Goddard Mixed
Volleyball League (GMVL) Rules
Official rules of the USVBA hold unless addressed here.
Any questions or conflicts should be brought to the
attention of the League Commissioner or the Rules and
Regulations Committee.
1. Composition of teams
2 men 2 women - minimum (a
team must play with a minimum of 4 players)
3 men 3 women - normal situation
3 men 2 women - permitted 4
men 2 women - NOT permitted
2 men 3 women - permitted
2 men 4 women - permitted
1 man 5 women - permitted
0 men 6 women - permitted
If a team starts playing a game with
less than 6 players, players arriving late may enter the
game immediately. They may enter in any legal position
(see section 8) except for the current server.
Team rosters are required and shall be kept up to date
by submitting updates to the GMVL commissioner. Players
listed on a given team's roster may only play for that
team. A player may only be listed on one team roster.
A player must play in at least two matches (2 separate
dates) to be eligible to participate in play-off games.
The following persons are eligible to play in the
GMVL:
a. GSFC employees, the immediate families of GSFC
employees, current GSFC contractors, the immediate
families of current GSFC contractors, and personnel
from Roosevelt High School as long as no GSFC players
are denied access to the league.
b. All players must be at least 16 years old or have
parental consent to play.
2. Matches
GMVL plays 4 games per match with a 2 minute rest period
between games.
A match will last for a maximum of 1 hour and 5 minutes.
Referees will be responsible for keeping the official
time.
Play will start at the time indicated on the schedule.
A 5-minute grace period is allowed. The two team
captains ( or acting captains) and the officials shall
meet at the net at the indicated start time of the
first game of the match to ascertain if both teams are
ready to play and to resolve any questions before play
commences. If a team is not ready to begin at the end
of the grace period, but is no more than 15 minutes
late, that team shall forfeit the first game, but may
play the remaining three games. If a team is more than
15 minutes late, that team forfeits all four games. The
maximum length of time that any team shall wait for
another team is 15 minutes.
After a match has been completed, the team captains (or
acting captains) and the two officials will sign the
score sheet. Any problems such as the match being
played under protest, referees not supplied, lack of
equipment should also be indicated on the score sheets.
Score sheets will remain in the court book unless a game
is under protest.
Any protest must be submitted to the GMVL commissioner
in writing and must be accompanied by a $10.00 protest
fee. The fee will be returned if the protest is upheld,
otherwise it will be added to the GMVL account.
3. Equipment Handling
The teams playing the first match of the night will be
responsible for setting up the equipment. The teams
playing the last match of the night will be responsible
for clean-up and taking down the equipment. The exact
set-up and take-down responsibilities are detailed on
the schedule.
The captains of the teams listed on the schedule are
responsible for delivering the necessary equipment to
their proper location and ensuring that all equipment is
returned to its designated storage location at GSFC. In
case any equipment is discovered missing or damaged, the
captain in charge shall report to the GMVL commissioner
as soon as practical. Failure to deliver the equipment
to the proper place on time, so as to impede the playing
schedule, will result in penalty points as well as
possible forfeiture of the match for the responsible
team. (See Rule 6.)
Equipment shall be returned to its storage area by 12:15
p.m. the first work day
following the evening of the scheduled match. Equipment
shall be picked up before 4:00 p.m. on the day of
the match.
The equipment consists of the following items for each
facility:
Woodmore - Net ,
2 balls , scorebook , first aid kit -
stored at GSFC
Greenbelt - 2 nets, 4
balls , scorebook , first aid kit -
stored at GSFC
Standards
- stored at Greenbelt
Berwyn- 2 balls ,
scorebook -
stored at Berwyn
(
net and standard belong to Berwyn )
4. Officials
The referee is paid for and supplied by the Goddard
Mixed Volleyball League and the first team of each pair
on the schedule supplies a scorekeeper. Goddard
referees will be used for all games at all gyms. If
there are extra players on the sidelines, it is helpful
if they call the lines.
If a referee isn't available for a scheduled match, the
match should still be played and the results will be
counted. At Greenbelt and Roosevelt, a volunteer
referee should be obtained from the team on the adjacent
court. At Woodmore and Berwyn, the teams will have to
find a volunteer referee from a team in a previous or
following match, or else call their own games.
5. Scoring
Games are played to 15 points (or more if required).
The game must be won by a margin of 2 points. Only the
serving side can score a
point.
If a match is ended due to the expiration of the
designated time ( see rule 2
above ) , the score of the game at that time becomes
the final score. If a team has at least 8 points,
and is ahead by 2 points, they will be the
winner. Otherwise the game
does not affect the standings.
Team standings shall be based on percentage of games
won. Each penalty point accrued by a team shall be
equivalent to one game lost for the purpose of
determining this percentage.
6. Penalty Points
Penalty points shall be imposed in the following
situations on the
responsible team:
Situation
&nbsbsp;
Penalty Points
a. Equipment delivery up to 15 minutes late, resulting
in delay of matches. (All teams playing in the first
match are obligated to remain at the playing location
until 15 minutes after equipment is due, but they may
leave if equipment is not available by that time.)
2
b. Equipment is not delivered or is delivered more than
15 minutes late. 2*
c. Equipment is not properly returned to GSFC in timely
fashion, so as to disrupt smooth flow of equipment
transport for matches on a subsequent
day.
2
Note: Penalty points and forfeits can affect team
ranking for GMVL membership in the subsequent season,
and accrual of excessive penalty/forfeit points can lead
to dismissal of a team from the GMVL. Team ranking
information can be acquired from the league
commissioner.
* Plus 1 penalty point for each additional match
disrupted or not played due to non-availability of
equipment. Also the team responsible shall forfeit its
own match (4 games).
7. Co-ed rules
The players must line up on the court alternating men
and women.
If the ball is played more than once by a team before
returning the ball to the opponent’s side of the court,
one of those hits must be by a woman.
8. Positions
Players must be in their correct relative positions
within the rotation when the ball is served. After the
contact they can switch positions on the court, but they
retain their current front row / back row status.
If a team is playing with only 5
players, a position will be designated for the missing
person. This position must be considered in determining
which players are front row and can block or spike (see
14.4e and 14.5d). When the empty position rotates to
the serving position, the whole team must rotate one
additional position to put the empty position in the
center back. There is no loss of serve or other penalty
when the empty position passes the serving position.
There are no special rules for a team playing with 4
players.
(This rule ensures that all players spend an
equal amount of time in the front row)
Players may not be overlapped at the time of the serve.
An individual only has to worry about overlap with
adjacent players; other players have no effect on
overlap with that person. Adjacent players are directly
to the left and/or right of the person, as well as in
front or behind the person. All six players must ensure
that they are not overlapped with their adjacent players
at the time of the serve.
Legal positions:
For each of the above conditions it is necessary that a
player be partially behind, ahead, to the right, or to
the left of their adjacent players. For example, in
the lower right diagram above, C is only partly in front
of F, which is valid.
9. Rotations
The rotation of the players proceeds in a clockwise
direction.
A rotation of more than 6 players may be used. The
extra position in the rotation (beyond the 6 on the
floor) will be between right forward and server
position. In this case, there can be actually two
independent rotations, one for men and one for women.
For example, a rotation of 6 men (3 whom play at one
time) and 4 women (3 of who play at one time) is
allowed. Substitutions following the standard rule may
be made for any player in the rotation by a player not
in the rotation. In case of injury, if no substitutes
not in the rotation are available, a player in the
rotation and not currently on the floor may substitute
for the injured player (and thus decrease the number of
players in the rotation). The injured player may not
re-enter the current game. The number of players in a
rotation may never drop below 4.
10. Time Outs
Two 30-second time-outs are allowed per game per team.
If a team calls more than 2 time-outs, this results in
the loss of serve if the team is serving or a point for
the other team if they are serving.
Time-outs must be called anytime after a play has
stopped and before the referee has whistled to resume
play. If a time-out is called after the score has been
given, the time-out will be disallowed and the serve
will proceed.
Time-outs can only be called by the team captain or
designated floor captain.
Each team is allowed 6 substitutions per game, not
counting substitutions for injured players (see Rule 9
for further explanation of injury substitutions).
For direct substitution (non-rotation), a player
starting a game may be replaced by a substitute and may
subsequently re-enter the game once, but only in the
original position in relation to other teammates. Only
the original starter may replace a substitute during the
same game. A player who has entered the game as a
substitute and then been replaced by the starter in that
position originally may not re-enter the same game.
Substitutes, like time-outs, can only be called whenever
the ball is "dead". Only the team captain or floor
captain may request a substitution.
12. Serving
The A league will allow an overhand serve.
The B & C league only allows an underhand serve.
For an underhand serve, the ball, upon being struck on a
serve, must be completely below the top of the
shoulders.
The ball must leave the server's hand before being
contacted.
The server must not step on the serving line or into the
court until the ball is served. The server must also be
within 10 feet of the right side line.
The serve cannot touch the net when crossing it. This
would constitute a side-out for the serving team.
All players except the server must be inside the court
(i.e. not on the line) at the time of the contact of the
serve.
Players must be in their correct positions within the
rotation at the time of the serve. They must not be
overlapped.
13. Service Receive
Receiving the serve with two open hands is difficult to
do legally and will often be called as a carry or double
hit.
For all divisions, the best service reception is to bump
the ball (for more information sees section 14).
Spiking the serve is prohibited.
Blocking a served ball is prohibited.
14. Contacts
Contact of the ball must be brief and simultaneous. The
ball can contact any number of parts of the body down to
and including the waist providing such contacts are
simultaneous and that the ball rebounds immediately
and cleanly after such contact.
When the ball visibly comes to rest momentarily in the
hands or arms of a player, it is considered as having
been held.
The ball must be hit in such a manner that it rebounds
cleanly after contact with a player. Scooping, lifting,
pushing, or carrying the ball shall be considered to be
a form of holding.
A ball clearly hit with one or both hands together from
a position below the ball is considered a good play.
Each team is limited to three hits on one side (not
counting the block) before the ball is passed over the
net.
If two players of the same team contact the ball
simultaneously (except in blocking), this is considered
as 2 contacts.
Players may have successive contacts of the ball during
blocking and during a single attempt to make the first
team hit of a ball coming from the opponents, even if
the ball is blocked, provided there is no finger action
used during the effort and the ball is not thrown or
held.
(Note - this is a
new USVBA rule and the referee has the final decision on
how it is called)
It is a violation for back row players to send the ball
over the net if they are within the three-meter
line and the ball is totally above the level of the net
(8 feet). A ball contacted from above the height of
the net and directed towards the opponent's court by a
back-line player forward of the 3-meter line
does not become an illegal hit unless the ball passes
fully beyond the vertical plane of the net.
14.1 The Bump (Two arm contact)
a. The ball must be contacted with both arms
simultaneously. A double contact is a violation. This
applies to both underhand and overhead bumps.
(Note - there is an
exception to this rule as defined in the successive
contacts rule above)
b. The bump must be made with joined hands. The bump
cannot be made with separate open hands.
14.2 One Arm Contact
a. A ball cleanly hit with one arm from a position below
the ball is considered a good play.
b. When the ball visibly comes to rest momentarily on
the hand or arm of a player, it is considered as having
been held.
14.3 The Set (Overhead Pass)
a. Simultaneous contact with fingers of both hands must
be made. If not, a double hit or throw is called.
b. The ball may have momentary rest during the recoiling
action but it may not be held - a violation.
14.4 The Block
Blocking is the action close to the net which intercepts
the ball coming from the opponent’s side by making
contact with the ball before it crosses the net, as it
crosses the net, or immediately after it has crossed
the net.
a. The block does not count as one of a team's 3 hits.
b. A player may reach over the net when blocking a ball
that has been hit to be returned (i.e. he cannot block a
set that does not break the plane of the net).
c. Blocking a served ball is prohibited.
d. No part of a player's body or clothing is allowed to
touch the net.
e. Only front row players may block. However, if there
are 2 women in the front line, a man from the back line
may come up to block.
f. Any player participating in the block may play the
ball a second time if the ball is hit off him during the
blocking attempt.
g. Multiple contacts of the ball may be made by any
player or players taking part in a block and shall
constitute one contact of the ball.
14.5 The Spike
a. A spike is defined as contacting the ball when it is
completely above the top edge of the net to send it over
the net. The part of the ball contacted must be on your
side of the net.
b. Spikes cannot reach over the net to spike the ball.
The ball must break the plane of the net before being
attacked. Spikes are allowed to follow through over the
net if the initial contact has been made on their side
of the net.
c. The serve cannot be spiked.
d. All players are allowed to spike from behind the 10
foot line. If a back row player jumps from behind the
10 foot line and spikes the ball before landing inside
the 10 foot line, this is a valid spike. Only front-row
players may spike when inside the 10-foot line.
e. The ball must be cleanly hit when spiking with an
open hand. Guiding or carrying the ball is a violation
unless it's done with the finger tips and a stiff wrist,
as in the tip or dink.
f. A two-hand spike guides or directs the ball and is a
violation.
15. Center Line Violation
If a player steps over the center line, it is not a foul
providing at least part of each foot remains on or above
his side of the court (i.e. the foot must step entirely
beyond the center line to be a violation). The player
may not interfere with an opponent making a play on the
ball.
Any other part of the body, e.g. hand, crossing the
center line and either touching the opponent's court or
interfering with another player is a violation.
16. Net Violations
No part of a player's body or clothing may touch the
net. However, if the ball strikes the net and pushes
the net into an opposing player, this is not a foul.
This will be a referee's judgment call.
17. Refereeing
The referee is in full control of the match and any
judgment decisions rendered by the referee are final.
Only two people from each team (the team captain and the
floor captain) can talk to the referee to request
timeouts and substitutions. Only the floor captain can
talk to the referee to request clarification of a
referee's call.
To deal with unsportsmanlike conduct, the referee can
flash yellow or red cards (stored in the equipment
boxes) to the offending player. A yellow card is used
for a minor offense. It signifies a warning to a player
to stop the unsportsmanlike conduct. A red card is used
for serious or repeated violations. It is a penalty
card signifying a point if the opponent's team is
serving or a side-out if the offender's team is
serving. A player can be ejected from the game or match
at the discretion of the referee after the second red
card is issued to the abusive player.
A person ejected from two matches due to unsportsmanlike
conduct will not be allowed to play during the remainder
of the season.
18. Distractions
It is illegal to intentionally distract players on the
other team. The referee should initially warn the
offending player or team (with a yellow card). Further
infractions will result in either a side out or point
against the offender (red card). The most common
infractions are:
a. Stamping your feet at the net.
b. Yelling at the opponent's team.
A person shall be responsible for activities of any
children they bring to the playing location. Children
shall remain away from the playing area when a game or
practice is in progress. A child entering the playing
area can be considered a distraction; the team with whom
the child is associated may be penalized, as described
above.
At gyms with two courts (Greenbelt and
Roosevelt), players should be considerate of the other
game in progress and limit the amount of noise and other
disturbances (chasing balls, crossing back of court,
etc.) they and their spectators generate to provide
minimum interference to the other game.
19. Coaching
Coaching by players on the sidelines must be done in a
non-disruptive manner. Coaching while the ball is in
play (e.g. calling a ball in or out) is not allowed.
Players on the sidelines may not argue or protest to the
referees.
If coaching from the sidelines becomes excessive or
disruptive, the referee must warn the offending team
with a yellow card. On the second occasion, a further
penalty of a red card can be given.
20. Court Boundaries
The dimensions of a volleyball court are 59' x 29' 6".
The net should be 7' 115/8"
high for co-ed or men's volleyball.
A ball which touches a boundary line is in bounds. A
ball which touches entirely outside a boundary line, but
part of which are over the boundary line is out of
bounds.
A ball returning over the net must cross the net
entirely inside the edges of the court.
21. Obstructions
If a ball, other than a serve, strikes an obstruction in
an area other than the opponent's side of the net, it is
still in play providing it does not rebound directly
into the opponent's playing area.
Any ball hitting the wall is out of play.
Specific obstructions at various playing facilities:
Greenbelt:
All basketball backboards are out of play. Ropes and
cables near the ceiling are considered obstructions as
described above, and thus have the same status as the
ceiling. Basketball rims and cables over the centerline
will be replays unless the referee determines that the
ball was going out of play anyway.
Players should be considerate of the
other game in progress and limit the amount of noise and
other disturbances (chasing balls, crossing back of
court, etc.) they and their spectators generate to
provide minimum interference to the other game.
Woodmore:
Ropes are considered obstructions as described above,
and thus have the same status as the ceiling. The
center beam is considered part of the ceiling and
playable as described above.
Berwyn:
The top of the ceiling is out of play but the girders
are playable. Any ball contacting the basketball
backboards will be a referees judgment call depending on
if the ball was going out of play or not.
Roosevelt:
None
22. School restrictions
* Tennis or basketball shoes are required.
Specifically, shoes with dark soles or protective trim
are not allowed because they scuff the floor. The night
foreman at each playing facility has the right to demand
that invalid shoes not be worn on the court.
Other than the restrictions on shoes, there are no
restrictions on the uniforms worn by players.
It is forbidden to wear any head gear or any article
(jewelry, pins, bracelets, etc.) which could cause
injury during the game. Rings, with
the exception of flat bands without projections,
bracelets, dangling earrings and necklaces long enough
to clear the chin must be removed. Necklaces of
multi-piece construction (beads, etc.) must also be
removed due to possible breakage that could result in a
delay in the game. If an article cannot be removed, it
must be taped securely to allow the player to play.
Hair barrettes may be used to secure hair. It is not
necessary that the barrettes be taped.
If play must be stopped to allow a player to remove
illegal jewelry or equipment, that team shall be charged
with a time-out.
If requested by a team captain before the match
commences, the referee may grant permission for one or
more players to play without shoes.
* No smoking or alcoholic beverages are allowed on the
school property. This means
parking lots as well.
(*note - It is important
that these restrictions be followed so
that the GMVL can continue
using the facilities.)
