Summary

• Two player teams must have 1 male and 1 female
• Four player teams must have at least 1 female
• Six player teams must have at least 2 females
• 2 players including 1 female required to start match
• 5 games to 21 with a cap at 25 using All Rally Scoring.
• Game time is forfeit time
• Every participant must sign a waiver prior to playing
• PortSports will provide field managers for every game to keep track of the score, time and provide basic refereeing, however, all sports are self-refereed by nature
• Any unsportsmanlike behavior will result in that player/team being suspended/ removed from participating in all PortSports leagues for one year

 

Rosters

Teams will be locked in after the registration deadline, any player that joins a team after the registration deadline must pay the full individual registration fee, no matter what point in the season they join.  PortSports will not prorate the registration fee.  All rosters must be finalized by the fifth week of play.  Rosters are not limited in size, and everyone that plays, whether for one game or all of the games, must be included on the roster.  Every player must sign a waiver prior to participation, no exceptions.

 

Forfeits/Game Time

Please don't forfeit.  Your teammates and opponents count on you to have a full team and competitive game. Each team must have at least 2 players including 1 woman to start a game.  Game time is forfeit time.  There is a 10-minute grace period for early games only.  Due to the extremely tight schedule, we strongly suggest arriving at the field 20-30 minutes before game time for warm-ups since the games must start on time to complete the game.

 

Forfeit Penalties

First Offense: Loss of game and warning issued

Second Offense: Loss of game and removal from the playoffs

Third Offense: Removal from the rest of the schedule

 

Forfeit Notification

If you know in advance that your team is going to forfeit a game, you MUST contact us by 12pm on the day of the game at portsports@portsportsmaine.com.  It is not considered notification unless you receive a reply.

 

If your decision is not made until after 12pm, you should still try to reach PortSports, and we will make efforts to contact the other team.  If we can reach them in time to keep them from showing up, no extra penalty.  If you do not do this, your team will be eliminated from the rest of the schedule.

 

There is no additional penalty if you show up short-handed (and need to add other PortSports players to field a full team) and have to forfeit the game, since you did make an effort to get a team to play.

 

Once PortSports is notified you are forfeiting, it is official (you cannot change your mind), and the other team will be notified.

 

Clock/Time

There is one hour of allotted playing time.  Teams will play 5 games to 21 with a cap at 25 using All Rally Scoring.

 

Weather

PortSports offers two ways to check if your game is on or rained out:

1. Primary - Weather alert page at www.portsportsmaine.com/Weather; and

2. Secondary – Weather-Only Twitter Account www.twitter.com/psweather

 

We make our final weather call at 4pm, after the City has made their call.  Generally speaking, we play beach volleyball in the light rain, but not if there is thunder or especially lightning in the area.

 

Rainout Make Up Dates

Rainouts will be made up.  However, you could get rained out on Monday and make-up the game as early as later that week.  You may also play more than one game a week, depending on the number of rainouts.  If PortSports experiences excessive rainouts during the season, there is a chance that your team will not be scheduled for all of your make up games.  We sincerely hope that this does not happen, but acknowledge the possibility.  Thank you for understanding.

 

Equipment

PortSports will provide regulation volleyballs and court lines.

 

Uniforms/Footwear

PortSports will provide one team t-shirt for each participant who has signed up before the registration deadline.  T-shirts will be distributed at the kickoff Captain’s Meeting/Teams Happy Hour and/or at the first game.  Participants that sign up after the registration deadline will not receive a PortSports t-shirt but must wear a shirt with their team’s color during the games.

 

League Manager

A League Manager will be provided for every game.  The role of the League Manager is to help set up and break down the courts, keep track of the scores, and time.  The League Manager is not a professional referee or an umpire, merely someone to oversee the games.

 

Beach Volleyball Rules

Teams will play 5 games to 21 with a cap at 25 using "All Rally Score" scoring.  All Rally Score scoring means that every time a point is finished, one team will be awarded a point, whether they served or not.

 

• Serves that hit the net and go over the net to the opponents side will be "live" and are good serves provided they are played by the opposing team or they land in bounds.
• It is legal to set the serve.
• Two player teams must have two players (minimum one female) on the court at all times.
• Four player teams must have at least two players (minimum one female) on the court at all times.
• Six player teams must have at least four players (minimum two females) on the court at all times.  Teams with less than six players may have to adhere to the ghost rule (see below).

• In the 4’s league you can never play with more than 2 men and in the 6’s league you can never play with more than 4 men.
• For the 6’s league only the opposing captain has the option of instilling the Ghost Rule: In 6’s, if a team has 5 players for example, they must forfeit their serve after every 5th rotation.  This will allow the team with a full squad to serve back-to-back.
• Teams not able to field a “full” team or minimum number, may play with the consent of the opposing captain and/or league staff member.

Service Possession

A team earns service possession for the start of the first game by 3 count rally.  The teams will then alternate service based upon who wins, loser serves.

 

Rotation

During fours, team members do not need to rotate position on the court.  They do have to rotate service.  During sixes, team members must rotate on the court and must remain in that position until the serve has been contacted.  The player in the back right hand corner of the rotation will be designated to serve and continue to rotate clockwise.

 

Serves that hit the net will not be faults.  Serves that hit the net and continue over the net to the opponent's side of the net will be live.

 

Playing the Ball

Three Contacts - Each team is allowed a maximum of 3 successive contacts of the ball in order to return the ball to the opponent's area.  (Exception: In the action of blocking an attacking ball, the touch, or contact resulting from the block attempt does not constitute one of the three successive contacts.)

 

Attacking the Net-In two’s and four’s every player is eligible to attack the net.  In six’s only the three players that are in the front row of the rotation are allowed to attack the net.  Violation of this rule would include any hitting or blocking that occurs above the plane of the net.

 

Simultaneous Contacts - When two non-blocking teammates touch the ball simultaneously, it is considered one contact, and any player may make the next contact.  When two blocking teammates touch the ball simultaneously, it is not counted as a contact, and any player may make the next contact.

 

When two opponents simultaneously and instantaneously contact the ball over the net, the ball remains in play and the team receiving the ball is entitled to another three hits.  If such a ball lands “out”, it is the fault of the team on the opposite side of the net from where the ball lands.

 

Characteristics of the Contact - The ball can contact any number of body parts down to, and including the foot, providing such contacts are simultaneous and the ball rebounds immediately and cleanly after such contact.

 

Held Ball - The ball must be contacted cleanly and not held, lifted, pushed, caught, carried or thrown.  The ball cannot roll or come to rest on any part of a player’s body.  It can rebound in any direction.  This rule is more lax in the 6’s league.

 

Hand Sets - A contact of the ball using the fingers of one or two hands to direct the ball toward a teammate is a set.  The ball must come into contact with both hands simultaneously and leave both hands simultaneously to avoid a double hit call.  A player may set the ball over the net in front or behind them only in the direction in which their shoulders are squarely facing.  Rotation of the ball after the set may indicate a held ball or multiple contacts during the set but in itself is not a fault.

 

Attaching the Ball Over the Opponents Court - A player is not allowed to attack the ball on the opposite side of the net.  If the ball is hit above the spiker’s side of the net and then the follow-through causes the spiker's hand and arm to cross the net without contacting an opponent or the net, the action does not constitute a fault.

 

Blocking

Blocking is the action close to the net which intercepts the ball coming from the opponents’ side by making contact with the ball before, during or after it crosses the net.

 

Multiple Contacts - Multiple contacts of the ball by a player(s) participating in a block shall be legal provided it is during one attempt to intercept the ball. Multiple contacts of the ball during a block shall be counted as a single contact, even though the ball may make multiple contacts with one or more players of the block.

 

Participation After a Block - Any player participating in a block shall have the right to make the next contact, such contact counting as the first of three hits allowed the team.

 

Blocking a Serve - Blocking or attacking a serve is prohibited.

 

Blocking a Ball Across the Net - Blocking of the ball across the net above the opponent's court shall be legal provided that such a block is:

1. After a player of the attacking team has spiked the ball, or, in the referee's judgment, intentionally directed the ball into the opponent's court, or has exhausted their third allowable hit.
2. After the opponents’ have hit the ball in such a manner that the ball would clearly cross the net if not touched by a player, provided no member of the attacking team is in a position to make a legal play on the ball.
3. If the ball is falling near the net and no member of the attacking team could reasonably make a play on the ball.

Play at the Net

Player Contact with the Net - No part of the body may touch the net at anytime unless a ball or person driven into the net causes the contact.  Player contact with the net in a manner not directly relating to or affecting the course of play is not a violation.  Contact with hair or part of the uniform will not be considered a fault.

 

Simultaneous Contact by Opponents - If opponents contact the net simultaneously, it shall constitute a double fault and the point shall be played over.

 

Interference - Beach volleyball allows any and all parts of the body to cross the center line as long as there is no interference with the opposing player.

 

Games

During the regular season matches are to be played within time allotted (warm up time is not included).  The format allows for 5 games to 21 points.  You must win by 2 points; however, the score is capped at 25.  Speed scoring will automatically occur if the staff deems it necessary.

 

Playoffs

All eligible teams make the playoffs (teams that have not abused any policies are eligible).  In certain situations teams at or near the bottom of the standings may not advance to the playoffs.  Playoffs are determined based upon the number of teams in the league.

If a team does not have a full squad (minimum number of players required according to the rules) by ten minutes past the designated start time, they will forfeit the first game of the match.  At twenty minutes after the start time the match is over (per staff and opposing team's captain request).

 

Sportsmanship

PortSports is a charity-focused, social sports club for adults.  Our goal is for you to have fun.  We hope that you keep this in mind when participating.  Although the games may become intense, you still can be competitive while maintaining good sportsmanship.  With this said, any behavior deemed unacceptable by the field manager, referee, umpire or PortSports staff may result in suspension and/or ejection from a game or the league.

 

Suspensions / Ejections

• Any player(s)/team(s) that are involved in a fight will be suspended from all PortSports Leagues for life.  Any teams will forfeit all remaining games.  The field manager has the right to sit a player if necessary.
• Any excessive contact or collision will result in a foul and ejection of player.
• Any player abusing the field manager will automatically be ejected from the game without a warning.  A player ejected for ANY reason will be suspended for the next game.  If that player is caught playing in that game, the team will forfeit

 

Safety

In the event of a minor injury, PortSports will provide a first aid kit which includes ice packs and adhesive bandages.  If a participant becomes injured during play but is still conscious, that participant may decide their next step whether to call an ambulance, drive themselves to the nearest hospital or wait to see their own doctor.  If a participant is seriously injured and unconscious, PortSports or the Field Manager will call for an ambulance.

 

Beer / Clean-Up

Unfortunately beer is not allowed on/at the field/courts.  Please wait until after the games to join us at our Happy Hour bar for the drinking to begin.  Please also do your part to keep the parks clean and use the trash cans provided or carry it out with you.  This is really important.  If anyone drinks alcoholic beverages at any of the fields, we risk losing our permits.  Anyone who is caught drinking at the field risks being suspended for the remainder of the season without refund.  We also risk losing our permits if we do not clean-up any trash left behind.

 

PortSports Philosophy

While we appreciate a low level of competitiveness in our leagues, we do not tolerate any unsportsmanlike behavior.  This includes anyone who:

 

• Antagonizes players on other teams or their own teammates
• Exhibits excessive uncontrollable play
• Inappropriately "mouths off" to the field manager(s) or referee(s)
• Verbally or physically threatens a member of our staff or other participants
• Any player ejected from a game will be suspended for a minimum of one game

 

PortSports reserves the right to remove any player from any game(s), season and/or future season.

 

PortSports reserves the right to remove a full team from the schedule and/or future seasons if we feel they are unable to participate in a manner in keeping with PortSports' mission to provide a fun, charity-focused, co-ed social league.

 

These policies are designed to make the league run as smoothly and safely as possible, and provide continuity for its participants.  Each player in the league is responsible for this information.

 

Beach Volleyball Rules 09.16.2011