Tournament House Rules

• 6 players on court at all times with a minimum of 2 females. No play with fewer than 6.
• Players may play on ONE team only.
• Only players who signed the HEATWAVE Release, Waiver & Indemnity before playing are eligible.

• Communicate all rules to your team.
• Represent your team with officials.
• During 5-minute court change: complete Court Score Sheet and conduct coin toss.

Coin toss / Rock, Paper, Scissors

• Use a coin toss or rock, paper, scissors.
• Winner chooses serve, receive or side of court.
• Loser takes the remaining option.

Recreational Division

• No spiking or overhand serves
• Self-officiated
• Teams call their own faults
• Replay point for disputed calls
• Players keep score/time

Competitive Division

• Spiking and overhand serves allowed
• Player-officiated
• Players keep score/time

Safety & Conduct

• Stay hydrated and wear loose, appropriate clothing.
• Keep courts free of hazards (no glass, garbage, bikes, unattended children or dogs, etc.).
• Alcohol impairs judgment. Drink responsibly.
• Be respectful, courteous, and play fair.
• Accept officials’ decisions. No arguing.
• Do not delay the game or tamper with equipment.

• Officials enforce rules, maintain courts/equipment, and officiate playoffs.
• The Tournament Director has final authority on all disputes and unforeseen situations.
• All Director decisions are final.

Substitutions

• Continuous substitution allowed.
• Subs enter through back-row serving position only.
• Rotation-in: one substitute per rotation.

Rotation

• Rotate one position clockwise when gaining serve.
• Rotation is mandatory.
• Players in correct serving order at time of serve.
• After serve contact, players may position anywhere in their court.
• Clear obstruction upon opponents’ request.

Service

• Competitive: overhand serves allowed.
• Recreational: overhand serves NOT allowed.
• One service attempt only.
• Net-cord serves are legal.
• No limit on servers.

Service Receive

• Competitive: players cannot volley a serve.
• No holding, lifting, pushing, catching or carrying.
• Cannot block or attack the serve above net height.

• Maximum of 3 team contacts to return the ball.
• Ball may contact any part of the body.
• Ball must be cleanly hit (not caught or thrown).
• Do not hold teammates or use structures to reach the ball.
• Double contact is illegal except as allowed in serve reception rules.

Net Play

• Ball must pass between antennas.
• Player contact with the net is a fault unless caused by the ball or wind.
• Follow-through beyond the net allowed only in your own space.

Blocking

• Block counts as one team contact.
• Any player may make the next contact after a block.
• Consecutive blocker contacts count as one action.
• Do not contact the ball beyond the net before opponent attack.

Back Row (Coed 6’s)

• May attack behind the 3-metre line.
• May bump or volley at net.
• CANNOT block or spike at the net.

Attack Hit

• Any action directing the ball toward opponent.

Recreational Division

• Attack hit must arc upward.

Competitive Division

• All directional volleys must be in line with shoulders (forward or backward).

Tips

• ALLOWED: roll shot (heel/palm), cobra, flipper-style hits.
• NOT ALLOWED: open-handed tips or finger redirection.

Spike (Competitive Only)

• Downward forceful attack hit allowed anywhere on court (see Back Row rule).

Stray Ball

• Rally is stopped.
• Serving team re-serves.

Injury

• Official stops play.
• Substitution must be made within 15 seconds if possible.
• If not possible: up to 5-minute injury timeout.
• If player cannot continue after 5 minutes, that team forfeits the match, keeping points already earned.

Court Switch (Optional)

• Switch sides when total score from BOTH teams equals 7 or any multiple of 7 (e.g., 3:4, 13:1).

Timeouts

• 2 timeouts per team per game.
• 30 seconds each.
• Must be called during dead ball.

Interval

• 5 minutes between games for court changes.