team, unless it is played overhand using fingers, the ball may contact various parts of the body consecutively, provided that the contacts occur during one action.

Simultaneous Contacts –

• Two players may touch the ball at the same moment. 
• When two teammates touch the ball simultaneously, it is counted as two hits (except at blocking). If two teammates reach for the ball but only one player touches it, one hit is counted. If players collide, no fault is committed. 
• If there are simultaneous contacts by the two opponents over the net and the ball remains in play, the team receiving the ball is entitled to another three hits. If the ball goes “out,” it is deemed the fault of the team on the opposite side of where the ball went out and the team on the side the ball went out is awarded the point. If simultaneous contacts by the two opponents over the net lead to a “held ball”, it is NOT considered a fault.

Faults at Playing the Ball –

• FOUR HITS: a team hits the ball four times before returning it.
• ASSISTED HIT: a player takes support from a teammate or any structure/object in order to reach the ball within the playing area.
• HELD BALL: a player does not hit the ball unless when in defensive action of a hard driven ball or when simultaneous contacts by the two opponents over the net lead to a momentary “held ball.”
• DOUBLE CONTACT: a player hits the ball twice in succession or the ball touches various parts of his/her body successively.

Attack Hit Faults –

• A player completes an attack-hit using an “open-handed tip or dink” directing the ball with their fingers.
• A player completes an attack-hit on the opponent’s service, when the ball is entirely above the top of the net.
• A player completes an attack-hit using an overhand pass, which has a trajectory not perpendicular to the line of the shoulders, except when setting his or her teammate.

Ball at Net – 

• The ball is “out” when it crosses completely the lower space under the net.
• A player, however, may enter the opponents’ court in order to play the ball before it crosses completely the lower space or passes outside the crossing space.
• While crossing the net, the ball may touch the net.
• A ball driven into the net may be recovered within the limits of the three team hits.

Player at the Net –

• In blocking, a blocker may touch the ball beyond the net, provided that he/she does not interfere with the opponent’s play, before or during the latter’s attack-hit.
• A player is permitted to pass his/her hand beyond the net after his/her attack-hit, provided that his/her contact has been made within his/her own playing space.
• A player may enter into the opponent’s space, court and/or free zone, provided that this does not interfere with the opponent’s play.
• It is forbidden to touch any part of the net or the antennae.
• When the ball is driven into the net, which causes it to touch an opponent, no fault is committed.
• Incidental contact of hair is not a fault.
• A player touches the ball or an opponent in the opponent’s space before or during the opponent’s attack-hit is a fault.

Block –

• The first hit after the block may be executed by any player, including the one who has touched the ball at the block.
• In blocking, the player may place his/her hands and arms beyond the net provided that his/her action does not interfere with the opponent’s play. Thus, it is not permitted to touch the ball beyond the net until the opponent has executed an attack-hit.
• A blocking contact is counted as a team hit. The blocking team will have only two more hits after a blocking contact.
• Consecutive (quick and continuous) contacts may occur by one or more blockers provided that the contacts are made during one action. These are counted as only one team hit.
• The blocker touches the ball in the opponent’s space either before or simultaneously with the opponent’s attack-hit is a fault.

Match Point –

• For Main Draw Matches Only: When a given team first reaches the position of “match point” in either set’s two or three, the scoring methodology is changed from rally scoring to that of side out scoring, for BOTH teams. That is to say, a team must be the serving team and win the rally to actually win the match. As well, the team that does not have match point will also convert to side out scoring and they are only awarded a point when they are the serving team and win the point. A team can only win a match upon scoring a “true” point, not simply by siding out as is the case in “Rally” scoring. 

Injury –

• Should a serious accident occur while the ball is in play, the referee must stop the game immediately. 
• The rally is then replayed.
• An injured player is given a maximum of 5-minutes recovery time one time a match.

External Interference –

• If there is an external interference during the game, play has to be stopped and the rally replayed.