Soft_Volleyball_Rules.md

Soft Volleyball Main Competition Rules

I. Facilities and Equipment

1. Court

1. The court is a rectangle measuring 13.40m x 6.10m, surrounded by a rectangular free zone at least 2m wide.

2. The court is defined by two sidelines and two end lines, with a center line connecting the two sidelines directly below the net, dividing the court into two equal halves.

3. All lines are 4cm wide, and all lines except those defining the service zone are included within the court.

2. Net and Poles

1. A soft volleyball net 80cm wide and 2m high is used. Either a badminton net or a soft volleyball net is used.

3. Ball

The ball used is a soft volleyball made of rubber, weighing 210g ± 10g and measuring 78cm ± 1cm in circumference, as established by the Japan Volleyball Association (a public interest incorporated foundation).

II. Team

A team consists of one coach, four players (including the captain), and up to four substitutes.

The rules and regulations listed here are a simplified summary of the main points excerpted from the Soft Volleyball Rules established by the Japan Volleyball Association (a public interest incorporated foundation).

For more details, please refer to the Soft Volleyball Rules established by the Japan Volleyball Association (a public interest incorporated foundation).

The coach may also serve as a player. All matches are played by four players, and the age and gender combinations of the four players are free.

III. Match Preparation and Progress

1. Captain's Toss

   Prior to the official warm-up, a toss will be held in the presence of both team captains. The team captain who wins the toss will choose either the serve or the court. If a final (third) set is played, the chair umpire will toss the ball again.

2. Official Team Warm-Up

   Prior to the start of the match, each team may have a three-minute official warm-up using a net on the court where the match will be played. If both team captains agree to have official warm-ups at the same time, both teams may have a joint six-minute warm-up.

3. Player Positioning and Rotation

   1. At the moment the server hits the ball, the back-up players of both teams, excluding the server, shall respond. The front-up players must be positioned near their respective sidelines. However, it is not a foul for a back-up player to be positioned further forward than the diagonally opposite front-up player.

   2. After a serve is hit, players may move in any way they like (except into the opposing team's court).

   3. When the team receiving the serve is awarded the right to serve, players on that team rotate one position at a time in a clockwise direction.

   4. The rotation order cannot be changed throughout the set.

4. Interruption of Play

   1. Timeouts

      Each team is allowed a maximum of two timeouts per set. Each timeout is 30 seconds long. Timeouts may be requested consecutively.

   2. Player Substitutions

      A maximum of four player substitutions are allowed per set. A substitute may replace a starting player only once per set, but subsequent substitutions must be with the same player. 5. Court Changes

5. Court Change

   1. After the first set, teams change courts.

   2. In the final (third) set, teams change courts immediately when one team reaches eight points. Players' positions remain the same at the time of the change.

IV. Scoring, Set, and Match Winner

1. Matches are best-of-three sets. The team that wins two sets first wins the match.

2. The first team to reach 15 points, with a lead of at least two points, wins a set. If the score is tied at 14-14, the match continues until a two-point lead is achieved. However, the match will be stopped at 17 points, and the first team to reach 17 points will win the set, even if they are down by one point.

3. If a player cannot be substituted, either officially or exceptionally, due to injury or other reasons, the player will be given a three-minute recovery timeout. If the ball is not recovered, the team is disqualified. If the ball has not been recovered by the start of the next set, the match is forfeited. The opposing team is awarded the number of points needed to win the set or match, and the disqualified team's previous points are retained.

V. Playing Actions and Violations

1. Service A service is the act of a player in the right-hand position striking the ball with one hand or arm from within the service zone, putting it into play.

1. The first serve in the first and third sets is made by the team that receives the right to serve after the toss.

2. The first serve in the second set is made by the team that did not serve first in the first set.

3. If the team that wins the rally is the serving team, the same player who served previously serves.

4. If the team that received the serve wins the rally, the player in the right-hand position serves after a rotation.

5. A serve is limited to one attempt.

6. The server may not touch the court (including the end line) or the free zone outside the service zone when striking the ball or taking off to perform a jump serve.

2. Contact with the Ball

1. A team may make a maximum of three attempts to return the ball over the net, excluding contact with a blocker.

2. A player may not touch the ball twice in succession (excluding a blocker).

3. The ball may strike any part of the body.

4. The ball must be struck clearly. It may not be held still with any part of the body, grasped, or thrown.

3. Attack Hit

Any action, with the exception of serves and blocks, that attempts to move the ball toward the opposing team is considered an attack hit. All four players may make an attack hit from any position and from any height within their team's playing space.

4. Blocking

A block is a player approaching the net and blocking the ball above the top of the net from the opposing team.

1. All four players may block after an opponent's play, regardless of their position. However, blocking over the net is not permitted. Blocking is determined by the point of contact between the ball and the hand (body).

2. Blocking a ball served by the opposing team is not permitted.

3. Any player may make the first contact after a block, including the player who touched the ball during the block. (A one-touch block does not count as the first point.)

5. Ball In and Ball Out

Ball In: When the ball touches the floor within the court, including the court lines.

Ball Out:

1. When the ball touches the floor completely outside the court lines or touches an object outside the court.

2. When the ball touches only the antenna.

3. When the ball passes through the space outside the antenna.

4. When the ball completely passes through the space below the net.

6. Playing Fouls

1. When a player touches the court or the end line at the moment of serving or when taking off to perform a jump serve. Foot Fault

2. When the serving order is incorrect. Incorrect Service Order

3. When a player is not positioned in the rotation order on their respective courts at the moment the serve is made. Out of Position

4. When the served ball

① touches the net or the server's side.

② touches the floor of the server's side's court.

③ When the ball is out. [Service Fault]

5. When the opposing team completes an attack hit on a served ball from a position completely above the top of the net. [Attack Hit Foul]

6. When the opposing team blocks a served ball. [Block Foul]

7. When the ball makes contact (excluding blocks) more than the maximum of three times while returning it to the opponent's court. [Overtime]

8. When a play clearly indicates that the ball is about to stop. [Holding]

9. When the same player clearly touches the ball twice in succession, excluding blocking. [Dribbling]

10. When the ball touches the net or antenna while in play. [Touching the net] (Touching the posts while in play is OK)

11. When the ball crosses the net and touches the ball in the opponent's court. [Over the net]

12. When the ball completely crosses the center line and touches the opponent's court. [Passing the center line]

① When the ball only touches an object outside the court or the antenna above the net. (Posts below the horizontal strip at the top of the net are OK)

② When the ball is outside the dividing line.

③ When the ball passes outside the permitted space above the net.

④ When the ball completely passes through the space below the net.

14. When both teams commit fouls at the same time. Double foul

15. When an act of interference with the opposing team's play occurs. [Interference]

Source: https://matsue-city-kouminkan.jp/yatsuka/info/doc/2016092600101/files/omonaru-ru.pdf