alvl PLAYING RULES
2025-2026 Season

 GAME PLAY 

OVA rules will apply to all situations, unless otherwise stated in this document.  Non-OVA rules to be adhered to are:

• The referee will flip a coin to determine which team serves first.  The team losing the first game of the match will serve first in the second game.

• Limit of five consecutive serves per player.
• If there is inadequate space at the end of the court (determined by the referee), a player will be allowed one foot in the court while serving.
• Teams must have a continuous rotation of players during each game.  Lineups may be altered at the beginning of each new game.
• Players must rotate on and off from the same position within a game.  No random substitutions are allowed (injury excepted).
• Players arriving late may join in the game in progress. At the discretion of their Team Lead, the player may;
• Enter the game at the next available rotation OR
• Remain on the sideline until their natural spot in the rotation comes up OR
• Be added to the lineup for the next full game.
• Substitution for an injured player is allowed.  A player currently on the sidelines will take the place in the rotation of the injured player. If the injured player is able to return to the game, they will assume their original position by calling for a substitution. The substitute will return to the sidelines and will rejoin the rotation in their original position.
• If the basketball apparatus position is on the playing court, and a live ball contacts the basketball apparatus at any point during play, and the referee deems it a playable ball, it shall be considered a re-serve.
• Contact below the knee is not allowed and will be considered an illegal hit.

 SCHEDULING / GAME FORMAT / SCORING 

NOTE:  Unforeseen gym cancellations will result in matches being cancelled. The schedule will not be amended.

• Matches are two games, to a maximum of 40 minutes, and will commence at the times published on the schedule on the league website.
• Teams with fewer than five players at the listed starting time for each game will forfeit that game. Games will be forfeited at each start time (i.e. a team may need to forfeit Game 1, but not forfeit Game 2 if a late player arrives).
• Game 1 must begin at the scheduled start time and be played out in full regardless of the forfeit. A player arriving late may join in but this will not affect the game being scored as a forfeit. 
• Teams that begin the evening with five players, and subsequently lose a player to injury or illness, may play with four players to avoid a default.
• A forfeited game will be scored as 25 – 0.
• A game is won by the team which first reaches 25 points with a minimum lead of 2 points (capped at 27), or the team which is ahead at the time limit, no matter what the margin.
• One timeout of 30 seconds, per game, per team is allowed. No timeouts are allowed during the last 2 minutes of play.
• Teams receive 1 point for each game win, 1/2 point for a tie.

 PLAYOFFS 

• All rules listed above continue to apply.

• Playoffs are a round robin structure, with each team playing every other team four times.

• Standings will be determined at the end of the round robin. If necessary, the tie-breaking criteria will be:

1. Head to Head: who won when they played each other in the playoff round

2. Point Differences in games played between the two tied teams in the playoff round

3. Total points scored by the two tied teams in the regular season

 CHAMPIONSHIP / CONSOLATION FINALS  

• The teams finishing the playoff round in first through fourth will play in the Championship Round.  The teams finishing fifth through eighth will play in the Consolation Round. 
• The structure of the final evening will be:
  • Champions Round 
    • Semi-Finals – 1st vs 4th and 2nd vs 3rd
    • Gold Medal – Winners of the Semi-Final games
    • Bronze Medal – Losers of the Semi-Final games
  • Consolation Round 
    • Consolation Semi-Finals – 5st vs 8th and 6nd vs 7rd
    • Consolation Final – Winners of the Semi-Final games
    • Consolation Bronze  – Losers of the Semi-Final games
• With the exception of the below, all regular rules continue to apply:
  • All matches MUST start and end on time. A strict curfew will be enforced. Each match will be allotted 40 minutes. A match starting late will be curfewed at the originally scheduled time.
  • A coin toss will occur. The winner will choose serve or side. Regular OVA rules will apply. The team that did not serve first in the first game, will serve first in the second game. If a third game is required, the team who served at the beginning of the first game, will serve.
  • There will be no delay between games in the match. Only a minimal delay to change sides is permitted.
  • A five minute break is scheduled between matches. Teams needing to change gyms, must do so as quickly as possible.
  • All matches will be best two out of three.
  • The first two games will begin with the score at 5 - 5 and will be played to 25  with a 27 point cap. You must win by 2 points unless the game is capped.
  • If the match is tied following the first two games, a third game will be played to 15 points (beginning at 0 - 0) with a cap of 17.  This game may end early due to the time limit. The team that is ahead at the curfew will be declared the winner no matter what the margin. If the game is tied at the curfew, last serve will be called - winner of that point will win the set/match.
  • Teams may have one 30 second timeout in each of the first two games. There will be no timeouts in the third game.