Rules, Expectations & Game Standards

Each season, Houston Sand Volleyball continues improving the league experience based on player feedback and lessons from prior seasons. These rules and guidelines are designed to keep league nights running smoothly, maintain fair competition, and make sure everyone has a great time. Houston Sand Volleyball reserves the right to make final decisions regarding rules, disputes, scheduling, gameplay situations, and circumstances not specifically covered below. Rulings may be made in real time when necessary and will be based on the best interests of the league.

Houston Sand Volleyball is a friendly, social, and competitive league. Aggressive behavior, fighting, threats, harassment, or disrespect toward players, league leadership, or venue staff will not be tolerated. Compete hard, treat people with respect, and remember that everyone is here to enjoy themselves.

Matches are self-officiated. Players are expected to make fair, honest, and timely calls, including calls that go against their own team. If players disagree on a call and cannot quickly reach an agreement, replay the point and keep the match moving. Extended arguments should not delay the match.

Schedules are generally released for the full season. Houston Sand Volleyball will try to avoid changes, but changes may be necessary due to weather, court availability, team conflicts, or other circumstances. • Game times are subject to change. • Check your schedule again on the day of your matches. • Schedule requests should be submitted at least one week in advance. • Emergency requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. • Schedule requests are not guaranteed.

Regular-season matches consist of two sets. • Each set is played to 21 points. • Teams must win by 2 points. • Each set is capped at 25 points. • A set reaching 24–24 will end when either team reaches 25. • There is no third set during the regular season. • If the sets are split 1–1, the match winner is determined by total point differential across both sets. Example: If Team A wins 21–15 and loses 18–21, Team A has a +3 total point differential and has higher seed.

Teams should be ready to begin at their scheduled time whenever the assigned court is available. • Teams receive a 10-minute grace period before a forfeit may be recorded. • Warmups, stretching, and water breaks should be completed before the scheduled start time. • If a court becomes available early, teams are encouraged to begin early when both teams agree. • If the previous match runs long, the next match begins when the court becomes available. • A delayed court overrides the originally listed start time. Teams will not be penalized because the prior match is still being played. Players should remain near their assigned court and be prepared to begin promptly once it becomes available.

A forfeited match is recorded as a 0–21, 0–21 loss. If a team finds eligible substitutes and is able to play the match, the match will be played and the actual score will be recorded. Teams should communicate attendance issues as early as possible and make a reasonable effort to find substitutes before forfeiting.

Regular Season • Teams may use substitutes as needed. • Substitutes should be of a similar skill level to the player being replaced. • Players already participating in a Houston Sand Volleyball league are preferred. • Teams should not use a substitute whose skill level creates an unfair competitive advantage. Playoffs • At least 50% of the original roster must be present. • A 3’s team must have at least two original players present. • Playoff substitutes must currently participate in a Houston Sand Volleyball league. • Playoff substitutes must be of a similar or lower skill level, not a higher level. Example: An Intermediate 2’s team may use a player from an Intermediate 4’s league but may not bring in a player from a higher-level division.

The following minimum requirements apply for a team to play: • Coed 2’s: At least one female player must be present. • Coed 3’s: At least one female player must be present. • Coed 4’s: At least two female players must be present. Teams that do not meet the minimum format requirements may be required to forfeit unless an eligible substitute is found.

• Clearly call the score before every serve. • Make sure the receiving team is ready before serving. • Do not intentionally rush or serve while opponents are clearly unprepared. • The server should wait for any ball or safety issue on the court to be resolved before serving.

Open-hand receive is not allowed on serve receive. Serves should be received using the forearms, hands together, fists, knuckles, or another clean contact. The hands do not need to be perfectly joined together, provided the ball is contacted cleanly and is not caught, carried, or lifted. During a rally, an open-hand first contact is allowed. Multiple contacts on the first team contact are legal when they occur during one continuous attempt to play the ball. For example, a hard-driven ball may contact a player’s arm and then their face during the same defensive action.

When intentionally setting the ball over the net with the hands, the player’s shoulders must be square to the direction of the set, either forward or backward. The ball may not be caught, carried, pushed, or thrown over the net. Incidental hand contact that sends the ball over the net is judged under the normal clean-contact standard.

Attacks must be cleanly contacted and may not be caught, pushed, carried, or thrown. Open-hand fingertip tips are not allowed. Players should use a closed hand, knuckles, or another legal clean contact when tipping the ball.

• In 2’s, a block counts as one of the team’s three contacts. • In 3’s and 4’s, a block does not count as one of the team’s three contacts. On a joust, if the ball lands out of bounds, the fault belongs to the team on the opposite side of where the ball lands. Example: If the ball lands out on Team A’s side after a joust, the point is awarded to Team A.

• Begin each match with rock-paper-scissors to determine serve or side. • Teams switch sides between sets, not every seven points. • Each team may take a two-minute timeout during a set. • Keep breaks brief so matches remain on schedule. • Final scores must be recorded on the provided clipboard or score sheet. • Teams are responsible for confirming that the recorded scores are accurate before leaving the court.

• The higher-seeded team serves first in the opening set. • Teams switch sides between sets. • If the teams split the first two sets, a third set is played. • Before the third set, rock-paper-scissors determines serve or side. • The third set is played to 15 with a hard cap at 15. • The first team to reach 15 wins, regardless of the margin. Playoff format, bracket structure, and the number of teams advancing may vary by league based on registration and available court time.

All players participate at their own risk and should play within their personal limits. Communicate immediately if you are injured, need to stop play, or notice an unsafe condition. Do not continue playing through an injury when doing so could create additional risk. Players should remain aware of nearby courts, loose volleyballs, equipment, and other potential hazards.

Players and guests must follow all venue rules while at Bumpy Pickle. • No outside food or drinks. • Shoes and shirts must be worn inside the building. • Treat venue staff, facilities, and equipment respectfully. • Let the staff know you are participating in the league to receive any available player discounts on food and drinks. Venue policies may be enforced directly by Bumpy Pickle and are separate from Houston Sand Volleyball league discipline.

Wearing Houston Sand Volleyball season merchandise is not mandatory, but it is always appreciated. Players are encouraged to wear their league shirts, tanks, or other season items during league nights, playoffs, tournaments, and social events.