USSSA
VOLLEYBALL
NATIONAL BY-LAWS
Article 1
Name and
Object
Section 1. Name: This
program shall be known as USSSA Volleyball.
Section 2. Object. The purpose of USSSA Volleyball is to
organize and promote youth and adult volleyball to perpetuate the interest and
love of the game. To organize and provide an opportunity for teams to compete
in league and tournament play. With tournaments provided at the State,
National. and World level at their respective competitive levels and age
groups.
Section 3. USSSA Volleyball
shall be governed, operated and administered in accordance with the
regulations, procedures, directives, and policies as outlined and authorized by
the Association Constitution and by-laws.
Article II
Membership
Section 1. Team Membership:
Team membership cost is $20. Membership lasts from date of registration until
August 1st.
Section 2. Referee
Membership: Adult USSSA in all sports $35, youth USSSA all sports $22
Section 3. League
Participation: All teams participating in USSSA Volleyball sanctioned leagues
will qualify teams for state and/or National Tournament play.
Section 4. Tournament
Participation: All USSSA Volleyball tournaments held prior to championship
events will qualify teams for state and/or World Tournament play.
Section 5. Types of
Programs: USSSA Volleyball offers a variety of styles of play men’s women’s and
youth as well as mixed in 6-person 4 person 3 person and 2 person, both indoor
and outdoor (sand).
Article III
Team
Eligibility
Section 1. No team shall be
allowed to compete in USSSA sanctioned leagues or tournaments without paying
their National and State Team Registration Fees to the Association.
Section 2. A team must be
composed of not more than 12 players.
Section 3. The cut off date
for adding players to a team roster shall be in accordance with rules set forth
in these by-laws.
Section 4. A team winning a
tournament and advancing to a higher tournament may be allowed expense money in
accordance with advance rules governing the tournament, which rules shall be
promulgated by the USSSA, the Board of Directors, and the Association and are
consistent with constitution of the USSSA.
Such expense monies shall be presented to the team and not to individual
players and must be used by the team to offset team expenses. This same rule shall apply to any such rule
governing league winners advancing to tournaments.
Section 5. An official USSSA volleyball team
registration receipt must be obtained by all teams that wish to compete in
out-of-state tournaments sanctioned by the USSSA. The form must be shown to the Tournament Director before the team
competes in an out of state tournament.
This registration receipt will be good for the entire current season as
long as the team is in good standing with the USSSA.
A. State Directors, who issue
Team Registration Receipt Forms, shall be for collection and payment of team
registration fees. The registration of
teams is the responsibility of the state or area in which the team first
participates.
B. A Tournament Director shall not accept an out-of-state team without
a team registration receipt unless:
a. He contacts the team’s State
Director to establish proper team classification.
b. He collects the proper team
registration fee, if the team cannot show proof of prior registration. A team registration form should then be
filled out.
c. He issued a team registration
receipt showing the proper team classification.
d. He submits the proper
paperwork and fees to the Association’s National Headquarters with copies of
the paperwork sent to the team’s State Director. Tournament Directors in violation of this rule may not be
considered sanctioned by the Association and the awarding of any advancement
berth may not be honored.
Section 6. A State
Director has the authority to re-classify any team during the current season
except when a team has been reclassified by the USSSA Volleyball Program
National Committee.
Article IV
Individual
Player Eligibility
Section 1. A player is
eligible to compete in the USSSA Volleyball program as long as he or she abides
by the USSSA Volleyball By-Laws, and Playing Rules, when listed as a member of
an eligible team.
Section 2. A player shall
not compete in any sanctioned tournament of the Association with more than one
team during the same tournament.
Section 3. A tournament director may not manage, coach, participate as a
player, or umpire in any tournament in which he serves as Tournament Director.
Section 4.When a team
qualifies for a state or National tournament, the team roster will be frozen,
whether a team accepts the berth or not.
A. The team roster becomes frozen immediately at the qualifying event.
Players will be bound to this qualified team up to and including the team’s
respective State or National tournament. A team may decline a World tournament
berth that is passed down. he team coach shall be allowed to add only three
players to the qualified team’s roster. players may be added as late as 72
hours prior to the start of the
tournament. Such additional players can only be added to rosters that have
openings to allow for such add-ons.
B. A team manager may release up to three players from his team’s
qualified frozen roster. A team coach cannot replace a released player without
an add-on.
C. all players added to qualified frozen rosters must meet
following requirements:
a: Players must have played for a registered USSSA Volleyball team that
competed in a sanctioned tournament or league.
b: Players cannot be on another qualified team’s rosters.
c: Players who are added to a roster of a qualified team must not have
played for a team of higher classification during the season.
d: the State Director must approve All roster additions.
Section 5. A player that is
released from qualifying team’s roster cannot return to that team during the
season. A player may be released from only one qualified roster during the
current season.
Section 6. A team with a
frozen roster with less than ten players which has used all options for
additions and releases may apply for status of disbandment with the State
Director. If approval is given, disbanded team may not reform.
Section 7. A player who is
in violation of the Association’s Basketball By-Laws and or official playing
rules and regulations shall be considered an ineligible player.
Section 8. At anytime during
a game or after ,if the Tournament Director discovers an ineligible player , he
has the authority to apply penalties as described in the USSA Volleyball
By-Laws.
Section 9. At any time
during a tournament game or after, or after the completion of a tournament, if
an ineligible player is discovered, up to one year from the tournament date,
penalties may be applied as described in the USSSA Volleyball By-Laws.
Section 10. All players
participating in USSSA Volleyball tournament play shall have photocopies of
their original birth certificates or a USSSA sanctioned ID card, if available,
in the possession of their team manager. Failure to have a copy of the birth
certificate or ID card available upon demand will result in the offending team
losing the game, being ejected from the tournament, being placed last in the
standings and forfeiting all awards, sponsor’s travel money and tournament
berths that would have been awarded at the tournament.
Section 11. Anyone who is a
State Director, National Director, National Program Committee Member or Board
of Director Member, shall not be eligible to participate in the program as a
player, team coach, or team sponsor in tournament play unless approval is given
by the next higher level of authority.
Article V
State and
Invitational Tournaments
Section 1. The State or Area
Director shall conduct all tournaments within his defined area to assure
himself that proper administration is being effected at all times.
Section 2. No team will be
allowed to compete in any State or Invitational tournament unless they are
registered with the Association. A team can only participate in a State
tournament in one state during a season.
Section 3. A team’s roster
must be composed of at least 50%state
residents from the state in which the State tournament is being held.
Section 4. Amounts to be
charged as entry fees for such tournaments shall be left up to the discretion
of the respective State or Area Director.
Section 5. The number of trophies and awards and amount
of travel monies to be awarded will be left up to the discretion of the State
Director.
Section 6. Each State or Area Director shall adopt an
acceptable system to be used for qualifying teams for State and National
tournaments. Established league participation may be included in such a system,
if so desired.
Section 7. All State
Champions shall automatically qualify themselves for next year’s championships
roster.
Section 8. No tournaments
shall be considered as sanctioned by the Association if all applicable fees and
registrations are not promptly paid to the Association.
Section 9. State tournaments
shall be scheduled to provide each team with at least two games of
participation. This can be changed at the site of the tournaments by the
Tournaments Director, after the starting date of the tournaments has begun and
it is determined that it would not be feasible to attempt to continue in the
double loss plan due to weather conditions or other acts of God. A substitute
plan will be decided upon at the tournament site.
Section 10. Refund of
tournaments entry fees for any USSSA Volleyball sanction tournaments will be
made only under the following conditions.
A. The request for a refund must be made in writing
prior to the published tournaments cut-off date for acceptance of
cancellations. Such request to the Tournaments Director. The U.S. Postal mark
will be considered as the date of refund request.
B. Immediately upon receipt of such a request, the
Tournaments Director will forward a check to cover the fee previously paid.
C. Tournament Directors shall not be compelled to
make refunds after the published tournaments cut-off date regardless of
circumstances.
Article VI
National
Tournaments
Section 1. The Association’s
Board of Directors will establish the National Tournaments entry fee.
Section 2. The USSSA
Volleyball program will use the “Pool-Play” format in its National Tournaments.
Teams will be placed in pools where they will play a round robin within their
pool. A double elimination format will be used in the championship bracket
following pool play. A single elimination consolation tournament will be held
for the teams, which do not qualify for the championship bracket. The
Tournament Director approved by the USSSA Volleyball National Committee will
set the exact format of the tournament; number of pools, number of teams in
each pool, etc.
Section 3. Team sponsor
travel expense monies may be awarded for State and National Tournaments. Travel
expense monies may be awarded in
qualifying tournaments that lead to advancement to a State or National
Tournament. The awards can only be made
when the team participates at the higher classified tournament.
Section 4. National
Tournament play shall be under the jurisdiction of the USSSA Volleyball
programs National Committee. The Association’s Executive Director shall appoint
a duly qualified person to
serve as Tournament Director. The Tournament Director shall supervise the event
and be responsible for insuring that the tournament is run according
to all rules, procedures,
and terms of the written contract and
to insure that the event is
run according to all rules and regulations of the Association. The Tournament
Director in carrying out his or her duties shall report directly to the
Association’s Executive
Director or Assistant Executive Director.
Section 5. National
Tournaments with draw less than twelve
or more entries may not be
canceled for lack of participation.
A. National Tournaments that draw less than twelve
teams must notify all teams that they have the option of withdrawing from the
tournament with full entry fee refund.
B. National Tournaments requesting cancellation must
do so by notifying the executive Director within 24 hours of the published
tournament cut-off date.
Section 6. All Teams receiving
berths to National Tournaments must play in their home state’s State
Tournament, provided such a State tournament is held. Failure to play in the
State tournament, if held will result in forfeiture of the National Berth.
Section 7. No team will be
allowed to compete in a National Tournament unless they are registered with the
Association.
Section 8. Applicable State
Director must approve all entry forms and team rosters of teams entering
National Tournament. If a state does
not have a State Director, then such approval can be given by the USSSA
Volleyball National Tournaments. State Directors may not issue a letter of transmittal for teams from another state.
Section 9.When a team that
has qualified to compete in a National
Tournament cannot compete for some
legitimate reason .
Section 10. No change to the
teams .
Section 11.The deadline for
accepting entries in the National Tournament .
Section 12. It shall be mandatory that the following awards are
presented at all National Tournament.
A. Championship team award
B. Second Place team award
C. Third Place team award
D. Forth Place team award
E. Individual awards to each
members and coach of the first, second, and third place teams
F. Consolation Champion team
award
G. Consolation Second Place team
award
H. Individual awards to each
member and manager of the consolation first place team.
I. Suitable award to the
tournament’s most valuable player
J. A minimum of 10 suitable
awards will be given to players on the All- Tournament team plus one such award
for the coach selected to the All- Tournament team.
K. All- awards applicable must
bear the name of USSSA Volleyball or USSSA Volleyball logo and must identify
the specific event.
L. The State Director of the host
state must approve all awards.
Section 13. Any team in a
National Tournament that arbitrarily
forfeits their next game shall be considered as withdrawing from the tournament
and shall be placed last in the standings and will not be eligible for any
awards, sponsor travel expense allocation, national ranking points or berths
that were intended to be given on that particular tournament. The scheduled
opponent shall be credited with a victory and be immediately advanced on the
tournament bracket.
Section 14. Players, coaches
and managers participating in a National Tournament cannot be charged any
additional fees to gain admission to said playing site.
Article VII
Acts of
Disbarment
Section 1. Acts of
Disbarment include:
A. Physical attack on a
referee or other tournament official or Association Officer during a game or
immediately following a game, played under the administration of the
Association.
B. Player, coach, manager or
sponsor threatening a referee, tournament official, Association Director or
Association Official.
C. Any officer, director,
umpire, player, coach, manger or sponsor fighting, using unsportsmanlike
conduct or abusive tactics or derogatory or unbecoming acts that are
detrimental and not in the best interest of USSSA Volleyball
D. Destruction of property or
abuse of hotel property or failure to pay hotel or motel bills.
E. Paying or receiving
compensation in consideration of participating in Volleyball competition. The
above acts shall apply to a player, team or sponsor.
F. Receiving money directly or
indirectly by capitalizing on athletic ability, athletic prominence, or fame in
Volleyball except that a player or team may use his/her name and likeness to
advertise, recommend or promote, the sale of Volleyball sporting goods
equipment or other goods and services if it is done pursuant to a registered
personal services contract.
G. By knowing competing with
or against ineligible or suspended players.
H. By participating in or permitting a fraud to be perpetuated.
I. Any official of the
Association who refuses to submit funds to the Association who refuses to
submit funds to the Association that are due to the Association.
J. Competing under an assumed
name.
K. Submitting a check that can
not be negotiated for payment for any reason.
L. Failure to show up after
entering a National Tournament unless reasonable advanced notice is given.
M. Purposely using false information to hurt the Association.
N. An ineligible player may be
suspended for one year.
O. Violating the contract
rights granted to any individual by the Association under its constitution. The
penalty for violation of this paragraph shall be immediate suspension from any
activities of the Association.
Section 2. Any USSSA
Volleyball Officer or Director that
violates any articles of the association’s constitution or USSSA
Basketball by-laws or policies may be suspended.
A. Any USSSA Volleyball
Officer or Director that fails to
submit fees and/or information due the Association within 14 days of receipt
thereof by that officer or director may be suspended.
B. Any USSSA Volleyball
Officer, Director, Umpire or participant that is suspended for any reason,
shall not be allowed to participate in any capacity within the Association,
until such suspension has been lifted.
Section 3. Only State
Directors and/or the USSSA
Volleyball Program National
Committee have the authority to issue disbarments for a period of one year from
the time of the
incident. The State Director
may act upon any offense that
occurs in the state in which
the offense occurred. Should the state Director not take action, he or her
shall submit the incident to the player or team’s home State Director to be
acted upon. Any Disbarment beyond the one year suspension shall be ruled upon
by the USSSA Volleyball Program National Committee anytime it convenes. In
order for such action to be effective, reasonable notice[at least 30 days]
shall be given to the offending person
before the convening of the USSSA Volleyball Program National Committee. Such
notice shall be deemed sufficient if sent by registered mail to the address
last on file of the offending party with the USSSA National Office or the USSSA
Volleyball State Director’s office; and contains a written statement of the
offense and the length and terms of the requested additional Disbarment beyond
the once-year suspension. The offending party may appear at the convening of
the USSSA Volleyball Program National Committee and give evidence on his/her
behalf as to why the additional suspension or Disbarment should not be imposed.
The decision of the USSSA Volleyball Program National Committee shall be final
and binding and not be the subject of an appealable issue.
Section 4. Players or other
announced participants, who have been
Disbarment or declared ineligible, may use the appeal process procedure as set
forth in the constitution, except as limited by the provisions of section 3 of
this Article.
A. Any person so disbarred or
suspended shall have the right to apply for reinstatement to membership in the
Association, on an annual basis, provided he gives the USSSA Volleyball Program
National Committee, through National Committee Headquarters, 30 days written
notice of his intention to so reapply. The USSSA Volleyball Program National
Committee shall act on such applications at the annual meeting of the
Association.
Section 5. State Officers
and Directors have the authority to issue indefinite suspensions for players,
teams and other announced participants who fail to meet financial
responsibilities to that state’s association.
Section 6. Tournament
Directors have the authority to eject a player or team anytime during a
tournament.
Section 7. All reports of
suspension must be in writing and submitted to the USSSA National Headquarters
within five (5) days of the suspension. Copies of such suspensions shall be
sent to the party against whom it is directed.
Article VIII
Player
Eligibility Age
Classification
Article IX
Division of
Play Guidelines
This section will be updated at a later time
Article X
Games Rules
Section 1. All players must
be fully uniformed. All jerseys must have numbers that are non-duplicating and
at least three inches in height.
Section 2. Protests on
uniforms will not be allowed. It shall be the Tournament Directors
responsibility regarding uniform legality. Violation of the uniform rule will
result in the violator being allowed to conform or be removed from the game.
Section 3. A flip of a coin
between the two coaches before each game will determine the home team.
Article XI
Sportsmanship
and Ejection’s
Section 1. All players and
coaches will be expected to behave in a sportsman like manner at all times. Any
player, coach, or parent/fan whose conduct is unbecoming or abusive will at a
minimum be warned and may be removed from the court or stands at the discretion
of the tournament officials or the referees. Foul or abusive language will not
be tolerated under any circumstances. Cursing or throwing equipment will be an
automatic ejection. This includes a team forfeiting or being removed from the
tournament it necessary.
Section 2. If a coach is
ejected from a game he must sit out the remainder of that game and the
following game. A player ejected must sit out the remainder of that game.
Anyone involved may be asked to leave the gym at the discretion of the referee
or tournament director.
Article XII
Protest
Section 1. Referees will
work to settle all problems on the court. Protest will be allowed for player
eligibility or rule interpretations only. Tournament officials will rule on all
protests and their decision will be final.
Section 2. A protest fee of
$100.00 is required. Such fee will be returned if protest is allowed.
Article XIII
Referees
Section 1. All tournaments
and leagues played under the jurisdiction and administration of the USSSA
Volleyball program shall utilize only referees who are registered with the
Association.
Article XIV
General
Regulations and Rules
Section 1. Playing rules not
specifically covered in the USSSA volleyball rulebook or by-laws shall be
referred to the National High School Federation rulebook.
Section 2. Team and player eligibility rules not specifically covered in the USSSA Rule book or by-laws shall be referred to the USSSA Volleyball Program National Committee.