SOCCER TENNIS RULES | over-the-net

RULE 1 - THE COURT

Soccer-Tennis will be played at the Darling Tennis Center. The dimensions will be set by cones. SOCCER-TENNIS is played on the doubles playing surface of a regulation tennis court. The court will be roughly 78 feet long and 36 feet wide. The playing surface should be marked with cones.

RULE 2 - THE NET

The court is split in two parts by a tennis net. Nets will be 42 feet in length and should be no more than 39 inches high at the posts with the minimum midpoint height of 3 feet.

RULE 3 - THE BALL (SOCCER BALL)

SOCCER-TENNIS uses a regulation size 5 ball at all matches.

RULE 4 - TEAMS AND PLAYERS

The game is played between two teams with three players on each team. In Coed Games, a minimum of 1 female must be on the field.

RULE 5 - PLAYERS EQUIPMENT

The official uniform of soccer-tennis includes a shirt, shorts, socks, and shoes. Only a non-marking soled shoe may be used, NO EXCEPTIONS!

RULE 6 - DURATION OF THE MATCH

SOCCER-TENNIS matches are played as best of 3 games to 15 points, the team does not have to win by 2 points. In a best of three situations, the first team to win two games wins the match. There is a 3 minute maximum break between games before the teams switch sides to begin another game. There is one 30 second time out allowed per team per game.

RULE 7 - BEGINNING THE GAME

The winner of a coin toss is allowed to elect whether they will kick off or choose a side to defend. Players cannot step on the line during a kick-off, but if a player elects to jump serve the kick-off he can land inside the court after the service. A player has two attempts to execute a kick-off and must play the ball out of his hands, either per volley or drop kick (ball hitting the ground before being kicked). Balls can land anywhere on the opposing team side. The player cannot return the kick-off directly. The kick-off must bounce once in the serve court. Any kick-off that hits the net but lands on the opposing side (let) must be repeated. If the first service does not make it over the net or in bounds, a second service is awarded. If such an event happens twice (double fault), the opposing team receives a point and the service.

RULE 8 - SCORING

Both teams can score a point at any time (the defending team can score even if they did not kick off to start play). After each break in play, the referee/serving team should call out the score stating first the kick-off team score, followed by the defending team score.

RULE 9 - TEAM BALL CONTACTS

The receiving team can touch the ball a maximum of three times before returning the ball to the opposing team. Except during the kick-off where the receiving player is allowed to take 2 touches. Between the service recipients 2 touches, the Ball cannot bounce to the ground. All three players do not need to touch the ball however.

(For example, Player A passes to Player B, who returns the ball to Player A, who then plays the ball over the net.) The ball can be directly returned to the opposing team with only one ball touch, if desired.

RULE 10 - INDIVIDUAL PLAYER BALL CONTACT

Players can use any part of their body to touch the ball, with the exception of the arms or hands. Shoulders are not considered part of the arm.

RULE 11 - GROUND BALL CONTACTS

The only time a ball is allowed to touch the ground outside the playing field, is when a kick-off player elects to bounce the ball before kick-off. Any other ground contacts outside the playing field are “out balls” and the opposing team is awarded a point and the next service. Inside the playing field, a ball can bounce one time before a player touches the Ball. Since the maximum number of players that can touch the ball before a return is three, the maximum number of times a ball can touch the ground before being returned to the opposing side is two (excluding the initial bounce from the serve). The two ground contacts must be used by a minimum of two players before returning the ball. The players can decide to return the ball after only one touch if desired.

RULE 12 - POINTS

Every play can result in a point scored by either one of the teams.

Faults at the kick-off

1a. Kick-off is done before referee allows play to begin.
1b. Kick-off is not played from the hands.
1c. More than one ground contact is made before kicking off.
1d. The player steps onto the playing field during or before kick-off.
1e. Player kicks the ball into the net (If the ball hits the net, and goes over to the opposing side, the fault does not result in a point, but the kick-off is repeated.)
1f. The kick-off lands outside the playing field (“out”)

Faults during a play

2a. Player uses more than two touches before getting rid of the ball.
2b. During a play, the ball touches the ground more than two times
2c. The ball has more ground contacts than players who touch the ball.
2d. A team plays the ball and it lands outside the playing field.
2e. A team plays the ball into the net.
2f. A player touches the net.
2g. A player touches the ball with their hand, or arm.
2h. The ball touches the ground before it goes over the net.

RULE 13 - COURT CHANGE

After every game, both teams change sides. The kick-off remains with the team who scored prior to last game being called.

RULE 14 - DISTURBANCES

If disturbances arise that players have no influence over (such as problems with the net or equipment or a player injury, the referee is allowed to stop play immediately and the kick-off is repeated with no points given.

SOCCER-TENNIS games will be supervised by at least one official and an intramural supervisor with these duties:

Make sure rules are clear and abided by
Use signs to regulate play from start to finish, between games, and after each play
Decide points
Keep score correctly
Interrupt play due to disturbances, rule-breaking, or injuries
Keep unauthorized persons off the playing surface
Give out warnings and/or remove repeat offenders from the match
Have score sheet signed by the captains