- Revised January 2019
HASLET SPORTS ASSOCIATION YOUTH VOLLEYBALL RULES
All league games will be played in accordance with the current Haslet Sports Association local guidelines.
I. Eligibility
1. Players divisions will be: 12 & under, 10 & under and 8 & under to
participate. Age is determined by the participant’s age as of September 1, 2018. Children must be at least 6-1/2 years of age as of September 1, 2018. If your child play(ed) 8u/10u/12u in fall, she will stay in same division for spring. Switching (if necessary) to next division up happens in fall every year.
2. Girls may register online as individuals and will be drafted onto a team,
or a coach may bring a full team of no more than 12 players and sign up as a team. One restriction on teams joining... If four or more of the players on the team are playing on a club volleyball team, that team will not be allowed to join as a team. However, girls that participate in club volleyball may join as individuals and be drafted onto teams. This keeps the league competitive and makes for a better learning experience for all of the girls.
3. Each team will receive one (1) one and one-half hour practice slot. Organized practice will be held at various NWISD facilities. The coach is responsible for his/her team during practice and it is his/her responsibility to make sure the gym is left in the same condition as when the team entered. Failure to do so could result in the forfeiture of practice and/or other disciplinary action. Please make sure there are no trash/food/drinks left in the gym after practice. Please do NOT take any of the NISD school volleyballs from their gyms. Also, please make sure that children do NOT play with any of the equipment that might be out in the gyms. In the 10 and 12U divisions only, if a child is consistently absent from practices, it is up to the coaches discretion to appropriate discipline which may include “benching” the child as described in Rule 13 regarding “Substitutions”. If these absences are due to a practice night conflict, this rule will not apply and the coach should make arrangements to transfer that child to another team that does not have conflicts.
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4. There will be no roster changes after teams have been formed. Only under extreme circumstances will a player be added from a waiting list at Haslet Sports Association discretion.
5. A player may play only on one (1) team per season in the same age division. A player may choose to play up one age division, but she cannot play down an age division. If an age division is unable to meet the 4 team minimum requirements, teams may be required to travel and interlock with other teams in the same age group. Registration fees will be refunded if an age division does not play. Any group or individual wishing to play in another league will have to meet the requirements of that league.
6. All teams are required to provide a copy of each child’s birth certificate upon request. This is to keep similar aged-girls playing in correct division.
II. Equipment
1. Haslet Sports Association will provide jerseys for all girls that sign up as individual players. No “customization” of jerseys, other than color selection, is allowed on the HSA provided jerseys. HSA provides a number only for the back of jersey, no names. You may at your own expense have names or other customization added to the jerseys after you receive them from HSA. *All teams that register as a Team must provide their own jerseys.
2. Players must wear shoes that are designed for indoor court surfaces. No “turf shoes” or other black-soled shoes will be allowed. Players may not play barefoot, in stocking feet or with a cast/boot (foot).
3. No Jewelry may be worn at any time during the match. Hair bows are allowed as long as they are not so big as to interfere with play.
4. All divisions; 8, 10, and 12u divisions shall play with the Volley-Lite ball.
III. Coaches
1. All coaches & assistant coaches must undergo a complete background check with Haslet Sports Association prior to the 1st practice. If we do not have your paperwork on file, then your team will not be able to practice until the paperwork is completed. We take the safety of our children seriously.
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2. All coaches & assistant coaches must read, sign and submit a completed coach application, background investigation, and H.S.A. coach’s code of ethics form, prior to the season. If we do not have the paperwork on file, then your team will not be allowed to participate in this league. Not all coach applications will be approved; without an approved application, coaching in HSA will not be permitted.
IV. Draft
1. Coaches will be allowed to bring a team of no more than 12 players as a whole to register. These teams will not be put into the draft, and they are responsible for their own team jerseys. The team will register in the league appropriate for the oldest child on the team. If there are enough teams, returning teams will be placed in a BYOT league separate from the drafted league teams.
2. All other players will be looked at through a “coaches look” on date to be determined each season (spring and fall). Coaches have the opportunity to “protect” up to 4 players per team; this total includes coach and assistant coach’s children. If two coaches wish to protect the same player, the decision shall be deferred to that child’s parent to decide which coach to go with. All other players will be drafted though a normal 1,2,3,4 then 4,3,2,1 pick sequence. Coaches will draw a number prior to coaches’ look to determine the order of their picks.
3. If requests are made by parents for certain kids to be on same
team for driving to/from practices/games.... The limit for this request is 2 kids can protected but this counts towards the coaches number of 4 to protect. Requests should be emailed to commissioner prior to draft night.
V. Court Regulations
1. The court shall be 60 feet long 30 feet wide.
a. A serving area will be 30 feet wide and provided behind the base
line on each side of the court. A serve violation will occur if the server’s foot touches the line before contact with the ball. “Foot faults” will be a little more lenient in the 8U. *ALL FOOT FAULTS WILL BE CALLED IN THE 10U and 12U DIVISIONS.
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Serving Line Modification: For the 8 & under division, a line will be marked fifteen (15) feet in front of each base line. For the 10 & under division, a line will be marked ten (10) feet in front of each base line. The 12 and under age divisions will serve 2 feet in front of the base line.
2. The Net height shall be 6’6” for 8, 10 & under, and for the 12u, the height shall be 7’4” tall.
VI. Playing Rules
1. Teams should be present at least fifteen (15) minutes prior to game time. Warmups should take place outside; not in hallways of the school. No grace period will be allowed, the clock will start at the appropriate time. However, teams may choose to use their time-outs (2x30 seconds) as well as the other team’s (if the coach agrees) to allow time for players to arrive. Once the time-outs have expired, then the first game will be deemed a forfeit. After the forfeiture of the 1st game, teams may choose to use their time-outs (2x30 seconds) as well as the other team (if the coach agrees) to allow time for players to arrive. If player(s) show up for the 2nd and/or 3rd game, then we will pick up that game within the time frame allotted. If you do not have the first game of the day, you should find a place OUTSIDE to warm up. You will be given a 5 minute warm up time when you take possession of the court prior to your game. Both teams will warm up on the court at the same time during these 5 minutes. The 2 teams can work together to decide how best to utilize this time. We must do this to ensure we keep our games on schedule.
2. All games will be played by rally scoring rules. Every time the ball hits the floor a point will be awarded. There will be a point awarded with every side out (i.e. a point will be awarded with the change of serve.) If the serving team makes the point, they will retain service. Serves may be played off the net as long as the ball goes over the net to the opposing team’s side. Balls are marked out of play if they touch the ceiling, poles, or any other piece of equipment other than the net prior to going over the net to the opposing side. If the ceiling is touched and the ball drops back on your side, you may play that ball over (if it was not the 3rd hit).
3. A match shall consist of fifty five (55) continuous minutes. The clock will not be stopped for time outs, or during the two minute intermission between games. The only time the clock will be stopped is for an injury.
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In this case, the referee will call for the game clock to be stopped until the injured player has been tended to.
A. An official match shall consist of 3 games. The first two games
will be played to 25 points and the third game will be played to 15 (rallying scoring). For both league and tournament play a 30 point cap will be observed. Games must be won by 2 points (including tournament play). Ex: if the game is tied at 25, the winning points would be 27.
B. Tournament will only play the third game if the first 2 games are split. *If 3rd game is a tie breaker for the tournament, we will continue play until a team reaches the point cap (of 30) even if this put us over the 55 minutes of play.
5. Six on six will be the style of play. The player positions are Right Back, Center Back, Left Back, Left Front, Center Front, and Right Front. A game may start with only 5 players; a ghost player will be used. The ghost player will carry a side-out (loss of point) when set to serve. The service will be awarded to the other team. (This rule is negotiable between the coaches. If one team only has 5 players, the other coach can agree not to punish them with a side-out when the ghost-player comes up to serve. This must be agreed upon with the referee prior to the game starting).
6. At the moment of the serve, all players except the server shall be within the team’s playing area and have contact with boundary lines or center lines, but no part of the player’s body may be outside those lines. When a side-out is awarded to a team, that team shall rotate clockwise one position (front row rotates right, back row rotates left).
7. First serve will be determined by the winner of the coin toss or number pick. The other team will have choice of court side. The second game will begin with the original first game receiving team serving first. The third game will begin as the first game began (coin flip, etc.)
8. In the 8, 10, and 12 & under divisions, each player has two (2) chances to serve an in-play ball on their 1st service. Once the player serves an in play ball during their turn, she will not receive a second chance again until after going through the rotation. If the server does not make a good toss, they can either catch the ball or let it hit the floor, then do a re-toss to serve. They will only be allowed to do this once during each serve.
9. Serves may be performed underhand or overhand in any age division as long as the ball makes contact with the body only once (no double- bump). Although we do not recommend it, servers may use their fist when
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serving the ball. We also recommend teaching all age groups to overhand serve. Even some 8u players are strong enough to do this.
10. In the 8, 10, 12, & under divisions, no player will be able to score more than five (5) points in row. After five points, the official will whistle for an automatic side-out with no point, that player must rotate when the team wins the serve back.
11. Once the whistle has been blown for service, the player has 10 seconds to serve the ball. Also, once tossed into the air, the ball may be caught or hit the floor, but can only be re-tossed once during that serve.
12. In the 8, 10, 12, & under divisions, if a team is showing dominance by 12 or more points, then that team will only be allowed to have one chance to serve.
13. Substitutions: All teams will substitute players in and out of the game during each rotation and maintain the same order throughout the first game. In the 10 and 12U divisions, a player may be allowed to sit on the bench and not enter the game until a later time due to missing practice. However, no player shall serve again until that player has served. If a player rotates to start the second game but does not have the chance to serve, the team will maintain their position until that player has served. Players must be rotated in and out of the game at the same position, designated by the coach of that team, throughout the game. Only in the case of an injury may a team change substitution order/skip a player.
14. After each game, the teams will exchange courts.
15. At each game, a parent or fan from each team will be required to help keep score. One will do the score board, while the other keeps the paper score in book. This is to ensure impartiality at the score table. This team designee should a person aged 12 or over (for the scoreboard only. A person older than 15 must keep the book). Children get distracted to easily, and we have found that this does not work too well. We would also like to ask each team to provide one line judge. Line judges will stand in opposing teams corner (not same side as your team.) This can be a child aged 16 and up. This will help our referees that cannot see the lines all the time. Each team coach should initial the scorekeeper’s game report after each match. This will ensure that all records are correct and have been accepted by both team coaches. Failure to initial the game report will be an indication that the team coach has accepted the game report and has forfeited his/her right to a review. The scores for the game should be left with the scoreboard at the facility. Please do NOT take these score sheets
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home with you. League standings will be based upon these reports and posted on the website www.quickscores.com/hasletsports
16. A team rosters will consist of no more than twelve (12) players.
17. Time Outs: Each team is limited to two (2) 30 second time outs per game. The time-out will begin once recognized by the official and end when the official signals. The clock will continue to run during the time out.
18. Intermissions: The time period between games will not exceed two (2) minutes, and play will begin when the official signals. The clock will not be stopped during these intermissions.
19. Haslet Sports Association reserves the right to add, delete or amend its rules, regulations, policies at any time during the season for the betterment of the program.
VII. Tie-breaker Procedures
1. Game tie – If two teams are tied when the time on the clock expires, the following procedure will be used to conclude the game: a. Two minutes will be placed on the clock, and play will resume with
the team serving at the end of regulation, serving in this overtime. The team leading at the end of 2 minutes will be the winner. b. Each team will receive one (1) additional time out in the two (2)
minute overtime; the clock does not stop. c. Sudden Death Period: If at the end of 2 minutes, teams are still
tied, a coin toss will be held to determine serve. The first team to score wins the game.
2. League Standings – In case of a tie for award positions at the conclusion of the season, the following tie-breaker procedures will be used to establish seeds for the post season tournament: a. Head-to-head result between teams tied. b. If teams split in head-to-head games, point differential in those
games will be used. c. If teams are still tied, point differential in all league games for the
teams tied will be used. d. After first place team has been determined, revert back to “a”
(above) to determine second place from the remaining team tied teams.
VIII. Conduct/Discipline Policy
1. Any player, coach or manager ejected from any league game will be suspended for one (1) league game. Players, coaches or manager that 7
has been suspended must leave the facility and grounds immediately or the team will forfeit the game.
2. Each coach or team manager will be held responsible for the conduct of his/her fans/spectators.
3. Suspensions will carry over from season to season. Example: If a player is suspended for one game, during the last game of the season, then that player has to sit out the first game of the next season.
4. Physical violence, especially attacks on a game official immediately before, during or after a game will not be tolerated. Fights/confrontations will result in a minimum of one (1) year loss of eligibility or indefinite suspension in all HSA league play, subject to an annual review if requested.
5. The officials/facility supervisor has the authority to remove players, coaches or spectators from the game and/or forfeit the game due to unsportsmanlike conduct. The officials (ref) will confer with the commissioner immediately. The outcome is final. Unsportsmanlike conduct shall include but is not limited to: profanity, threats of any kind toward the referees, scorekeeper, other coaches, or players, and fighting (before, during or after the game). Unsportsmanlike conduct will NOT be tolerated from any avenue. One of the most important things we can teach our children is good sportsmanship.
6. All Coaches and Parents of the participants are required to read, understand and sign the Coaches/Parent Code of Ethics pledge.
7. All practice/game facilities are to be left in the same shape that you found them. There should not be any trash/food left in the gyms when you are done. Also, there is no playing ball in the hallways. The ceiling tiles will come out if the volleyball hits them. We need to be very diligent in our handling of the school’s facilities. We will lose our gym privileges if we do not take care of their facilities.
IX. Protests
Must be filed in the following manner:
1. Must be filed before the game is over.
2. Notify the game official and commissioner. Give the details of the protest.
3. See that the official notifies the scorekeeper and that the protest is
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recorded in the official scorebook as well as the protest form.
4. On the first regular business day following the protested games, the team coach/manager must submit the protest in writing to the Volleyball Commissioner along with a $75.00 protest fee. Make checks payable to “Haslet Sports Association” If protest is upheld, the fee will be refunded.
5. Judgment calls are not basis for protests.
6. Rules interpretation protests must be filed before the end of the game.
7. Coaches of a team opposing an alleged illegal player must file player eligibility protest before the last minute of the game. The manager must then complete numbers 3 and 4 (above) to complete the protest procedure.
X. Staff Information
1. Sherry Forbes, 817-773-4347, Volleyball Commissioner or email: