Thank you for entering the 12th annual Cowtown Volleyfest.

Inform all of your parents, coaches, and players that food, drinks, or coolers are NOT allowed inside any of the playing sites.  Water is the only substance allowed on any of the playing surfaces!

Pool play for the tournament will begin at 8:00 am on Saturday, February 19, 2011.  Bracket play will be a double elimination format with a consolation bracket and will begin Sunday, February 20, 2011.

A team representative must sign in 45 minutes before the pool wave begins.  For the 8am pool start time your coaches meeting will start at 7:15am, the 2pm pool start times coaches meeting will start at 1:15pm at the championship desk.  Please make sure you have all your medical release with you when you check-in at the coaches meeting. At 8:30pm there will be a coaches meeting to relay any changes and to go over rules and regulations.

Certified officials will be provided for all matches.  Each team must provide a certified second referee (coach only), 3 scorekeepers (visible, written and spotter for the libero), and 2 linesmen for assigned matches.  Players should have proof of certification available for production. 

Teams that miss their duties shall suffer a point per minute for their ensuing match.  If a team misses a full match the team will be fined $100 for the cost of officiating that match.

No balls are allowed in the hallway.  If a person is caught playing with a ball in the hallway the ball will be taken away promptly and will be returned to you after the tournament.

The facilities do not allow any coach, player or fan to be on the sport court or court without having athletic shoes on.  This includes warm-ups and any lines persons.

All pool play and bracket will be 2 out of 3 sets to 25, no cap, 3rd set to 15, no cap, switching at 8.  3 team pools will play 3 sets to 25, no cap.  All matches will have a 4-4 warm-up.  No extra time will be given for warm-up!

Cowtown will be played under USA volleyball rules as specified in the USA rules manual with the following specifications:

1.       No pursuit rule at any site.

2.      Tiebreaker Procedures

If there are 2 teams tied for 2^nd Place:

If one of the teams won both sets in pool play, that team will get the higher finish.

If the teams split in the pool, there will be a one game playoff to 25 pts. The team who won the pool will officiate.

If there are 2 teams tied for 1^st or 3^rd:

The team that won the head to head match will be the higher finisher. If they split, then the team with the best point differential will be the higher finisher. There will not be a tie breaking game played.

If there are 3 teams tied for 1^st place in the 1^{st round}:

The teams will be ranked by point differential. The first ranked team will finish first and referee one set to 25 pts involving the 2^nd ranked team and the 3^rd ranked team.

If there are 3 teams tied for 2^nd place in the 1^st round:

The team will be ranked by point differential. The first ranked team will referee 1 set to 25 involving the 2^nd  ranked team and the 3^rd  ranked team. The winner of that set will play 1 set vs. the 1^st ranked team with the loser refereeing and being the 4^th place team of that pool. The winner of the 2^nd set will be the 2^nd place finishing team and the loser will be the 3^rd  Place team of that pool.

NOTE: All point differentials will be for the entire pool, not the head to head match.

If a team will be eliminated from the Championship division, there will be playoff games played (with the one exception of a two way tie). If they will not be eliminated, point differential will be used to determine finishes.  

Training staff will be on duty through out the tournament only at Winning Edge Volleyball Facility.  Please make arrangements for your players if they are not playing at the Winning Edge.  Each team must provide their own supplies or purchase them from the trainer.  If major injuries occur, it is crucial that each participant has complete medical insurance and they carry with them the necessary information.  If a medical emergency arises and a participant does not have insurance, they will need to pay for all cost of any required medical care.  The team rep/coach must produce a completed medical release for each player prior to participating in the Cowtown Volleyfest that shall be presented with the team roster and a copy of such.  Coaches must retain a copy of each player’s emergency release form for their own protection.  These copies should be carried with them throughout the tournament.

Concessions will be offered at all the sights.  Please pick up after yourselves and teams.  After each match police the removal of your team’s water bottles.

Protest committee will be John Linne, Debi Lamb, Richie Lamb, and Rick Johansen.  The captain must immediately submit any protest.  Only application of the rules can be filed under protest.  The official will report this action to the Site Manager. A call will be made to the committee for a prompt ruling.

COACHES, if you need assistance reading the tournament format feel free to ask any of the Site Managers.  Please inform your parents that if they have a question about the schedule they need to ask you, the coach, and not the site managers, as they will be working hard to put on a GREAT tournament for you and your team.