Playing Rules
Updated August 13, 2024
General Rules
Florida State University does not provide accident insurance coverage for injuries received by Intramural Sports participants. Each participant should make sure that they have coverage either through family policies or the student insurance plan.
Florida State University PROHIBITS possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages on University property. Smoking and the use of smokeless tobacco is also prohibited at Campus Recreation facilities. This includes the Rec SportsPlex, Main Campus Fields, Westside Courts, and Tully Gym. Violators will be asked to leave the area. Failure to do so can result in forfeiture of the contest, suspension of individuals and/or teams, and appropriate action by the Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards and/or the FSU Police.
Sport Rules
Current International Table Tennis Federation rules will govern play with the following modifications:
I. GENERAL ELIGIBILITY
1. Participation is limited to currently-enrolled, fee-paying FSU students, faculty members, and full-time staff. FAMU & TCC students and members of the community are not eligible.
2. In order to participate in an intramural contest, each player must present their current, valid FSUCard. Check-in takes place at designated sign-in locations at the facility, not at the fields or courtside.
3. Additional information regarding player eligibility, team rosters, and participant check-in is available in the Seven Principles of Intramural Sports, available online at the FSU Intramural Sports web site and in the Intramural Sports Office at the Main Campus Fields (1001 W. St. Augustine Street). Requests for exceptions to any policy must be directed to the IM administrative staff during regular weekday business hours in the Intramural Sports Office. No exceptions are granted at the fields or courts.
II. TEAM COMPOSITION
1. Games are 1-on-1 or 2-on-2. Team rosters should be composed of 1 or 2 people.
2. A team must have two (2) players to begin a game for 2-on-2 matches. One (1) player constitutes a default. No players signed-in at game time will result in a forfeit. For 1-on-1 matches, one (1) player is needed to begin a game. Zero players constitutes as a forfeit.
III. EQUIPMENT
1. The Intramural Sports staff will provide tables, balls and paddles. People may play using their own paddles and balls.
2. All players must wear shoes. Tennis shoes and soft-soled shoes are legal.
3. Select jewelry is allowed to be worn during intramural competition.
Below is a list of jewelry that is not allowed:
• Hard plastic / metal jewelry including rings, watches, bracelets, etc.
• Jewelry with loose hanging loops / hoops
• Non-stud piercings
If a finger could fit through the space of a loose piece of jewelry, then it must be taken off. Sport specific Jewelry Policies may still apply. There is absolutely no jewelry allowed beneath the elbow in the following sports:
• Flag football (7v7 & 4v4)
• Basketball (3v3 & 5v5)
• Volleyball (Indoor & Sand)
If necklaces are worn, they must be tucked in and always remain tucked in. Individuals wearing religious or medical alert jewelry will be allowed to participate while wearing jewelry containing necessary information. In such cases, the jewelry should be taped to the skin with the medical information visible. The Intramural Sports Staff and Supervisors have the final say on approved jewelry for each sport.
IV. GAME TIME & LENGTH
1. Game time is forfeit time. If the forfeiting team wishes to remain in the league, the team captain must contact the Intramural Sports Office by 12 Noon on the next business day to present their case.
2. A game shall be won by the player or pair first scoring 11 points unless both players or pairs score 10 points, when the game shall be won by the first player or pair subsequently gaining a lead of 2 points.
3. The best of three (3) games will be the winner of the match unless otherwise noted.
4. Changing and Adjusting Equipment – In the case of a set or ball no longer being suitable for play, the game shall pause while a replacement is found. When replaced, the game resumes at the same score, player positions, and serving order.
V. PLAYING FORMAT
1. To decide who will be serving, rock, paper, scissors will be played between teams. When one player or pair has chosen to serve or to receive first or to start at a particular end, the other player or pair shall have the other choice.
2. After each 2 points have been scored the receiving player or pair shall become the serving player or pair and so on until the end of the game, unless both players or pairs score 10 points or the expedite system is in operation, when the sequences of serving and receiving shall be the same but each player shall serve for only 1 point in turn.
3. In each game of a doubles match, the pair having the right to serve first shall choose which of them will do so and in the first game of a match the receiving pair shall decide which of them will receive first; in subsequent games of the match, the first server having been chosen, the first receiver shall be the player who served to them in the preceding game.
4. In doubles, at each change of service the previous receiver shall become the server and the partner of the previous server shall become the receiver.
5. The player or pair serving first in a game shall receive first in the next game of the match and in the last possible game of a doubles match the pair due to receive next shall change their order of receiving when first one pair scores 5 points.
6. The player or pair starting at one end in a game shall start at the other end in the next game of the match and in the last possible game of a match the players or pairs shall change ends when first one player or pair scores 5 points.
7. If a player serves or receives out of turn, play shall be paused, and a point will go to the opposite team.
VI. SPORTING BEHAVIOR
1. The mission of Intramural Sports is to provide a recreational environment for the University community which is safe and enjoyable. While the game atmosphere is often competitive, ensuring participant safety, providing a fun, social atmosphere, and promoting positive behavior among participants, spectators, and team followers are our primary concerns. The game atmosphere should remain good-natured at all times. Participants shall maintain good sporting behavior throughout their participation in all facets of the intramural program.
2. The Sporting Behavior Rating System is intended to be an objective scale by which teams’ attitude and behavior can be assessed throughout the intramural sports league and playoff seasons. Behavior before, during, and after an intramural sports contest is included in the rating. The team captain is responsible for educating and informing all players and spectators affiliated with their team about the system.
3. A team is responsible for the actions of the individual team members and spectators related to it. Additionally, FSU Intramural Sports does not recognize the use of coaches. Only the team captain shall speak to the officials regarding administrative matters (protests, ejections, disqualifications, etc). Furthermore, the team captain’s efforts in assisting officials/staff to calm difficult situations and to restrain troubled teammates are key to controlling team conduct.
4. Good sporting behavior is vital to the conduct of every Intramural contest. In order to encourage proper conduct during games, officials, administrative personnel, and supervisors shall make decisions on whether to warn, penalize or eject players or teams for poor sporting behavior. These decisions are final. The Intramural Sports administrative staff will rule on further penalties as a result of unsporting conduct.
5. Each participant should choose their team members carefully, as all team members will suffer the consequences of any disciplinary action taken by the Intramural Sports staff against that team for violation of the intramural rules and sporting behavior guidelines. Protests or appeals of sporting behavior ratings will not be recognized. The Intramural Sports administrative staff reserves the right to review any rating given to a team.
6. Additional information regarding team and participant sporting behavior including the rating method, factors, and scale is available in the Sporting Behavior Principle of the Seven Principles of Intramural Sports, available online at the FSU Campus Recreation web site.
