Wallyball Rules

You may suffer physical and/or mental injury from participating in Intramural Sports. There are certain risks of injury that are inherent to participation in sports and recreational activities. These types of injuries may be minor or serious and may result from the actions or inactions of themselves or others. By choosing to participate in Intramural Sports, you do so at your own risk. It is understood that most activities require a certain level of fitness and health, and that each person has a different capacity for participating in these activities. Participants of Intramural Sports are highly encouraged to have a physical examination and procure health insurance prior to play. UC Campus Recreation does not provide health insurance.

Intramural Supervisors undergo concussion recognition training. In the instance a participant is exhibiting any signs or symptoms of a concussion as a result of a head injury sustained during intramural play, he or she will be removed from the activity. This individual must provide a physician’s note clearing the individual to play by a specific date. This note may be e-mailed to intramural@uc.edu or faxed to 513-556-0601.

Intramural Wallyball is self-officiated. Captains should report any major sportsmanship issues to the intramural office by e-mailing intramural@uc.edu.

To be eligible for intramural sports, each player must possess an active membership to the University of Cincinnati Campus Recreation Center AND be a current University of Cincinnati student (enrolled in at least one (1) credit hour), faculty, or staff member.

Participants may participate on one (1) mixed gender and one (1) non-mixed gender team per sport, per season. Substituting for another team in the same league is prohibited.

Competitive club sport players and former varsity athletes may not participate on an intramural B (recreational) league team in the same or a similar sport as their club/varsity sport.

For sports with five (5) or more players on the playing field at one time, a team is limited to two (2) competitive club sport participants (in the same or similar sport) on its’ roster.

For sports with four (4) or less players on the playing field at one time, a team is limited to one (1) competitive club sport participant (in the same or similar sport) on its’ roster.

Current varsity athletes are not allowed to play on an intramural team of the same or a similar sport as their varsity sport.

Former varsity athletes must sit out 365 days from last appearing on a varsity roster to be eligible to play in the same or similar sport as their varsity sport. Teams are allowed one (1) former varsity athlete (in the same or similar sport) per roster.

Officiating – Intramural Wallyball is self-officiated. Each team is responsible for calling violations on the other team.

Reporting Scores –Following the game, the winning team’s captain should e-mail intramural@uc.edu with his or her team name and the set score (i.e. 2-1).

Qualifying For Playoffs – In order to qualify for playoffs, a team must have zero forfeits or have paid a $10 reinstatement fee for one forfeit by noon of the day after the end of the regular season. Teams with two or more forfeits do not quality for playoffs and may be removed from the league.

Process – Upon arriving at the Campus Recreation Center, a team should:

Swipe in at the front desk using valid photo identification.

Check-out a wallyball from the front desk. The court will be set up and reserved for each match.

Walk upstairs to court 6 and wait for the other team.

Should the other team not arrive within 10 minutes, the game is considered a forfeit with the present team winning. This team should e-mail intramural@uc.edu indicating the match was a forfeit.

Return the wallyball to the front desk after the game.

Prior to registration close, a team must have at least four players confirmed on its IMLeagues roster. Teams that fail to do so may not be included in the league.

A team may begin play with a minimum of three (3) players. 

A team may have up to 20 players on its’ roster.

Substitutions may take place during any dead ball.

There is no limit on the number of substitutions a team can make.

A match consists of a best of three (3) game series.

The first two (2) games are played to 25 with a 30 point cap. A team must win by two (2) points or more. If the score is 29-29, the team that wins the next point wins the game.

The third game (if necessary) is played to 15. If the score is 14-14, the team that wins the next point wins the game and match.

Coin Toss

Team captains will perform a coin toss prior to the game. Acceptable methods include flipping a coin or a round of rock/paper/scissors.

The winning captain will choose (1) to serve or receive –OR- (2) which side the team wants first. The losing captain will pick the remaining option.

Example – Team A won the coin toss and elected to decide option 2. They pick the side closest to the door. Team B is left with option 1 (serve/receive) and chooses to serve first.

After the first game, teams will switch sides, and the received first in the first game will serve first.

Should the match need a third set, captains will perform another coin toss and follow 7.2.2 and 7.2.3.

Each team may call one 60-second timeout per game during a dead ball. Timeouts do not carry over between games.

If one team is late and the opposing team was on time, the opposing team captain automatically wins the coin toss and may elect to start the game:

1-5 minutes late: Up by five (5) points.

6-9 minutes late: Up by 10 points.

10 minutes late: Forfeit – opposing team automatically wins. Teams can still use court during their allotted game time.

The service area is approximately three feet from each end of the court.

The ball is out of bounds if, after it crosses the net (and before touching a receiving player), it hits:

The opponent’s back wall

The ceiling

Two walls consecutively

A team shall not have more than three (3) contacts before the ball crosses the net into the opponent’s playing area or is touched by the opponent.

A block does not count as a contact.

Simultaneous contacts by two (2) players on the same team count as one (1) contact. Either of these players may contact the ball immediately.

A ball that passes through the side openings of the net on a team’s first or second contact is replayed.

Players may not climb walls or be assisted by other players to gain height at the net.

A ball contacting two (2) or more walls consecutively is allowed only by the team in possession when the ball is on the team’s own side and provided a player on that team contacted the ball first.

A ball contacting two (2) or more walls consecutively must be contacted by another teammate prior to crossing the net.

A ball contacting the ceiling is allowed only by the team in possession when the ball descends on the team’s own side and provided a player on that team contacted the ball first.

A player may hit the ball off his or her team’s own back wall, and the ball may go directly over the net.

If two (2) walls are contacted by the ball, a teammate must contact the ball before going over the net.

Contacting the Ball

Any prolonged contact of the ball is illegal. This includes holding, carrying, lifting, or dunking.

An open hand dink of the ball is illegal. Paintbrush hits, clean hits, closed fist, knuckle, cobra shot, or soft spikes are allowed.

A ball cannot be contacted below the waist.

The server may not attack or block the ball above the height of the net starting with the first point he or she serves. The restriction for this specific player ends when the next person on his or her team serves.

Example player 1A serves three (3) points before serve is lost. The opposing team serves two (2) points before their serve is lost. Player 1A cannot attack or block the ball above the height of the net for all five (5) of these points.

The service must be a clean contact with the ball.

Service order must be kept prior to serving.

A receiving player may not block or attack a served ball that is above the height of the net.

While the ball is in play, touching any part of the net is not allowed, unless the ball is driven into the net, and the net hits the player.

A ball in the vertical plane of the net may be contacted by either team.

During an attack, a player must contact the ball before the ball has completely crossed over the net.

Blockers can reach over the net to block, provided the other team has made its’ third contact of the ball, or the

Multiple contacts are more than one contact by a player during one attempt to play the ball. Multiple contacts are permitted only ona team’s first contact or block attempt.

A legal block does not count towards a team’s three (3) contacts.

A player who contacts the ball during a legal block may contact the ball again immediately.