ATHLETE INSTITUTE 18+
BEACH VOLLEYBALL AT C3

GENERAL RULES

• Each Rec Division team must have at least 1 male and 1 female on their roster

• Each Competitive Division team must have at least 1 male and 1 female on their roster

• Each match will include 3 sets to 21

• Each set must be won by 2 points

• To win the match: The match is won by the team that wins the most sets (3-0, or 2-1)

• Once a match concludes, and if there is still time remaining in the 45-min block, teams can scrimmage for the remainder of their allotted time

• Games will be played 4 vs 4

• Substitutions will rotate onto the court and through the rotation

• Teams must have at least 3 players to play the game

• A team is permitted to play with 3 players for the entirety of the game. The opposing team may match their 3 (3v3) or choose to play with 4 (4v3).

• If a team has 2 players or fewer, they will forfeit the match (0-3 for the match and 0-21, 0-21, 0-21 for each set). The team may 'borrow' players from another team to scrimmage, but the result will be a forfeit.

RULES OF PLAY

• All balls must be hit cleanly. No scooping or carrying the ball. Only off of a driven ball may a ball may be double hit (i.e. off arm and head in one continuous motion). 

• Contact with the net (except for hair) in any way constitutes a loss of point. A player that goes under the net but does not contact the net or interfere with the play is okay.

• A served ball may not be blocked, spiked or volleyed directly back over the net. 

• A served ball may be received by volleying the ball, provided it is not volleyed directly back over the net 

• A block or partial block does not count as one of a team’s 3 hits. 

• The ball may be played by any part of the body

• There are NO court position restrictions or requirements in 4’s beach volleyball, but service rotation must remain the same throughout a single game. 

• No open-handed tipping: Players who contact the ball with one hand and are putting the ball over the net must cleanly hit with the heel or palm of hand (a roll shot), with straight, locked fingers and a locked wrist (a cobra), knurled fingers (a camel toe), or with the back of the hand (locked wrist and locked fingers/knuckles. One handed placement or redirection of the ball with the fingers (dink or open-handed tip) is a fault. 

• If a player is going to play the ball into the opponent's court by setting or volleying, the player must contact the ball with 2 hands above the shoulders and it must be set directly forward or backward in relation to the player's body (shoulders and hips should be in the same position from prior to the set happening). NO DUMPING! This applies even if it is the team’s 3rd hit.