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Volleyclub Rules
1. The Teams
1.1 Two teams must each have an equal number of jugglers. This may be one-vs-one, two-vs-two, three-vs-three, etc.
2. The Court, Equipment and Referee
2.1 The court is equal in shape and size on each side of the net and must be clearly defined with lines marked on the floor. The net must be at least 2.5m high across the width of the court. [1]
2.2 Players must have two clubs of their own.
2.3 The volley club must be clearly recognizable by being a different colour from any of the player’s own clubs. [2]
2.4 A referee must be at hand to:
2.4.1 - Keep track of the score.
2.4.2 - Arbitrate any disputes between players.
2.4.3 - Make sure that players understand when and why they have committed a fault.
2.5 The referee has the power to restart or replay a point in exceptional circumstances.
2.6 The referee’s decision is final and any dispute must be settled before the end of the match. No appeals can be made to change the final outcome following the end of the match.
3. Winning the Match
3.1 A match is won when one team wins two sets. Only three sets may be played per match.
3.2 A set is won when one team has a score of 15 points or above and a two-point advantage. If the score is 14-14, play continues until one team gains a two point advantage.
3.3 Points are scored by serving or returning the volley club over the net in such a way that the opposite team fails to successfully return the volley club.
3.4 The serve is the first throw of the volley club over the net to the opposite team at the beginning of each point.
3.5 A return is a throw of the volley club over the net to the opposite team during regular play. A return may be thrown in any fashion: regular, helicopter, tomahawks, any number of spins, backcrosses or any other kind of body throws.
3.6 A pass is a throw of the volley club to another member of the same team. A player may pass to another player who is outside of the court. Before returning the volley club a team may pass the volleyclub between themselves no more than twice.
4. Serving
4.1 A non-scoring point is played to decides who serves first in the first set. In a non-scoring point the volley club must be served and returned at least twice before it is won, otherwise it must be replayed. The first serve of the second set is awarded to the opposite team. If there is a third set, another non-scoring point is played to decide who serves first.
4.2 The team that serves first each set may decide which end they want to start the set.
4.3 The team that serves first does so for just ONE point. After the first point is scored the opposite team then serves for TWO points. From then serve changes team every TWO points. See variation A and [3].
4.4 Either team can score a point even if the other team has served.
4.5 The individual team members take turns to serve, rotating each time their team begins to serve.
Guide to Serving
4.6.1 - The server must stand behind the back line and within the width of the two sidelines
4.6.2 - The server starts juggling their own two clubs and the volley club in a cascade pattern.
4.6.3 - Before they throw the volley club they must call "Service!" to indicate the start of the point. Fouls can not be committed before service is called.
4.6.4 - The next time the server catches the volley club it must be served by a simple underhand throw over the net.
4.6.5 - Only one serve per point is allowed. There is no second service, though in exceptional circumstances the referee can re-start the point.
Changing Ends
4.7 To overcome any unfair advantage gained from serving from one end over the other, teams must swap ends when the combined scores reach 4, 12, 20, 28 and so on. See variation B.
5 Fouls
5.1 When a player commits a foul they must leave the court and take no further action until the end of the point currently in play.
5.2 If only one team member remains that player must return the volley club instead of passing it.
5.3 If all players on one team have committed a foul they must all leave the court and play continues without them, regardless of the whole team not being able to take any further action during that point. It is possible for a team to win the point even after all players have fouled. This happens when the opposite team makes a fault before making a valid return, or makes a return that lands outside the court.
5.4 Fouls can only be committed after service is called. If a foul is committed before service is called, the player may still play the point.
List of fouls:
5.5.1 - A player drops one of their own clubs.
5.5.2 - Any part of player’s body or own clubs touches the net.
5.5.3 - A player touches the opposite team’s court.
6. Faults
6.1 When a team makes a fault the opposite team scores one point.
List of faults during the service -
6.2.1 - The server does not call “Service” before making the serve.
6.2.2 - The server is not behind the back line and between the widths of the sidelines when they serve.
6.2.3 - The serve is made in any way that is not a simple underarm throw with the volley club. No tomahawks, helicoptors or angled throws are allowed.
6.2.4 - The served club touches, passes under or fails to cross the net.
6.2.5 - The served club lands outside of the court or touches any surface outside of the court without first being touched by an opponent's body or clubs. If the volley club touches or covers the line it is classed as in the court. If one end of the club lands outside of the line, but the other end then lands inside or on line, the club is classed as in the court.
List of faults during regular play:
6.3.1 - A player fails to catch the returned volley club and allows it to land in their court.
6.3.2 - A player drops the volleyclub or fails to catch the volley club if passed to them.
6.3.3 - The returned volley club touches, passes under or fails to cross the net.
6.3.4 - The returned club lands outside of the court or touches any surface outside of the court without first being touched by an opponent's body or clubs. If the volley club touches or covers the line it is classed as in the court. If one end of the club lands outside of the line, but the other end then lands inside or on line, the club is classed as in the court.
6.3.5 - A player that has committed a foul takes any part in the game.
6.3.6 - A player makes a self throw with the volley club [4]. A player may touch the volley club with several parts of their body when catching it but bouncing the club up or extended fumbles count as a self throw. See variation C.
6.3.7 - A player makes more than two self throws with their own clubs while holding the volley club. Juggling two clubs in one hand is not allowed while holding the volley club in the other hand. See variation C.
6.3.8 - A team fails to pass the volley club between them before it is returned. If only one player remains the club must be returned instead of passed. See variation D.
6.3.9 - A team makes more than two passes between them before the volley club is returned.
6.3.10 - A player returns the volley club without touching it with their hands. Hitting the volley club over the net with a player’s own clubs is not allowed. It must be thrown. Hitting the club up to a member of the same team is allowed. A hit is counted as a pass.
6.3.11 - Any part of a player's body crosses over the net into the opposite team’s court when returning a club.
6.3.12 - A player holds or traps both of their own clubs while holding or trapping the volley club.
Gameplay and Rule Variations
A. Winner Keeps the Serve
Whichever team scores a point serves on the next point. This replaces 4.3.
B. Simple End Change
Teams change ends just once per set, when the first team reaches 8 points. This replaces 4.7.
C. Beginner Friendly
A player may make up to TWO self throws with the volley club before passing or returning it. This negates 6.3.6 and 6.3.7.
D. Instant Return
A player may make a return immediately without passing to another team member. This negates 6.3.8.
Footnotes
1. Exact size for the court is not needed. It can be the size of a badminton court or a volley ball court. If there are just two players per team a smaller court can be used compared to a regular three player volley club court.
2. If possible the volley club should be a Pirouette sized and shaped club, not bulky Fatheads or Albatross.
3. This method of deciding which team serves stops one team with a strong serve winning 10 points in a row without ever receiving a serve or return themselves. Also if both teams always win points when they serve, neither team will be two points ahead when they reach 15 points. For example:
Team A wins the coin toss and serves first.
Total Points 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Team Serving A B B A A B B A A
4. A self throw is when a player throws the volley club to themselves without another team member touching it before they catch the club again