We run outdoor sand leagues in the Spring and Summer and indoor leagues in the Fall and Winter. Spring season usually starts mid-May and runs through mid-July, and Summer starts in mid-July. Fall Indoor leagues typically start at the end of October, with the first session finishing up in mid-January and the second beginning in January and ending in Mid-March. Depending on facility scheduling, there may be another session from mid-March to mid-May.

Basic Info

Some league information appears on this page. More is found in our Frequently Asked Questions and the rulebooks linked in the grey menu bar toward the top of the page. General club policies can be found at the bottom of this page in the Info & Help section.

Notes for 2019 Winter Indoor Leagues

All three nights have two locations: the Fitchburg Boys & Girls Club or Stephens Elementary. Teams may play at either location any given week.

Scheduling

Since it is asked all the time: Scheduels are posted a few days after registration closes. If you signed up for Tuesday nights, your team plays on Tuesdays nights. The time is irrelevant.

Format

• Teams are co-ed and consist of six players on the court - at least two must be female
• Registration fees are based on 8 players per team and include eight shirts. Extra shirts are available at an additional cost
• Shirts, equipment, and referees are provided by MSSC
• Matches consist of three sets played to 21 points and use rally scoring
• Download the rulebooks linked in the grey bar toward the top of the page for full details on formats and rules

League Capacity

All leagues have a capacity and many sell out. Capacity for our outdoor sand leagues tends to be higher than our indoor leagues, but both usually have nights that sell out. Do not wait to sign up if you want to play.

Divisions

Teams self-select their division during registration, subject to MSSC approval. Not all leagues will have three divisions, depending on space available and the mix of teams who sign up. Our indoor leagues tend to be at a higher level of play than our sand leagues, and we are not always able to segement indoor leagues into more than one division when there are space limitations. This is the best way we can define our divisions:

• Lower: Teams with little-to-no playing experience. They don't pass well (or even understand what a pass is) and do not utilize the bump, set, spike technique on each play. Most players serve underhand and teams are generally called for a fair number illegal hits during the course of a match. Most players on the team cannot spike well, if at all
• Intermediate: Teams who have some volleyball experience, but generally do not have any players who played in high school or college. They understand the basics of the game and fall somewhere between Lower and Upper. When only Lower and Upper divisions are offered, Intermediate teams should probably register for Upper
• Upper: This is MSSC's highest level of play, but is probably not considered "Power" (for those who understand the term). Many players on the team played in high school or college or otherwise have a fair amount of organized playing experience. They understand the bump, set, spike technique and try to employ it whenever possible. Most players serve overhand and can spike fairly well if they are tall enough

Overall, our leagues tend to be at a lower level of competition than others out there. Please sign up for a higher division whenever possible, as teams who actually belong in Lower do not enjoy getting destroyed by teams who are much better than them. MSSC reserves the right to move teams if we know how good they are and believe they are in the wrong division. There is no guarantee we will be able to segment any given league into separate divisions. All teams may be placed in one division, or at least fewer than originally offered.

Individual registration details: Individuals may sign up and we will place you if we can. No payment is required at sign up; we will contact you if we have a spot for you and place you when payment is received. With six leagues available for Winter 2019, there is a good chance we will be able to place a lot of free agents for the season.

Do not register for multiple nights if you are not able to play on multiple nights. We count on all free agents being available for any and all nights for which they register. If you are able to play on multiple nights but only want to play one, register for the night you prefer and indicate in the comments section that you would be able to play on others.

Dates and Locations

• The regular season is typically 6 games, followed by playoffs. The 2019 Winter Indoor leagues will be held at the following locations: Fitchburg Boys & Girls Club or Stephens Elementary. Teams may play at either location any given week.

Prizes and Other Benefits

• Champions t-shirts will be awarded to the league champions
• Gift cards or cash prizes will be distributed as well

For complete details, please download the Rulebook linked in the grey bar at the top of this page. When you're ready to sign up, click the blue "Team" or "Individual" button below to register. Click the grey "League Details" button for the full details on dates, start times, locations, etc.

Questions? Check out our FAQ or Contact Us.