Rules & Publications

View the MIAA 2007-2009 Rules and Regulations Handbook

2005 MIAA Rule Changes - published 5/17/05

The MIAA Rule Changes for 2005 - 2007 effect volleyball coaches directly with the copied sections and may effect them as well with the general rules applying to all sports. Please see the rule change PDF on the MIAA website for more information.

Note that 'Current Rule' is the rule as stated in the rule book prior to 5/17/05. The information under the 5/17/05 header is the new proposal.

Part V, Section 79.1
By MIAA Volleyball Committee

Current Rule:
79.1 NCAA Women's rules shall be used for both boys and girls with the following modifications.
79.1.1 Coaching during the match is permitted as long as it is not distractive to the opponents.
79.1.2 The length of a time-out is limited to 60 seconds.
Proposal: Add following modifications
79.1.3 The height of the net measured from the center of the court is 7'4" for girls and 7"11 5/8"
for boys.
Rationale: NCAA Rules do not specify a boy's height.
79.1.4 During regular season matches, all games will be played to 30 points. In tournament play, the deciding (fifth) game is won when a team scores 15 points and has at least a two point advantage over the opponent.
Rationale: Because we decided to play only 2 out of 3 matches during the regular season rather than the regular 3 out of 5 that the rules call for, we did not want to shorten the third game to 15 points. Varsity and JV regular season matches will be the best 2 out of 3 games.
Rationale: Although we will be playing rally scoring as opposed to side-out scoring used now, the 2 out of 3 game format is consistent with our past practice of playing a 2 out of 3 game match.

5/17/2005
79.1.4.1 All tournament matches will be the best 3 out of 5 games. Rationale: Consistent with what we now play.
79.1.5 Replace NCAA protocol with MIAA protocol as published in the Volleyball Format.
Rationale: Our protocol suits the time frame better.
79.1.6 Teams will not switch sides of the court in the middle of the deciding game.
Rationale: Consistent with what we do now.
79.1.7 Each team is entitled to 18 player substitutions per game in varsity matches. Libero replacements are not counted as player substitutions. Unlimited substitutions are allowed in sub-varsity matches. Note: MIAA game day limitations restrict a player to no more than three games, or the equivalent of one match, per day against one opponent, unless both coaches agree to waive this rule. If the rule is waived, the Varsity contest must precede the
JV contest.
Rationale: Allows for more participation.
79.1.8 The pursuit rule will not be in effect.
Rationale: Safety concern.

REVIEWING BODY ACTION:
Volleyball Committee 8-0-0 Approved
District C split vote
District F 1-3-0 Rejected
District H 8-0 Approved
MSSADA 11-4 Approved
MIAA Board of Directors 0-13 Rejected
MIAC 0-14 Rejected

Part V, Section 79.2, 79.4, 79.5.2, 79.5.3, 79.5.5
By MIAA Volleyball Committee

Current Rules:
79.2 Schedule of Matches:
During the regular season, all competitions will be two out of three games and will count toward the season and weekly schedule limit.
79.4 The third junior varsity match will be played to only 15 points.
79.5.2 When competing against only one school on a given day, a student may participate in part of a varsity or junior varsity contest on the same day provided he/she does not appear in more than a total of three games.
79.5.3 When playing a match against each of two schools on the same day, a student is limited to a maximum of 3 games against each opponent.

5/17/2005
79.5.5 If a coach wants to request that players on his/her team participate in more than 3 games, this must be agreed upon by both coaches prior to the match. Prior notification is required if a varsity match is going to precede a junior varsity match.
Proposal: 79.2 During the regular season, all varsity competitions will be three out of five games, played to 25 points utilizing rally scoring, and will count toward the season and weekly schedule limit. The fifth varsity game will be played to 15 points. Junior varsity competitions will be two out of three games, played to 25 points utilizing rally scoring, with the third game to 15 points, and will count toward the season and weekly schedule limit.
79.4 Omit section
79.4 Create new section:
Warm-up time will be reduced from 23 minutes to 15 minutes (7-7-1)
79.5.2 in last line replace “three” with “five”
79.5.3 in second line replace “3” with five”
79.5.5 in second line replace “3” with “five”
Rationale:
• The committee members felt that the current practice of playing 2 out of 3 games during the regular season and then 3 out of 5 games in the tournament was not in the best interest of our student athletes who play one way all season and then utilize a different format in the tournament.
• This reduction in warm-up time and number of points per game (30 to 25) is intended to balance the amount of time required to complete a volleyball match when playing 3 out of 5 games during the regular season.

REVIEWING BODY ACTION:
Volleyball Committee 8-0-0 Approved
District C Approved
District F 1-3-0 Rejected
District H 6-2 Approved
MSSADA 11-5 Approved
MIAA Board of Directors 11-3 Approved
MIAC 14-0 Approved

Part V, Section 79.7
By Nicky Dumond, Student, Academy of Notre Dame-Tyngsboro

Current Rule:
79.7 New Rule
Proposal:
Boys playing on a girls' team. Eligible boys playing on a girls' team will not be allowed to block, or attack a ball unless they take-off completely behind the attack line.

5/17/2005
Rationale:
After consulting numerous volleyball experts; including Dave Castanon, New England Regional Volleyball Commissioner, Judy Slamin, Head of High School Referees, and Rob Slavin, President, Massachusetts High School Coaches Association, it was determined to follow the above USAV reverse coed rule. I also talked to Susan Wunsch of the ACLU, who stated that her organization would not have a problem with my proposal. My proposal is short, sweet, and fair.

REVIEWING BODY ACTION:
Volleyball Committee 8-0-0 Approved
District C Approved
District F 0-4-0 Rejected
District H 0-8 Rejected
MSSADA 5-10 Rejected
MIAA Board of Directors 0-13 Rejected
MIAC 0-14 Rejected