Official Volleyball Canada Youth Rules of the Game
April 18, 2015
8s VOLLEYBALL (Gr. 1-2): No official Play Days. See FUNdamentals Volleyball Lesson Plans for 8 weeks of physical literacy activities, suitable for schools and clubs.
10s VOLLEYBALL (Gr. 3-4)
Court
Half-court badminton lines
Net
Badminton or volleyball net (ropes can be fashioned to replicate a net) 2 meters in height or as high as the standing reach of the tallest player
Balls
Tachikara Soft-V or Volley Lites are (SV14) recommended
Number of players
2 vs. 2 format. A third player rotates into the game when the ball is played over the net. Co-ed participation is permitted.
How to score a point
1 point for grounding the ball on the opponents’ court or an opponent error (standard rally point volleyball scoring). The scoring team receives or maintains the ‘serve’.
How to win a game
Two 7-minute halves (switch sides). 2-minute half time. Team with the highest score at the end wins. Coaches keep score and self-referee.
Starting / resuming the game
Playing the ball
One-hand overhand toss or underhand serve from behind the badminton serving line. 3 attempts to start the play without penalty. The ball may touch the net while crossing to the opponent’s
side.
3 contacts required. One point and the service are awarded to the other team for less than 3 contacts.
The ball is caught and thrown on the 1st and 2nd contact. Players may use a volleyball skill on the 3rd contact. Players are only encouraged to use a volleyball skill when rallies are frequent
(i.e. ball often crosses the net 3 times in a row)
Coaches encourage the ‘to the net, along the net over the net” pattern.
No walking with the ball.
Rotation*
Except when initiating the game with a toss or serve, the team that plays the ball over the net rotates one position clockwise.
Play Day Format
Recommend 3-4 matches per Play Day. Ladder format is recommended to group teams of a similar skill level more frequently. Playoffs are not permitted.
Play Day Awards
At the completion of the season all participants receive an award.
Season Length
Recommended: 10-12 weeks with 1-2 practices week.
*Rotation Format (36 players on 3 badminton courts)
Official Volleyball Canada Youth Rules of the Game
April 18, 2015
12s VOLLEYBALL (Gr.5-6)
Court
Full-court badminton lines
Net
Badminton or volleyball net (ropes can be fashioned to replicate a net) 2 meters in height or as high as the standing reach of the tallest player
Balls
Tachikara Volley-Lites (SV-MNC) is recommended
Number of players
4 vs. 4 format. 2 players rotate in from the sideline or endline (teams of 6). Single gender participation is encouraged, but not required.
How to score a point
1 point for grounding the ball on the opponents’ court or an opponent error (standard rally point volleyball scoring). Errors include net touches and centre line violations.
How to win the game
Two 12-minute halves (switch sides). 3-minute half time. Rally point scoring. Team with the highest score at the end wins. Coaches keep score and self-referee.
Starting / resuming the game
Underhand serve or one-hand overhead toss from behind the end line. The ball may touch the net while crossing to the opponent’s side.
Playing the ball
3 contacts required. One point and the service are awarded to the other team for less than 3 contacts.
The 1st and 2nd contact may be caught and thrown. The 3rd contact must be a volleyball skill. Players are only encouraged to use volleyball skills when rallies are frequent (i.e. ball often
crosses the net 3 times in a row).
No walking with the ball.
Rotation*
Except when initiating the game with a serve or toss, the team that plays the ball over the net rotates one position clockwise.
Play Day Format
Recommend 3-4 matches per Play Day. Ladder format is recommended to group teams of a similar skill level more frequently. Playoffs are not permitted.
Play Day Awards
Coach nominates one “hustle” and one “teammate” award per team per Play Day. Host provides top server, top passer, top setter, top spiker, top blocker, top defender awards
Season Length
Recommended: 12-16 weeks with 1-2 practices week.
*Rotation Format (36 players on 3 badminton courts)
Official Volleyball Canada Youth Rules of the Game
April 18, 2015
13s VOLLEYBALL (Gr. 7) “Tripleball”
It is recommended that tripleball be played during the first half of the season in the 14s age category when a 13s age category does not exist. The goal of tripleball is to promote
better skill development, participation, meaningful competition, and fun.
Overview of the Tripleball Sequence:
a) The game follows a sequence of three rallies (service, tossed ball 1, tossed ball 2).
* 1st rally – introduced by the server
* 2nd rally – tossed ball given to the receiving team
* 3rd rally – tossed ball given to the serving team
b) The service rotates between teams after each three-ball sequence.
c) A team must rotate and introduce a new server when it is their turn to serve.
d) Every ball introduced is worth one point.
Tripleball Rules:
a) Switching to a different position from your service order during a rally is NOT
ALLOWED.
b) Each rotation will have a different designated setter. The player in position #3 or #2 in service reception will be the designated setter; this position must be noted on the
score-sheet by the coach.
c) The following Fair Play substitution rule applies: Players not starting in the 1st set must start in the 2nd set. If there is a 3rd set, the coach has the choice of starting any
players.
Implementation of rule: Official or score keeper checks score sheet between sets to confirm players not starting in the 1 st set are on the score sheet at the beginning of
the 2nd set.
Spirit of the rule: encourage equal playing time for at least the first two sets.
d) Time-outs cannot occur during a 3-ball sequence.
e) Athletes must play the tossed ball with a forearm pass, otherwise a replay will occur.
f) Athletes cannot intentionally send the tossed ball over the net, otherwise a replay will occur.
g) All other standard volleyball rules not listed above continue to apply.
Guidelines for Tossers:
a) The Head Coach, Assistant Coach or a competent volunteer may be the “Tosser” and introduce balls to their own team.
b) Balls are tossed underhand with two hands, with little to no spin and above the height of the antennae to allow athletes time to play the ball.
c) The Tosser can step into the court to introduce the ball but must immediately move a safe distance away from the court after the toss.
d) The free ball must be tossed directly to the athlete in position six, otherwise a replay will occur.
e) The free ball will be introduced when the front row players are at the net and ready to transition; the Tosser verbally cues the athletes by calling “Free Ball”. Tossers
encourage a fast paced transition between an end of a rally and the next toss.
Official Volleyball Canada Youth Rules of the Game
14s VOLLEYBALL (Gr. 8)
Standard Volleyball Rules with the following exceptions:
 Fair Play rules
 No Libero
 No overhand pass on the serve
15s VOLLEYBALL (Gr. 9)
Standard Volleyball Rules with the following exceptions:
 No Libero
 No overhand pass on the serve
16s VOLLEYBALL (Gr. 10)
Standard Volleyball Rules with the following exceptions:
 No Libero for boys
 No overhand pass on the serve
17s & 18s VOLLEYBALL (Gr. 11/12)
Standard Volleyball Rules
April 18, 2015