1. Team Composition

• All games are co-ed 4 vs. 4
• A minimum of 3 rostered players is required to avoid a forfeit
• A maximum of 2 male players is allowed on the court at any time (3 male players + 1 female is not allowed)

Regular Season Exception:

• If a team has only 1 female available, they may play with 3 male players only if the opposing team captain agrees
• If the opposing team does not allow it, only 2 male players may be on the court, and the third male player must act as a substitute

Playoffs:

• Teams may not play with 3 male players and 1 female at any time
• If this is discovered during a match, that team automatically forfeits. If discovered after the match, the recorded result stands

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2. Determining Side or Serve

• Before the match, captains play rock-paper-scissors to decide:
  • Whether their team serves first OR
  • Which side of the court they start on (not both)
• If a match goes to a third set, captains play rock-paper-scissors again
• In the third set, teams switch sides every 5 points to balance sun/wind conditions

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3. Serving, Rotation & Substitutions

• The server may serve from anywhere along the back line within the sidelines
• The server must keep both feet behind the boundary line until the ball is served
• Players may serve overhand or underhand
• A serve that hits the net and continues over is a live ball if it lands inbounds or is played

Rotation:

• All players must rotate positions
• Teams cannot have a fixed front or back player

Substitutions:

• Teams must choose one position for substitutions for the entire match
• If teams sub at the server position, that is the only spot they may sub for the entire match

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4. Grace Period & Forfeits

• A 10-minute grace period is allowed for teams to field the required 3 rostered players
• If a team is still incomplete at 10 minutes, they forfeit the first set
• If a team is still incomplete at 15 minutes, they forfeit the entire match

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5. Courts & Match Format

• BCS reserves courts at multiple locations but only maintains nets and lines at the Newport Beach site
• Court dimensions: 60 ft x 30 ft

Match Format:

• Best 2 out of 3 sets
• Game 1 & 2: Played to 21 points (win by 2)
• Game 3 (if necessary): Played to 15 points (win by 2)
• No point cap, except in Summer Season, when games end at 25 points due to daylight limits
• Matches must be completed within the 1-hour allotted time

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6. Officiating & Fair Play

• Games are self-officiated by players
• Players should avoid calling out or penalizing others for minor skill mistakes
• Captains should agree on foul enforcement before the match begins

Playoff & Championship Games:

• BCS staff will monitor but not referee matches
• Staff may settle disputes upon request during Championship matches

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7. Playing the Ball

Ball Contact Rules:

• The ball may touch any part of the body (head to foot), but each contact must be clean and simultaneous
• The ball must not be held, lifted, pushed, caught, carried, or thrown
• The ball cannot roll or come to rest on a player’s body

Three Contacts Rule:

• Teams are allowed 3 contacts to return the ball (exception: blocking does not count as a contact)

Blocking & Attacking Restrictions:

• Blocking a serve is illegal
• The front player cannot attack the ball immediately off a serve
• A ball that is passed on first contact but pushed over by the wind is legal

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8. Setting the Ball

• Open-hand setting off a serve is not allowed
• Directional setting rule:
  • A set must go straight forward or backward (shoulders perpendicular to net)
  • Intentional redirection is illegal

Spin Rule:

• Minimal spin is allowed
• Excessive spin indicates a double-hit and is a fault

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9. Net & Court Violations

• Players may not touch the net while the ball is in play
• Exceptions:
  • Incidental contact that does not affect the play is not a fault
  • Hair or clothing touching the net is not a violation

Crossing Under the Net:

• Players may step into the opponent's side if they do not interfere with play

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10. Antennas & Boundaries

• Some courts have antennas on the net
• Balls must pass between the antennas to be in play
• If a ball hits an antenna or crosses outside the antenna, it is out of bounds

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11. Recording Scores

• Captains (or a team representative) must record scores on the scoreboard or whiteboard at the BCS tent before leaving the site
• Scoresheets are available at the tent if captains wish to use them
• If a score is not recorded, please email info@beachcitysports.com ASAP
• BCS staff may follow up with captains if scores are missing

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12. Standings & Playoffs

• Standings are updated weekly based on winning percentage
• Tiebreakers are determined in this order:
  • Head-to-head results
  • Set differential (sets won vs. sets lost)
  • Total sets won
  • For three or more tied teams, the system uses point spread differential as the first tiebreaker

Playoff Eligibility:

• Not all teams qualify; eligibility is based on division size each season
• Playoffs are single elimination
• Summer Leagues: Game lengths may be adjusted based on available daylight

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13. Volleyball Tournaments

• Tournament rules may vary from regular league play
• Captains will be notified beforehand if adjustments are necessary

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14. Alcohol Policy

🚨 Drinking in public is illegal in California

• No alcohol is allowed on beaches or park courts
• Players found drinking will be asked to leave
• Refusal to leave may result in team forfeits and further disciplinary action

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15. Forfeits

• A forfeited game is recorded as a 2-0 loss
• Plan ahead to avoid forfeits!
• For issues or rescheduling, captains can contact info@beachcitysports.com