Where reference is made to notification this may be on paper or electronic by Email. The Email address to be used will be that on the Association’s website. Teams are reminded to keep this current for advice of Fixture Meeting dates. It is recommended that Club and Team Secretaries retain Emails for at least 12 months.

Rule 1. Fees

Senior Team Registration Fee               £100
Junior Team Registration Fee                £ 25
Rucanor Cup                                          Snr £30     Jnr £10
Philips-Manning Handicap Cup             Snr £20      Jnr £5
Janet Bedford Cup                                  Snr £20     Jnr £5

A junior fee is payable where at least half of the registered players are under age 18 (see rule 4 regarding player’s age)

Before competing in any Competition each team or Club must:-
a) Be affiliated to the English Volleyball Association. This is the responsibility of the club concerned. The registration year runs from 1^st August
b) Have its players appropriately registered with the Essex V.A.
c) Have paid any further competition fees.
d) Have paid a goodwill deposit. The current Goodwill Deposit is £ 25

Fines will be applied to the Goodwill Deposit which must be topped up to the full amount within 1 month of the fine being levied.
Any team that withdraws from a competition before the end of the season will lose its goodwill deposit. Goodwill deposits will be returned to teams not entering subsequent year’s competitions

Rule 2. Fines

Non attendance by a team at AGM / SGM/Fixture Meetings                 £10.00
Late Scoresheets (see Rule 9 iv.)  Up to 2 weeks late                                 £ 6.00
                                                       Over 2 weeks late                                          £ 6.00 plus default of fixture.
Late advice of result to Web site Manager over 7 days                         £ 6.00
Missing Registration numbers                                                                        £ 1.00 each (Max£6.00)
Failure to inform the relevant Competitions Officer of Change of Fixture details.      £10.00 per fixture
Defaulted Fixture                                                                                              £10.00 but see also rule 9

Rule 3. Competition Rules

The "Playing Rules" are those currently issued by the F.I.V.B. and endorsed by the E.V.A.

Unless otherwise stated:-
- fixtures will be played on a home and away basis.
- fixtures will be played as the best of five sets.

Two points will be awarded to the winning side.
No points will be awarded to the losing side.
Two points will be deducted from a defaulting side.
No points will be awarded for an incomplete or unplayed fixture.
In the event of a tie at the end of the season the following will apply:-
    firstly i) Sets for.
    then ii) Sets against.
    then   iii) Points for.
    then   iv) Points against. 
In the event that the teams are still inseparable they will share the position

Rule 4. Eligibility

There are no restrictions on players in Open competitions.
Men are ineligible to play in Women's competitions.
Women are ineligible to play in Men's competitions.

A player’s age for competition is determined by their age on 1^st September at the start of that season.

a) Under 14 boys can play in the Women's League, but not in Women's Cup competitions.
b) Any Women's League team which includes one or more Under 14 boy(s) will not be eligible to claim any
        title or trophy associated with the Women's League. These will be awarded to the highest placed all
        women's team.

Rule 5. Player Registrations

Registrations are made by submitting to the Competitions Officer a list of names on the Registration Sheet together with any required fee. The Competitions Officer will return this to the designated Team Secretary within 7 days with the registration numbers added.

Each team must register at least six players before playing in any competitions.
Where players play up (se Rule 7), there will be no additional registration fee payable.
Under normal circumstances no player registrations will be accepted after March 1st for the current season. However, registrations in extenuating circumstances may be submitted to the Competitions Officer for consideration and approval after this date.

Teams must present their Registration Sheet to the Scorer before the start of a game, so that their registration number maybe recorded on the scoresheet.
Any team playing a non-registered player will default the fixture and be fined.

Rule 6. Transfers

A Transfer refers to where a player moves their registration during a season from one team/club to another team /club.
All transfers must be approved by the Competitions Officer before a player can play for his / her new team.
Before a transfer can be processed, the competitions Officer must be in possession of a completed Player Transfer Form. These are available from the Secretary or the Membership Officer.
No transfers will be allowed after March 1st.
No transfers will be allowed in any individual Cup competition. Once played for a team, cup tied to that team.
A player may transfer only once during the season. 

Rule 7. Clubs with more than one team.

a) Clubs with more than one team in separate divisions/conferences
A higher team player (i.e. those registered as a member of the Club's team playing in the higher Division) cannot play for his/her Club's lower teams unless he/she officially transfers.
A lower team player (i.e. those registered as a member of the Club's team playing in the lower Division) can play for his/her Club's higher team providing they are appropriately registered.
Playing is defined as being on the scoresheet.

b) Clubs with two teams in the same division/conference
Players can only play for the team for which they are registered.
Players cannot play for the other team unless they are officially transferred.
A maximum of two players can be transferred between teams per season.
The first of the fixtures between these teams must be played at the start of the season before any other fixtures involving either team. The second fixture between these teams should take place before either team plays another team twice.

Rule 8. Agreed Fixture Dates

First round cup provisional fixtures and home teams for future rounds will be advised by the Competitions Officer by 31^st October. It is the responsibility of all team secretaries to confirm to the Competitions Officer of the final fixture agreed dates after confirmation with their opponents by 18th November at the latest. Failure to advise any change will mean the provisional date stands and becomes the agreed fixture date. Subsequent round dates are to be agreed between the relevant teams and advised to the Competitions Officer by 20^th February.

Following the relevant Fixtures Meeting agreed fixture dates will be published on the website

Rule 9 Changes to agreed fixture dates

i) Matches must be played on the agreed fixture date published on the website.

ii). This agreed fixture date may only be altered if by at least 10 days before this date, both team secretaries have notified the Competitions Officer of the mutually agreed new date, time and venue. This will then become the new agreed fixture date. This notice is required to give time for both teams to advise their players.

iii). If one team does not turn up for a game on the agreed fixture date, both teams shall within 7 days provide the Competitions Officer with an explanation of the circumstances. It is not necessary to complete a scoresheet. The Competitions Officer shall advise both teams of a decision within a further 7 days which may include the award of the game to one team, a requirement to play the game by a certain date*, and any fines or reimbursement of court or travel expenses incurred by one or both teams. *If a new date cannot be mutually agreed, the Competitions Officer shall award the game to one team based on the original circumstances.

iv). It is accepted that there will be occasions when matches are not played for reasons unavoidable as regards one or both of the teams e.g. adverse weather conditions when for instance AA advice is not to travel, non availability of hall due to fire. Rule 9 iii) still applies.

v). In considering how to decide in situations which arise under rule 9 iii), the Competitions Officer will take account of the full history of that fixture and any provisional agreement between the two teams on any future date, time and venue on which the match can be played. Such agreement should form part of the advice of circumstances from both teams to be sent within 7 days of the agreed match date.

vi). Appeals against decisions of the Competitions Officer must be made within 14 days of the decision being advised and in writing/Email to the Association Secretary and Club Secretary of any other team involved. The Association reserves the right to deduct £10 from the team’s goodwill deposit for each appeal submitted. Appeals will be considered as soon as practicable by the Executive Committee and a decision advised to both teams.

Rule 10. Fixture Cancellation

Rule 11. Fixture Organisation

The Home team is responsible for:-

i) Booking a hall for a minimum of two hours (the Committee recommends two and a half), fixtures should be scheduled to have at least a 20 minute warm up period prior to their start.  If there is insufficient time to finish the fixture, with the game starting on time, the home team will re-stage the fixture with each team meeting its own costs.    If the start was delayed by either team then the home team will re-stage the fixture with the offending team bearing the costs for the re-arrangement.

ii) Confirming to the opposition Team Secretary and Officials at least fourteen days prior to the scheduled fixture, the date, time and venue.

iii) The Officials and their expenses (Clubs are urged to use E.V.A. qualified Officials).

iv) Completing an official scoresheet, ensuring player registration numbers are recorded and sending it to the Competitions Officer. This must be received within 7 days of the agreed fixture date. Failure to comply is a finable offence. The home team will then have a further 2 weeks to produce the scoresheet. Failure to comply with this will then result in a defaulted fixture.

v) Providing details of a match result by e-mail, or telephone, to the Web Site Manager within 48 hours of the completion of a match. Contact details are published on the website. Failure to comply is a finable offence.  The following information must be provided;-
a) Competition name
b) Fixture date
c) Result including set scores

Rule 12 Behaviour

Essex VA expects clubs to take full responsibility for the actions and behaviour of all their members including players and coaches. In particular discriminatory behavior, verbal or physical abuse or violence towards others is not deemed acceptable. The Association reminds Clubs that it reserves the right under its constitution to take appropriate action towards clubs and their members who fail to behave in an appropriate manner during events to which these rules relate.

Rule 13. Officials

All teams entering Open League and conference or Women’s League must nominate at least two people to be placed on the county referees register.

At least one must be qualified and the other competent and both must be prepared to officiate when available.

Rule 14. AGM / SGM

Any team not represented at a General Meeting will be fined and could forfeit any awards.

Rule 15. Disputes and appeals

In the first instance, decisions relating to these rules will be made by the Competitions Officer who acts under the authority of the Executive Committee. Any appeal against the decision of the Competition Officer must be lodged with the Secretary of the Association within 14 days. The Executive Committee will seek any evidence it deems appropriate before reaching a final decision which will be advised to all relevant parties.

Any dispute, relating to competitions organised by the Essex Volleyball Association, not covered by these rules will be dealt with on the same basis.