Winter 2010 Volleyball Rules

POINTS OF EMPHASIS

Electronic scoring will be kept on the scoreboard as points are gained.
One female player MUST be on the court at ALL Times!
The LLL Player Code of Conduct shall be followed BEFORE, DURING & AFTER all games.
Captains are responsible to keep their team’s Membership List current. Those players not on the Membership List will be denied participation. See section on Eligibility below for details.
Players must legibly print their FIRST and LAST names, in addition to signing their names on the Sign-In Sheet.
Teams are responsible for bringing Fist Aid Kits and ice packs to every game in case of injuries.

MEMBERSHIP LIST ELIGIBILITY

TEAM MEMBERSHIP LISTS: consist of players with a completed waiver filed in the League Office. ONLY players on a Membership list IN THE POSSESSION OF YOUR LEAGUE OFFICIAL are eligible to participate. Players not so listed are ineligible and will be DENIED participation on site – NO EXCEPTIONS.

TO ADD A PLAYER: the player must submit a completed waiver to the League Office by 12 NOON on Game Day. Upon receipt, the League Office will process the waiver and fax an updated Membership List to the Team Captains.

CAPTAINS: It is imperative to give this updated List to your Official so your new player is eligible to play.

WAIVERS: 1) be read and signed by the player 2) be witnessed 3) legible copies and/or signatures of these documents:

                ATTORNEYS: A) Submit Driver’s License AND   B) VERIFICATION: Submit State Bar Card
                LAW SCHOOL STUDENTS:   Submit Law School ID
                EMPLOYEES: A) Submit Driver’s License AND   B) VERIFICATION BY HR MGR (bottom of waiver)

IMPORTANT: Completed waivers and photos can be E-MAILED to: LLLeagues@aol.com as a PDF file

ELIGIBILITY OF PARTICIPANTS

ATTORNEYS
      Attorneys are eligible to play on any team in the League.
      “Free Agents” are attorneys who desire to play and are not on a team.
  “Attorney” Status is granted to: A) Law School Graduates B) Current Law Students

EMPLOYEES
Paid employees, 18 years or older, may only play with the firm for which they work. (Firm Sponsored Team)
Upon leaving a firm, employees MAY CONTINUE to play with their “OLD” firm for the remainder of THAT SEASON. Once the season ends, they may only play with their new firm and must complete a NEW Waiver.

Staff employed by a firm, other than the Firm Sponsored Team, may play “under the umbrella” of an attorney
from their own firm IF: 1) The attorneys’ and employees’ names appear on their Team’s Membership List.
2) Attorneys must play in at least 3 games in that to validate their employee’s eligibility

TEAMS
Two or more firms may combine as a “CO-SPONSORED” Team, if eligibility rules are followed.
Teams are ineligible to play until all fees are PAID IN FULL.

LANDAU LAWYERS LEAGUE RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REFUSE PARTICIPATION OF PLAYERS
OR ANY TEAM AT THE DISCRETION OF LEAGUE COMMISSIONER OR BOARD OF DIRECTORS

GENERAL RULES

Team requests to change schedules CANNOT be honored after receipt of the League schedule.
Smoking, drinking & drugs are PROHIBITED at every facility—including parking lots.
Because the permit expires 5 minutes after the last game, teams must leave the premises immediately after play.
Team members must read and abide by the attached PLAYER CODE OF CONDUCT. Any player violating a rule in the PLAYER CODE OF CONDUCT will be subject to suspension for two games or expulsion from the League.
If players participate on more than one team at a particular site, the second game is deemed Sanctioned.
Ejected players must leave the premises immediately! This player will be automatically SUSPENDED for a minimum of two games.
NO REFUND of League Fees.
Problems with school/parks will be handled by OFFICIALS- not Captains or players.

GAME RULES
STANDARDS/NET:

Each team must provide a linesman. Linesman can rotate into the game once they are replaced by another linesman.
Captains must sign the MEMBERSHIP VERIFICATION on the sign-in sheet for all players present at the time of the coin toss. In addition, captains are responsible for verifying late players at the end of the game.
Signing in is mandatory. Upon entering a game, a player not signed in will cause his/her team to be assessed minus 1 point per player and side out to the opposing team. Warming up, changing clothes, etc. may occur after players sign in.
Both teams must bring a leather regulation-sized volleyball, meeting high-school federation regulations to each game. The official will decide which ball is to be used as the game ball. LLL is not responsible for lost balls.
ONLY NON-SCUFFING SHOES ARE ALLOWED - No formal uniforms are required.
No jewelry is to be worn, including stud earrings.

THE START:

SCORING

A Match consists of 3 games - all games are played. Winning two of the three games = Winning the Match. Time permitting after a Match is won, the two teams will play a "friendship"game at the Official's discretion.
RALLY SCORING WILL BE USED. First team to 21 points (win by 2) wins the game. RALLY SCORING is where a point is scored on each serve (i.e. Your team does not need to serve to score). Teams have 50 minutes to complete the match (all 3 games). ALL MATCHES ARE TIMED. NO EXCEPTIONS!
NO GRACE PERIOD! All games begin at the schedule game times. Teams not prepared to play after 5 minutes will LOSE the first game. Teams not prepared to play after 10 minutes after schedule game time will play “SANCTIONED” games for the second and third game and lose the Match.

GAME TIME:
1. When the buzzer sounds at the end of the Match, whichever team is ahead in that game will win the game (it should be the last game of the match). If the game is tied when the buzzer sounds, play continues until a point is gained - Don’t stop play for the buzzer.
THE SERVE:
The service line will be the end line. Server must have at least 1 foot behind the line when serving.
Ball is “in” if it touches any part of the boundary line or hits the net and goes over while staying in bounds.
A ball is “out of bounds” if it touches the volleyball standard, wall, ceiling, lights, etc.
Each player serves, in turn, and continues to serve until “side out” or game is over. If ball hits net on serve and stays on the server’s side, goes “out of bounds”, or touches a teammate before going over the net, then “side is out” and opposing team serves.
When team gains serve, they shall rotate 1 position clockwise before serving.
Server must serve from behind the restraining line (end line) until after contact.
Ball may be served underhand or overhand.
The ball may hit the net and the ball remains playable if it continues to the other side inbounds.

THE ROTATION:
Team will rotate each time they win the serve.
Players shall rotate in a clockwise manner.

THE VOLLEY:
Maximum of three hits per side.
The ball MUST be hit with the hands or forearms. THE BALL MUST BE CLEANLY HIT! NO CARRYING!
Player may not hit the ball twice in succession. (A block is not considered a hit).
Ball may be played off the net during a volley.
A ball touching a boundary line is good.
A legal hit is contact with the ball by a player’s body above and including the waist which does not allow the ball to visibly come to a rest. NOTE: You may not use your feet.
If two or more players contact the ball simultaneously, it is considered one play and the players involved may not participate in the next play.
Switching positions will be allowed only between front line players. (Only after the serve).
A ball remains "in play" if it is hit off a bump (not from a serve) and hits any object on the SAME side as long as the team has at least 1 hit remaining.

A ball is “out of bounds” if it touches an object on the opponent's side.

BASIC VIOLATIONS:
Stepping on or over the line on a serve – point and “sideout”.
Failure to serve the ball over the net successfully – point and “sideout”.
Hitting the ball illegally (Carrying, Palming, etc.). - point or point and “sideout”.
Touching the net with any part of the body while the ball is in play – point or point and “side out”.
Exception: If the ball is driven into the net with such force that it causes the net to contact an opposing player, no foul will be called, and the ball shall continue to be in play.
Reaching over the net – point or point and “sideout”.
Reaches under the net (if it interferes with the ball or opposing player) – point or point and “sideout”.
Failure to serve in the correct order – point or point and “sideout”.
Blocks or spikes from a position which is clearly not behind the 10-foot line while in a back row position – point or point and “sideout”.

OFFICIAL GAMES

A Match is the best two of three “official” games. For a game to be “official,” each team must begin the game with 3 players, one of whom is an attorney AND one whom is female. The fourth player must show before the beginning of the second game. Winning two out of three games constitutes a Match.

SANCTIONED GAMES ARE OFFICIAL GAMES (NO Points Deducted)

“Sanctioned” games cannot be played for the first game of a Match. Only the second and third games of a Match can be played as “Sanctioned” games – see Game Rule #9 – The Start.

SANCTIONED GAMES are declared when a team:
1. Has less than 3 players by the start of the game.
2. Has less than 1 attorney dressed and on the premises by the start of the game.
3. Has less than 1 female player dressed and on the premises by the start of the game.
4. Lends players to the opposing team that does not have the minimum number of players for a legal game
5. Uses players from other LLL teams who play at the same site.

BENEFITS:
Both teams enjoy a recreational workout.

MATCH FORFEITS (Points Deducted)
A team will be dropped from the League, without refund, upon the third forfeit.

“FORFEIT ON THE COURT” -    ONE POINT (-1) DEDUCTED FROM TEAM’S STANDINGS
   Less than 4 players including the required 1 attorney and 1 female on the court
         by second and third games of a Match.

FORFEIT-IN-ADVANCE” -    TWO POINTS (-2) DEDUCTED FROM TEAM’S STANDINGS
         Call made to the Office and to Opponent BY 4:30 PM on game day.

“NO SHOW” FORFEIT -     FOUR POINTS (-4) DEDUCTED FROM TEAM’S STANDINGS                     No call is made to Office &/or Opponent. Team is not eligible for
         “Phil Landau Sportsmanship Award”

To AVOID FORFEITS:

1) Contact ATTORNEYS from the “FREE AGENTS” LIST (Legal Game)
2) Contact the LEAGUE OFFICE for more players or for help with a “Sanctioned Game” so points will not be lost.

POINTS TOWARD LEAGUE STANDINGS

WIN == 2 POINTS AWARDED         “FORFEIT ON THE COURT” = -2 POINT DEDUCTED
LOSS = 0 POINT AWARDED         “FORFEIT IN ADVANCE” = -1 POINTS DEDUCTED
SANCTIONED GAME = 0 POINT AWADED         “NO SHOW & NO CALL” = -4 POINTS DEDUCTED

TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP

Records of all Tournament teams will be compared after the fourth week of play. #1 Seeded Team will play #4 Seeded Team while #2 Seeded Team will play #3 Seeded Team in the First Round of Playoffs. The Championship will consist of the two winners of the First Round of Playoffs. The Consolation Championship will consist of the two losers of the First Round of Playoffs.

GRIEVANCES AND PROTESTS

Only CAPTAINS may consult Officials to discuss rules, to lodge a complaint or to protest. Players should voice their concerns through their captains. REMINDER: Judgement calls can not be protested!
Problems with schools/park officials will be handled only by OFFICIALS – not Captains or players.

STANDINGS & RECOGNITION

Weekly recognition of Team Standings and Player of the Game (POG) to be featured in the Daily Journal and on the
L.A. County Bar’s and LLL’s website. Printing all information legibly on the sign-in sheets is required to guarantee correct information.

AWARDS

LLL Sports Bags will be awarded to the top team of the Winter 2010 Volleyball Tournament.

A “Phil Landau Sportsmanship” Plaque will be given to the team that is most deserving, at the option of the Official.