2024-2025 EWVBL League Rules

TEAMS

  • Maximum of  8 teams with up to 8 players (including captains)
  • Teams will be formed after the practice weeks using a system of order (see below)

CAPTAINS

Volunteers who have been in the league at least 2 years

Responsibilities
  • Keep team dues up-to-date
  • Ensure her team is ready to play or work as scheduled
  • Teaching individual and team skills
  • Maintaining team morale
  • Act as a voice for her team in league matters
  • Notify Officers of any roster issues ie poor attendance, injured players, delinquent dues

TEAM MEMBERS AND PAYMENT OF WEEKLY DUES

Must be at least 18 years old
  • Members play at their own risk
  • All members (even those registering and joining after the season has started) must pay the registration fee.  This fee is non-refundable and is used to cover the cost of the league shirts and to help defray expenses such as the Holiday  Party and End-of-Season banquet.
  • Members must pay the weekly dues in order to remain a member in good standing.  Pre-payment of dues is encouraged.  Dues must be collected even for those weeks that a player is not in attendance.
  • Any player whose weekly dues are more than one week in arrears will be ineligible to pay until dues are paid to the end of the prior week.  For example, at the start of week #4, the player must be fully paid through week #3 (including week #3) to be eligible.  Players cannot play until they are paid up to the prior week.
  • Players will be ineligible to participate in either the Playoffs or the Knockout Tournament if their dues are not paid in full before the start of these post-season games.
  • Players will be ineligible to start the second half if they have any outstanding dues from the first half.
  • Members commit to playing in the league for the entire season.  Members must notify either a captain, league officer or another team members in advance of an absence. (After 3 consecutive absences, the league officers or the player’s captain may initiate discussions between the captains and the league officers to determine if that player should be dismissed from the team).  The officers may speak to any member with poor attendance (such as four or more absences in a half) to ensure she is still committed to be active member of the league.

Team members must wear the team colors when playing, which promote team unity and professionalism.

For the safety of all participants, jewelry may not be worn during play and knee pads must be worn during play.

SELECTION OF TEAMS

  • After initial registration, Captains will choose teams using a lottery draft.  In this draft, Everett residents will be given priority.  All new players joining the league who are Everett residents will be required to show proof of residency. Returning players must also be accommodated ahead of non-Everett resident new players.
  • Draft order is determined by lottery.
  • After week #1, any players not assigned to teams will be placed on a waiting list.  The list of players available is kept by the officers and the replacement committee and players in the waiting list will be called as openings become available.

REPLACEMENT OF PLAYERS

The Replacement Committee, chosen by the Officers, will consist of the three league members. Duties as follows:

  • Duties will include implementation of policies on roster replacements during the season.
  • Duties will also include interpretation of gray areas of replacement policy. 
  • Duties will also include addressing emergency roster issues
  • Players can be temporarily replaced as needed.  There is no need to wait until a certain date.
  • Replacement players can be chosen from the waiting list only.  This would include all the applications of all interested in participating.  Only those players for whom we have an application on file for at least 1 week prior to the selection date are eligible.  The waiting list would be kept in the possession of the secretary.
  • Replacement/Substitute players could be placed on a team ASAP (In the case of 2 or more teams needing players the team that lost the highest round draft pick to choose first)
  • Selections would be based on the following criteria: Everett Residents followed by Veteran players who due to injury/pregnancy were unable to play the first half, then all others (no preference for returning players other than injury/ pregnancy)
  • The captains (assisted by a league officer and replacement committee member) who have replacement players would meet at the ½ way point of each half and/or at the mid point of the season to do a redraft of just these players. (See criteria options for placement on a team above)
  • Replacement players would be informed of this Temporary team assignment (by language added to the intake form and by the league officer or team captain making the offer to join the league)
  • Unusual situations will be addressed by the Replacement Committee

INJURED PLAYERS

  • Any decision on the status of injured players will be made after consideration of input from the player, captain and officers.
  • Captains should promptly make officers aware of players who are injured

GAMES

  • Method of scoring for games will be determined prior to season.
  • A team must have a minimum of 2 players to avoid a forfeit.
  • Teams are allowed 2 thirty second “time-outs” per game.
  • If a team does not have 2 players at the start of the game, it loses that game by forfeit.  A practice game of 15 points may then played using fill-ins from other teams.  Once a forfeit game has started, it cannot be revoked.
  • Unruly behavior and/or intoxication are subject to dismissal for the night.
  • Games will be “rally scoring” to 22 points, win by 2 points, no time limit or maximum point cap. Captains should verify score and initial scorebook at the end of the game.
  • Serves hitting the net and going in play on the opponent’s side are now legal (as it standard volleyball rules).   A serve that hits the ceiling is not good.  Any such serve will be ruled as out of play and a side out will be awared (with accompanying point in years in which rally scoring is used).
  • The ball may be contacted by any body part including feet, but kicking is not allowed.
  • Late players (those not in the rotation at the start of the game) may enter the game at any dead ball at the team captain’s discretion.  Inserting a late player into the rotation will result in the automatic use of a “time-out.”  If the team has no more remaining time-outs, the late player may not enter.  Two late players may enter on the same time-out.  The player may be placed anywhere on the court.

PLAYOFFS

  • The season is divided into two 12-week halves.   Standings are reset at the conclusion of the first half.
  • Playoffs will be held to determine an overall champion.   Playoffs are a best-of-five series, with all games “rally scoring” to 22 points, win by 2 points.  If on the day of the playoffs, a tie breaker series is needed to break any first-half or second half tie before the playoffs, then playoffs will be a best-of-three series instead of the aforementioned best-of-five.
  • If different teams win the first and second halves, a playoff will be held between the first place finishers of each half.  The winner of such a playoff is champion of the year, while the loser becomes runner-up.
  • If the same team finishes first in both halves, then a playoff will be held between the two teams that finish in second (assuming they are different).  The winner of the second place playoff becomes league runner-up while the loser will participate in the “knockout” tournament the next week (please see below).
  • If the same team finishes in first both halves and the same team finishes in second both halves, no playoffs will be held.
  • To break a tie in the standings (only applies to ties for either first or second place) at the end of a half, a best of three playoff series must be played.   This playoff series will be played on
  • The last night of regular season play (for ties at the end of the second half of the season).
  • Either the last night of the first half of the season or the first night of the second half (for a tie at the end of the first half).  The time of such a playoff must be agreed to by the captains and the officers.  Flexibility is required, as the last night of the first half may be the same night as the Christmas party.
  • League Champions and Runner-up will receive prizes at the banquet.

KNOCKOUT TOURNAMENT

  • The knockout tournament will include any team that is neither League Champion nor League Runner-up.
  • It will be held the week after the championship playoffs.
  • It is a double elimination tournament with seeding based on aggregate league record (total record for both first and second halves).
  • If two teams have identical aggregate records, then the tie-breaker will be
  • Head-to-Head win/loss record over the course of the entire season
  • Win/loss record against (keep going until tie is broken)
  • League Champion
  • League Runner-up
  • Aggregate third place finisher
  • Aggregate fourth place finisher
  • Keep going until tie is broken
  • Flip of coin
  • Members of winning team of the Knockout Tournament will receive prizes at the banquet.

REFEREE

  • All calls made by the referee are final and must be respected.
  • Only the captain may address the referee. 
  • The referee may issue a yellow card (warning) to any player on the court whom he/she feels is disrupting or unnecessarily delaying the game. 
  • The referee may issue a red card (ejection) for further disruptions.  Any player receiving a red card must leave the court for the remainder of the match.  A point or side out will be awarded to the opposing team.

BANQUET

  • The league sponsors a Holiday Party and an End-of-Season banquet each year.  All suggestions from league players will be considered in implementing and planning the events.
  • The end-of-season banquet will tentatively be scheduled for the first Friday in May each year. 

OFFICERS

  • There are three league officers:  President, Secretary and Treasurer.  These officers are responsible for all administrative tasks in organizing, implementing and planning league activities.  All suggestions from league players will be considered in maintaining the league.
  • Before the end of the regular season, officers must  be chosen for the next year.  Prior to the upcoming season captains should be chosen. Two-thirds of the officers should be Everett residents. 
  • The officers must be available to handle any problems with the School Department as well as any conflicts regarding the league.  Only league officers may contact any City of Everett elected official or  School Department employee regarding League Business or issues with the facilities. 

MISC

  • No player shall be allowed to adjust the net height without permission of Everett School Dept Staff, Referee and/or League Officers.