MAD HATTER 10/12 MAD HATTER

  • October 12 – Dec. 6, 2025
  • We’re excited to announce our upcoming Mad Hatter Sand Volleyball Tournament at Double Barrel Drinkery in Eldridge on Sunday, October 12!

    What is a “Mad Hatter”?

    In this format, players are shuffled into new random teams every round. Instead of sticking with the same teammates all day, you’ll mix it up, play with different people, and earn points as an individual. Each win your team earns = 1 point for you. At the end of the tournament, the players with the most points win the prize money.

    Event Details
    • Date: Sunday, October 12
    • Location: Double Barrel Drinkery, Eldridge
    • Check-In: 9:30 AM
    • Play Starts: 10:00 AM sharp
    • Entry Fee: $10 per player
    • Players: 36 players max (first come, first served)
    • Format:
    • One sand court, rotating play throughout the day
    • Players earn individual points (no team playoffs)
    • Top 6 players with the most points win prize money

    Prize Payouts

    Prize money will be awarded to the Top 6 players:
    🥇 1st
    🥈 2nd
    🥉 3rd
    🏅 4th, 5th, and 6th
    (Exact payout amounts determined by total entries)

    Tournament Schedule (One Court – Approximate)
    • 9:30 – 10:00 AM → Check-in & rules overview
    • 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM → Morning rounds (4 games, ~20 min each)
    • 12:30 – 1:15 PM → Lunch break
    • 1:15 – 3:45 PM → Afternoon rounds (4 games)
    • 3:45 – 4:30 PM → Final round(s) & wrap-up
    • 4:30 PM → Scores tallied, prize money awarded

    Total Run Time: ~10:00 AM to 4:30 PM

    How to Sign Up -->

    Spots are limited to 36 players only — first come, first served. Reserve your spot today by replying to this email or signing up at [insert sign-up link/instructions].

    Come out, play hard, and have fun meeting new teammates every round. We can’t wait to see you on the sand at Double Barrel!
  • LEAGUE RULES AND REGULATIONS
    Please review and abide by the following rules to ensure a fair and fun
    experience for all players!

    🏐 TEAMS / PLAYERS / ELIGIBILITY
    - All players must be at least 21 years old.
    - 6 players per team
    - A team of 6 players must have an equal number of each gender OR more
    women than men on the court.

    🏐 TIMING AND SCORING
    - A match will consist of 1 game played to 21 points with rally
    scoring (a point is scored on every serve). Games are played win by 2, cap at 23.
    - Teams must be ready to play by the mandated start time. If a team is
    unable to play within 10 minutes of the scheduled start time, they will forfeit
    the game. A forfeit results in a score of 21-0.

    🏐 GENERAL RULES
    - This is a recreational league. The goal in a rec league is enjoyment and
    participation rather than cutthroat competition. We strive for friendly, mildly
    competitive play for everyone. With that in mind, players of all skill levels
    are welcome.

    🚫 STAY OUT OF THE NET!
    Honesty is the best policy, if you touch the net with any part of your body
    and the referee does not call it, you must call the violation yourself, and the
    play will end. If the referee calls a net violation, maintain good
    sportsmanship, honor the call, and move on.
    - Team Captains are responsible for starting the match. If the captain is
    absent or late, a substitute captain should be elected from the team for that
    match only.
    - There will be a 5-10 minute warm up before the start of each match.

    🏐 GAME PLAY
    1. Players may use any part of their bodies to play the ball, including feet,
    as long as the ball is cleanly hit or “popped” at contact and does not touch
    the ground.
    2. The ball must be cleanly hit and not held, lifted, carried or thrown. The
    ball cannot roll or come to rest on any part of the body.
    3. When contacting the ball with one hand the ball should be struck or
    cleanly hit with the heel or palm of the hand (a roll shot), with straight and
    locked fingertips, curled fingers (knuckle ball) or with the back of the hand
    from the wrist to the knuckles.
    4. Players may not step under the net onto the opponent’s court. Safety is
    always our priority.
    5. If two or more players of the same team contact the ball simultaneously,
    it is considered one hit. Either player involved may participate in the next hit
    without penalty.
    6. The ball is out-of-bounds if it touches any surface, object, or ground
    outside the lines. If the ball touches the lines, it’s in. A ball may be safely
    played from out-of-bounds if it crosses the net within the poles.
    7. The GIRL RULE (for coed 6’s):
    Any time a team has more than one contact, a woman must make one of
    those contacts before the ball goes over the net. A man may hit the ball
    over the net on the first contact, but anything more than that will result in
    the end of the rally and a point for the opposing team. Legal over the net
    play examples:
    1 Contact: man, woman
    2 Contacts: woman/woman, man/woman, woman/man
    3 Contacts: woman/man/man, woman/woman/woman, man/woman/
    woman, whatever the pattern of contact is legal, as long as a woman is one
    of the contacts.
    8. Each team is allowed two 60-second timeouts per game. Timeouts
    cannot be accumulated.

    🏐 SERVING
    9. Rock, Papers, scissors will be played before the first game. The winner
    has the choice of: serving the first game or choosing which court to start
    on, the opposing team will have the second option.
    *Depending on the time of year/season, halfway between the 1st game the
    teams may be required to switch sides, this will be determined by the
    referee and team captains before the beginning of each match.
    10. Service must take place behind the back line. Servers cannot step on
    or over the line when serving.
    11. The server must wait for the whistle to serve. If the server violates this
    rule more than once, the opposing team receives 1 point, and they get the
    ball.
    12. The players of the serving team must not intentionally screen the
    opponents from seeing the contact for service or the path of the ball. This
    includes a player waving arms, jumping up and down, or moving sideways
    at the time of the serve.
    13. No Setting the Serve:
    You cannot set the serve directly back over the net on the first
    contact. This is considered an attack on the serve and is not
    allowed.
    14. Re-serve/Drop Serve's are permitted. The serve toss "drop rule"
    means you can let the ball drop to the ground after a toss without hitting it,
    and still have another attempt to serve. This is only allowed only if you do
    not touch the ball after letting it drop. If you touch the ball at all after tossing
    it up (even letting it bounce off your body), that counts as your serve
    attempt.
    15. A Let-Serve (a serve that hits the net and goes over) is legal if it lands
    in bounds.
    16. Upon a change of serve, all players must rotate clockwise. The player
    in the front-right position becomes the next server. Positions of players may
    be changed only after a completed game.

    🏐 BLOCKS
    17. A ball touched by a player attempting to block a shot does not count as
    one of the team's three allowed touches.
    18. A player may place hands and arms beyond the net to block, but the
    action should not interfere with the opponent’s play. Roofing (touching the
    ball beyond the net before an opponent attacks) is not allowed.
    19. If two or more players from opposing teams contact the ball
    simultaneously above the net, any of the players involved are eligible to
    participate in the next play, which shall be considered the first of three
    contacts allowed to the team.

    🏐 FAULTS...
    20. Player contact with the net: No part of the body may touch the net
    unless the ball being driven into the net causes the contact.
    21. A team contacts the ball four times before returning it to the opponents.
    22. Catching, throwing, carrying or lifting the ball. The ball must be tapped /
    popped at contact.
    23. Serving out of turn results in the loss of points scored by the ineligible
    server.
    24. A player contacts the ball twice in succession, unless the first touch is a
    block, or the ball contacts different parts of the player’s body.
    25. If two players from opposing teams commit fouls simultaneously, the
    point will be replayed.

    🏐 SUBSTITUTIONS
    - No substitutions

    🏐 DISPUTES
    - Disputes should be settled by the referee. If a dispute cannot be resolved
    within 15 seconds, the point will be replayed. The referee has the final say
    in any matters not covered by the rules.
    - Good sportsmanship is mandatory.

    🌤 WEATHER
    In the event of questionable weather conditions, the decision to play or
    cancel will be made 2 hours before the first game. Mild inclement weather
    may not result in a cancellation, but if a game is postponed, captains will be
    informed and must notify their teams. Even if it is raining, you might still
    play, unless conditions on the court are extremely poor.

    ⚖ LIABILITY AND RESPONSIBILITY
    NO CHILDREN ALLOWED --- Unless...
    Unless they are being cared for by a NON-PLAYING adult, over the age of
    21. You and your family’s safety are our top priority. Children are welcome
    to enjoy the venue and food trucks, but they must remain off the court
    during matches and be supervised at all times by a non-volleyball player
    currently on the court.
    All participants in the Double Barrel Sand Volleyball league assume the risk
    of injury. The Double Barrel Drinkery, its employees, referee’s and
    volunteers shall not be liable for injury to person, loss, or damage to
    personal property arising from or in any way resulting from participation in
    the league. All players are required to sign a liability waiver before they may
    legally start league play. These will be handed out at the first game.
    Any and all refund requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by
    the Double Barrel and Volleyball management team
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