Foot Tennis
Rules
Rules Change Based On Age And Skill for Modifications for list of modifications click here
RULE 1 – THE COURT
- Soccer-tennis is played on the “Serve Court”.
- Court is 10 feet wide by 15 feet long
RULE 2 – THE NET
- Nets should be 10 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 4 & 5 soccer ball.
RULE 4 – TEAMS AND PLAYERS
- The game is played between two teams with two players on each team.
- If during a game, a player is injured, the game must continue until a stoppage in play allows for a substitution.
- In Coed Games, a girl must be on the field.
RULE 5 – PLAYERS EQUIPMENT
- The official uniform of soccer-tennis includes a shirt, shorts, socks, and shoes. We ask that each team would at least wear matching tops (can be jerseys, t-shirts, sleeveless; but must be matching).
RULE 6 – DURATION OF THE MATCH
- Soccer-tennis matches are played as best of 3 games to 15 points, the team must 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.
- Game duration will last no longer than 24 minutes.
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.
RULE 8 – THE KICK-OFF
- Referees start the game with the sign to serve.
- A kick-off is used to begin each game and also between each point scored.
- Kick-offs are played from behind the service box line of the tennis court and the ball must land in opposite service box area.
- Players cannot step on the line during a kick-off.
- A player has two attempts to execute a kick-off and must play the ball out of his hands, by drop kick (ball hitting the ground before being kicked).
- If players are unable to use one fluid motion using the drop kick method, they can execute a kick-off using the ball-bounce volley method, if and only if, it does not present a disadvantage to the opposing team. This will be adjudicated at the referee’s discretion. Again, balls must land in opposite service box area on the opposing team side.
- 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.
RULE 9 – 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).
- If the ball touches the opposing teams pitch more than two times than the team is awarded a point
- if a team serves the ball out of bounds then the opposing team is awarded a point.
- All lines count for the field of play.
RULE 10: SERVICE
- Service will be held by one team for 5 point combinations. Service is changed every time the score equals 5, 10, 15, and 20 points. (Similar to ping pong; i.e. score 3-2, 1-4, 5-0, 2-3, 6-4, 7-8, 11-9 etc…)
- The player cannot return the service directly. The service must bounce once in the serve court before being returned.
RULE 11 – TEAM BALL CONTACTS
- The receiving team can touch the ball an unlimited number of times per team before returning the ball to the opposing team.
- Each player can only take a maximum of two consecutive touches before they have to pass it or serve it over
- Both players do not need to touch the ball however.
- The ball can be directly returned to the opposing team with only one ball touch, if desired.
- If the ball touches the opposing teams pitch more than two times than the team is awarded a point
RULE 12 – 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 14 – 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 one time. 2c. A team plays the ball, and it lands outside the playing field. 2d. A team plays the ball into the net. 2e. A player touches the net. 2f. A player touches the ball with their hand, or arm. 2g. The ball touches the ground before it goes over the net. 2h. The mystery/secret 3rd touch will be enforced! (Accidentally hits your foot, then shin, and you proceed with another touch…FAULT!)
RULE 15 – TIE BREAKERS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
- Head-to-Head
- Set Differential
- Sets for
- Sets Against
RULE 16 – 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 17 – 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.
RULE 18 – PENALTIES
- Referees can warn players for unsportsmanlike conduct by issuing a yellow card to the offending player. Also, the team loses 1 point.
- A red card will bar the player from the rest of the match, and their team must substitute another player. If there is no other player, the team forfeits 5 points and continues a man down!
RULE 19 – THE REFEREE
Official soccer-tennis games must be supervised by a referee, 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 (referee decisions are final)
- Keep score correctly
- Control the clock
- Interrupt play due to disturbances, rule-breaking, or injuries
- Keep unauthorized persons off the playing field
- Give out warnings and/or remove repeat offenders from the match
- Make sure the game ball is an official ball
- Fill out the match sheet and give it to tournament official