Two Major Rule Changes This Year!

There are seveleral rule changes that are being made this year. Two in particular are going to raise some comments. First the centerline rule... In the past a player could not touch the opponents court with any part of their body. Here is the new rule:

11.2.2.2: “to touch the opponent’s court with any part of the body above the feet is permitted provided that it does not interfere with the opponent’s play.”

That means a player could dive head first over the centerline and as long as their feet don't cross the line and they don't contact the other team it is OK. WOW!

You think that was a big change, try this... There are essentially no net violations now, only if you touch the top tape on the net. That is a big change! Here are the rules:

11.3.1: “Contact with the net by a player is not a fault, unless it interferes with the play.”
11.3.2: “Players may touch the post, ropes, or any other object outside the antennae, including the net itself, provided that it does not interfere with play.”
11.4.4: “A player interferes with the opponent’s play by (amongst others):
a. touching the top band of the net or the top 80 cm of the antenna during his/her action of playing the ball, or
b. taking support from the net simultaneously with playing the ball, or
c. creating an advantage over the opponent, or
d. making actions which hinder an opponent’s legitimate attempt to play the ball.”