DOWNERS GROVE PARK DISTRICT

2017 INDOOR VOLLEYBALL RULES AND REGULATIONS

Updated: September 2017

NOTE: The Downers Grove Park District does not provide medical insurance for players,
spectators, or team representatives in the Adult Volleyball Leagues. Players are reminded that
they play at their own risk. It is strongly suggested that each player have his or her own form of
medical insurance.

It is Park District policy that there is no smoking on park district grounds. The Park District
further prohibits the presence of drugs and/or alcohol on district property. As guests of the park
district, each team is expected to adhere to these rules.

Unless otherwise stated herein, USA Volleyball rules and regulations govern league play.

I. THE SCHEDULE

A. Regular Season Play

1. Regular season play consists of a round robin format.

2. Each regular season match consists of three games. Each game counts
as a win or loss for each team.
3. If two or more teams are tied for any position at the end of the regular
season, the following criteria, in order as stated, determine final league
standings and post-season seedings:
a. Any team with a forfeit during the regular season automatically
loses all ties.
b. Head-to-head record against all other teams involved in the tie.
c. Points differential in head-to-head competition.
B. Post-Season Tournament

1. A post-season tournament is played immediately following the regular

season schedule.
2. The number of teams who make the playoffs will be determined bases on
league size.

II. LEAGUE AWARDS

A. Cash prizes are awarded to the regular and post season champions and are
determined based upon league size.

III. LEAGUE ROSTERS

A. Rosters are limited to 20 players, all of whom must be 18 years of age or older
prior to the first game of the season.
B. Rosters must be turned in prior to the FIRST game of the season. Additions can be
made up until prior to the THIRD game of the season. Not all players have to have
signed the roster. They must sign the roster before they play in a game.
C. Any team wising to be considered a resident team must provide copies of all rostered

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 players’ drivers’ licenses.
D. Any individual who participates prior to signing an official roster form shall be
declared ineligible. Only individuals listed on the official team roster are eligible for
league play.
E. Only official Downers Grove Park District volleyball roster forms containing the
“Release and Hold Harmless Agreement” are accepted. Participants’ signatures
must be original signatures, not photocopied.
F. If a rostered player participates PRIOR to signing the official roster, each
game the player participated in is forfeited.
G. Men and women may only play on one team per division.
H. Roster Changes
1. Roster additions or changes are not permitted after the start of the THIRD
match of the regular season.
2. Players may be replaced in the event of a player’s injury (with a doctor's
note) or job transfer or shift change (with a note on company letterhead).
3. Any request to replace a rostered team member must be made to the
Recreation Supervisor in writing and be accompanied by a
completed roster change form. Each of the required items must be
submitted before any replacement players are eligible to participate in
league play.
4. Any replaced or removed player is ineligible for play on any team until the
following season.
I. Player Eligibility
1. Player eligibility must be challenged before the start or prior to the end of
the game and may be made by the opposing team captain or Park District
staff person.
2. The offending captain must then prove eligibility to the satisfaction of the
opposing captain or staff person, remove the player from the game before
play proceeds or play with the knowledge that if the protest is upheld, the
game will be forfeited.
3. If the player proves to be eligible, the game stands as played; if ineligible,
the game is forfeited. All games played with ineligible players shall be
declared forfeits, including tournament play.
4. Any player whose eligibility has been challenged and does not have
possession of his driver’s license (or other acceptable form of
identification) at the game site will be declared ineligible for that game.

IV. LEAGUE RESPONSIBILITIES

A. The Park District Recreation Supervisor is responsible for taking registration,

designating rules and regulations, and providing a game ball, first aid supplies, and
one official per match. The Recreation Supervisor reserves the right to interpret
and/or change any of the league rules at his discretion.
B. Officials
1. The officials are responsible for score keeping and time duties.
2. Officials are responsible for calling and controlling the game. Protests are
accepted only in player eligibility cases.
C. Captains
1. Team captains are responsible for submitting all league fees (entry fee and

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 nonresident fees) to the Downers Grove Park District prior to the date
established by the Rec Supervisor. All games played prior to full payment
being made are forfeited. NO EXCEPTIONS!
2. Team captains are responsible for dispersing any information given by the
Park District office to their respective team and for checking each night at the
gym to see if any information has been dispensed.
3. Captains are responsible for making sure that the Park District has the
correct current addresses and home/work numbers of the captain and co-
captain.

V. LEAGUE PLAY

A. Each league is divided into divisions depending on the skill levels of the teams
registered and the total number of teams participating.
B. The Recreation Supervisor places teams in a division at the beginning of each
session. Team may move up or down divisions from season to season based on
their record from the previous season.
C. New teams joining the league are placed in the lowest division of their respective
league. Some exceptions to this placement may occur, if spots are available,
subject to the Recreation Supervisors discretion.
D. Forfeits
1. Forfeit time for the first game in each match is five minutes after the
scheduled start time. Each team must have a minimum of three players on
the court, ready to play, at five minutes past the scheduled start time or the
first game is forfeited. Forfeit time for the second and third games of each
match is 20 minutes after the scheduled start time of the match.
2. If for any reason a team is reduced to less than three players a forfeit is ruled.
3. If a team knows in advance that it will need to forfeit a match, it is the
responsibility of the team captain to contact the Park District. The Park
District will then contact the forfeiting team's opponent to inform them of the
forfeit. Teams should not contact each other without making the Park District
aware of the upcoming forfeit, or both teams receive three losses for the
match.
4. If a team forfeits three matches, they are dropped from the league with no
refund.

F. Player Conduct
1. Team captains are responsible for the conduct of their teams and team
members at all times.
2. Team captains are the official spokesperson for their team. The team captain
is the only person on the team who may address the referee.
3. The official has the authority to eject from the premises any player, substitute,
or spectator who interferes with the orderly progress of the game. All
warnings are given at the captain's meeting. Verbal abuse before, during or
after the match, as perceived by the official as being in excess, threatening or
unsportsmanlike results in ejection from the current match. If the match is
over, the player is ejected from the next match.
4. If a player has been ejected from a match and continues the verbal abuse, he
or she will be ejected for the entire season.

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 5. Any player who is abusive to an official during tournament play will be ejected
from the match. Continued abuse during or after the match results in ejection
from the next season.
6. ***Monday Men’s League- If a team member walks thru the east gym
during gymnastics class, his team will automatically start the match
down 5-0. No exceptions will be made. Player must enter the northeast
court thru the center gym.
7. ANY SMOKING, DRINKING (ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES) OR LITTERING on
Park District property will result in immediate ejection from the league.

VI. LEAGUE RULES

A. In the event that an official cannot see a “line call”, a replay shall be ruled.
B. All games are played to 25 points; win by 2 with a cap at 27, rally-point
scoring. The third game is played in all matches. However, if it begins after
45 minutes past the actual start time of the match, not scheduled start time,
the third game is only played to 15, with a cap at 17.
C. As standings are based on games, rather than matches, all three games must be
played in each match. Exception: Tournament matches are best two games
out of three to 25 points, win by 2 with no cap, rally-point scoring; the third
game is played only if necessary to 25 points, win by 2 with no cap, rally-
point scoring.
D. Each team is allotted two time outs per game. Time outs are 30 seconds in
length regardless of which team calls the time out. Team captains only may call
time-outs.
E. Teams are given three minutes between games.
F. All teams are given five minutes warm-up regardless of what time the previous
game ends.
G. In all leagues, teams may play with three, four, five, or six players.
H. If Co-Rec teams are playing with less than six players, there cannot be more
male than female players on the court.
1. *Exception: In Co-Rec A & B, teams can use the ghost player rule.
I. The ghost player rule allows a team with a lineup of 3 men and 2 women.
When playing with this lineup, a “ghost” woman takes a spot in the rotation
between two of the men. This ghost person would continue to rotate all
the way around, and would lose their serve every time it comes up in the
rotation. When the ghost player has rotated to the front row, a woman
from the back row must rotate to the front row to take the place of the
ghost. When the ghost player rotates to serve, the front row will stay in the
same position for the ghost serve (loss of rally) and then rotate when the
next term of service occurs.
J. (Co-Rec Only) If a team begins play with six players on the court, they may not
reduce the team to less than six players unless an injury occurs and there is no
substitute available.
K. If a team starts with less than six players and the sixth player arrives after any
game has started, he/she may enter the game as soon as play is whistled dead
and the referee is notified of his/her entering the game. Sub must enter into a
back row position. Co-Rec must be in alternating male and female
positions.

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 L. The unlimited substitution method OR the rotation method (not both) may be
used for any one game. EXCEPTION: in case of injury when using the
rotation method during the game, you may substitute for that injured player
in the unlimited substitution method; you may substitute only for the same
person each time in one game. EXAMPLE: Player C subs for Player A, only
Player A may sub for Player C in the same game.
M. Teams using the rotation method of substitution must use the same playing
position for putting players into the game.
N. Team captains must notify the official before each game about which method of
substitution will be used. During the game the captain must notify the official if a
substitution (not a rotation sub) is entering the game and for whom the sub is
being made. This shall be done without any needless game delay or the official
may award point or side out, if in his/her opinion too much time has been used.
O. Substitutions may be made only after a ball has been declared dead by the
official and before the next service.
P. Reaching over the net to spike a ball shall be called a fault. A portion of the ball
must cross the plane of the net before it may be contacted.
Q. You may have any portion of your foot or hand on the centerline under the net. At
no time may any portion of your body completely cross the center line under the
net or it is ruled a point or side out.
R. Play Position
1. Co-Rec - Men and Women players must hold alternate positions during all
league play. There cannot be more male players than female players on
the court (with the exception of an injury to a female player or if a team
is utilizing the Ghost Rule).
2. Co-Rec play only - when only one male player is in the front line at time of
service, one male back line player may be forward of the attack line for the
purpose of blocking.
S. Male/Female Contact of the Ball for Co Rec Teams
1. For all divisions, there shall be no rule requiring females to contact the ball
during a team’s play of the ball.
T. Park District Rules for All Gyms
1. A non-playing adult must supervise young children on the premises
during league play. Parents of unsupervised young children are not
eligible to participate on evenings they bring children. Violations will
result in a team forfeit of the entire match.
2. Park District volleyballs are provided for match play only and are not to be
used for team warm-up before or after match play. The balls should remain in
the official's possession at all times outside of match play.
3. Any ball in play that hits the ceiling, overhang from the walking/jogging track,
or any part of a basketball net, rim or backboard on the same side of the
court as it were hit from is considered fair and must be played.
4. Balls that hit the ceiling or any part of the basketball net, rim or backboards
on the opposite side of the court are dead.

VII. PROTESTS

A. The official has the final say. There are no protests of official’s calls.