MINI VOLLEYBALL RULES

These rules apply to junior players in age categories D-E. Players in age categories A-C follow the rules of the international volleyball federation FIVB.1. PLAYING COURT AND EQUIPMENT

1.1 Playing courtCourt dimensions: 12 m long and 6 m wide. Attack lines are 2 m from the centre line.Lines of the playing court are 5 cm wide. Also middle and attack lines are 5 cm wide.

1.2 Net heights Category D 215 cm Category E 200 cm

1.3 Match ballReferee chooses the ball from official match balls.Age categories D-E play with some of official balls accepted by the Finnish Volleyball Association:

Mikasa MVA 400 mini ball (JPN)Official match ball of age category F is mini softball.

2. DEVELOPMENT OF THE MATCH 2.1 TeamAge categories D-E may include girl teams, boy teams and also mixed teams. In mixed teams of age category F boys and girls must always be on the court in the relation 2:2 or 3:1. Each team has max. 10 players.

There are four players on the court at a time. When side-out occurs, players must ROTATE as follows: player in position I leaves the court, player in position II moves to position I, player in position III moves to position II and player in position IV moves to position III. Player number 5 comes from the bench to position IV. When the next side-out occurs, players ROTATE as mentioned above and player number 6 comes from the bench to position IV etc. (PICTURE 2).

ALL TEAM PLAYERS INCLUDED IN THE SCORE SHEET MUST GET PLAYING TIME IN THE TOURNAMENT.

If a player gets injured in the game and team has no possibility to substitute him/her, team must change to a 4-player system (if the team started with rotation of five players). In case the team started with rotation of six players, they must change to a 5-player rotation.

The team is authorised to play with four players in the tournament only in question. Referee must record the injury into the score sheet. Team members must act as referees in other teams' matches. If the team, for any other reason as mentioned above, plays shorthanded (with 4 players), it is declared default and the opponent is given the score of 0-2 (0-25,0-25). This is not considered as withdrawal and the team is not disqualified from the tournament.

2.2 Point scoring

In games of age categories D and E, two sets are played to 25 points (1 point/ball). To win a set team has to obtain a minimum point spread of two points (no point limit). In case of a tie (sets 1-1), third set shall be played to 15 points. Point spread of two points must also be obtained in the third set (no point limit).

2.3 The serveAge category D:Server must always execute an underhand serve. Passing is allowed only with underarm pass. The number of serves in succession is not limited. Player may serve as long as his/her team wins the rally.

Serve must happen from the service zone which is as wide as end line. Hand service is allowed.

Age category E:Server must always execute an underhand serve. Passing is allowed only with underarm pass. The number of serves is maximum 5 serve. Player may serve 5 times in a row, when his/her team wins the rally.

Serve must happen from the service zone which is as wide as end line. Hand service is allowed.

2.4 Receiving formationWhen receiving the serve, player in position I must be positioned behind the corresponding frontcourt player, i.e. the player in position III. Frontcourt players, i.e. players in positions II, III and IV, must also be correctly positioned parallel to the net so that the player in position II stands to the right of the player in position III and, correspondingly, the player in position III stands to the right of the player in position IV.

2.5 Backcourt player

In mini volleyball players take positions in a shape of a rhombus. Only the player in position I is a backcourt player. Rest of players, i.e. players in position II, III and IV, are thus frontcourt players.

Backcourt player, i.e. the player in position I, is restricted by the attack line. Backcourt player may not thus either block or attack inside the attack line.