Recreation Department

Adult Volleyball League RULES & REGULATIONS

1. FACILITY & LOCATION

1. Caroline Shea Center: 850 Taylor Blvd., Millbrae, CA 94030

2. LEAGUE FORMAT

1. Regular Season: Games will be scheduled according to team registrations.
2. Postseason: Postseason will begin the week following the regular season. Postseason schedule will be posted 24 hours following the last regular season game. Teams who qualify for the postseason will play two additional games.

3. LEAGUE FEE

1. League fees must be fully paid two weeks prior to a first league game.
2. League fee may be paid via cash, check or credit card at the Millbrae Recreation Department Office.
3. Gym attendants, referees, and staff are not authorized to take any form of payment at the site.

4. ROSTERS

1. A team roster must be submitted two weeks before the first regular-season game.
2. Each player on the roster must be at least 18 years of age.
3. Each player on the roster must provide their current address.
4. A team must have a minimum of five players on the roster to become an official team, with a maximum of 12.
5. There can only be four men on the court at any time.  This allows for any of the following combinations: 4 men, 2 women = 6 players; 4 men, 1 woman= 5 players; 4 men= 4 players
6. Players may be added to a team’s roster via manager’s request, during the first three regular-season games. Must be approved by the league coordinator.
7. A player is required to play a minimum of three regular season games to be allowed to play in the postseason.
8. Any misinformation about a player may result in a team suspension

5. EQUIPMENT

1. Uniforms:

1.  Athletic shoes and attire are required.  Teams are encouraged to, but not required to wear jerseys in the same color.  Pinnies will be provided.

2. Volleyballs: The City of Millbrae will provide a standard volleyball for each game.

6. TEAM MANAGER

1. Each team must designate one team manager and two assistant managers.
2. The designated team manager (and only the team manager) shall be responsible for all interaction with the officials.

1. Managers may discuss rule interpretations, but may not discuss judgement calls.
2. Managers are expected to be respectful towards the officials.
3. Managers are expected to disclose the full name, address, and contact information of any player acting in an inappropriate or disrespectful manner. The game will not resume until the information is disclosed. If a manager refuses to disclose a player’s information, the manager and the player will be suspended from future games.

7. ATTENDANCE & FORFEIT

1. Teams should arrive ten minutes before the scheduled start time.
2. A team not present or ready to play five minutes after scheduled match time constitutes a forfeit unless the competing team agrees to lend players to the other team.  The team that gave players will receive an automatic Win for that match.
3. A team forfeit will result in an automatic loss with a $95.00 fee.
4. The forfeit fee must be paid before the next scheduled game.
5. Forfeit fee may be paid via cash, check or credit card at the Millbrae Recreation Department Office.
6. Gym attendants, referees, and staff are not authorized to take any form of payment at the site.
7. If you must forfeit, please contact the opposing team manager and the Millbrae Recreation Department at 650-259-2365 as soon as possible.

8. OFFICIAL SCORE & SCORE KEEPER

1. Managers must fill out the scorebook at the score table prior to each game. Player's last name along with the jersey number (if applicable) shall be entered into the scorebook.

1. Only players who are present shall be listed in the scorebook at the beginning of regulation.
2. Players arriving late may be added to the scorebook without penalty.
3. Players may not enter the game until they’ve been entered into the scorebook.

2. The running scorebook (kept at the score table) will be the official score.
3. Managers shall alert the officials immediately if any errors occur.
4. Officials may correct a mistake by scorekeepers.
5. Matches will consist of two games to 25 and the third game to 15 points.  The third game will be played regardless of the outcome of the first two games unless the first two games have taken 45 minutes or more.  All three games count towards rankings.
6. Games will be played according to Rally Scoring (one point is awarded at the end of each rally, regardless of which team is serving).  
7. Teams must win each game by 2 points.

9. GAME TIME

1. Each team has the court for 5 minutes of warm-up.
2. Games will begin promptly at the scheduled start time unless the court is occupied by the previous match.
3. Team Managers will flip a coin or play “Rock, Paper, Scissors” to determine the serving team.  The team who did not begin serving at the start of the first game will have the service at the start of game two.
4. A team may play with four players.
5. If there are no women on the team, only 4 men can be on the court.  
6. If there are 6 players on the court, two must be women.
7. All games will have a 45-minute time limit.

1. If the teams split sets, the team who is leading the 3rd set at the 45-minute mark wins the game.
2. If  the time expires during the 2nd set, the set will continue until it is finished.

1. If the 2nd set causes a tie, a quick 3rd set tiebreaker (first to five points) will be played.   

10. SERVING & RULES

1. Out of Bounds- a ball that hits any portion of the line is “in”.
2. A legal hit: clean contact with the ball by any part of a player’s body except the fingers/palm on an underhanded contact. The ball cannot visibly come to rest or have prolonged contact with the player.
3. Substitutions: Teams may choose to rotate the player in the front right position off the court, and rotate the next player on the bench “in” to serve every time the substituting team wins the side out and a new server. Alternatively, teams can make substitutions freely at any dead ball, provided that no player plays in the same position more than once for every six rotations.
4. Teams have 18 team substitutions for the duration of the match.
5. Teams will switch sides of the court at the end of each game.
6. Each server continues serving until his/her team makes an error, commits a violation, loses the rally, or the game ends.  The server must wait for the official’s whistle before each serve.
7. A served ball that hits the net and goes over should be treated as a normal serve.
8. The right-back player is the server.
9. A server must serve from anywhere behind the back end line and cannot step on or over the line until after the ball is served.  Overhand or underhand is allowed.
10. A player may overhand pass and double a serve/spike, but cannot block or spike the serve.

11. TIMEOUTS

1. Each team will be allowed two one-minute timeouts per game (and 1 each during the third game).  The Team Manager must be the one to call a timeout at any dead ball.
2. Unused timeouts do not carry over between games.

12. VIOLATIONS

1. Out of Bounds- any ball not landing on or within the boundary lines of the court
2. Backrow attack- a back-row player cannot jump and spike the ball in front of the ten-foot line
3. Net violation- any part of the body making observable contact with the net while playing the ball, or contact that interferes with play.
4. Stepping over the center court line is a fault, while stepping on is not.
5. While setting, the ball cannot be “doubled”, making quick, successive contact with each hand separately.

13. PLAYER CONDUCT

1. Millbrae Recreation aims to create
   a welcoming environment for all players. Additionally, our basketball leagues are conducted on Millbrae School District campuses. As such, the following conduct expectations are in place for all adult volleyball games.
2. The following actions may result in a yellow/red card, or suspension from the remainder of the match:

1. Use of profanity.
2. Complaining about or questioning an official’s call by a non-team captain.
3. Persistent complaint about judgment calls by any player (including managers).
4. Abusive or profane language by a spectator (team technical shall be assessed).

3. The following actions shall result in a suspension of the offending player or player’s team:

1. Use of profanity toward an official or an opposing player.
2. Making a comment that is personal in nature to or about an official or opposing player.
3. Any attempt to “bait,” taunt or otherwise instigate an opponent.
4. An attempt to physically intimidate an opponent or official.
5. Any physical contact with an official will result in ejection from the league and
   notification of authorities.
6. NOTE: The officials’ jurisdiction begins from the time a player arrives on site until the player leaves. Actions that occur, before, during and after games are all subject disciplinary procedures.
7. Alcohol and tobacco is not permitted on-site during any Millbrae Recreation activities.

14. FIGHTING

1. Any player who is involved in fighting will be ejected from the game and may be ejected from the league for the remainder of the season.
2. Millbrae Recreation Department will use a strict definition of fighting, and shall impose a penalty for fighting for any of the following actions:

1. Throwing a punch (regardless of whether or not it is landed).
2. Slapping or pushing a player's face or head area.
3. Grabbing or pushing a player during an altercation (exception, trying to
   restrain a player from your own team).
4. Any violent, physical act on another player outside of the actions allowed in basketball.
   Example: throwing a player to the court.

3. Any player who leaves the bench while an altercation is happening shall be considered to be fighting (exception: if an official specifically asks players to help to restore order).
4. The officials have the right to halt and discontinue any game if it is believed that allowing a game to continue may result in a fight or an out of control situation.

15. OFFICIALS

1. The Official may call a “Replay” if he or she cannot determine whether a ball was hit legally or landed within the court boundary.
2. The officials/scorekeepers for the Millbrae Recreation Adult Basketball League are hired by the Recreation Department to manage games and have the authority over everything that takes place in the gym during the Adult Volleyball season. However, the officials are expected to treat players in a professional and respectful manner, and uphold all of the rules and policies in this manual.
3. In the event that the official is unavailable, a game may be officiated by a team manager of a team not playing in the game
   and will be considered an official game.
4. In the event that no one is available to step in as Official, teams may decide to proceed in one of the following ways:

1. Solicit a volunteer(s) to officiate the game.
2. Play a self-officiated game.
3. If option i or ii are agreed upon, the game must be played to completion,even if an official arrives to complete the game (the game shall not be restarted).
4. Once a game has begun, it is considered an official game and cannot be replayed.

16.  TEAM CONDUCT

1. Any team which consistently exhibits poor sportsmanship may be eliminated from the league with a forfeiture of all fees.
2. Officials and teams shall report all poor sportsmanship to the league director.

17.  RULES NOT LISTED

1. Any rule not listed in this manual will be governed by NFHS (High School) rules.