the whole idea
One foot in the sand.
No-jump volleyball takes vertical out of the equation and hands the game back to passing, setting, and shot selection. Rallies get long. Height stops mattering. Here is exactly how it’s officiated — and how the day runs.
Date to be announced · 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM · Courts disclosed upon registration
The one rule that matters
If both feet are off the sand when you touch the ball, it’s a fault.
That’s it. Everything below is just that rule applied to each part of the game.
- 01
No jumping. At all.
At least one foot must stay in contact with the sand through every contact of the ball — serve, pass, set, attack, and block. If both feet leave the sand while you play the ball, it's a fault and the rally is over.
- 02
What counts as a jump
Both feet off the sand at the moment of contact. Lunging, digging on a knee, diving, and rolling are all legal — you can leave your feet, you just can't be airborne when you touch the ball. Landing after the ball is gone is fine.
- 03
Serving
Standing or step-in serves only. Jump serves and jump-float serves are faults. Both feet may move freely behind the end line as long as one stays down at contact.
- 04
Blocking
Feet-down blocking only. A block counts as one of your team's three contacts, unlike standard beach rules — this keeps rallies long and rewards ball control.
- 05
Teams are drawn, not entered
Everyone registers as an individual and the organizers rank the field. On the morning of the tournament the board of 60 is folded into 30 teams — highest rank with lowest, second with second-lowest, on to the middle. 2 players per team, no substitutions, and no coaching from the sideline. Men's, women's, and mixed pairs all play the same open bracket.
- 06
You play with who you draw
The pairings the board produces are final. Partner swaps, trades, and side deals are not a thing here — the draw is the draw. If a player withdraws before the draw they come off the board and everyone below moves up; if one withdraws after it, the organizers pair the orphaned player with the closest available alternate.
- 07
Scoring
Pool play: One set to 21, win by 2, no cap. Bracket: One set to 21, win by 2, no cap. Switch sides every 7 points.
- 08
Self-officiated
Players make their own calls in pool play. Certified refs work every bracket match from the round of 16 on. Disputed calls in pool play are replayed, not argued.
- 09
Weather & sand
The tournament runs rain or shine. Only lightning or a lifeguard-ordered closure stops play. Sand gets hot — bring shoes for the walk between courts.
Quick reference
- Players per team
- 2 — paired by the draw
- Pool matches
- One set to 21, win by 2, no cap
- Bracket matches
- One set to 21, win by 2, no cap
- Block counts as a touch
- Yes
- Jump serves
- Not allowed
- Diving & rolling
- Allowed
- Substitutions
- None
- Partner swaps
- Not allowed
8:00 AM
The draw
There are no pre-made teams in this tournament. All 60 players enter individually, we rank the field, and on the morning of the event the board is folded in half to make 30 teams: the top-ranked player with the lowest, second with second-from-bottom, all the way to the middle. Seeds are published the night before and go up on the board at check-in; the fold is run in front of everyone, and pairs are final the moment they’re read out. Pool assignments come straight off the finished board.
Run of show
The day
Times are targets — the tournament director may compress rounds to stay ahead of the tide and the light.
7:30 AM
Check-in opens
Every player checks in individually at the tent. Bring an ID.
8:00 AM
The draw
The ranking board goes up, it folds top-to-bottom into 30 teams, you meet your partner, and the no-jump rules get walked through.
8:30 AM
First serve
6 pools of 5 across 6 courts. Four matches per team. The house opens at the same time.
12:00 PM
Lunch + beach break
Forty-five minutes to eat, rehydrate, and get out of the sun before the bracket. Food is at the house.
12:45 PM
Round of 16
Top 2 from each pool plus wildcards — 16-team single elimination.
2:15 PM
Quarterfinals
Four matches, four courts.
3:15 PM
Semifinals
Two matches, everyone else on the sidelines.
4:00 PM
Final
One match, one court, the whole field watching.
4:45 PM
Awards
$12,000 to the top four teams, with the sun still up.
5:00 PM
Sunset on the Strand
The house has been open all day; now the whole field is in it.
Pool play
6 pools · 5 teams · 6 courts
Each pool owns one court for the morning and plays a full round robin — four matches per team, one bye round. Pool assignments are published straight after the draw; the round order is fixed.
Pool A
Court 1
Pool B
Court 2
Pool C
Court 3
Pool D
Court 4
Pool E
Court 5
Pool F
Court 6
Afternoon
16-team single elimination
Top 2 from each of the 6 pools advance automatically (12 teams), plus the 4 best third-place finishers. Seeding runs 1–16 by pool finish, then match wins, then point differential.
12:45 PM
Round of 16
6 courts
2:15 PM
Quarterfinals
4 courts
3:15 PM
Semifinals
2 courts
4:00 PM
Final
Main court
All day on the Strand
The party runs all day.
We have a house on the Strand directly across from the courts, and it's open from the first serve to well after the last one. Duck out between matches, eat, watch your court from the deck, and be back in time for your next one. When the finals wrap it turns into the real thing.
8:30 AM – late · Open to every player. The address goes out with the court location once you register.