Ohio 8th Grade Volleyball Rules

Rules for both middle and high school volleyball programs in Ohio are governed by the Ohio High School Athletic Association. Requirements for play as well as sportsmanship guidelines often vary from year to year. The varsity coach for each school district in Ohio is required to attend the annual rules and interpretation meeting held by the OHSAA and share the information with other district coaches. The OHSAA hosts annual coaches clinics open to school coaches.

  1. Season Regulations

    • Middle school volleyball programs for teams of either seventh or eighth graders are routinely permitted to participate in no more than 16 regular season matches per season. One post-season tournament is allowed. Teams playing at the middle school level may participate in either two scrimmages or one scrimmage and one conference preview event.

    Practice Dates

    • The OHSAA also establishes permissible "touch" dates. Coaches who violate the dates of permissible organized practice dates are subject to not only removal from a coaching position, but can jeopardize the team's seasonal eligibility. Individual school districts can further restrict the dates when teams can practice, but can not expand the preseason training sessions beyond the OHSAA established guidelines. The typical starting date for fall sports is Aug. 5. Should school classes begin on or before Aug. 16, organized practice can start as early as Aug. 2.

    Sports Physical and Sportsmanship

    • Middle school teams must turn in a school approved physical form signed by a doctor in order to participate in organized practice sessions. Any violations of either the OHSAA sportsmanship guidelines or the school district's code of conduct can result in removal from a game or the team. Disrespectful words or gestures toward officials, a timer, line judges, coach, fans or scorer are governed under the sportsmanship code.

    Game Rules

    • Seventh and eighth grade volleyball players must enter the court wearing matching uniforms which comply with all current rules governing uniform logo, style and number size requirements. If a team member is out of uniform the player may not be able to participate and costs the team a point.

      Middle school teams are not permitted to have a libero on a team, and must follow established substitution rules or be penalized a point per infraction. Players have to check in with the scorer before entering the court and must enter inside the ten-foot line after the referee signals the player to enter.

      Volleyball players at both the seventh and eighth levels are permitted to spike the ball and attempt to jump serve. Spiking and blocking is not permitted on the serve. Foot faults during the service result in loss of serve and a point for the opponent. Rally scoring rules went into effect for middle school teams in 2007. Rally scoring means that a point is earned during each volley, and not just during a volley by the team holding the serve. Matches are played to 21 points. Middle schools teams play the best two out of three matches. Players can not play in more than nine games per week.