Updated Thursday, September 19, 2002
VOLLEYBALL RULE INTERPRETATIONS
INDIANA 2002
The following rule interpretations are being provided as part of the Rally Scoring Experiment during the 2002 volleyball season.Questions should be directed to the IHSAA office at 317- 846-6601.
Item 1Back Row Player
Rule
Rule 9-5-4
An attack is an action, other than a block or serve, that directs the ball into the opponents team area.When a back-row player, on or in front of the attack line, contacts the ball which is completely above the height of the net, on a teams first or second hit, passing it to a teammate or attempting to save the ball, and an opponent legally contacts the ball before it completely crosses the vertical plane of the net, play continues even if the ball is hit back into the back-row player (teams first hit).If the ball completely crosses the vertical plane of the net untouched, it is a back-row player foul.
Item 2Let Serve/Net Serve
Situation:Team S serves the ball into the net.Question:When should the referee blow the whistle to signal a dead ball?
Ruling:The referee should blow the whistle to signal a dead ball when the served ball touches the floor or a player on Team Ss side of the court after hitting the net.
Rationale:This is consistent with Rule:9-3-3-g.It is also possible that a served ball could climb the net and enter Team Rs court making the serve a let serve.Play continues without a whistle on a let serve.
Item 3Let Serve
Situation:Team S serves the ball which hits the net, goes high into the air, and completely crosses the vertical plane of the net into Team Rs court.A player from Team R(a) attacks the ball while it is still completely above the height of the net, or(b) attacks the ball while it is partially above the height of the net.
Ruling:Situation (a):Violation:Rule
Situation (b):Legalplay continues
VOLLEYBALL RULE INTERPRETATIONS
INDIANA 2002
The following rule interpretations are being provided as general information for the 2002 volleyball season.Questions should be directed to the IHSAA office at 317- 846-6601.
Situation #1:
A player on Team S makes a play on a ball which is...
<![if !supportLists]>(a) <![endif]>completely on her side of the net or
<![if !supportLists]>(b) <![endif]>completely on the opponents side of the net.
In each case the player's momentum causes her to cross the centerline extension of the court into the opponents playable area, but outside of the actual court.
Ruling:
(a) Legal (play continues)-- A player may legally play the ball on her team's side of the net andcontinue running across the centerline extension outside the opponent's court provided she does not interfere with the opponent's attempt to play the ball.Interference would be considered a centerline violation.
(b) Violation-- Rule
Situation #2:
A player runs behind the bench to play the ball.
Ruling:
Violation (Out of Bounds)-- The player entered a non-playable area-- Rule 9-3-3-j
Situation #3:
A player reaches across the vertical plane of the net and plays the ball after the ball has completely crossed the vertical plane of the net.The player does not cross the centerline or the centerline extension.
Ruling:
Violation--
A player shall not contact a ball which is completely on the opponent's side of
the net unless the contact is a legal blockRule
Situation #4:
A player moves toward the net and makes a play on the ball.In order to avoid a centerline violation, the player...
<![if !supportLists]>(a) <![endif]>runs under the net between the net standard and the sideline of the court into the opponent's playable area and returns to her side of the net without entering the opponent's court.
<![if !supportLists]>(b) <![endif]>runs under the net between the net standard and the sideline stepping on the opponent's sideline.
<![if !supportLists]>(c) <![endif]>slides on her knees across the centerline extension outside the opponent's court into the opponent's playable area and returns to her side of the net.In all situations, the player does not interfere with the opponent's attempt to play the ball.
Ruling:
(a) Legal--play
continues--Rule
(b) Violation--The player
was not outside the opponent's court--Rule
(c) Legal--play
continues--Rule
Situation #5:
A back row setter on Team S, while in front of the attack line, passes a ball to a teammate while the ball is completely above the height of the net.The ball is going parallel to the net.This is her team's 2nd hit.A player on Team R blocks the ball while it
is...
<![if !supportLists]>(a) <![endif]>completely on Team S's side of the net or
<![if !supportLists]>(b) <![endif]>partially across the vertical plane of the net
Ruling:
(a) Violation--Over the net
foul--Rule
(b) Legal--play continues--
Rule
Situation #6:
A back-row player on Team A attempts to save a ball which is...
(a)Partially across the vertical plane of the net or
(b)Completely on Team B's side of the net
Ruling:
(a) Legal--play
continues--Rule
(b) Violation--Rule
Situation #7
Team A attacks a hard-driven ball to Team B.The Team B player digs the ball high into the
air.The trajectory of the ball is
heading over the net, but out of bounds.During the ball's flight, the ball hits the rafter that sits directly
over the plane of the net.In pre-game
conference, this parti
Ruling: Since the middle rafter was judged to be playable at the pre-match conference, and the ball partially crossed the net and rebounded into the playable area of Team B, Team B has 2 hits remaining.
Rule
When it has (a) passed beyond the vertical plane of the net.
The fact that the ball passes "outside" of the net antennas does not enter into the equation since the ball did not completely cross the net.The whistle is blown after the ball completely crosses the net.Under a separate rule--Rule 9-3-3-a--The ball becomes dead when it touches the net antenna or does not pass entirely between the net antennas into the opponent's playable area.
Situation # 8 Uniforms
Situation:A player has the sleeves of her uniform:(a)rolled to the shoulder seam, (b)tied with Velcro, (c)tied with ribbon or string, (d)tied with a plastic device, (e)tied into a knot
Ruling:The uniforms in situations (a), (b), and (c) are legal as long as the number on the uniform remains clearly visible.Velcro, ribbon, and string are soft and pliable items.The uniforms in situations (d) and (e) are illegal and the player may not participate until the uniform is made legal.The plastic device in (d) and the knot in (e) are considered hard and unyielding and are illegal.Rule:4-2-Note.In all situations the uniform becomes illegal if the uniform number is not clearly visible.
Situation #9 Centerline
Situation:In the pre-match conference, a ceiling rafter is ruled to be directly over the net and centerline extension.A ball which hits the rafter and returns to the playable area of the hitting team will remain in play provided the team has hits remaining.
A player on Team S spikes the ball.A player on Team R digs the attack and the ball goes high into the air toward Team Ss court, above the playable area, but clearly outside the net antenna.The ball contacts the center rafter and rebounds into the playable area of Team R.The line judge signals out-of-bounds.The referee ignores the line judges signal and lets play continue.
Ruling:Since the middle rafter was judged to be directly over the net at the pre-match conference, the referee ruled correctly.The line judge signaled out-of-bounds in error.Players should continues play until a whistle sounds.The ball partially crossed the net and rebounded into the playable area of Team R and that team has two hits remaining.The dig was the first hit.
The fact that the ball passes outside the net antennas does not affect the ruling since the ball did not completely cross the net.Rule 9-4-4-a:The ball is considered to have crossed the net when it has passed beyond the vertical plane of the net.The referees whistle is blown after the ball completely crosses the net.
Item #10Lineup/First Serve
Situation:The coach of the receiving team submits a lineup for the start of game one.The lineup is recorded in the scorebook with players #4 in the right front and #3 in the right back positions.The first serve goes out of boundsloss of rally and a point for Team R.The coach of Team R insists that #3 is the first server.The officials make the players of Team R rotate and #4 is the first server.
Ruling:The official followed correct procedure.The right back player is the first server of
the serving team.The right front is the
first server of the receiving team.Rule:
Item #11Ceiling Contact
Situation:Team S serves the ball to Team R.Team Rs reception hits a rafter above Team Rs playable area and heads towards the net.The ball partially crosses the net and is legally blocked by a player on Team S.The referee stops play and signals out of bounds.The coach of Team R contends that play should have continued since the ball was not completely across the net and should still be considered above the playable area of Team R.
Ruling:The official ruled correctly.Rule:9-4-4-b states that a ball is considered to have crossed the net when it is partially over the net and is contacted by an opponent.
Situation #12 - Flags
The lines judges decide to use flags during a match.
Ruling:
Although Rule
Item #13Unsportsmanlike conduct
Situation:Just as the server on Team S hits the ball for the serve, all six players on Team R yell UP in unison.This is done each time Team S serves.
Ruling:Violation of Rule 12-2-8-a.Since this conduct is something that has been coached to the players, a yellow card should be administered to the coach as a warning followed by a red card if the conduct continued.
Item #14Team Composition
Situation:Team A starts the match with 7 legal players.At the start of game 2, two players have to leave for another commitment.This leaves Team A with only 5 players.
Ruling:If a team has fewer than six eligible players
due to illness, injury or disqualification after the star to a match, it shall
continue play. (Rule
Procedure:Team As coach must submit a lineup for each
remaining game with 5 players and one lineup position listed as vacant.This means that there will be 2 players in
the front row and 3 in the back or 3 players in the front and 2 in the
back.The vacant position rotates with
each new term of service.When the vacant
position rotates to the serving position, Team A will have an automatic loss of
rally.Alignment rules remain the same
although the vacant position makes it diffi
Item #15Jewelry
Situation:A player attempts to enter the game wearing plastic plugs in her ears in place of earrings.
Ruling:Illegal equipmentRule
