VOLLEYBALL LEAGUE RULES
General
Questions? Email leagues@volley-life.com.
All players must be registered on https://volleylife.leaguelab.com.
Players that are not listed on the team roster are ineligible to participate in playoffs or receive prizes.
The team captain can invite players to join their team from their team management page when logging into League Labs.
Team Captains or a team representative must check in their team at the North Tiki Hut before their first match each week. Staff at Grant Park will check in with each team before their first matches.
Captains must report all scores online immediately after the conclusion of each match. The captain from each team should check that the score is reported accurately. Staff are available to help you if needed onsite.
Volleyballs will not be provided, although they can be rented for $5/hour with a valid picture ID.
NO ALCOHOLIC CARRY-INS AND ABSOLUTELY NO GLASS!!!
Support the beach by purchasing your food and beverages at The Dock at Bradford Beach, our restaurant partners at the Tiki Huts!
If you’re at Grant Park, check out Ferch’s Beachside Bar & Grille for some craft beers, juicy burgers, and delicious shakes!
Levels of Play
Top teams in a lower division and bottom teams in a higher division may overlap.
If you’ve been doing well in C, especially if you won in the previous two seasons, please consider playing in B.
If you’ve been struggling in B the past season or more, finishing near the bottom, then consider switching to C.
Please reach out to leagues@volley-life.com or give us a call if you need some help choosing the right division.
Forfeit Rule
Teams are responsible for knowing their own schedules. The schedule may change up to 24 hours in advance of matches to accommodate reschedule requests, teams adding or dropping, or last minute forfeits.
We will never change the schedule within 24 hours of a match without contacting the affected teams directly.
A 10 minute forfeit rule is in effect for all matches: after 10 minutes, the missing team forfeits game 1; after 20 minutes, they forfeit the match. You must consult with league staff before accepting a forfeit.
Any forfeit notice at least 30 hours in advance will only count as a loss.
Before requesting a forfeit or reschedule, please try to fill any holes in your roster through our Facebook Sub Page!
Reschedule requests must be made in writing via email to leagues@volley-life.com and will only be honored if made at least 30 hours in advance. Not all reschedule requests can be accommodated.
Any notice less than 30 hours in advance, or no notice, will be marked as a No Show.
After your second No Show, your team will be removed from the league without refund.
Rain Policy
We will play rain or shine and every attempt will be made to fit in all play.
Leagues will be cancelled in the event of severe weather or lightning.
Any decision to cancel early will be made two hours before the start of leagues. This will be posted on this website, on Facebook, and sent as an email and text message to all registered players.
An attempt will be made to reschedule matches later in the season, but this will not always be possible. Refunds will not be issued for weather incidents.
Air Quality
100-150 We will play in this air quality range but will notify teams of the potential risks. Teams will be allowed to forfeit without a no-show strike if they contact us in writing before the start of leagues.
150 We will cancel all leagues for the night. An attempt will be made to reschedule matches later in the season, but this will not always be possible. Refunds will not be issued for air quality incidents.
Play Format
Exact format is dependent on your league and division: teams will play 1-3 matches per night.
Unless specifically noted otherwise for your division, matches will consist of two games to 21, win by 2, cap at 23.
Should teams split games during the regular season, no tie-breaker set will be played unless specifically noted otherwise for your division.
League Playoffs
Playoffs will take place the last two weeks of the season, August 13-26.
Every team will make playoffs.
Teams will be placed in playoff divisions based on regular season performance with format being determined by the size of each division.
Rules of Play
All leagues will follow the USAV Beach Volleyball Official Rules except where noted below.
All Divisions
Any contact with the net during the act of playing the ball is illegal.
No lifting, throwing, or swatting the ball.
Three touches maximum per side.
No attacking, spiking, or blocking the serve.
Sixes
Setting the serve is allowed.
No coed or "girl" rule.
A block touch does not count as one of a team’s three contacts per side.
Doubles
You may not double hit the serve, which generally means you cannot set the serve.
The first contact may not be "doubled" unless it is hard-driven/reactionary.
A block touch counts as one of a team's maximum three touches.
Teams will switch sides every seven points.
There are no uniform requirements.
Team Composition and Substitutions
Coed Sixes
Maximum roster of 10 players.
Maximum ratio of 4:2 male:female players on the court or forfeit.
Minimum of 2:2 male:female players on the court or forfeit.
Coed Doubles
One male and one female player unless approved by the League Director.
Coed Fours
Requirement of 2:2 male:female players on the court or forfeit.
Substitutions
Substitute players must be registered as Free Agents and have signed the participation waiver before subbing at any regular season match.
Substitute players may not play in end of the season tournaments without advanced, written approval from the League Director.
Players may not sub within their own division.
Rule Enforcement
These rules are designed to preserve the integrity of the sport while maintaining a fun, respectful, and safe environment.
Leagues are self reffed, which means that teams are responsible for knowing the rules and should try to call any violations on themselves.
Teams may call violations on their opponents in the case of clear rules violations. Such calls are a normal part of the sport and should be made and met with respect.
Teams should replay points that are under contention.
Team composition and substitution violations must be reported to Volley Life league staff before the start of a match. If a team cannot field a legitimate team, they may be required to forfeit that match, although teams could potentially still play for fun.
If such a violation is reported after the match has been played, Volley Life must assume that consent was given by both teams to play with the match anyway with the invalid roster.