Intramural Sports
Volleyball Rules
1. General Intramural Information
a. By participating in Washington College’s Intramural Program it is assumed that all
participants are familiar with the Intramural Handbook found at (insert url). The objective of
the Intramural Handbook is to ensure that all participants, spectators, and staff are granted an
equitably enjoyable experience that is consistent with the objectives of the Intramural Sports
program, Campus Recreation, and Athletics Department. Thus, all participants, spectators,
and staff are considered responsible for upholding the information found in the handbook.
b. In order for the Intramural Sports Program to be as enjoyable and effective as possible the
Washington College Sportsmanship Rating System is essential to every Intramural event. For
detailed information on the system and how it works please reference the Intramural
Handbook at (insert url).
c. There is no max roster cap for players on a team.
i. There is a cap to the number of varsity, junior varsity, club athletes, and Intramural
Staff members that can be on a team depending on the Intramural Sport. Please
consult the ‘Teams’ section of this Rulebook for the limits set for this particular
sport.
ii. There is a cap to the number of Championship Shirts that will be awarded to a team
depending on the Intramural Sport. Please consult the ‘Teams section of this
Rulebook for the max number for this particular sport
2. Teams
a. Teams will consist of four (4) players on the court at one time, with a minimum of one (1) of
each gender on the court at all times.
b. A minimum of three (3) players comprised of two (2) men and one (1) woman, or vice versa,
are needed to start a game.
c. Limited Participants
i. Varsity Athletes – Volleyball
1. Limit – Two (2) per team
ii. Junior Varsity Athletes – Volleyball
1. Limit – Three (3) per team
iii. Club Sport Athletes – Volleyball
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1. Limit – Three (3) per team
iv. Intramural Staff Members
1. Limit – Three (3) per team
d. Championship Shirts
i. For Intramural Volleyball the maximum number of Championship Shirts a team may
win is six (6).
3. Equipment
a. Clothing that has blood on it must be removed before a player may continue playing. A
substitute player will immediately replace the participant with the soiled clothing to allow the
participant to remove or change the piece of clothing in question. Once the clothing is
replaced the participant is free to rejoin competition following the normal substitution rules.
b. Athletic shoes must be worn. Playing in boots, sandals, or with bare feet is prohibited out of
safety concerns for the participant and fellow participants.
c. For safety concerns jewelry, watches, and casts are prohibited during Intramural play. If a
participant is asked to remove one of the previously listed items during Intramural
competition the participant is expected to comply immediately. If the participant does not,
that is grounds for an unsportsmanlike penalty and/or removal from the game. Protective
equipment, such as braces, are on a case-by-case basis per determination of the Intramural
Staff Member.
d. The Intramural Staff will provide the appropriate game ball. Captains may use any ball they
so choose if the ball is deemed acceptable by both captains, if there is a disagreement the
official Intramurals game disc will be used.
e. Net height will be 8’ ft.
4. Length of Competition
a. Intramural Volleyball is played in up to three (3) games that comprise of a match. Games are
to 25 with the first team to win two (2) games the winner of the match. In between games
teams have a two (2) minute water break and will switch sides.
b. If a game reaches 24-24 the game becomes win by two (2). This continues until 30-30 where
the first person to 31 is the victor. If a third game is needed the first team to 15 is the winner,
unless the score is 14-14 where the game becomes win by two. In this instance the game will
continue until 20-20 where the team to score 21 first is the winner.
c. GAME TIME IS FORFEIT TIME. If a team does not have the minimum number of players
checked-in by start time the team has forfeited. If neither team has the minimum number of
players the game is a forfeit.
d. Teams have zero (0) timeouts for use during an Intramural Ultimate Frisbee game. Timeouts
are solely at the discretion of the officiating staff.
e. In the event that the match goes over the designated time slot (50 minutes) the match will be
brought to a close by the Intramural Staff. If the match is in the second game the winner of
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the first game will be chosen as the winner. If the match is in the third game the team
currently leading will be chosen as the winner. If the score is tied a sudden death point will be
played.
f.
If a game ends regulation time in a tie there is no overtime during the regular season and the
game will end in a tie. During playoffs teams will re-flip for possession and side and will play
with a sudden death format of first goal wins.
5. Substitutions
a. Substitutions can only occur during the following occurrences:
i. A player gets injured and calls for an injury replacement
ii. When the participant’s team is serving and before the serve. The non-active player
must notify the official and once the official is aware may only replace the player
who is currently in the service position.
6. Playing the Game
a. The objective of the game is to reach 25 points faster than the opposing team. A point is
scored by legally hitting the ball into the opposing teams field of play, or if the opposing team
fails to return the ball into your field of play. Scoring is rally-based, so points are scored by a
team when they are receiving and serving. Teams are allowed to hit the ball between their
teammates a max amount of three times, not touched consecutively by one player, before
hitting it over into the other team’s playing area.
b. Every match begins with a coin flip. The winner of the coin flip has the option to either
choose to serve first or choose what side they start on. An alternative, such as rock, paper,
scissors may also be played.
c. Teams switch sides at the conclusion of the first and second game. They also switch when the
leading score reaches 8 points in the third game.
d. Following the serve, a team has a maximum of three hits to return the ball to the opposing
team’s side.
i. During these three hits the ball will be deemed down if at any time it contacts the
ground or if a player contacts the net during play.
ii. A player, not including a block attempt, may make contact with the ball twice during
the team’s allotted three hits, but they may not be consecutive.
iii. If two players hit the ball at the same time it is counted as one hit and any player may
make the next contact.
e. If the ball, while in play, contacts either the ceiling or any other overhead object it is
considered live and playable by the same team. You cannot play the ball into your opponent’s
court off the ceiling or an overhead object. If, while live, the ball contacts a wall the ball is
considered landing out of bounds on the team to hit it last.
f.
If the ball contacts a participant in a place other than their hands and rebounds immediately,
for example the participant’s leg or shoulder, it is considered a legal hit and counts as one of
the team’s three hits to return the ball.
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i. A participant may not forcefully ‘kick’ the ball as this will be considered an illegal
play.
7. Service and Rotation
a. After the official notifies the server that they may serve they have five (5) seconds to put the
ball into play.
b. The server may serve from anywhere behind the back end line and may not come in contact
with the end line until they have hit the ball. If they contact any part of the playing surface,
end line included, during or before hitting the ball the service is considered a fault and the
other team scores a point and gains service.
c. During the serve all active players excluding the server must be entirely inside the boundary
lines.
d. At the time the ball is served, the players of each team must be within their respective court
positions.
i. No center position player may be nearer the sideline than that respective sideline
player.
ii. No backline player may be nearer the net than the corresponding front line player.
iii. Center Back may completely overlap the right back when right back is serving as
long as center back does not act as a screen. After the serve, players may move from
their respective positions. (The position of players is judged according to the position
of their feet in contact with the floor at the time the ball is contacted for service.
e. During service if the ball is tossed into the air and the serving player is uncomfortable hitting
the ball they may catch or avoid hitting the ball in order to have a re-serve. If the server hits
the ball they may not ask for a re-serve.
f.
During service the net is considered in play if the ball makes contacts. If the ball contacts the
net and falls onto the opposing team’s side the serving team earns a point and retains service.
If the ball fails to make it onto the opposing team’s side or contacts the net and falls out of
bounds the opposing team earns a point and gains service.
g. A server will continue serving until the other team earns a point and gains service.
h. The team which receives the ball for service after a sideout shall rotate clockwise before
serving. (This includes a team's first service in a game after their opponent's first serve).
i.
Teams must be set up so that rotations alternate between gender at each position.
8. Spiking and Blocking
a. The team receiving the serve is not allowed to block or spike
b. When attempting a spike, a spiker must contact the ball on their own side of the net, but
during the course of the follow through may reach over, but not touch, the net.
c. If a player starts in the back row of their team’s rotation during a serve they may not come
into the front area (attack zone) and play the ball when it is above the net.
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d. If a block is unsuccessful and the ball is in play on the blocker’s side the block does not count
against a team’s three legal touches, nor does it prohibit the blocker from making the first
contact.
9. Legal Plays
a. The team receiving the serve is not allowed to block or spike
b. When attempting a spike, a spiker must contact the ball on their own side of the net, but
during the course of the follow through may reach over, but not touch, the net.
c. If a player starts in the back row of their team’s rotation during a serve they may not come
into the front area (attack zone) and play the ball when it is above the net.
d. If a block is unsuccessful and the ball is in play on the blocker’s side the block does not count
against a team’s three legal touches, nor does it prohibit the blocker from making the first
contact.
e. A participant may not forcefully kick the ball as one their three hits.
10. Illegal Plays
a. If a participant commits one of the following plays they will be notified by the official and
the opposing team will earn a point and either gain or retain service:
i. Players are not permitted to scoop, hold, lift, and/or push the ball during play.
ii. If a participant intentionally delays the game on service or at the conclusion of a
water break into the beginning of a new game.
iii. Physically contacting the net at any point during play or stepping onto the opposing
team’s side, which includes under the net. If opposing players touch the net
simultaneously or both commit violations, for example one player contacts the net
and the other steps on the opposing team’s side, the ball will be deemed dead and will
be replayed with the same service said up as the previous service.
11. Out of Bounds
a. In volleyball the boundary lines of the playing surface are considered in-bounds. The entirety
of the ball must therefore land outside of the boundary lines in order to be continued out.
During play the ball must always travel inside of the antennas. If during play the ball is hit
outside of the antennas it is considered out. The ball also must not contact the antenna during
play.
b. If a ball is hit that is clearly out of bounds the opposing team may catch the ball to prevent it
from rolling away. If the ball is at all close to the line and the opposing team catches the ball
claiming it to be out the ball will be called ‘in’ and the scoring team will retain possession or
gain possession.
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