rules & scoring

    • All matches are 30 minutes. A horn will sound at the end of every match across all courts.

    • If the score is tied at 30 minutes, play 1 more quick point to determine a winner. In this case, you don’t have to win by 2, nor do you have to reach 18.

    • If a team is more than 10 minutes late to a match, the first set will be forfeited to a score of 9-0.

    • If the team shows up between 10-15 minutes late, the second set can be played and counted.

    • After 15 minutes, both sets will be forfeited at 9-0 each set. 

    • Coaches: Please stay visible and help manage any student issues, on or off the court.

    • Players: You’ll have access to:

      • A water bottle refill station

      • An outdoor hose to rinse off sand

      • Richcraft is off limits. We have washrooms on site.

    • Dress Code: Keep it simple. No need to worry about spaghetti straps, but shirts and shorts must be
      worn at all times.

    • All matches are self-refereed. If in doubt:

      • Re-serve

      • Ask a coach

      • Visit the scorer’s table

      • Find a tournament volunteer

      • Look up the rules on the Instagram tournament account: @the.sandstorm.tournament

    • No offensive language or behavior — zero tolerance.

    • Use rock-paper-scissors, coin flip, or ball spin to decide serve or side.

    • Switch sides every 5 or 7 points.

    • No stepping in on serve.

    • Games are two sets to 18 points straight — no need to win by 2.

    • Stop playing at the 30 minute mark, when the horn sounds to keep the schedule on track. If you are tied at the horn, play 1 more quick point only to determine a winner.

    • After pool play, teams are ranked by:

      • Wins

      • Point differential

    • Top 2 teams advance to a single-elimination playoff bracket in the afternoon.

    • New this year, volunteer score keepers will be scoring the game and reporting the results to an online tournament management platform called iSET.

  • All Divisions

    • No open-hand tipping (jousts/knuckles = OK)

    • No rotation needed, but all players must take turns serving

    • No designated frontcourt/backcourt positions

    Fours

    • Follow indoor rules, plus the modifications above

    Doubles

    • Official beach rules apply

    • You may only set a hard-driven ball

    • A block counts as a touch

    • Boys may only attack from behind the 3-meter line (self-marked in the sand)

    • Girls can hit and block freely

    • Boys cannot block girls

    • Boys may block boys only if they attack from behind the 3-meter line

    • Boys may contact/joust at the net, but the ball must go up, not down

    • Know your schedule and be on time!

    • Miss your game? That’s a default loss.