RULES & POLICIES

Texas Health Guidelines

Texas Health Guidelines for COVID-19

General League Rules

Teams will always play all 3 games. If game 3 ends before the scheduled hour has passed, teams may continue skirmishing on their court for the rest of the hour. Forfeit rules are on the website, please be on time.

Game results (wins/losses/forfeits/postpones) may be recorded online or reported to cera.fw.volleyball@gmail.com. CERA’s sand leagues follow the 2017-2019 USAV Beach Volleyball Regulations (Quick Guide), and the indoor leagues follow the 2019-2021 USAV Indoor Volleyball Regulations (casebook) with the following exceptions/notes:

• Coed: “Guy Rule” If all of a team’s hits are from male players, the final attack hit must not performed when the ball is entirely higher than the top of the net (exception: the 1st hit).  The previous “girl rule” is no longer in effect. No rules apply to semi-coed leagues.
• Coed: Player positions are not required to alternate male-female, although a consistent service order is required. Positioning 3 males adjacently is not allowed. No position rules apply to semi-coed leagues.
• Any body part touching any part of the net during play is a fault (only exception is loose clothing or hair)
• Sand Leagues: Game format is 2 games to 21, game 3 is to 15. Players may go under the net if they do not interfere with the opponent’s play
• Indoor Leagues: Game format is 2 games to 25, game 3 is to 15. Players may go under the net and touch the center line if they do not interfere with the opponent’s play. Touching the opponent’s court beyond the center line is a fault
• No “open-hand” dinks or tips in 2’s, 3’s, and 4’s. Finger tips must be rigid and together if used to tip the ball over the net
• Blocking touches do not count as a team hit for 4’s and 6’s
• Setting the ball over the net is allowed only on contacts 2 & 3 if the set is both clean and square with the player’s shoulders. Sand: No fault if the set is blown over the net by the wind
• Teams may substitute players from other registered teams in the same league for a 1/2 game loss penalty for each substituted game won, e.g. 1.5 losses for 3 games won. All penalties should be noted on the score sheet or reported to cera.fw.volleyball@gmail.com. Players may register or substitute for multiple teams without penalty if the teams are in different leagues
• Rosters must be updated on a timely basis. Captains who have not registered their full team by week 2 may be forced to forfeit until their roster is complete

League-Specific Rules

All A leagues:

• Double contact fault logic:
  • A double contact is a fault unless it is the first hit of a team and one volleyball action (note catch then throw is two actions)
  • But it is a fault again if the ball is played overhead with the fingers
  • Unless it was in defense of a hard-driven ball, in which case it’s not a fault again. Note that serves are not considered defense of a hard-driven ball and are faults if doubled when receiving.

6’s

• Semi-Coed: Max 4 males may be fielded. Min 2 females and 5 players must always be fielded. No limit on fielded female players. No girl touch rule
• Coed: Max 3 males may be fielded. Min 2 females and 5 players must always be fielded. No limit on fielded female players
• Players must rotate positions after a scored point (see USAV rule 7.5, p. 82)
• Open-hand tips/dinks are allowed
• B, BB: Double contacts are allowed on all first contacts, if it is one volleyball action. Also, when using overhand fingers, double contacts are always allowed.

4’s

• Coed: Max 2 males may be fielded. Min 1 female and 3 players must always be fielded. No limit on fielded female players
• BB: Double contacts are allowed on all first touches, if it is one volleyball action. To encourage players to develop hand-setting skills, doubles are also allowed when contacting the ball overhand with fingers on 2^nd contact. Double contacts are faults otherwise.

2’s

• Blocking contact is considered a team hit. The blocking team only has two more hits after a blocking contact
• BB: Double contacts are allowed on all first touches, if it is one volleyball action. To encourage players to develop hand-setting skills, doubles are also allowed when contacting the ball overhand with fingers on 2^nd contact. Double contacts are faults otherwise.

Weather Cancellation Policy

Because Texas weather can be unpredictable and scattered, all league match cancellation decisions are left to the captains. If there’s a chance of inclement weather, captains should check a local radar (such as WFAA) 1-2 hours before the match and contact the opponent captain and referee to confer about cancellations. Keep in mind that a little rain is playable, that weather at CERA can be playable even if it’s not playable where you live/work, and that some players have a 1 hour drive (so try not to wait until less than 1 hour before the game to cancel). If there’s any ambiguity, disagreement, or poor communication, captains may capture and save an image of the radar as proof to ensure they don’t forfeit the 3 games. Be safe – don’t play in lightning – but try to play the matches.