CYAS Beach Volleyball Rules

©2017 CYAS, all right reserved, last rev. 3-14-17

League communications will happen via the bluesombrero registration system. CYAS cannot be responsible for communication for any unregistered players. In the event of questionable weather, we will post to our Facebook Page and text/email to registered players via the registration system.

CYAS GENERAL LEAGUE RULES

CYAS CODE OF CONDUCT

Sportsmanship is required in this league. Such as:

● The officials are volunteers that give time to make your game more enjoyable; please thank them after every game for offering their time! We encourage you to buy them food/drinks after the games (it doubtfully will help you on the field, but can’t hurt).

● All games are in the hands of the officials. Any questions/discussions about the rule interpretations should go through the team captain.

● Pray before and after games (optional if not Catholic), and shake hands after games

● Go out to the socials and comingle with other teams

● Encourage and engage players that are not as athletic/skilled, these are rec. leagues!

Unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated and may result in ejection from games or the league. This includes:

● recruiting stacked teams (in casual leagues) & running up the score

● foul language (including the Lord’s name taken in vain), racial slurs and verbal abuse

● unnecessary roughness and/or physical abuse

● acting out of anger, including throwing equipment or personal items

● arguing with officials, staff, participants, or fans

● abuse of the honor system

● show good sportsmanship whether victory or defeat

● failure to provide volunteer referees where assigned

Sportsmanship Rating:

● ALL TEAMS WILL BE GIVEN SPORTMANSHIP RATINGS AFTER EACH GAME - CAPTAINS MUST SIGN OFF ON THEIR RATINGS

● The Sportsmanship Rating will be added into the league standings.  The end of the season tournament standings are determined on the point system that a win is worth 6 points, a tie is worth 3 points, and a loss is worth 0 points.  With the sportsmanship rating, during each game, every team is able to receive a maximum of 10 points per game.

● Sportsmanship Policy:  Teams will be given a sportsmanship rating by the officials & commissioner after each game.  The scores are determined as follows:

○ 4 - Excellent Conduct and Sportsmanship – Players cooperate fully with the officials and the opposing team’s members.  The captain calmly converses with officials about rule interpretations and calls.  The captain also has full control of his/her teammates.

○ 3 – Good Conduct and Sportsmanship – Team members verbally complain about some decisions made by the officials and/or show minor dissension.  Teams that receive 1 severe behavioral penalty will receive no higher than a 3.0 rating. 

○ 2 - Average Conduct and Sportsmanship – Team shows verbal dissent towards officials and/or the opposing team.  Captain exhibits minor control over his/her teammates, but is in control of their own temper.  Teams receiving multiple bahaviour fouls will receive no higher than a 2.0 rating.

○ 1 – Below Average Conduct and Sportsmanship – Teams constantly comment to the officials and/or the opposing team from the field and/or sidelines. The team captain exhibits little or no control over teammates and/or himself/herself.  A team which receives an ejection can receive no higher than a 1.0 rating.

○ 0 – Poor Conduct and Sportsmanship – Team is completely uncooperative.  Captain has no control over teammates, and/or their own temper.  Any team causing a game to be forfeited, by not showing, or receives multiple ejections shall receive a 0.0 rating.

● A team that receives a 0.0 rating must have their captain meet with a CYAS representative before they are eligible to play their next contest.

● A team winning a contest by Forfeit or Honest Effort Forfeit will receive a 4.0 rating

● A team that does not provide the required refs/timers/scorekeepers, if assigned, will receive a 0 sportsmanship point rating for that week.

Team Substitutions- If a team does not have enough players to field a team, they may get a substitute:

• From another team (a “League Registrant”), if the game is not a tournament game.
• From outside the league, but they must sign a liability waiver (even if they have played in another season).
• If the substitute is from outside the league they may only play in two (2) regular season games without registering online. An outside player must register and officially join the team roster online in order to play in any tournament game, and they must have played in at least one (1) season game (as evidenced by having a sub waiver on file).
• For teams under individual pay, special arrangement may be requested, but will only be allowed if a team needs players to be playable in the tourney. The above rules will still apply.

CYAS Beach volleyball RULES

Team Composition

Players.

Four (4) players will play in the field. Teams may have a maximum of 6 players

on their roster.  Teams have the option to bat all 6 players.  The decision on the

number of players in a team's batting line-up must be made prior to the game. 

Free substitution will be allowed. 

Equipment

Player’s Equipment

All players must wear shoes. Tennis shoes and soft-soled shoes are legal.

Sandals, flip-flops, and boots are not permitted. No metal, hard plastic,

polyurethane spikes or cleats or shoes with detachable cleats are allowed.

Fielders may NOT use baseball/softball gloves or mitts or any other catching

equipment. Hats may be worn but may NOT be used to catch the ball.

Game Equipment

Bats, balls, and bases will be provided by the Hastings Parks and Recreation

Department. Teams must use the equipment that is provided. No outside bats,

balls, or bases are permitted.

Ground Rules

Bases

The distance between each base will be approximately 36 feet. The pitching

rubber is approximately 30 feet from home plate.

Field Rules

The ceiling, rafters, and any other objects hanging over fair territory are

considered in play. Batted balls may be played off each of these objects. Balls

caught before hitting the ground will be considered outs. Once a ball contacts an

overhanging object in fair territory, it cannot be considered a foul ball (even if it

rolls over a foul line). Any balls that become lodged in these objects will be

results in a ground-rule double for the batter. All other runners are entitled to two

bases based on their position at the time of the pitch.

 Game Time and Mercy Rules

Innings and Time Limit

Each game has a 50-minute or 7-inning limit. Any inning started before the end of

the 50-minute time period will be completed. 

Tie Games 

A game will end in a tie if the score is tied after 7 innnings or if the time limit has

ended.

7 Run Limit

There is a seven (7) run limit per team per inning. In no instance may a team

score more than 7 runs in an inning; i.e., if the offense has scored 6 runs and the

batter hits a home run with the bases loaded, only 1 of the 4 runs will count (to

total 7 for the inning). 

Mercy Rule

The game will be ended if one of the following occurs during the game:

1.  If one team is ahead by 15 runs after 4 complete innings (3 1/2, if the

home team is ahead), the   game will be called. 

2.  If one team is ahead by 8 runs after 5 complete innings (4 1/2, if the home

team is ahead), the game will be called. 

Pitching Rules 

Pitchers

Teams will pitch to their own hitters. 

Responsibility of Pitcher

Pitchers (of the batting team) will not be responsible for playing defense. When

the pitcher is struck by a batted ball before it passes a member of the defensive

team, the batter is out and runners must return to the base occupied at the time

of the at bat. In all other situations, the pitcher must move clearly out of the way

of a defender making a play or the potential path of a throw..

Delivery of Pitch

In the act of delivering the ball to the batter, the pivot foot must remain in contact

with the pitcher's rubber until the ball leaves the pitcher's hand. A legal delivery

shall be a ball that is delivered underhand or overhand at any speed. The ball

may not contact the ground prior to being hit. Number of Pitches 

Each batter will receive a maximum of 3 pitches. If a batter allows three pitches

to pass and has not hit the ball, he/she will be out. 

Batting

Batter

The batter must keep two hands on the bat prior to and when contacting the ball.

One-handed swings that hit the ball into fair or foul territory will result in the batter

being called out. 

Batted Balls

Batted balls must reach home plate before they are hit.  

Foul Balls 

Any foul ball on the third pitch is an out. Fouls on the first and second pitch are

only strikes.

Walks

There will be no walks.

Bunting

There is no bunting. The batter must take a full swing at the ball. A batter who

bunts the ball is out and the ball is immediately dead. 

Ghost Runners

In the event that a team is batting and a player is on base when it is his/her turn

to bat, the player shall vacate the base to come to bat. No out will be recorded.

No ghost runner will be permitted. The runner simply loses his/her chance to

score a run.

Home Runs

A home run will be granted when a fair ball is hit into the balcony seating of the

Auditorium.  There will be a limit of 2 home runs per inning.  An out will be

recorded for every home run (hit into the balcony seating) that exceeds the limit. 

 Base Running

Base Runners

Runners cannot lead off or steal bases. Base runners may leave the base when

the pitch is contacted by the batter. Runners who leave base prior to the ball

being contacted by the batter are out. Sliding is not allowed. Runners who slide

are automatically out. If the runner makes contact with a base and the base

slides away from its original position on the court, the runner is safe (if it occurred

before the tag or putout) and is not liable to be put out while base is dislodged. If

the runner attempts to advance to another base, he/she is liable to be put out

and must return to the marked area on the court where the base should be, not

the actual dislodged base.

Base Path

The base path for a runner is the direct line between the player and the base to

which he is advancing at the time a play is being made on that specific base

runner and the three feet to either side of that direct path. 

Collisions

Base runners are responsible for avoiding all collisions with fielders anytime a

fielder is making a play on the ball (fielding, throwing, and catching). If the base

runner does not avoid the collision, play will be ruled dead, the base runner is

called out, the batter is awarded first (unless involved in the collision), and all

runners return to their original base unless forced to the next base.

Defensive Obstruction 

A defensive player cannot stand in the base path or obstruct the path of a base

runner unless he/she is making a play on the ball. In the event the defense

obstructs a runner, the umpire shall award the runner and each other runner

affected by the obstruction the bases they would have, in the umpire's opinion,

reached had there been no obstruction. It is also obstruction when a fielder

without the ball fakes a tag. 

Offensive Interference

Any runner in fair territory and not in contact with a base that is struck by a fair

batted ball is out.

Double Play

In case of a possible double play, the base runner must get out of the way of the

thrown ball. Base runners who fail to get out of the way may be charged with

interference resulting in both the base runner and the batter-runner being called

out on the play.

 Flagrant Contact by Runner

When a defensive player has the ball and is waiting for the runner and the runner

deliberately, with great force, crashes into the defensive player, the runner is

declared out and will be ejected from the game. The ball will be declared dead

and all runners must return to the last base they legally occupied. If the act is to

be judged flagrant by the umpire, the runner closest to home also will be

declared out.

Overthrow Rule

There is no overthrow rule. Runners may advance at their own risk until play is

declared dead by the umpire.

Other Rules

Diving and Sliding

Diving is not recommended when fielding a ball due to the chance of injury

caused by the hard playing surface. Fielders may NOT slide or dive at a runner

in an effort to tag him/her. In this case, the runner is awarded two bases from the

point of the violation.

Getting Runners Out

The batter is out in situations similar to softball (force-out, fly out, etc). Runners

may NOT be hit by a thrown ball 

Infield Fly

TEAM ROSTERS

Number of Players

1. Each team is allowed a maximum of 8 players (4v4) or 10 players (6v6) on their roster.

2. A full team consists of 4, or 6, players on the court, and a minimum of 2 players are required for a game.

3. When playing with a roster of 4 players, or more, a minimum of 2 must be female/male.

4. When playing with a roster of 2-3 players, a minimum of 1 must be male/female.

5. The gender ratio may be changed only if agreed upon by both captains prior to the start of the match. There will be no forfeits; a team may have to play short.

Length of Game

Games will be 50 minutes long, or played to best out of three games, whichever comes first.  The third game will always be played, because it is taken into account for standings.

Starting the Game

1. League games will begin promptly at the scheduled time.

2. If any team cannot field the minimum number of required eligible players after the scheduled start time, that team will forfeit the game, unless an alternate agreement is reached by the captains.

3. If neither team can field the minimum number of players, the game will be a double forfeit and each team will be scored a loss for the game. The game will not be replayed.

4. A representative from each team will (paper, rock, scissors-best of 1).

The winner chooses (the losing captain gets the remaining option):

a. to serve or receive

b. which side to defend first

Playing the Game

1. Games will be played with rally scoring (every serve is a point for one team or the other) played to 21 points win by two. To cut down on time, during season play games will go only to the first team to get 25 points, if a win by two has not been achieved prior to 25.

2. Teams will switch sides every 7 points up to 21, after which they will remain on their side until the game ends if it a winner has not been determined.

3. Both underhand and over hand serves are allowed, but no throws.

4. There is no net touching on block, spikes, or during game play. Any infraction is a loss of point. PLEASE CALL YOUR OWN NET INFRACTIONS! If the net moves and the ball didn’t hit it, someone is at fault or the point is a redo.

5. Teams must rotate subs in normally so everyone gets equal playing time. Sub rotation may only change between games.

6. If there is a disagreement on a point (i.e. out or who hit it last), the point will be replayed.

7. If a rule needs to be clarified, a game timeout may be called to ask the commissioner. There will be no refs, so please call your own penalties and play with charity.

Charity/Sportsmanship Rule:

Please remember that this is recreational volleyball. (CASUAL DIVISION ONLY - Please play with charity and do not spike/serve hard on those who are new, or less skilled. If you feel you were spiked on too hard, please kindly ask for a re-serve of the point). We are all here to have fun!

EQUIPMENT

Player’s Equipment

All players must play bare foot and dress appropriately while playing (shirts & shorts required).

Game Equipment

Volleyballs and nets will be provided by CYAS. Teams must use the equipment that is provided.