Elizabethton’s Parks and Recreation Department is accepting registration for their spring volleyball league, a league with a much greater co-ed focus than others like it.

Administrative Assistant Derrick Vines said he has been playing in the league for roughly 10 years.

“I worked part-time here before, working on setting up the nets and stuff like that,” Vines said. “I grew an interest in playing, and I have been playing ever since.”

He said the league has a focus on co-ed participation, right down to team composition.

“We have a three to one male to female ratio,” he said.

He said this is in order to promote equal participation among all the players. In fact, this dedication to participation even extends to the rules of the game.

In volleyball, a team can only hit the ball three times before they must hit it over the net to the opponents. In this league, at least one of those three hits must come from a woman. If this does not occur, it counts as a loss and the opponent receives the point.

“This is a minimum number,” Vines said. “We have had a team before that was all women.”

For those interested in picking up the sport for the first time or only have minimal experience, Vines said it is much easier to understand the basics compared to other sports, which is part of why he continued to play.

“It was more fun than I thought,” he said. “It is not too difficult for newcomers. We always have one team who is new to it.”

He said the volleyball they play is similar enough to beach volleyball for players to understand, though beach volleyball is built for fewer players.

He said the season will run for roughly eight to 10 weeks, depending on the number of teams that register. For context, the fall team is wrapping up their winners league this week.

“Volleyball keeps going,” he said. “People just love to keep playing, even after the season ends.”

Teams interested in signing up can do so by calling Parks and Recreation at 423-547-6440 or by stopping by in person at 300 W. Mill St. in Elizabethton. The registration fee is $250, and the deadline is Monday, April 15.