RULE 1 – THE FIELD

Soccer tennis is played on a turf field. ASA Staff will line the playing area with cones. The area is split into two parts by the tennis net.

RULE 2 – THE BALL

Soccer tennis uses a regulation size 5 soccer ball.

RULE 3 – TEAMS AND PLAYERS 

The game is played between two teams with two players on each team.

RULE 4 – PLAYER’S EQUIPMENT

Players on the same team will be given pinnies. The game is played on the turf. You can wear cleats or flat shoes.

RULE 5 – DURATION OF THE MATCH

Soccer tennis matches are played, best of 3 games. Each game is played to 11 points. The first team to win two games wins the match.

RULE 6 – BEGINNING THE GAME

The winner of “rock-paper-scissors” is allowed to elect whether they will kick-off or choose a side to defend.

RULE 7 – THE SERVE

A serve is used to begin each game and to start each point. A legal service starts with the ball in a player’s hands, which is then dropped to the ground behind the marked field. A serve can only bounce once before it must be kicked. A player has only one attempt to execute a service correctly, unless it hits the net but lands on the opposing side. If this occurs, the service will be repeated. If it hits three times in a row (and lands on the opposite side), then the point goes to the opposite team. Service must be allowed to bounce once in the opponent’s half before it can be returned. 

Service will be held by one player for as long as they are scoring consecutive points. Once a player’s service is broken (when the opposing team scores a point), service is transferred to the opposite team. Within each team, players must alternate service (i.e. if one player starts the game with service and it is broken, their teammate must take the next service once it has been regained).

RULE 8 – SCORING

Service to begin each point belongs to the team who scored in the last point. The score must be spoken out loud and agreed upon by both teams before each point. Both teams can score a point at any time (the defending team can score even if they did not serve to start play), via the methods described in RULE 14.

RULE 9 – TEAM BALL CONTACTS and BOUNCES

Each team has a maximum of three touches and one bounce to return the ball to the opponent’s side of the net. There is no rule that both players on your team must touch the ball. One player can take all three of a team’s touches. Players are not required to let the ball bounce before playing it, however, the ball cannot bounce after a player has touched it. The ball can be directly returned to the opposing team with one touch if desired.

RULE 10 – 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 11 – GROUND BALL CONTACTS

The only time a ball is allowed to touch the ground outside the playing field is when a serving player bounces the ball before serve. Inside the playing field, you are allowed one bounce per side, but the ball cannot bounce after the first touch during a possession.

RULE 12 – POINTS

Every play can result in a point scored by either one of the teams. The following conditions lead to a point being scored:

Faults at the serve.

The ball touches the ground more than one time in a teammate’s playing area.

A team exceeds the number of allowed touches.

A team allows the ball to bounce after touching it.

A team plays the ball and it lands outside the playing field.

A team plays the ball into the net and it does not cross into their opponent’s playing area.

A player intentionally touches the net or touches the net in a way that impedes play.

A player extends their body across the net into their opponent’s playing area.

A player touches the ball with their hand or arm.

The ball touches the ground before it goes over the net.

RULE 13 – COURT CHANGE

After every game, both teams change sides of the court. Second and third games will start with service from the team who lost the previous game.

RULE 14 – DISTURBANCES

If disturbances arise that players have no influence over (such as problems with the net or equipment or a player injury) the serve is repeated with no points given.

RULE 15 – SELF-OFFICIATING

A league representative will be present at all games, but participants are expected to referee and report scores in their own matches. Participants are expected to conduct themselves in a spirit of fairness and friendly competition. If a call during a match is disputed by the teams involved, the point in question will be replayed. If a team feels the spirit of the game is being violated, they will approach the league representative for assistance in resolving the issue.