Rules
Tournament Guidelines
The law of the court.
General
- This is a family-friendly environment. No swearing, and be respectful of all players, spectators, and neighbors.
- Registration starts at 9:00 AM. Games begin at 10:00 AM or earlier if all teams are accounted for.
- Entry fee is $25 per player. Cash is preferred, but other payment methods will be available.
- All participants must sign a waiver before the start of their first match.
- Drinks and snacks will be sold throughout the day, with pizza available during lunch.
Gameplay
- Each team has 3 touches to return the ball over the net.
- Players may assume any position on the court at any time, but serving order must remain consistent for the entire set. If a team is caught serving out of order, they forfeit possession of the serve.
Open-hand contact
1st contact (receive)
Open hand is not allowed unless receiving a hard-driven ball with no arc in the trajectory. Open hand recieving a serve is never allowed.
2nd contact (set)
Open hand is allowed unless the set is called a double by the work team, or the ball crosses the net without a teammate contacting it first.
3rd contact (attack)
Setting over the net is never allowed. Tips are never allowed.
Scoring & block rules
Grass
- Side-out scoring — only the serving team can score a point.
- A block touch does not count toward a team’s 3 touches.
Beach
- Rally scoring — a point is awarded at the end of every rally.
- A block touch counts as the team’s first touch.
Work teams
- Every team has assigned matches in pool play they must work. The penalty for missing or being late to a work assignment is at the discretion of the tournament directors and may include a penalty toward your next match.
- Scores must be recorded live during the match, not after the game concludes. Score keeping links can be found in your pool schedule at longvolleyball.com/live. These links are only accessible by the team scheduled to work.
- Work teams are responsible for ensuring games are operating timely and in compliance with all rules on this page.
- All conflicts are to be resolved at the full discretion of the work team. If a resolution cannot be reached, find a tournament director.
Pool play format
Match length and scoring depend on pool size. All sets use win-by-2 rules until the cap, at which point win-by-1 takes effect.
| Pool size | Match | Cap | Switch sides |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 teams | 2 sets to 15 | 17 | Every 5 pts |
| 4 teams | 2 sets to 15 | 17 | Every 5 pts |
| 5 teams | 2 sets to 11 | 13 | Every 4 pts |
| 6 teams | 1 set to 15 | 17 | Every 5 pts |
| 7 teams | 1 set to 11 | 13 | Every 4 pts |
Playoffs
- Playoff matches are 1 set to 15 or 11, depending on time and bracket size. No score cap — win by 2 until it’s over.
- After the first round, the loser of a match works the next match on that court. If no further matches remain on that court, they are free to leave.
- When two matches from the same side of the bracket are played on one court, the loser of the second match works the following match.
- Play and work assignments will be updated as games complete on the online bracket.
- Prizes are awarded to the winner and runner-up of both the Gold and Silver brackets.