Mini volleyball rules: court, net and scoring per level
How big is the court, how high does the net hang and when have you actually won? The rules of mini volleyball differ per level of CMV, the Dutch youth volleyball format — logically, because they grow along with the children. This article lines up the key rules for coaches, parents and score-table volunteers.
The playing court: small court, small teams
Mini volleyball is played on a reduced court, usually marked out with lines or cones inside a regular volleyball court. The usual dimensions in the setup of Nevobo, the Dutch volleyball federation: at the lowest levels a court of roughly 4.5 by 6 meters for two-on-two, and from the teams of three and four upward a court of about 6 by 6 meters. For comparison: a regular court is 9 by 9 meters per side. The small court is not a budget cut but didactics: fewer meters means more ball contacts and shorter running distances for short legs.
Net height and the ball
In CMV the net hangs at about 2 meters — low enough to arc the ball over, high enough that you cannot simply lob it across. Some clubs hang the net slightly lower for the very youngest. From the C bracket (the Dutch youth division starting around age twelve) on the full-size court, the net goes up; every height per age category is in the net height overview. The ball grows along too: for the lowest levels many clubs use a lighter, softer youth ball, so children do not shy away from the contact and the ball stays in the air longer.
Playing rules per level
The core of CMV: each level has slightly different rules, matched to what children can handle. The main lines:
- Level 1: two against two; the ball is thrown and caught. Serving is an underhand throw over the net.
- Level 2: two against two; catch, toss to yourself and play on overhead.
- Level 3: three against three; teamwork via several children, underhand serve, catching still allowed as an in-between step.
- Level 4: four against four; every ball is played, catching is gone. A maximum of three touches, as in the full game.
- Level 5: four against four; the overhand serve and the attack are added.
- Level 6: four against four; the complete game with spike and block — real volleyball on a small court.
At every level the same principle applies: players rotate through so every child plays everywhere and everyone serves. Substitutes simply rotate in — fixed positions and position numbers belong to the full-size court, not to CMV.
Scoring: rally point, often on the clock
Just like with adults, rally scoring applies: every rally produces a point, regardless of who served. The difference is in the match format: CMV is almost always played as a tournament, with several short matches in one morning. Sets often run for a fixed playing time (around ten minutes, for example) or to a fixed point total — the exact format differs per region and tournament, so always check the organizer's match schedule. The complete, current CMV rulebook is published by Nevobo.
Where CMV deliberately differs from the full game
A number of rules from regular volleyball are missing from mini volleyball on purpose — useful to know for anyone watching from the sideline with adult-volleyball eyes:
- No fixed positions or positional faults: children rotate through and play everywhere. Who "belongs" where does not exist yet.
- No libero and no substitution limits: everyone plays; substituting happens through the rotation.
- More lenient technical calls: a double contact or a slightly carried ball is not whistled strictly at the lower levels — keeping the rally alive matters more.
- Serving for everyone: the serve rotates so every child gets a turn, including the child who does not get it over the net every time yet.
Practical rules for tournament morning
- Team size: with teams of four, bring five or six children — everyone rotates through anyway, so everyone plays a lot.
- Refereeing yourselves: at most CMV tournaments, coaches or older youth members do the refereeing. Whistling leniently is part of it: better one rally too many than a child who checks out after three "fault" calls.
- Guarding the rotation: the most common mistake is forgetting to rotate, so the same child keeps serving. Agree on who watches for it.
- Informing parents: share the start time, the gym and how long the morning lasts in advance. An informed sideline is a calm sideline.
- A short debrief: close the morning in a circle with what went well — not with the results. The kids will have forgotten those by tomorrow anyway.
Tip for coaches: before the first tournament, explain your level's rules once at practice with the children on the court. Rules you have played, you remember — rules you have merely heard, you do not.
Frequently asked questions
How big is a mini volleyball court?
Common is a court of roughly 4.5 by 6 meters for the lowest levels and about 6 by 6 meters for the teams of three and four. The courts are usually marked out inside a regular volleyball court.
How high does the net hang in mini volleyball?
Around 2 meters for all CMV levels; some clubs hang it slightly lower for the youngest children. Only from the C bracket on the full-size court does the net go up step by step.
How many children play mini volleyball?
It depends on the level: two against two at levels 1 and 2, three against three at level 3 and four against four from level 4 on. Substitutes rotate in, so everyone plays an equal share.
How many points does a CMV match go to?
That differs per tournament: sets run for a fixed playing time or to a fixed point total, always with rally scoring. The organizer's match schedule is what counts.
