Portland Volleyball association - outdoor playing regulations

Outdoor Rules for Sand and Grass Leagues

• Home team chooses serve or receive
•  Visitor team chooses the game ball
• Rally scoring with 2 sets to 21 points (no cap, win by 2) and third set to 15 (no cap, win by 2)
•  Sets 1 & 2 switch sides every 7 points and set 3 switch sides every 5 points
• First and third sets begin with a coin toss (or ball spin or ...) to determine which team gets first choice of serve or side
•  For the second set, the team that lost the "coin toss" gets first choice of serve or side
• A block does not count as a touch
•  No open hand tips or dinks (cobra or knuckles are allowed)
• Serve receive cannot be with open hands (i.e. set)
•  Coed serving order must alternate male and female
• No rotational faults, but must keep service order
•  Let serves are allowed but not re-tosses
• Hard driven hit can be set (official's judgement) but off-speed hit cannot be set (no finger action until 2nd or 3rd contact)
•  No directional blocks (no breaking wrist, either down or to a side)
• Posts are considered antennas
•  No center line violation unless you interfere with player on other side of court
• No center line violation unless you interfere with player on other side of court
• 2 players contacting the ball at the same time is considered 2 hits and either player can then take it over the net unless referee clearly sees only one person contacting the ball
• If setting the ball over the net, the set must be perpendicular with your shoulders (either front or back set)
•  One 60 second timeout per set
• Replay if a tree branch interferes with a playable ball
•  Reminder, no alcohol permitted before or during play
• Minimum number of players required to play - 3 

Additional Rules for Sand  

• Same as outdoor rules except teams playing with 5 or 6 players must use the following indoor rules: 
• Players must line up alternating male and female and rotate accordingly
•  A woman must touch the ball if there is more than one contact