Player Handbook

6IX BACK Volleyball runs co-ed indoor leagues across Willowdale · North York · Don Mills · Markham. Games are intermediate level and open to adults 18+ only.

On-court format

• 6 players on court per team (co-ed).
• Minimum 1 female and up to 5 male on court at all times.
• Intermediate skill level → competitive but recreational.
• Indoor non-marking shoes required.

Season structure

Each season runs 13 weeks: 3 placement weeks, 8 promo/relegation weeks (weekly: top tier moves up, 2nd stays, 3rd moves down), and 2 playoff weeks with consolation. See Section 2 for division details.

Where to find more

• Match rules and scoring → Section 6
• Substitutes → Section 5
• Code of Conduct → Section 8

The league is organized into Gold and Silver divisions. Each division has 3 tiers (courts). Structure is scalable as more teams register.

13-week season breakdown

1. Weeks 1–3: Placement → teams are sorted into appropriate tiers.
2. Weeks 4–11: Promo/relegation → each week the top team moves up, 2nd stays, 3rd moves down within the division.
3. Weeks 12–13: Playoffs and consolation → each division runs its own playoffs.

Tier movement

At the end of each promo/relegation week, tier standings determine movement: 1st place moves up, 2nd place stays, 3rd place moves down. Movement applies within each division (Gold or Silver).

Playoffs

Each division holds its own playoffs in weeks 12 and 13. Standings and tiebreakers for seeding are covered in Section 9.

Roster limits

• Maximum 12 players per team roster.
• Up to 6 registered substitutes per team.
• All players must be 18+.

On-court requirements

• 6 players on court: minimum 1 female and up to 5 male.
• Only registered players (roster or sub) may play. See Section 5 for substitute rules.

Unregistered players

Any player who is not registered on a team roster or as an approved sub results in a forfeit (21–0) and a warning to the team. No exceptions.

Equipment standards

• Net height: 2.35 m (co-ed standard).
• Official ball: Mikasa or Molten indoor volleyball.
• Indoor non-marking shoes required for all players.

Setup and tear-down

Organizers set up and tear down nets at each session. Captains or a team representative are expected to help. All teams should arrive 15 minutes early to warm up and assist with setup when needed.

Before first serve

• Confirm net height (2.35 m) and court boundaries.
• Confirm both teams have minimum roster requirements met.
• Complete warm-up per Section 7.

Substitute registration

Substitute registration is mandatory. Subs register once and may play for multiple teams across the league. Each team may have up to 6 registered subs on file.

WhatsApp Sub Pool

Captains receive access to the WhatsApp Sub Pool link from the organizer. The link is not published on this page → contact your league organizer to get the link.

When no sub is available

If no registered substitute is available, teams may use the Ghost Player Rule as described in Section 6. The Ghost Player is only used when no registered sub can be found.

Unregistered subs

Playing with an unregistered player results in a forfeit (21–0) and a warning. Always confirm a sub is registered before they take the court.

Scoring format

• 1 set to 21 points, win by 2, hard cap at 25.
• Triple round robin format within each session.
• Captains submit scores at 6ixback.edmel.dev immediately after each game. See Section 10.

General play

• Standard indoor volleyball rules apply unless overridden here.
• Disputes unresolved on court follow Section 10.

Teams should complete a structured warm-up of 10–12 minutes before competitive play begins. Arrive early enough to include setup time (see Section 4).

Suggested sequence

1. 3 minutes: Light jog and dynamic stretching (hips, shoulders, ankles).
2. 3 minutes: Pepper drills in pairs (pass, set, hit at controlled pace).
3. 2 minutes: Team passing lines (serve receive or free-ball passing).
4. 2 minutes: Hitting lines (approach, timing, controlled swings).
5. 2 minutes: Team serve and receive → simulate first few rallies.

Court sharing

When multiple teams share a gym, captains coordinate warm-up time fairly. Organizers may adjust timing to keep the schedule on track.

Expected behaviour

• Respect all players regardless of skill, gender, or background.
• Resolve disputes calmly → escalate to the organizer if needed.
• Respect officiating decisions during playoffs (see Section 10).
• Captains are accountable for their team's conduct.

Escalation

1. On-court issue: captains address it first, then call a brief stoppage if needed.
2. Unresolved dispute: contact the league organizer before the next rally when possible.
3. Serious violation: organizer may stop play immediately and remove the offending player(s).

Standings calculation

Regular-season standings are ranked by win percentage, then point differential as the tiebreaker.

Point differential

Point differential is total points scored minus total points allowed across all sets played. Higher differential ranks higher when win percentage is tied.

Playoff seeding

End-of-season standings within each division determine playoff seeding. Each division runs its own playoff bracket in weeks 12 and 13. See Section 2 for season structure.

Regular season

Regular-season matches use self/peer officiating. Teams call their own lines, nets, and faults. Captains are responsible for fair play.

Playoffs

Playoff matches use league-appointed referees. All players must respect the ref's decisions.

Unresolved calls

If a call cannot be resolved between teams, the rally is replayed with no point awarded and a re-serve. Persistent disputes should be escalated per Section 8.

Score submission

Captains submit final scores at 6ixback.edmel.dev immediately after each game. Accurate and timely submission keeps standings current for all teams.

Scheduling and rescheduling

Game schedules are set at the start of each season. Rescheduling is at organizer discretion and is not guaranteed. Captains will be notified of any changes.

Refunds

There are no refunds once the league starts. Registration fees are final after the first week of play.

Photos and media

By participating, players consent to photos and video taken at league events for promotional use (website, social media). Contact the organizer if you need an exception.

Waiver

All players must complete the liability waiver before playing. See player policies for full waiver and registration terms.

Contact

Questions about rules, subs, or disputes → contact your league organizer or email contact@edmel.dev.

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