News

We are excited to move up to 32 teams. We will add more teams as courts are secured. We are excited to announce that Mike Jackson is rejoining our staff. Mike will assist in tournament operations and run the women's tournament.

Welcome to the news and updates page for this years event. New info will be posted as it is received. This years event will be open to the first 24 men's and women's team that register. Registration is only complete when payment has been received. More teams will be added once gym space is secured. Please remember gym space is hard to come by in Vegas unless we want to be scattered all over town. It is very important that coaches and players respect the gyms they are in. Last year we had issues with players taking out the lightbulbs in the rec center elevators and players giving attitude to the rec center staff when they were asked to turn off their stereos. This year if we receive any complaint about your team there is no warning! Your team will be immediately removed from the event! Refunds will not be given. Teams are allowed to sell their spot to teams on the waitlist. We are very excited for this years event. Please check back for new and updated info..

Welcome to the 9th Annual Las Vegas Open. We are very excited for this year’s competition. We have been able to accommodate 88 great teams from throughout the country. A lot of hard work has gone into the planning of this event and we hope you enjoy your time in Las Vegas.

Please read through this entire packet. Each team will be held responsible for all information included in this letter.

Packet pickup/Team Check In
Teams can pick up their packet on Thursday night at the Tropicana Convention center Business Desk. Directions – Park between the Tropicana and Hooters Hotel and Casino and enter through the Imain entrance of the hotel. You can check in between 6:00pm and 8:30pm. After that please call 801 706 9500 and we will make arrangements to get you your information.

Do to the vast amounts of paper that is wasted every year we are not going to to reprint this info, pool play info or tournament info. All info will be posted online one week prior to the event. It is each teams responsibility to print off the needed info. Teams can purchase new info for $2 a page. At check in teams will verify rosters, sign proper papper work and pick up needed info

Start Time
The women will start play at 8:00am on Friday with the men starting at 3:00pm. Teams should be at their playing facilities 45 minutes prior to the start of play. Please understand, with the high level of play, we cannot control game time and if multiple matches go to three games, there is a possibility of running late. Play for the men will start at the conclusion of any women’s matches still going on. It is our goal to get matches started as soon as possible, if we ask your team to move courts or even facilities please work with us so we can make things run smoothly and stay on time. Teams arriving early on Saturday PLEASE DO NOT TRY AND FIND YOUR OWN WAY IN to any GYM if they are running late just be patient. We hope to have all gyms opened 1 hour prior to play

Student Rec. Center Wristbands
In lieu of spectator passes, this year all teams, spectators and coaches must wear a wristband in order to get into the Student Rec. Center. Wristbands will be given out at check-in to every team, please determine how many wristbands you will need for players/coaches and for spectators. If you need additional wristbands you can pick them up at either the Student Rec. Center front desk or the COX concession stand during the tournament.

Parking restrictions are enforced until 1pm on Friday for student parking spots and until 5pm for staff parking spots. Parking is free all-day on Saturday. If you have an afternoon pool, you can park in any student parking spot free of charge. For morning pools at the UNLV Rec. Center and COX, you can purchase a parking permit in the parking garage that is located in front of the Rec. Center. There is a self-service machine at the entrances to the garage. For morning pools at the MPE, you will need a parking permit to avoid being ticketed. Teams playing at the MPE may pick up parking permits at check-in. Please note that if you do not have a permit displayed or if you park in a staff spot you risk being ticketed. Please make sure that you park in a student spot and display a permit if you are on campus before 1pm. The Las Vegas Open is not responsible for any parking tickets you receive and cannot get tickets waived.

Due to vandalism last year at the MPE these courts will not be used. We will be using campus and off campus sites. We will be using the UNLV Rec. Center, Tark Basket ball Center, Paradise Rec center and the COX Pavilion. All sites are located within 5 miles to UNLV and the Tropicana. Please watch for LVO signs giving you directions. On Saturday the same courts will be used. Time has been worked into the schedule to allow for travel time between sites when necessary.

DI will consist of 32 Varsity teams. The top two teams in each pool will advance to the Gold division. 3rd place teams will compete in the Silver division and all 4^th place teams will compete in the Bronze division.

DII will consist of all B teams. The top two teams in each pool will advance to the Silver Division while all third and fourth place teams will play in the Bronze division. In the case of a tie in pool play PLEASE READ THE TIE BREAKING PROCEDURES. All matches are 2 out of 3 games to 25 points with the 3^rd game going to 15 points, no cap on any game. For the third game, teams will switch sides at 8.

Men: Start time 3:00pm (Teams should report to their playing site by 2:10)
DI - 32 Teams DII – 12 Teams

Men will begin play at 3:00pm or at the conclusion of the women’s play. In DI, the top two teams in each pool will advance to the Gold Bracket. 3rd place teams will compete in the Silver division and all 4^th place teams will compete in the Bronze division. For DII, the top two teams will adavnce to the Silver Division while the 3rd and 4th place teams will play in the Bronze division. All matches are 2 out of 3 games to 25 points with the 3^rd game going to 15 points, no cap on any game. For the third game, teams will switch sides at 8.

Teams will be placed in each division based on the following; first on A team/Bteam status, NCVF rank, Commisioners recommendation and finnally team record.

Saturday Playing Format – Women
Gold Division – 16 teams Start time 8:00am UNLV Student Rec. Center

Saturday format each team will be guaranteed 2 matches. If you lose in the first round you will then move to a consolation bracket. If you lose after your first round you will be done. Please see tournament brackets for more information.

Championship game is scheduled for 1:00pm for the women and 7:00pm for the men both games will be played at the Student Rec Center

****In order to utilize all of our available courts, teams might start at one location but finish at another. All gyms are located within a short distance of each other. Paradise Rec. Center are Tark are located 5 minutes away depending upon traffic.

Saturday Playing Format – Men
Gold Division – 16 teams Start time 12pm - 2pm Depending upon seed

Bronze Division – 14 teams Start time 12pm - 2pm Depending upon seed. Paradise Rec. Center and COX Pavilon

Championship game is scheduled for 1:00pm for the women and 7:00pm for the men both games will be played at the Student Rec Center

Officiating Assignments
For planning purposes, please be prepared to provide the following.

·         Second Referee
·         Scorekeeper
·         Scoreboard Operator
·         Libero Tracker
·         2 Line Judges

Please note that some teams will have to ref. the match prior to their first match. Additionally, during the tournament on Saturday, winning teams may have to ref. and teams may have to ref. multiple courts in order to make the day move along faster. It is your team’s responsibility to report to your ref. assignments on time. Failure to do so will result in forfeiture of points, games and/or matches. Do not leave the gym until you are 100% sure that you do not have a ref. assignment.

Officiating Penalties
Failure to provide the officiating crew for your assigned matches could result in the following - a point for every minute the officiating team is late, one point will be given to their next opponent (up to 25-0 forfeit). The clock starts at match time. The second offense results in a loss of your next game, after 20 min a team will forfeit their next match. If a team is late because they were playing, they will not be penalized.

Warm-up
Warm up time for all games will be 4-4. Two minutes of ball handling will start immediately following the preceding match.Teams should be ready to go at the conclusion of the previous match. There is to be no warm up on the TRACK or on any fitness machine in the REC CENTER.

Rules of Play
The Las Vegas Open will play in accordance with USA/NCVF Rules. Key rules are listed below.

· Rally Score to 25 points, all games must be won by a margin of two (2) points

· 12 Substitutions and a Libero - the Libero player must be identified prior to each game.

· The Men will use the Molten “Pro Touch” ball (red, white, & blue), and the women will use the Molten “Super Touch” ball (also, red, white & blue).

· Libero Serving: The Libero will be allowed to serve. In one rotation, the Libero may replace a player in position number one to serve in both men's and women's play.

· Jersey Number Rule: Due to visibility issues, minimum number sizes have been revised. It is REQUIRED that the numbers must be a minimum of 4" in height on the chest and a minimum of 6" in height on the back. The numbers must be centered on both the front and back of the jersey. Teams that have illegal numbers prior to the start of their match will forfeit the first game in that match.

· If a team is reduced to less than 6 healthy players, they will be allowed to continue in the competition if they wish, but will play with a hole in their lineup.

· Net contact is legal as long as contact is not made with the top 2 inches of the tape.

· Under the net, any part of the body can cross into the other team’s court as long as it is not the foot and does not interfere with an opposing player.

Illegal Players
Illegal players will not be tolerated. Teams that use illegal players jeopardize the integrity of the game. Please respect the efforts that all teams have put into preparing for this event. Any team found to be playing with illegal players, will be disqualified from competition upon verification of the player or players in question. Illegal teams will be banned from competition for two years and will be subjected to NCVF penalties

Due Process, Protests, and Appeals
The USAV bylaws Article X govern protests, appeals, and due process. Protests, appeals and due process for this event are specifically governed by these documents. Protests and appeals at this championship event are a simple two step process.

Protest of the rules of play
A committee of 3 persons shall handle all protests The committee shall be composed of the following:

In the case that one of the above listed is not available, the assistant head referee will step in. All rulings of this committee are final and not subject to appeal.

All protests will be settled at the time they are logged. No match will be allowed to proceed until the protest is settled. Protests can ONLY be related to rules of play.

Rule 6.1.2: Participants must accept referee’s decisions with sportsmanlike conduct and without dispute. In the case of doubt, clarification may be requested through the game captain.

· Failure of the first referee to apply the correct rule to a given situation or,

Treatments
General first aid and ice bags are free. Ice is hard to come by so please only use ICE from immediate problems. Icing sore muscles should be provided by each team. PLEASE DO NOT ASK ANY SITE FOT ICE as they will not provide it for you. Please note, however, that no ice will be provided for coolers. Please dispose of ice bags immediately after they are used to keep them from leaking all over the floor and becoming a hazard for others. If ice bags are found lying around, their use will be limited to the training area. Trainers will be located at both the TARK and Student Rec. Center if you have an extreme emergency please call 911 and contact the site supervisor.

Supplies
All teams must bring their own taping supplies. Equipment and supplies will be furnished for emergency care only. Remember to encourage your players to drink plenty of water even if they don’t feel thirsty. This prevents dehydration and additional problems.

Special Medical Problems
If an athlete has a special medical problem or condition, please notify the tournament director prior to any involvement in competition to ensure the safety of the athlete.

Score sheets/Results
Results will be sent to the NCVF on Sunday afternnoon.. Please, please, please make sure when your team officiates that all score sheets are properly filled out. The most common mistake is teams not noting if a team is A or B. Please make sure the winning team is marked correctly and your team reps. sign in the designated spot. If the results submitted are incorrect please contact us and we will find the score sheet and verify the result. Again, results are submitted based on what we receive.

NO FOOD/DRINK in GYMS
Due to the number of hours that are spent cleaning up after teams every year, No food or drink is allowed in any gym area. Water is only allowed at each team bench and must be taken out immediately at the conclusion of play. Please help keep the facilities clean and remove any trash. A café is located in the Student Rec. Center and a small concession stand will be set up at both COX and TARK. The Student Rec. Center also prohibits any coolers from being taken into the facility. If your team brings coolers, please keep them in the lobby of the Rec. Center or in the hallways of the COX and TARK. Please clean up your team’s sites when you leave the facilities. Failure to comply with these requests may jeopardize your team’s ability to compete in future LVO tournaments.

Tie Breaking Procedure
The following method will be used to break a tie in the following order. PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND THE INFO LISTED BELOW

If a tie can still not be broken or if a team is going to be eliminated from the Gold division, the following will take place:

Team with the best game percentage will advance to the Gold division. If teams are tied after game percentage point percentage will be used. The Next two teams will play a one game playoff to 15 points to decide who gets second and third. Team taking first must ref the playoff game.

Team with the best game percentage will earn a Bye, while the next two will play a one game playoff to 15 points, the loser is third. The winner will play the team with the best point percentage in a one game playoff to 15 points, the winner is first, the loser is second. The team with the best game percentage will ref. the first playoff match, the loser of the first playoff game must ref. the second playoff game.

If you do not agree with the following please contact the Tournament Director 72 hours before the start of the Tournament with a detailed explanation.

Tournament Etiquette
Gyms are very hard to come by in Las Vegas and we have been very lucky to have all of these courts. Please, please, please clean up after yourselves and respect the property so we can continue using these gyms. All teams will be responsible for the area where they sit at the playing venues. This area must be cleaned up before you leave. Failure to do so will result in not being invited back. Please throw away trash. Extra garbage cans will be placed around the venues, so please help keep our sites clean. By keeping our gyms clean, it will help us keep the tournament costs down.

I have been very impressed in the past with everyone’s behavior at this event. Let’s keep it up. Please, no swearing, taunting or fighting and NO ALCOHOL IS PERMITTED AT ANY GYM.

First Place - Trophy and Paid entry for all TEAMS (Men, Women, B teams up to 4 teams)to the 2012 LVO

Awards will be given out at the conclusion of the Men's Chamionship match. Athletes getting an award must pick up the award by Sunday at 10am or pay for shipping at their cost.

If you have any questions, you can call me at 801 706 9500. Kim and I wish you all the best of luck while in Las Vegas. We’re glad to have you at the Las Vegas Open. Have fun and play hard!

First LVO email sent out Feb 1st

Hello Everyone,

I hope all is going well for your teams so far this season. We are very excited for the 2011 LVO as it is shaping up to be another incredible event as we will have 88 teams representing great talent from all across the United States. As we count down to March 18^th(remember this is a fri/sat event the NCVF site shows it as sat/ sun) a couple things I need teams to get done. First, book your hotel rooms soon!! As of Monday Jan 31^st there are only 60 rooms left in our block. I would like to encourage all of you to stay at the Tropicana, they have done a great job of remodeling this hotel and yes, the pool is completed and very nice. They have offered us a great rate for one of the nicest resorts on the strip. The hotel is also very close to UNLV and easy access to the freeway. There is a direct link on the website to book your room with our block. Second, please start emailing us a copy of your roster. Your roster needs to have team name along with player name and number. Remember all teams need to be registered with the NCVF or you DO NOT PLAY. More info will be forthcoming as we get closer to the event any questions or if you need something please let us know.

Good luck and see you all soon,

Clint

Hotel registration is now open. There are only 120 rooms available to our group so do not delay.

I am excited to announce that we have secured the 12 courts we need to expand to 44 teams. Tournament info will be posted by mid Feb

It is looking very good that we will be securing 3 more courts very soon. This will bring our number of courts up to 11 thus allowing a field of 44 men''s teams and 44 women's teams we will not go more than 44. Refund policy, teams not able to attend can obtain a refund up to Dec 31st. Starting Jan 1st 2011 no refunds will be givin. Teams can sell their spot to another team on the waitlist.

Tournament is filling up fast especially on the women's side if your money is in you are guaranteed a spot in this event. Once we hit 32 teams the wait list will start.

I am very excited to announce the addition of two more Courts. This will allow us to move from 24 confirmed teams to 32. It is hopeful that another two are on the way. All courts will be located at or no further than 5 min away from UNLV.

Once again the Tropicana Hotel and Casino will be the Host hotel for the 2011 LVO. Their new Miami Beach themed Hotel is a great fit for this event, with new rooms and a pool to die for. Rooms rates are in final negotiations and info will be released soon

Entry fee - Do not Delay in remitting your entry fee. Teams with money in first will have a guaranteed spot. Early registration closes on Nov 15th.

Due to vandalism last year in the MPE and teams not leaving during a fire alarm. We have lost the MPE. It is our goal to try and get it back or secure other facilities. It is possible that part of this event will be moved to the Tropicana Hotel and played in their convention center.