Starting Times: 

8:15am Captains meeting/warmups, 8:30am first whistle

Matches/Playoffs / Awards: (new)

The TD has discretion to change any format due to time constraints, teams, etc. after notifying the captains and everyone’s collective agreement.

• 4 Team Pool – Match Play 2/3–after Pool Play : Playoffs 1vs2 for Gold, 3v4 Bronze–Awards–Gold 1st place–Entry Fee Payment

• 5 Team Pool -  Match Play 2/3–after Pool Play : Playoffs 1vs2 for Gold, 3v4 Bronze–Awards–Gold 1st place–Entry Fee Payment – Fifth place team goes home

• 6 – 12 Team Pool – tbd – based on format

Tiebreakers: 

Matches %, Sets%, Head to Head, Head to Head Point Differential, Point Differential in Pool Play, Coin Flip

Officials:

Every officiating team must at a minimum provide 1-R1,1-Scorekeeper/Book and 2- LJ. Any team that leaves without notifying the TD and misses their officiating assignment will be charged an extra $50 next tournament.  After each match please bring the scoresheet to the Tournament Director’s Table.

Volleyballs and Nets

Teams should provide their own volleyballs for warm-ups and game balls. If teams can’t agree on a game ball, see TD. Standard Net Heights: Men (7’11 5/8”) Women (7’4 1/8”), however, since many teams have players of different ages on their teams, the tournament seeks a mutual compromise of making the Men’s (7’10”) and the Women’s (7’ 3”). 

Pool Play, Seeding and Playoffs:

We try our best to make each tournament competitive but also fair to all the players and teams. The Tournament Director has the right to change the times, format and playoffs based on time constraints, injuries, weather, etc. We don’t foresee anything like that happening. Certain seeded teams are placed in a pool because they have requested a later start due to travel or team players arriving from out of town.

Warmups/Time Management:

Warmup time- 2 minutes passing, 3 minutes shared hitting, 1 minute shared serving. Time is always the issue in any tournament; the key will be to have the teams ready to play. There might be a couple of empty courts to warm-up before your match.  

Trainer/Injuries/Late:

There will not be a trainer on site (ice should be available if needed).If a team has only 5 players, they will be allowed to play. If a player arrives late and joins the team, they will be allowed to play.

Concessions – Seating - Parking:

We strongly encourage everyone to support the concessions. Seating is available. There are plenty of parking spaces near the facility.

Uniforms:

Uniforms are not required but if you are using a Libero please designate him/her to the R1 for officiating purposes.

Tournament Rules: (very important)

The tournament will follow USAV rules 

1. Player serving and any part of their foot touches the end line; this is a service fault.

2. If the ball hits the ceiling on your side of the court it is still in play, if it hits the opponent’s ceiling, it is a side out.

3. If the ball hits the court divider screens or walls it is out of play, side out.

4. Officials will do their best to call the net, centerline, out of rotation and overlap in their judgment, please keep this under consideration.

5. (2) Timeouts per set, each timeout is 30 seconds.

6. Teams will not switch sides after every set (unless there is a distinct advantage), If a deciding set is needed, at the coin flip the team which wins the coin flip can choose between serve or receive. Teams do not switch sides at the 8th point.

7. No pursuit rules apply and no encroachment is allowed on to the other courts.

8. If a team is not present for their match when the official calls for captains, the official will start the warm-up time and if the team is not present at the end of 5 minutes, the team forfeits the first set, the official will wait an additional 5 minutes, if the team is still not present the official will call the match a forfeit. However, extraordinary situations such as the team is playing on another court, officiating on another court, medical emergency, etc. will be taken into consideration. Final determination of the forfeit will be determined by the Tournament Director.

9. If a ball rolls on the court and in the judgment of the official the ball does not interfere with the play, do not stop playing until you hear the whistle.

10. Any protests will be directed to the Tournament Director. Please note, protests are only based on rules and not judgment calls. Also, as with any tournament, yellow and red cards will be displayed towards any team and/or player who shows, but not limited to, unsportsmanship conduct towards the officials, opponents, staff, fans, etc.

11. All questions and answers will be addressed at the Captains meeting.

12. Starting with the 2025-2026 season, Midwest Masters Volleyball has included the following rule: On the second team hit, the ball may contact various parts of the body consecutively, provided that the contacts occur during one action and the ball is next contacted by a teammate. If the ball completely crosses the net or is first touched by the opponent after multiple contacts on the second team hit, a double hit fault will be called. For example: if any court player sets the ball (terms used- spins, comes out of the players hands ugly) and a third player makes contact, this is legal now. However, if the second contact is set over the net and/or the third contact is set over the net and in the judgement of the official they deem it to be multiple contacts this is a fault and sideout. This new rule has been enacted by the NCAA, NFHS, AAU and many other organizations to keep the spirit of the game moving along.

Regards,

Roman Marushka
Tournament Director/Head Official

Cc:mmvbrules/sept2025