LOCATION:  Spanish Banks West, Vancouver, BC, Canada

SCHEDULE:  All teams play up to 3 games every Tuesday June 4 to August 20.   Game times will be available in your TeamSnap App.  Usage of the availability feature in TeamSnap is mandatory to protect the experience of your team leads and organizers.

• June-July 3x 1hr time slots: 6-7pm, 7-8pm, and 8-9pm

• August 2x 1.5hr time slots: 6-7:30pm and 7:30pm-9pm

• August 27 Top 4 teams in each division will play for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place.  Standings update live throughout the season. Same rules except no end of game clock:  best of 5, must win by 2, 5th set capped at 15.

• RAIN OUTS  We play rain or shine but if the weather, temperature, or air quality is such that it would affect safety, it will be called off.  Assume games are always on unless broadcasted otherwise.  Announcements will be made via TeamSnap Alert, Instagram and  FB Group by 3pm on game-day.  So that your TeamLeads and League coordinator are not flooded with messages, please wait for 3pm to find out for yourselves.  Because of the nature of the schedule, these games will not be rescheduled, and be counted as 0-0 ties.

GAME TIME/WARM-UP/TIMEOUTS: Please arrive at least 10 minutes before your match to ensure proper warm-up and start times.  This is very important as we're playing against sunset. Upon mutual agreement of your team captains, you may start early or use part of your game-clock for additional warm-up.  Each team will have one 60sec timeout per game (Example: if Team A takes a timeout in set 1, they have no more time outs for sets 2-5). Have lots of extra players on rotation so players can hydrate and rest.

SELF-REGULATION:  Points will be awarded based on an honor system.  Scorecards will be available, so the player closest to the scoreboard will be responsible for adding their own teams' point.  Coaching your own teammates is highly encouraged, so we can learn new skills, strategies, rules and progress together.  When in doubt, call yourself out!  In the name of sportsmanship, please only call faults on your own teammates.  Calling out an offence on your opponents is highly discouraged.

NUMBER OF PLAYERS: Minimum 3 original roster players required to avoid a forfeit.  No max for players borrowed from other teams.  There is no maximum to team rosters, but a minimum of 6 full-time players must be registered to each team.  So that we can encourage growth & development, all teams must be flexible to accept at least 1 solo registrant. 

SUBS/DROP-INS:  No drop-ins or unregistered subs.  Any registered player may rotate into the game, but they must be on a league roster.  Unregistered people will not be allowed to play - no exceptions!  re: Finals, only your own roster members are allowed to play, no subs from other teams.

FORFEITS:  DON'T DO IT! Teams must have a minimum of 3 original roster players to start.  There is an Availability tab in your TeamSnap accounts to forecast your teams' attendance and make appropriate arrangements well ahead of time.  If your team forfeits more than 1  date, they will be disqualified for the remainder of the season and not invited to pre-registration for Beach 2025.

START OF GAME:  Rock-paper-scissors, best of 3 chooses serve or side.  Same at the beginning of any deciding set.

GAME CLOCK: All matches MUST END at the scheduled time, however, you may start early or start late if both captains agree, and or time and space permits.  Whatever the score in whatever game teams are in when the game clock expires, that will be the final score for that game and the match will be decided upon that, even if it's tie. The only exception to this is the Finals Aug 27th, where there is no end of game clock.

RALLY GAME: Player closest to the board, adds the point for their own team.  All games will play using all-rally scoring rules. June-July is best of 3, and August is best of 5 sets.  Each set will play to 25 points, teams must win by 2 and there is no cap. If there is a deciding game (3rd/5th set), the cap is 15 or the end of the game clock, whichever comes first, no win by 2 rule.  In the rally game, points will be awarded on both the service and serve receive side.  If the time expires during a "rally", the team with the most points at that time will be given the game.  Each game win = 1pt (e.g. 1st game win, 2nd game win, 3rd game win = 3pts). 

GAME EQUIPMENT: Bump Volleyball Club will provide all nets, boundaries, balls, and scorekeeper equipment.  Teams may use their own balls, but only if both team leads agree, otherwise the default is the league ball.

CONTACT WITH THE NET: In interest of keeping players safe and games moving along, a NO NET rule will be enforced.  Meaning if a player makes contact with the net during a play at the net, a net violation point will be awarded. In the name of sportsmanship please call yourself out if you touch the net during a play at the net.  Again, calling out an offence on your opponents is highly discouraged.

OTHER RULES: 

•A serve IS allowed to make contact with the net. 

•The width of the service area is sideline to sideline. After contact is made with the ball, the server may step or land inside the court.

•The serve may not be blocked or spiked.

•In the name of sportsmanship, rotation will be required after 5 consecutive serves per one player.

•Each team is allowed a maximum of three hits to return the ball. A defensive block does NOT count as one of the hits, and may be hit again by the same player.

•A ball may touch various parts of the body to count as a hit.

•Captains must call for a timeout before the serve. Max 1 60sec timeout per game per side.  Example:  if Team A calls a timeout in the 1st set, they have no more timeouts for sets 2 to 5.

•Rotating subs must happen, only when you are the serving team, and only before the serve is made.

•If players are out of rotation after the ball is served, a rotation violation point will be awarded.

•At the first hit of the team (i.e. serve receive), the ball may contact various parts of the body consecutively provided that the contacts occur during one action.

•A blocker may touch the ball beyond the net, provided that the blocker does not interfere with the opponent’s play (i.e. set) or attack hit.  *Please use your judgement when blocking opponents in a way that may risk injury - not all players are equipped with the skills to safely defend themselves

•A player is at fault if they touch the ball or the opponent in the opponent’s space (ball has not broken the plane of the net) before or during the opponent’s attack hit.

Faults or Side Outs include:

•Out of bounds or outside the court lines (contact with the lines is still fair)

•Contact with the outside of the antennae(if any) is a fault, contact on the inside is still fair

•Four hits

•Double hit during second or third contact (obvious with too much spin)

•A player hitting the ball two times consecutively (unless it is the 1st hit on serve-receive and the contacts occur during one action, or after a block)

•Back-row attack. A back-row player must take-off from behind the 10’ line before contacting the ball. After contact, the back-row player may land within the front zone.  

•Catch/throw/lift or carry (guiding the ball instead of hitting it)

•Breaking the plane when ball is not on your side

•Player’s body part completely crossing over the center line, however foot or hand on the line is still fair.  Use your judgment

Other BC Volleyball rules apply, unless otherwise mentioned.

Skill Levels

Beach League is a recreational mix of novice, intermediate, and competitive players.  It is highly encouraged for skilled players to share their knowledge and coach others to elevate the overall level of play and love for of the game.