Constitution of the Census Co-ed Volleyball League
Recent changes in red
I. General
A. The Census Co-ed Volleyball League, hereafter called the League, will function as a CBWRA activity.
B. This document is divided into two basic parts:
1. The Constitution itself (Sections I-V), which requires a 3/4 vote of all team captains to modify any provision.
2. The League rules (Section VI), which require a simple majority vote of all team captains to modify.
C. Each year, the League officers will submit a budget request to the CBWRA for funds for the next season in accordance with the needs of the League.
D. A team captain may designate a member of his/her team to represent the team in the captain's absence. All references in this Constitution and in the League rules to "team captain(s)" shall apply to such persons.
E. The League, by simple majority vote of all team captains, will have the right to assess each team whatever funds are deemed necessary or beneficial to the operation of the League.
1. It will be the responsibility of each team captain to secure and deposit with the League treasurer such funds that are assessed. Failure to deposit the funds by the date set at a captain's meeting shall result in that team losing its franchise in the League.
2. Each team captain is also responsible for providing team information (such as team rosters) by the designated time. Failure to do so shall result in that team losing its franchise.
II. Franchising and the League Organizational Meeting
A. The League has a maximum of 20 franchises. Should any new teams wish to enter the League, they may do so upon written application to the League president and a simple majority approval of all team captains.
Applications must be considered in the order received by the president. If necessary, the determination of whether a team is "new" or "returning" will be made by a simple majority vote of the other team captains.
B. A team will lose its franchise by forfeiting the equivalent of 2 matches without notifying the opposing captain by 3:00 on the day of the match, or by forfeiting 3 matches in total.
1. A team so removed shall forfeit any fees assessed by the League.
2. All games played or forfeited by such a team shall be counted in the records of the remaining teams. All of the team's remaining games shall be considered victories for their opponents.
C. A team's franchise is assumed to be held by the team captain from the previous season. The captain may designate his/her successor and must notify the League president of this change in writing before the first League meeting of the next season.
D. A League organizational meeting will be called by the League president each year in order to plan for the upcoming season. The president will notify each team captain, or a representative of that team, of this meeting. Failure of any team from the previous season to be represented at this meeting will result in the loss of that team's franchise. At this meeting, the order of business will be:
1. The election of new officers.
2. Admission of new teams, if possible, from the waiting list. New teams will have an equal vote in all League matters only after their admission to the League is approved by a majority of the returning team captains. Each team will only have one vote.
3. Setting dates for when the franchise fee and rosters will be due. The franchise fee due date shall also be the closing date for any new entries into the League.
4. Discussion of divisional setup and referee organization.
5. Discussion of any other matter that pertains to League operations.
E. A second League meeting will be held, if necessary, on a date specified at the first meeting. For this meeting, and any subsequent meeting, a quorum is defined as 3/4 of all team captains. The order of business will be:
1. Admission of any new teams.
2. Determination of the League organization (including number of divisions, referee set-up, playoff set-up, prizes, and rules.)
3. Setting of the franchise fee.
III. Player Eligibility
A. Eligibility to participate in the League shall be restricted to CBWRA members. The CBWRA shall determine its criteria for legitimate membership.
B. All participants must be members of the CBWRA as of opening day of the current season or prior to participation in a League game.
IV. Team Rosters
A. Each team captain will be responsible for ascertaining the eligibility of the players on his/her roster in accordance with Section III.
B. Each team captain shall submit his/her roster to the League president when requested.
1. The roster should identify a team captain and at least one person who will act as captain in the captain's absence.
2. All team rosters are available to all team captains on the League website.
C. Roster changes shall be accomplished as follows:
1. A player is free to choose the team for which he/she will play without restriction through the third week of play. If a player decides to transfer to another team, the captain of the player's former team shall request that the League secretary drop the player from the roster of the former team. The new team may then add the player to its roster.
2. Transfer of a player from one active team's roster to another after the third week of play requires the approval of the League officers. It is their responsibility to ensure that the new player(s) does not significantly change the skill level of either the former or new team, resulting in either team no longer belonging in its assigned division.
3. Players not previously on the roster of a currently active team may be added at any time. Players added with less than 1/4 of the team's matches remaining are ineligible for playoff participation. This participation requirement also applies to any reverse co-ed playoffs being held in mid-season.
4. Changes to a roster may not be made later than 3:00 p.m. of the day of a game in which the player is to participate.
5. Deletions from a roster may be made at any time through a request by the team captain to the League secretary.
D. A player's name may appear on the roster of only one team. If a player's name appears on more than one roster simultaneously he/she will be immediately removed from all rosters and the captains of the teams involved will be notified by the League president. The player may then be added to a roster as specified in paragraph IV.C.3.
E. All players on the roster of a team which withdraws or is removed from the League are eligible for further participation in the League provided they are added to a roster as specified in paragraph IV.C.3.
F. The opposing team captains at a game will be responsible for accepting the eligibility of all opposing players. Any question about the eligibility of a player shall be handled as a protest under the League rules, section VI.6. If during a game there is a question about the eligibility of a player, the game will continue to its conclusion, and the League officers will make the final determination of the player's eligibility.
G. A team found to be using an ineligible player will forfeit all protested games in which the ineligible player participated.
H. Any player on a team roster in the league may play as a substitute for another team during the regular season. When possible, recreational teams should try to find a sub from other recreational teams and not the competitive teams. Substitutions are not allowed during playoffs.
V. Officers
A. Provision is made for four League officers: president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer. These officers will be elected for one-year terms as the first order of business at the League organizational meeting by the simple majority vote of the returning team captains present. Upon simple majority vote of the returning team captains, any office may be combined with that of any other of the remaining offices. There will be a minimum of two officers. There may be no more than one officer from any team.
B. The League president has the duty of presiding at League meetings, interpreting the League constitution and rules, making arrangements for the season's play, handling the general administrative matters of the League, and casting the deciding vote at League meetings in the case of a tie vote.
C. The League vice-president will assist in arranging for League play, be responsible for the direction of the referee staff, reschedule postponements, and assume the duties of the president in his absence.
D. The League secretary will determine the season schedule and take minutes at League meetings. In the absence of the president and vice-president, the secretary will assume their duties.
E. The League treasurer will collect, maintain, and disburse any funds which may be assessed by the League president, and assist in any other financial matters concerning the League. In the absence of all other League officers, the treasurer will assume their duties.
VI. League Rules
A. USAV rules - All games will be played in accordance with USAV rules except:
1. Rules on coloring and numbering of uniforms are waived.
2. A team may play with as few as four players. A minimum of 2 women and 1 man must be on the court. There cannot be more than 3 men on the court.
NOTE: When a team plays with fewer than six players, the missing player positions still rotate with the players on the court. This means that when the next serving position is one that is missing a player (the "hole"), that team loses its serve. It also means that when one of the missing players is a male in regular co-ed play or a female in reverse co-ed play, and that position has rotated to the front row, that team can only bring a blocker from the back row forward if the "hole" is in the front-middle position. When two players are missing, they shall be positioned opposite of each other on the court.
3. The USAV modified 12-substitution rule will be used. This means that a team may make 12 substitutions during a game. There is no additional limit on substitutions for each player, but players must always play in the same rotation spot (except in special instances of injuries). Also, at one position, each player may enter the game 3 times, with starting the game counting as one entry.
4. Note especially that the referee is responsible for correct conduct of the match, that during the game only the team captain may address the referee, and that a player shall be disqualified without warning from the rest of the game or match for making derogatory remarks to officials, opponents, or spectators.
5. The pursuant rule is waived. So, players shall not chase down balls on the opponent’s side of the court.
B. League Specific Rules
1. Each match will consist of three games. The results will be cumulated for the season, and standings based on overall won-lost records. Ties will be broken: 1) by the game records of the teams against each other, 2) by the intra- divisional records of the teams, and 3) by head-to-head total points. If a tie still exists, it will be broken by lot.
2. All games use rally-point scoring, first team to 25, win by 2 with no maximum number of points scored.
If the first two games of a match require more than 40 minutes to play, the third game of the match will be played to 15.
3. The referee will declare a team to have forfeited the first game of a match if the team does not have sufficient players ready to play within 15 minutes of the scheduled starting time or the time the referee calls for the coin toss (whichever is later). An additional 1 a-minute period is allowed, after which the second game will be declared a forfeit. Another 1 minute is then allowed after which the third game will be declared a forfeit.
4. In all games, late teams will incur a five-point penalty for each five minutes they are late. For example, for a 5:30 game, the late team is penalized 5 points at 5:35, and at 5:40 the late team is penalized an additional 5 points. For 6:30 and 7:30 games, the clock starts when the ref is ready to start the game, which may be after the scheduled start time if the previous game ran late.
5. Balls that hit the basketball backboard or rim are automatically dead balls. If the referee believes the team had a legitimate chance to play the ball (player ready to hit the ball before it hits the backboard), then teams should replay the point. Otherwise, the ball is out-of-bounds and the other team scores a point.
6. All rules of the playing site must be followed.
C. Player Conduct
1. If a complaint is received by the League president of persistent unsportsmanlike conduct on the part of a player, a meeting of team captains may be held to consider the suspension of the player from the League. A vote of 3/4 of the team captains present shall determine whether and for how long the player should be suspended. The player shall be permitted to attend the meeting and to state his/her case.
2. The playing site reserves the right to prevent a League member from playing.
D. Postponements
1. A decision will be made by the League president on whether to postpone that evening's matches by 3:00 p.m. on the day of the matches. League officers will notify team captains or their assistants as soon as the decision is made. League play is automatically postponed if: