2025 UHSPA Season Rules

Please read through carefully. It is your responsibility to abide by all rules and regulations; failure to do so could result in disqualification.

Game Play:

  • If a team defaults by not having enough players for a game, we will enter the score of 1-0 into Swish for all games, with the team who defaulted getting the zero. This will give the other team the win while avoiding inflated point differentials from these matches. Defaulted matches will not be reported to DUPR.

  • If a team defaults by being 20 minutes late or not having a team, we will enter the score of 1-0 into Swish for all three events. If the late team arrives in time to play the second and third game of the match, the late team could still win, and games 2 and 3 are played as normal. Defaulted matches will not be reported to DUPR.

  • Format: Each school-vs-school match will consist of a boys event, a girls event, and a mixed event with each being played simultaneously. Each of these 3 events will be played best 2 games out of 3.

  • The school that wins at least 2 of the 3 events (girls, boys & mixed), will be the winner of the match.

  • All players and coaches must wear their UHSPA team shirts to compete in every meet and tournament. Trade with another teammate if you don't have one. No additional logos of any kind are allowed to be added or printed on your shirts.

  • We will be playing with the Vulcan ball.

  • Teams will have 10 minutes to warm up before the first round of matches start. There will be no warm up between the 1st and 2nd rounds, and matches will start as soon as both schools and the courts are available.

  • Line calls will be made by the players on the court and the referee assigned to that court. No spectators or teammates may make line calls. If there is a dispute between the players on the court, the referee’s judgement will stand.

  • Coaching is not allowed except for during time-outs or between games. Each team is allowed one, 1-minute time-out per game. Coaches ARE allowed to call the timeout for their players.

  • We will use rally scoring: games to 21, win by 2. No cap. Teams will switch sides at 11 on the third game, and the winning team must win on its serve.

  • At each of the 6 meets in our season, you will play two matches against two different high school teams. (Because we only have 6 teams in each region, you will play one team twice)

Subbing:

  • Each team can bring one extra male and one extra female as the designated subs for that week. This allows each team 6 starting players and 2 subs (4 males and 4 females total).

  • Because scores are entered into DUPR, subs are not allowed to sub in and out of games randomly. Subs are only allowed to play full games. For example, a sub cannot come in to play until after the first game to 21 is completed, or the second game to 21 is completed and the score is tied 1-1 and teams are going into the third game in the match. The sub must play the entire game to 21.

  • In the case of an injury, the team who was injured will keep the score they had when the game stopped at the time of the injury, and the other team will score 21 and win that game. This is because we are using DUPR and games cannot be split between two players. A sub may then play any remaining games left in that match.

  • Players who started in one event are NOT allowed to move to another event during the same round. For example, a player who competed in boys doubles and finished his best 2 out of 3 quickly, may not sub in for his school in mixed doubles that round. When playing the next round against a different school on the same day, coaches may select different players to play in a different event, but players can only play in one event, per round, per meet. This allows more team members to participate and encourages unity within the team.

Championships:

  • For the team championships, schools will be seeded into two divisions, the top 12 schools will play in Division I, and the bottom 12 schools will play in Division II.

  • Each Division will play in a single elimination bracket: MLP scoring, games to 21, 2 out of 3, win by 2, switching sides in third game at 11, winning team must win on serve. We will only be crowning our champions and our runners up in each division.

    Information about the Individual Championships will be sent at a later date.

Team Rosters:

  • Team rosters cannot exceed 20 players. At designated times, they can remove or add players to the roster, but they are capped at 20 players.

  • The first roster must be submitted to info@uhspa.org before Feb 21st. Information needed for the roster is simply the player name and DUPR ID. All players should have their DUPR ID’s linked in Swish already.

  • This roster will be used for the first three meets. Advisors/coaches will choose their 6 starting lineup players and 2 subs each week from this roster, for a maximum of 8 players.

  • If clubs have more than 20 players, or additional players join the club during the season, they may be added to an updated roster for weeks 3-6. This should be emailed to info@uhspa.org by Mar 18th.

  • All players for a team must be from the High School, Junior High or Homeschooled students of the same age within the High School boundaries, and must not be older than their Senior graduating class. No exceptions. A school found in violation of this rule will be disqualified.