NORTH SHORE PAROCHIAL LEAGUE
2026 GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL RULES
Host gyms must text (414-217-3413) or email (
WIAA volleyball rules apply to all grades except for clarifications listed in these rules.
PLAYERS/TEAM
Team rosters and fees are due two days prior to the first scheduled league match. Rosters must be signed by the respective coach, athletic director, and principal/religious education director. Teams shall not play, but may forfeit matches, until properly completed rosters and fees are submitted to the appropriate league official(s). Players can only be listed on one roster for the season.
No player may be added to the roster without the consent of the League Director or Coordinator. Failure to do so could result in the forfeiture of all matches in which the added player participated. Players must attend the school or Christian Formation/Religious Education program at the school which the team represents.
If a school is combining two grades to make up one volleyball team, the team should play at the upper grade level. If a team at a higher grade level has a small number of players, they may play at a lower level, but only two players from the higher level may be on the court at the same time and the opposing coach shall be notified.
Parishes/schools entering multiple teams in one grade:
- Grades 4, 5, and 6 – school entering more than one team must divide talent equally.
- Grades 7 and 8 – if there are enough teams to participate, a “B” division will be created in which case schools would create an “A” team with superior talent to their “B” team. Teams will conduct an annual tryout to ensure the proper distribution of talent.
Teams splitting with “equal distribution of talent” will be monitored by the League Director to ascertain equality of teams from the same school.
PLAYER BORROWING POLICY
Teams may borrow players from another team at the same school or parish to avoid a forfeit under the following conditions:
- The player being borrowed by another school / parish team must be on the team roster submitted to the league at the start of the league year.
- The player being borrowed may not be the same player every week. All of the players who wish to assist on another team should be given a chance to move before a player gets a second opportunity to move.
- The player being borrowed, if not playing at the same grade level, may only move up or down a single grade. Consideration should be given when playing a borrowed play down a grade level so as to not create a physical mismatch between players.
- The team can only move players to make a team of six players. This number may not be exceeded.
- The players that are borrowed should not play more than two league games on a single day nor more than four league games in a weekend.
- The AD for the school moving players must notify the league at least a day before the game, indicating the following:
- Name of the borrowed player
- Borrowed player’s uniform number
- Team borrowed player is moving from
- Team borrowed player is moving to
- The coach for the team borrowing a player needs to convey this information (from above) to the opposing coach before the game.
- This provision to borrow a player to prevent a forfeit applies only to league games, and not tournaments or the Seton Tournament.
- The league director has the authority to make accommodations to these guidelines as warranted in unique individual circumstances.
UNIFORMS
It is mandatory that one side of the uniform be numbered, but numbers on both sides are strongly recommended. Uniforms must be worn as the manufacturer recommended. Tops can NOT be tied off in front, back, or side. The libero’s uniform must be easily recognizable from all sides as being in clear contrast to the other members of the team.
Players may NOT wear any jewelry below the chin, nor may any jewelry be taped over, with the exception of a medical alert medal which must be taped to the body under the uniform. The penalty will be an unnecessary delay assessment. Small, secured stud or post jewelry above the chin can be worn - this is a new rule.
Hair may be controlled by unadorned, flat barrettes, bobby pins, or flat clips, no longer than two inches. Soft ribbons will be allowed, beads are not allowed. No glitter or face paint is allowed. Penalty is an unnecessary delay assessment.
PREMATCH
The home team has the choice of bench. If neither team is playing in their own gym, the team listed first on the schedule is the home team.
There will be a pre-match conference that includes a coach and player from each team, as well as the official. A coin flip will be done to determine serve for the first set. If the teams split the first two matches, there will be a coin flip to determine serve for the third set. If not a deciding set and time allows, the losing team will serve.
Warmups will consist of each team on the court for four minutes if time allows, followed by two minutes of shared serving time. If there is insufficient time between matches, the official, in consultation with the coaches, will determine the length of the warm up.
Teams must be ready to play within five minutes of the scheduled start time of the match for the first set, and another five minutes for the second set, or the team will forfeit the match. If a team has arrived after the forfeit time has expired, it will be up to the referee to determine if the time remaining allows for any or all of the missed sets to be played. If the decision is made to allow part or all missed sets to be played, it is then up to the opposing team to determine if the sets will be played or forfeited. Both coaches must sign the scoresheet for their approval. Any sets played will not delay any subsequent matches.
If a team forfeits a match, they will be charged $25 for the first instance, $50 for the second forfeit, and $100 for each additional forfeit thereafter for the duration of the season. Three forfeits in a season will also result in a review of the school’s participation in the league by the league’s Executive Board.
MATCH
Matches will be best in two out of three sets. All three sets will be played. Sets one and two will be played to 25 with a cap of 27. Set three will be played to 15 with a cap of 17.
Four players are needed to start a set. When beginning a set with four players, they will occupy positions one through four on the court. When beginning a set with five players, they will occupy positions one through five. When the rotation comes to the open positions, there is a loss of serve but no penalty point. Once a fifth and/or sixth player becomes available, they must immediately be placed into the open positions at the next stoppage in play.
To begin the first set of a match, players will assume their assigned playing positions. At the end of each set, players will return directly to their own benches. THE TEAMS WILL NOT SWITCH SIDES BETWEEN SETS!
All teams will rotate into the serve. Serving time after the whistle is blown is five seconds. Players may either catch OR allow the ball to drop in order to obtain a re-serve. This can only be done once per service rotation. Also, teams must be ready to play immediately after each rally. There will be NO congratulatory on court huddles after each rally. Excessive abuse of this will result in an unnecessary delay assessment.
The modified serving line is 24 feet from the net and extends from one side of the court to the other parallel to the regular serving line. This line MAY be used by 4th, 5th, and 6th grade players. Only 4th and 5th graders may serve overhand from the 24 foot line, while a 6th grader who serves overhand would have to do so from the regular serving line.
Players on the serving team are not permitted to raise their hands above their heads during service until the ball has passed beyond the net.
Setting or overhand passing a serve is allowed as long as it is not a lift. Blocking a served ball is not permitted. Attacking a served ball while the ball is completely above the height of the net is not permitted. However, the contact is legal and the ball is not out of play until it completely crosses the vertical plane of the net or is legally contacted by an opponent. If the ball drops lower than the top of the net before being hit, it’s a legal hit.
Double hits: A double hit is allowed on any first team contact. A double hit cannot be called on a serve or first ball over the net as long as it is one attempt to play the ball. However, a lift or held ball may be called by the referee. A double hit is also allowed on any second team contact only if the ball is next contacted by a teammate (the second contact does not cross the net or is not legally blocked by the opponent before being contacted by a teammate).
During play, a player can play the ball with any part of their body including the head and feet.
All girls in grades four through seven must play the equivalent of one set per match.
The referee shall have the power to make decisions on any point not specifically covered in these rules, and the decision of the referee shall be final.
Each team is limited to two time outs per set. Teams must be on the court, ready to play, at the end of the 60 seconds. Failure to do so will result in an unnecessary delay assessment.
Coaches must report their substitutes to the referee before players may enter the playing area. There are unlimited entries per player in a set. There is a maximum of 18 team substitutions per set. Libero replacements do not count as substitutions. Substitutions during a time out will follow regular check in procedures at the conclusion of the time out.
A libero MAY be used at the 7th and 8th grade level only. Teams using a libero MUST provide a libero tracker. Liberos may only enter the court between the attack line and the end line. Replacements can only take place at the start of the match after lineups have been checked, after the end of a rally and prior to the whistle for the next serve, after a time out after players have returned to the court. The libero may serve in one position in the serving order. The libero may only be replaced by the player she replaced.
At the conclusion of the match, there will be a congratulatory gathering of teams at the net if the coaches are comfortable with this.
HOST GYM
Game balls in grades 7 and 8 must be a regulation WIAA ball and bear the NFHS authenticating mark. The Molten U-12 volleyball will be used by 4th, 5th, and 6th grade teams. The NFHS mark is not required on these balls.
Net antennas are required. The net height is 7 feet 4-1/8 inches. Referee stands, standards, and net wires must be padded to a height of 5 feet 6 inches above the floor. Only true referee stands will be used at all locations.
Gyms shall have a fully stocked first aid kit and ice for proper immediate treatment of all injuries. Host gyms will also supply the volleyballs for use during warm-ups by both teams. All gyms will have an adult (21+) supervisor present on site to handle all situations to include spectator behavior who show poor sportsmanship or interfere with play. Any fan ejections must be reported to the league. The supervisor will make him/herself known to the assigned referee at the start of the day and be easily identifiable to spectators.
A copy of these North Shore rules is to be kept at the scorer’s table. A copy of the National Federation of High Schools rule book is also recommended.
Scorekeepers are part of the officiating team, but are the responsibility of the gym supervisor. Scorekeepers must be high school age or older. Only scorekeepers and scoreboard operators shall be at the scorer’s table. There should be no electronic devices at the table.
All lines on the court must be clearly marked including the 24 foot serving line for the 4th, 5th, and 6th graders.
The use of artificial noisemakers including bells, whistles, horns, etc. is prohibited from being used at any time.
COACHES
All coaches must be in compliance with Archdiocesan certification requirements.
Only one coach may stand at any given time during a game. This can be the head coach or an assistant coach and can alternate throughout the match provided only one coach is standing during play. This privilege may be revoked. Additional coaches must remain seated except: during a time-out, attending to an injured player, spontaneously reacting to an outstanding play by a player on their team, or requesting a substitution or a time out.
Assistant coaches may stand during a dead ball situation and ask the referee to verify the number of time-outs and/or the number of substitutions used by their team.
During play, the coach that is standing shall be no closer to the court than 6 feet from the sideline and the sideline extended, and in the coaching zone defined as from the attack line (10 foot line) to any distance beyond the endline desired. A coach cannot stand in the substitution zone. If there is not 6 feet available between the chairs and sideline, the coach may stand directly in front of the chairs, but not in the substitution zone.
It is the coaches’ responsibility to control the behavior of the team and its spectators. Failure to do so could result in forfeiture of the match.
Coaches and players ejected from a match will be suspended from their next match, including matches which could be scheduled the same or next day. Officials will file ejection reports with Dave Berghaus, who will follow up with the Athletic Director and Principal of the school.
No more than three non-players may be on the bench. Only rostered players and assigned coaches may occupy the team’s bench. At NO time will siblings of players and/or coaches be on the bench during play. Violation will result in an unnecessary delay assessment.
MISCELLANEOUS
Each school’s athletic director shall approve all tournaments that will be played by their teams to ensure league games take precedence over tournaments.
Archdiocesan guidelines state “A student-athlete may participate with a non-Archdiocesan team in the same sport during the season PROVIDED that student’s priority and commitment is with the parish/school team.”
Additional Archdiocesan guidelines – Fourth, fifth and sixth grade practices maximum of two per week, no more than 1-1/2 hours long. Seventh and eighth grade practices maximum of two per week, no more than 2 hours long.
No more than 18 matches during the season, exclusive of tournaments.
Tournaments:
- 5th & 6th grade - no more than 2
- 7th grade - no more than 3
- 8th grade - no more than 3 not counting the Seton
The maximum number of matches a team may participate in during one day is three.