Salt Lake Sand Rules

USAV Beach Rules

SLS follows USAV Beach Rules in general. See below for SLS specific rules.

Click Here to see USAV Beach Rules

sALT LAKE SAND SPECIFIC RULES

  1. TIME OUTS:
    1. No Time-Outs (Team or Technical) will be allowed during SLS League Play. During League Tournament-Play, each team will receive one 30 sec time out per set. However, due to temps and other factors, SLS Admin can adjust this rule as needed. 
  3. SCORING:
    1. League play will CAP at 21 points. 
    2. Teams should switch sides every 7 points. 
  4. DEAD ZONES:
    1. Players are not allowed pursue a ball that goes onto another court that has a match in progress. This includes playing the ball first and then landing on another court. If a players touches another court before or after contacting the ball, the play is considered DEAD.
    2. As soon as the player and/or ball crosses this plane the play is terminated and results in a loss of the rally.
    3. If the adjacent court does not have a match in progress (this does not mean a pause in an active match), players will be allowed to extend the field of play.   
    4. Players are not allowed to run onto the grass area/outside the perimeter netting to pursue a ball. Once a player and/or ball crosses this plane, the play is considered DEAD and results in the loss of the rally. 
  5. SUBS:
    1. It is the responsibility of the players/team to find their own subs (double or single). 
    2. Teams are REQUIRED to find a double-sub if both players cannot attend in order to allow other teams to get their scheduled matches. Failure to find subs will result in a "no-show". 
    3. Teams may have a sub for league playoffs, only if the sub is approved. Failure to get a sub approved will result in a forfeit (except in the Open division - approval is not required to sub in Open).
    4. Teams can have a sub during the regular season, however, at least one of the players from the roster must be play, otherwise the game will be a forfeit and a loss recorded as 15-21, 15-21.
    5. A double-sub is recorded as a loss (15-21, 15-21), but not considered a forfeit.
  6. 3-PLAYER TEAMS:
    1. If a team has 3 players on their roster, player substitutions are not permitted during a match. I.e. whoever starts the match, must finish the match, even in the case of injury.
    2. If a team has 3 players listed on their roster, player substitutions are not permitted during playoffs per day. I.e. Whoever starts that day of the playoffs has to compete for the entire day. 
  7. START TIMES & WARM-UP:
    1. Teams are required to adhere to scheduled match start times, regardless of time of day, traffic, etc. 
    2. Tournament play will have rolling-start times, so once a tournament has started, posted times are suggestions, but can be started sooner, if courts are available. 
    3. Five minutes MAX between sets & matches for warmups. (this includes any and all warmups: pepper, hitting, serving, etc.)
    4. If a team is ready to play at their scheduled start-time and the other team is not present or ready to play, one point is deducted for each minute until 10 minutes (for game 1) and 7 additional minutes, 17 min total, (for game 2) is reached. At 10 min and 17 min, the game and/or match is then forfeited with a score of 21-0. (i.e. 5 min late for game 1 would start the score off at 5-0. Or 11 min late would result in a game 1 score of 21-0 and game 2 score starting at 1-0.).
    5. If both teams are not ready to start at their game time, 1 point will be added to each score until the start of the game. (i.e. If both teams are 5 min late, the score would start at 5-5. Or if 1 team is 5 min late and the other team is 11 min late, the scores would be Game 1: 21-5 and Game 2 would start at: 1-0.)
  8. NO-SHOWS, & FORFEITS:
    1. A No-Show is when a team does not show up for their scheduled match, find a double-sub when both players cannot attend, etc. (whether the teams notifies SLS or not).
    2. If a team no-shows 25% or more of their league games (4 games are played each night), they will not be eligible for the play-offs. A double-sub is recorded as a loss (15-21, 15-21), but not considered a forfeit. 
    3. No on-court pepper will be allowed (please do this off the court in advance) and teams will have 5 minutes to hit and serve. 
  9. SLS DIVISIONS:
    1. Players that have placed 3rd or higher in an SLS event for the season, will not be allowed to play in a lower division for the same season. 
    2. For ALL divisions, teams must win a minimum of 25% of their league-play games (6 games) in order to stay in their current division. Teams that win fewer than 25% will be asked to move to a lower division for the next season.

clarification for common rule questions

Simultaneous Contact Over The Net (aka jousting): When two opponents touch the ball simultaneously over the net and the ball remains in play, the team receiving the ball is entitled to another three hits. If such a ball goes “out,” it is the fault of the team on the opposite side.

When a “Set Kill” is a Fault (aka When Setting Over on the 1st, 2nd or 3rd contact is an Error): A player completes an attack-hit using an overhand pass which has a trajectory not perpendicular to the line of the shoulders. The exception is when the player is attempting to set to his or her own teammate. (An open-hand set that is intended for their partner that goes over the net is ok as long as it’s a clean set. An open-hand set not intended for their partner, but is intentionally over the net, must have “square shoulders”.)

Time-Outs and Technical Time-Outs: All requested time-outs last for 30 seconds. 

Hard Drive Hits and 1st Contact: In defensive action of a hard driven ball, the ball contact can be extended momentarily even if an overhand finger action is used. If the play is defensive and reactive in nature, as in the case of a hard-driven ball, momentarily held or double-contacted balls are not considered faults. (If the action is not reactive, but a decision to open-hand set, then the contact must be “clean”.)

Consecutive Contacts: At the first hit of the team, provided it is not made overhand with fingers, consecutive contacts are permitted provided that the contacts occur during one action. During the first hit of the team if it is played overhand using fingers, the ball may NOT contact the fingers/hands consecutively, even if the contacts occur during one action. However, at blocking, consecutive contacts may be made by one or more players, provided that they occur during one action.

Directional Blocking: The ball must not be caught and/or thrown. It can rebound in any direction. (The blocker can legally direct the ball directly down with open fingers and be a successful block. If, however, if the blocker momentarily holds the ball in an attempt to block, it should be called as a catch.)